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EARN YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE AT SC!

Total Credit Hours: 124

Transfer Credits: Up to 94

The Southwestern College online Bachelor of Science in organizational psychology degree program provides learners with foundational knowledge and understanding of the core elements of psychology and their effects in a variety of workplace settings. Learners will develop the skills necessary to promote a stronger morale and more satisfied employees in a wide range of professions.

  • Experience applied learning through employing knowledge gained toward real-life or simulated scenarios or case studies
  • Graduate prepared to pursue advanced degrees
  • Discover more reasons to choose SC!

Recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report for its online bachelor’s degree programs, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.



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CAREER OUTLOOK

Average Salary (PayScale): $58k

Graduates of the online psychology program at Southwestern College will be prepared for a variety of careers, including:
  • Human resource manager
  • Behavior analyst
  • Talent developer
  • Training and development specialist

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES

“I would definitely recommend (Professional Studies). I did it all online which was good for me being a single mom and being able to still work and do the classes.”
Janell Carr, 2017 Graduate

FACULTY

Visit our faculty page to view current psychology instructors.


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RESOURCES

Why You Should Earn a Degree in Organizational Psychology

RELATED PROGRAMS

Organizational Communication Certificate
Human Resource Management and Development



ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM DETAILS

The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Psychology degree focuses on an essential and fundamental understanding of the major elements in the field of psychology with additional focus on organizational psychology and its impact in the workplace. Students in this major will evaluate psychological theories and research, apply psychological theories and principles to organizations, and examine ethical issues in the practical application of psychological theories. Individuals enrolled in this major can enrich their skills and abilities to solve problems in the workplace, improve productivity and workplace quality. The Bachelor of Science with an organization psychology major is designed for both individuals who wish to complete a general degree in organizational psychology or prepare for an advanced degree in psychology.

Admission Requirements

  1. Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have completed a GED®
  2. Minimum GPA of 2.0

Core Major Requirements

MASC110 Statistics and Probability

This course acquaints learners with the tools and major components of statistics. Learners will apply technology to analyze data. The course also includes the foundational terminology and practices used in contemporary statistics, such as data collection, metrics, score interpretation, and experimental design. Additionally, this course will promote the skills that learners need to be able to take information from the world around them and use it to make sound decisions based on solid evidence.

PSY 110: General Psychology

This course explores major perspectives, principles, theories, and methods that govern the study of mental processes and behaviors. Learners will trace psychology’s historical roots, scientific basis, and major perspectives and consider contemporary and historical theories of how biological, cognitive, and environmental factors underlie and influence human development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence, and social dynamics. Learners will also examine the theories and processes essential to learning, memory, motivation, and personality, identify psychological disorders and their treatments, and discuss application of psychological principles to everyday experiences and real-life examples.

PSY 252: Developmental Psychology

Learners in this course will gain a basic understanding of the biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development in humans from birth through adolescence, with additional emphasis on young adult through death.

PSY 262: Social Psychology

The course explores the social factors in behavior of individuals and groups, including attitudes, leadership, personality, and culture.

PSY 202: Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Organizational psychology is the branch of psychology that applies psychological theories and principles to organizations. Learners will be provided a foundation within the ethical, cognitive, and social systems at the organizational level and have the opportunity to understand and manage employment and organizational relationships. This field concentrates on applying theories for the betterment of the organization and workplace. Topics will include but are not limited to increasing workplace productivity, and the physical and mental well-being of employees.

PSY 352: Cognition

This course covers the psychological study of attention, pattern recognition, memory, language, reasoning, problem solving, and creativity.
Prerequisite: PSY 110.

PSY 362: Personality Theories

The course provides an in‐depth examination of the contemporary approaches to the psychological study of personality.
Prerequisite: PSY 110.

PSY 400: Psychology Research Methods

The course is designed to provide learners the opportunity to study the theory and methodology of psychological research design, execution, and presentation of scientific research in psychology.
Prerequisites: PSY 110 and MASC110.

PSY 410: Emotion

The course offers a survey of the major historical and contemporary theories of human emotion, including biological, developmental, cognitive, and social perspectives.
Prerequisites: PSY 110.

PSY 301: Case and Crisis Management

Managing the routine as well as in times of crisis are essential skills in the field of organizational psychology. This course will examine the roles and responsibilities of a mental health case manager. Case Management is a collaborative process of assessment, treatment planning, facilitation, care coordination, and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s needs. During times of crisis, effective strategies during any event that might have an impact on the business, its customer base, or even the local neighborhood, is critical. Students will learn strategies to operate effectively and efficiently.
Prerequisite PSY 110.

