Graduate Courses
Courses Typically Taken by All Students
Research Design (Statistics)
This course serves as a general survey and introduction to statistics at the graduate level, stressing a conceptual understanding and appreciation of major analytic procedures. Topics covered include the logic of inferential statistics, correlation and regression, univariate analysis of variance (both traditional and regression approaches), multivariate analysis of variance, multiple regression, discriminant function analysis, canonical correlation, factor analysis and causal modelling. Most applications of the procedures focus on SPSS. Full course (1.0); two terms.
Core I/O Courses
One core course is offered during the Fall term (September to December), and another in the Winter term (January to April). Core courses do not occur during the Summer term (May to August). These courses are offered on a rotating basis.
Performance Appraisal and Related Issues
As a topic within the area of I/O Psychology, this course will cover research relevant to the application of psychological theory and methods for the purpose of appropriately measuring a key criterion variable within work-settings, that is, job performance. A variety of approaches to the measurement of performance will be discussed in detail and some of the more prominent topics will be validation and evaluation of the “goodness” of performance appraisals, attempts to improve performance appraisals, and theories of job performance. Half course (0.5); one term.
Motivation and Leadership
This seminar course is designed to familiarize students with theory and research on motivation and leadership in a work context. We will discuss classic and modern theories of motivation and leadership and critically evaluate the research that has been conducted to test them. Implications for the design of motivation systems and for the assessment and selection of managers will also be addressed. Half course (0.5); one term.
This course will cover the application of psychological theory and methods for the purpose of insuring that the particular individuals hired by an organization are likely to be successful employees. Job analysis, which is a collection of techniques that allows one to infer the basic knowledge, skill, aptitude, and personal characteristics required for a job, will be covered. Additionally, the course will cover employee recruitment, and a variety of approaches to personnel selection. Cost/benefit considerations in personnel selection will be covered under the rubric of utility analysis. Half course (0.5); one term.
Work Groups and Teams in Organizations
The purpose of this course is to examine psychological issues associated with work groups (or teams) in organizational settings. Particular attention will be given to the implications, for work attitudes and performance, of the design, structure and composition of groups, as well as the congruence between structure/process variables associated with the group and those of the organization in which it is embedded. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on methodological issues associated with work group / team research. Half course (0.5); one term.
Research Methods in I/O Psychology
The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with research methods used in the science and practice of I/O Psychology. Students will be introduced to a variety of commonly used methods and techniques including (but not limited to) multi-item scale development, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and dealing with common method variance. The objective of the course will be to provide students with a basic understanding of, and appreciation for, these methods and how they can be used in research and practice. Half course (0.5); one term.
Work Attitudes and Behaviour
This seminar is designed to familiarize students with theory and research on work attitudes and behaviour. The course begins with an overview of construct development and measurement issues as they pertain to work attitude research. We will then focus on the two most widely studied work attitudes -- job satisfaction and work commitment -- and discuss their development, correlates, and consequences. Particular consideration will be given to withdrawal intentions / behaviour, organizational citizenship behaviour, and workplace deviance behaviour. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on the critical evaluation of theory and research as well as on their implications for practice in applied settings. Half course (0.5); one term.
Fundamental Competencies for Industrial Organizational Professionals
This seminar is designed to familiarize students with the key competencies that are central to careers in industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology. A particular focus will be placed on writing an I/O grant proposal and reviewing others' I/O grant proposals. Further, students will be given exposure to the academic publication process by reviewing an article and also considering how to respond to reviewers' critiques .The course will also consider the researcher-practitioner gap and discuss how I/O professionals can address this gap as well as the controversial role of theory in I/O research. Time permitting, we will also discuss the ethical considerations of the dual researcher/consultant role that I/O psychologists play.
Doctoral Seminars
Topics addressed in I/O doctoral seminars change depending on course instructor availability and interests. Recent seminars include:
Motivation and Leadership across Cultures
Organizational Change: A Psychological Perspective
Examining the Impact of Research in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Doctoral Seminar in Industrial Psychology
Status and Power in Organizations
Other Graduate Courses in Psychology
Click here for a listing of other graduate courses in Psychology.
