Social and Organizational Psychology

Why This Degree is For You

The 36-credit M.S. in Social and Organizational Psychology prepares students who want to address real‑world organizational challenges by emphasizing applied social psychology, evidence‑based practice, and experiential learning grounded in systems‑level understanding of workplace dynamics and leadership.

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Psychology, Health and Human Services

Psychology, Health and Human Services

Program Type

Master of Science
M.S.

Locations/Format

UBalt Campus

Cost

More About Tuition and Fees
• UBalt offers regional, in-state tuition for select out-of-state areas.

Requirements

All Degree Requirements

A 36-credit program

 

No test requirements for admission.  

M.S. in Social and Organizational Psychology

When you choose the UBalt for our Social and Organizational Psychology program, you'll focus on applying social psychology to real organizational challenges, group dynamics, diversity and inclusion, conflict resolution, and organizational change, through a cross-college, practice-focused curriculum that prepares you for impactful roles.

 

Why Social and Organizational psychology?

Where Psychology Meets Business

Social and Organizational Psychology applies rigorous research to the realities of modern organizations. We focus on the human levers of success: group formation and development, team effectiveness, culture assessment, inclusive leadership, and strategic change design. The result? Engaged people, aligned strategy, and sustained competitive advantage. With organizations prioritizing collaboration, DEI, and engagement, the market is hungry for professionals who can operationalize psychology to drive outcomes at scale.

Admission Requirements

  • a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from a regionally accredited college or university 
  • B or better in Statistics and Research Methods*

*applicants without undergraduate Statistics and/or Research Methods may be conditionally admitted [until prerequisites are completed]

 

Application deadlines:

  • fall semester admission: rolling admission with priority deadline of July 15
  • spring semester admission: Dec. 1

Applications received after the deadline dates will be considered depending on availability of space, strength of your credentials and sufficiency of time for processing.

 

  1. Online application. Complete and submit the online application and pay the $50 application fee. (To pay in-state tuition, you must submit the Maryland In-State Residency form). You can submit your Statement of Personal Interest electronically as part of the online application or email it to documents@ubalt.edu.
  2. Official transcript(s). Request that an official transcript of all prior college or university work (including graduate courses, if applicable) be sent directly from each institution attended; electronic transcripts are encouraged.
  3. Letter of recommendation and recommendation form: Have a professor or employer submit one letter of recommendation and completed Letter of Recommendation form; they should be electronically sent to documents@ubalt.edu or sent by mail in a sealed envelope with a signature across the sealed portion to The University of Baltimore Office of Graduate Admission, 101 W. Mt. Royal Ave., Baltimore, MD 21201.

For more information about graduate admission, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at gradadmission@ubalt.edu or 410.837.6565.

 

This Social and Organizational Psychology program moves distinctly away from the personnel-focused (Industrial) structure of the existing I/O programs and emphasizes social psychology and organizational behavior, thereby shifting the focus from individual assessment to social and organizational processes. Students will explore the interplay between social dynamics, leadership, and organizational structures across diverse contexts, gaining a holistic understanding of organizations and the societal forces shaping them. By explicitly removing the “Industrial” component, this program offers a distinct curriculum focused on the social dynamics of organizations.

Employers are looking for graduates with current, state-of-the-art knowledge related to organizational development, survey development, implementation, and data analyses, as well as the ability to translate evidence-based research into business acumen. Employers also value dependability, conscientiousness, motivation, initiative and soft skills such as the ability to interact well with clients. In the Social and Organizational Psychology program, you will gain competencies aligned with SIOP guidelines, with emphasis on the organizational psychology side such as Communication, Business/Research Development, Consulting, Project-Management, and Statistical Methods/Data Analysis. 

 

A capstone is required. The culminating capstone experience offers an applied learning opportunity through hands-on organizational consulting projects, research, or supervised professional experience. The capstone options are internship, practical applications, directed study, or research practicum. The options reflect both professional and research pathways and may be completed individually or in a group format, depending on the selected course. All options require students to integrate program content, demonstrate mastery of key competencies, and produce a final product that reflects the synthesis of theory and practice, establishing readiness for professional or scholarly advancement.

To be admitted into this program, students must have taken at least one statistics course for a basic understanding of descriptive stats, correlation, regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Undergraduate Research Methods is also required. Applicants without undergraduate Statistics and/or Research Methods may be conditionally admitted [until prerequisites are completed].

 

 

What Our Graduates Do

Pursuing an M.S. in Social and Organizational Psychology prepares graduates to apply social and organizational science to leadership, teamwork, and systemic workplace challenges across diverse settings, emphasizing inclusive, evidence-based solutions grounded in real-world practice.

Common Roles

  • Consultant
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Operations Manager
  • HR Specialist
  • Project Management Specialist
  • Data Scientist
  • Training and Development Specialist
  • Management Analyst
  • Research Coordinator
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A Message from Dean Christine Spencer

A degree from the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences is more than an academic credential; it is a gateway to new possibilities.
Dr. Christine Spencer Dean, Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences
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Program Contacts

Featured faculty image

Kahlil King

Program Director
Faculty Profile

Sally Farley

Professor

Kevin Wynne

Associate Professor

Yunzi "Rae" Tan

Associate Professor

Angie Miller

Academic Adviser

 

Learn more
About UBalt