Master of Science in Applied Psychology Curriculum

This course provides the foundation for approaching the business world through the lens of applied psychology. This course will ask: How can psychology illuminate real-world problems faced in consumer marketing, employee management and organizational dynamics? Students will examine issues facing companies/organizations and then review contemporary psychology theory and research, seeking intersections between theory and practice. We will broadly review psychological concepts such as social, social-cognitive, personality and motivation, neurobehavioral, cross-cultural and developmental perspectives.

This course provides students with practical skills and tools grounded in psychological theory that can be directly applied in the business world while actively involving each student in personal professional development. A different workshop or professional development activity will be conducted each week. Workshops will be facilitated by a content specialist with experience teaching in business environments. By their nature, workshops depend on learning by doing as the primary method of instruction. Workshops in this course include Mediation Skills, Strategic Communication, Creativity Workshop, Multimedia Brand Development and Storytelling, and Emotional Intelligence.

Consumer Psychology will explore the factors that influence consumer behavior in the marketplace. Emphasis will be placed on individual (or internal) factors and group (or external) factors that help explain how and why buyers behave as they do. Understanding of consumer psychology will be tied to the development of effective marketing strategies. This course provides a transition from prior psychology coursework to the pragmatic practices of business.

Organizational Psychology examines people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior in organizational contexts. This class explores scientifically-based psychological principles and research methods to study topics important to understanding human behavior in many different types of organizations. As such, this course is relevant to virtually all work settings (and many non-work settings). The goal is to provide you with an overview of the main theories, concepts and research in this field.

Research Methods in Applied Psychology will introduce students to mixed methods research, which is used in a number of applied settings and academia. This course will examine quantitative and qualitative methods and their application in real-world research projects. To simulate professional situations, this course will provide opportunities to present work in front of other classmates. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to utilize some of the research methods most commonly used in business settings.

Organizations are made up of individuals and leaders who form groups and teams. This course will deepen your knowledge of leadership styles and the manner in which different leadership approaches affect group dynamics. Students preparing to become organizational psychology practitioners will learn key tools to help organizations identify and develop effective leaders and managers. Additionally, students will enhance their understanding of their own leadership potential and capabilities.

This course examines the major theoretical frameworks mapping worldwide cultures and values with a focus on applying that knowledge in organizations. It will provide students with tools to become more culturally competent, and also provide a guided, hands-on opportunity to adapt existing communication strategies to multicultural settings and audiences. Students should be able to identify the main value systems of different cultures and become aware of their own cultural biases; and analyze and synthesize knowledge relevant to culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and disabilities to plan, intervene, and act as better leaders in any kind of organization.

The course will focus on how media marketing has provided new opportunities for maintaining consumer loyalty and purchasing behaviors, as well as company cohesion and reputation. This course will draw on historical underpinnings of media, marketing and consumer behavior; quantitative and qualitative research studies; and real-world experiences and campaigns to better understand how interactive media can innovate and improve marketing strategies and affect consumer behavior and organizational effectiveness.

Selection and assessment is the critical first step in driving organizational strategy. The purpose of the course is to develop an understanding of assessment and selection practices, processes and approaches. It is designed with both a theory and applied approach – examining both the research related to assessment and selection and its practical implications in the workforce. Students will develop insight, awareness and appreciation into the strategic role that assessment and selection plays in determining organizational success. The course will enable them to diagnose organizational situations, identify where assessment and selection can significantly enhance organizational success, and understand the tools and techniques that can be leveraged to meet an organization’s strategic objectives.

The course will introduce you to advanced techniques in data analysis, study design and survey research as they are applied to business problems. The application of these techniques will primarily be focused on marketing and market research, though they are equally applicable to organizational behavior. Applications for both quantitative and qualitative data will be covered, as both are important to making business decisions.

User experience (UX) research is an applied discipline that employs a wide variety of methods from psychology and other social sciences to better understand the individuals who engage, or may engage, with a product or service. This understanding is often used to support the end-to-end design process, from early, strategic investigation of context, wants, and needs, to later, tactical testing of usability and examination of competitive sets. Increasingly UX research is interacting with other applied disciplines such as organizational psychology and market research and stretching beyond the design process, impacting decision making in human resources, facilities management, customer support, and even the C-suite. This course will provide a broad introduction to the social science methods UX researchers most commonly use, including qualitative approaches, such in-depth interviews, usability tests, heuristic reviews, ethnographic in-context interviews and observation, and quantitative approaches, such as surveys, benchmarking, card sorting, and tree testing, with an emphasis on experiential learning. Additionally, students will learn about current debates and emerging questions in the field, with diverse perspectives provided by guest presenters from industry and academia.

This course enables students to apply concepts studied in prior MAPP coursework through an internship experience of the student’s choosing. Internships, whether paid or unpaid, may be in any industry and must be approved by the program director. During the internship, students will learn real-world skills through on-the-job training in their chosen area of interest (e.g. market research, marketing, recruiting, human resources, social media, organizational consulting, sales, advertising, etc.). In course meetings, students will evaluate, reflect and extend their internship learning through journals, presentations and structured experiences. To fulfill the internship requirement for this program, students must log 240 hours of work time.

The Treatise requirement is an applied research project essential to all students for graduation with an M.S. in Applied Psychology. Treatise topics with the approval of the program director can be wide ranging and as creative as the student’s professional interest. All Treatise projects must relate to a real-world issue or circumstance in one of the topic areas taught in consumer psychology, organizational psychology, marketing, market research, advertising, human resources or a communication-related field.

The principles and practices in each of these areas have applications not only in commerce, but also in government, public service organizations and for advancing political and social causes. A core principle of the M.S. in Applied Psychology program is that knowledge of human behavior contributes to effective practice in each of the above fields, and the paper should provide an illustration of that tenet. Data collection to help answer a real-world business problem, as well as discussion of recommendations to apply the results in a business setting, are typically expected.