Admissions Requirements

We have found that the most successful applicants to our program will have elements of the following profile:

• A Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above with:
  • A B.A. or B.S. in Psychology or related field from an accredited institution or foreign equivalent OR;
  • A B.A. or B.S. in another discipline from an accredited institution or foreign equivalent with coursework to include Introduction to (or General) Psychology in addition to an undergraduate course in Research Methods or Statistics
• Practical work experience (e.g., beyond entry-level or part time jobs in retail)
• A focused Goal Statement demonstrating a basic understanding of the field of I/O and career aspirations with some application of I/O or HR
• International applicants should refer to the International Admission Page for special admission information
• For those applicants who have not taken these prerequisite courses yet, a competitive application would include a plan to take these classes at an accredited institution (in-person or online) prior to starting the program be addressed in the Goal Statement.
• GRE scores are not required for admission

Please note that the above are guidelines used by the Selection Committee and that reviews and final decisions are made at its discretion on a holistic basis taking into account the entire application.

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Application Process

Applications are only considered for the Fall semester. To apply, complete a Degree-Seeking UMBC Graduate School Application and use program name: Industrial & Organizational Psychology (MPS)

1. Apply online
   • Submit your statement of goals as an attachment in the “Academic Goals and Research Interests” section
   • Insert names of references into “References” section (Note: we only require two. Put N/A in third line)
   • Submit Experience Form as an attachment in “Additional Admissions Documents” section
   • Complete residency information to be reviewed for in-state tuition rates
2. Request official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions to be sent to UMBC Graduate School, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 or emailed to gradschool@umbc.edu.

Your application should include the following documents: (Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.)

• Completed application including residency form
• Experience Form
• Official transcript(s) from each college & university attended
• Non-refundable application fee ($50 online)
• Two Recommendation letters
  • Because of the specific rating factors on which you will be evaluated, we recommend that at least one from an academic professor or advisor if possible. This will make your application more competitive. If that is not possible or practical, applicants may submit letters from other sources. Additional letters beyond these two may be submitted.
• Structuring your Goal Statement: In order to enhance your Goal Statement which you submit with your application, we recommend that you structure your essay in a way that addresses the following points (as applicable):
  • Your personal and academic background including any coursework relevant to Psychology in general or I/O specifically (this is especially important for non-PSYC majors)
  • Why you are interested in a career in I/O Psychology or Human Resources including any career goals
  • How I/O Psychology ties into any of your work experience to date
  • Any research experience which you have had

Prior to writing this essay, we would recommend that you visit the website of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology at www.siop.org or Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington (www.ptcmw.org) to better acquaint you with the subfields and functional job areas in which degreed professionals operate. This will also assist you in identifying interests and career goals within the field of I/O Psychology.

Mailing Instructions

All application documents should be mailed to: 
UMBC Graduate School, MPS: I/O Psychology 
1000 Hilltop Circle
Baltimore, MD 21250

If you require further assistance, please contact Office of Professional Programs or call 301-738-6081.

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