MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

I have some questions about Industrial/Organizational psychology as a graduate major for a friend.

  1. What is the job outlook? Would someone be able to find a job in this field? What kind of jobs can you get in this field?
  2. Do you have to like math to be an IO Psychologist?
  3. Do you need to have a business background? They will leave college never taking a business class. They said the prerequisites for a lot of schools, are psychology classes at the 300+ level and desired major is psychology, so they never bothered with business classes.
  4. What are some good schools that offer a masters program in IO psychology? They are open to any state.
  1. Sure, you can find a job in this field. The BLS lumps practicing psychologists (clinical, counseling, school and I/O) together, but jobs for industrial-organizational psychologists are expected to grow much faster than the average between now and 2024. You can get a job as an industrial-organizational psychologist

They’re called different names at different companies. There are other opportunities, too; it just depends on what you want to do.

  1. Yes, at least a bit. I/O psychologists will use some statistical analyses to do the research that they do, although how much they use is going to vary a lot by workplace. It's not an intense kind of math; it's different in flavor, but there is some quantitative reasoning to it.
  2. No, but having one can help. But if they've never taken a business class that's probably fine.
  3. There are lots. I would encourage your friend to do an Internet search for such programs. The Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology also has a list (http://my.siop.org/GTP)