The U of M, Crookston career-oriented psychology (organizational) program promotes both the academics of psychological and other social science theory and methods and experiential skills training to analyze and ameliorate important social and organizational problems. Program priorities are specifically designed to increase employment readiness for psychology majors and minors by (a) adding market value to their undergraduate college degree and (b) improving their professional marketability.

Specifically, the program incorporates a psychology major (42 core credit hours), supported by a one of two emphasis area option (12 credit hours) with directed internship experiences specific each area (Consumer Service Settings or Industrial and Production Management Settings) and a psychology minor (21 credit hours). 

Emphasis area options enable students to gain valued applied experiences.

• Exposures in consumer services settings introduce students to the practical professional skills needed to further connect theory to practice where efficient labor force management and consumer service problems are encountered.  Settings include:  (a) for-profit organizations in areas where customer relations, consumer satisfaction and organization communications are inter-related and (b) community non-profit and governmental human-services where community-based issues such as education, health, productivity and general welfare of human populations in their diverse ecological contexts are emphasized.
• Exposures to applied experiences in industrial settings introduce students to the practical professional skills needed to further connect theory to practice.  These settings are in industrial and production management where efficient management of an industrial labor force and problems encountered by workers in a mechanized setting such as labor relations, training and development and quality management systems are of large concern.

Minor
The applied psychology minor (21 credit hours) introduces students to the core concepts of psychology in a unique research and interdisciplinary context.  It is designed to compliment majors in biology, communications, and business, contribute to broader career perspectives on human behavioral implications and can be tailored for students in other majors as well.

Coursework will increase student intellectual confidence and critical thinking skills necessary to actively support projects and/or programs in employment settings where concerns focus on addressing organization, community and societal challenges.  The program will enhance student interest and require student exposure to social science research in the context of human psychological, social and community social systems and organization problems.

"Nearly 50 percent of all psychology graduates with a bachelor's degree tend to seek full-time employment immediately after graduation; moreover, 90 percent of those entering the labor force tend to become employed within one year after graduation," says Assistant Psychology Professor Alvin Killough, Ph.D., who conceptualized and wrote the program. "This program will graduate individuals with a strong grounding in the social sciences along with the interpersonal, training, organization development and problem solving skills that are in demand in the business world."

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