MPS in Applied Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Madeline Day, 2026

Degree: MPS in Applied Industrial-Organizational Psychology

I chose George Mason because of the exceptional online learning experience provided by the master's in industrial and organizational psychology (MPS) program, the applied focus of the program, which stood out to me compared to other universities I was considering, and access to faculty who are experts in their field. I was also drawn to the cohort structure of the program and have loved building relationships with and learning from my peers.

I also selected this program because it is designed to be completed while working full time. I've been working at the Federal Reserve Board as a full-time workforce engagement and development graduate Intern, and it's been fascinating to be able to apply what I'm learning in my classes to my work in real time. 

In undergrad, I earned a bachelor of business administration in management and a bachelor's in psychology, and I was drawn to both fields of study. I was interested in the human side of organizations, and how psychological science can improve the work experience for both organizations and employees. After taking an organizational psychology class during my senior year, I knew that I wanted to pursue a graduate degree in industrial-organizational psychology.

The MPS program requires students to complete a semester-long practicum research project. I worked with three other exceptional students to research the impact of job insecurity on organizational commitment. We found that job insecurity does decrease organizational commitment, and that this relationship is fully mediated by psychological contract breach (i.e., job insecurity causes a breach of the psychological contract, and that breach is what decreases commitment). Another interesting finding is that, contrary to common assumptions, this relationship was the same for both government and non-government employees.

Most impactful course: My most impactful class was the practicum semester. Not only did I get to learn from and build strong relationships with my project group—and I had fun doing it!—but I also got to participate in the research process from start to finish and then go on to translate those findings into applied insights that would be valuable for real organizations. This experience underscored the scientist-practitioner model, which has been a cornerstone of instruction in the MPS program. 

Advice for future George Mason graduate students: Live in the moment. Completing this program while working full time hasn't always been easy, but reminding myself how lucky I am to be earning a graduate degree always helps. Revel in engaging projects and assignments and try to embrace the late nights and confusing readings. It will go by fast, and before you know it, you'll be done—and missing it.

Future plans: I am very excited to attend the annual SIOP conference in New Orleans at the end of this month. I'll get to meet a lot of my George Mason peers and professors in person for the first time and learn a lot in the process. After graduation, I will be starting a position as an associate at an organizational consulting firm in Boston.