PSY 420: Abnormal Psychology

The course provides an introduction to personality disorders and major psychiatric disorders. The emphasis of the course is on theories of pathology and treatment.
Prerequisite: PSY 110.

PSY 440: Psychological Assessment

The course offers an examination of classic and current theories and methods of psychological assessment, including personality assessment, interviewing, projective techniques, and observation and behavioral techniques.
Prerequisite PSY 110.

CAPS495: Senior Capstone

Learners engage in two projects that assess their achievements and preparation for pursuit of professional aspirations in their major field. Through application and assessment, learners examine the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program, achievement of the program outcomes, and their preparation as followers and leaders in their chosen professional field.
Prerequisites: The capstone should take place within the last 9 hours of a learner’s program.


General Education Requirements*

Basic Skills

CORE110: Information Literacy

This course is designed to provide learners with the skills that are fundamental to becoming an information‐literate professional who can locate, evaluate, organize and communicate information. The abundance and rapid flow of data requires skill development in the understanding of information resources, accessing information sources, determining the credibility of Internet information, logically organizing sources and finally presenting the information professionally.

ENGL101: Composition 1

This course helps learners develop writing skills that are transferable to any academic or workplace writing task. The course guides learners through the process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading academic and workplace writing. Learners will develop skills necessary to craft coherent sentences and paragraphs, to edit editing their writing for proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. They will learn about narrative structure and techniques as well as the elements of successful argumentation and persuasive discourse. This course also guides learners through every stage of the research process. Learners will develop a research plan, conduct research, organize and draft a research paper, and then revise, edit, and proofread that research paper.

ENGL102: Composition 2

This course builds on the thinking and writing skills introduced in Composition 1. Learners will write critical, argumentative essays based on their interpretations of nonfictional texts, including literary, film, and cultural texts, and in doing so, will recognize the role of rhetoric in the writing situation as they craft persuasive discourse. In doing so, they will learn methods of questioning, analyzing, and evaluating their own beliefs as well as the perceptions and perspectives of others. These methods of critical thinking are intended to improve the quality and organization of learners’ writing for any purpose, including academic and workplace purposes. In addition to writing essays, learners will develop more advanced research strategies, as well greater proficiency in APA style.
Prerequisite: ENGL101

COM125: Speech

This course helps learners majoring in any discipline strengthen communication skills essential for success in academics and the workplace. Learners will focus on listening, evaluating, and delivering spoken discourse based on audience and purpose. Learners will evaluate why some people are more effective than others as public speakers, analyze speeches and audiences, study ethical considerations for speakers, research and organize findings on a topic, and present findings before an audience, and learn techniques for identifying and reducing speech anxiety.

MASC110 Statistics & Probability or MASC115 College Algebra

MASC110 Statistics & Probability, or MASC115 College Algebra, or more advanced college credit bearing mathematics course requiring college algebra or higher as a prerequisite.


Ethical Reasoning

HUM201: Ethics

Ethics introduces learners to moral philosophy, the branch of philosophy that questions what is good and bad. The course surveys a number of important ethical theories—ethical relativism, objectivism, egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, duty‐based moral theory, natural law, natural rights, and virtue ethics—as they examine reasons why certain actions are morally right or wrong. Learners will apply ethical theories in the evaluation and analysis of current controversial issues, question ethical matters from a variety of angles, and acquire new tools to assist them in making ethically sound, well‐informed decisions throughout their lives.


Disciplinary Perspectives

Natural Science (3 or more credit hours)
Social Science (3 or more credit hours)
Humanities (3 or more credit hours)
The Arts (3 or more credit hours)
Other Cultures (3 or more credit hours)

Capstone

CAPS495 Senior Capstone

Senior capstone or major capstone course.

*Most general education requirements are waived for students with an AA, AS, or AAS degree. Speak to your admissions counselor for details.


Graduation Requirements

  1. Complete all foundation and major courses with an overall GPA of 2.0
  2. Complete a minimum of 124 credit hours, with at least 60 hours at a bachelor’s degree-granting institution
  3. Complete at least 30 credit hours with a C average or above from Southwestern College

All degree requirements are subject to change. Please see Southwestern College Professional Studies Catalog for the most current degree requirements.

Organizational Psychology PDF

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