Ali Duncan Jerden, Consultant for Towers Perrin
"I am/was extremely pleased with the program…and would highly recommend the Master's program in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at MTSU. I found the curriculum at MTSU to be focused on applying research and knowledge to actual workplace issues; rather than simply providing theory, the professors at MTSU taught practical solutions to organizational problems. Additionally, courses are often designed around applied projects, frequently in client organizations. And, students are required to complete a practicum in order to gain professional, business experience. The result was that other students and I graduated from MTSU with a resume full of experience gained from class projects and internships.
"The requirements at MTSU provided me with an integrated understanding of I/O topic areas. Writing a thesis requires students to practice skills gained in a variety of courses, and incorporate this knowledge into a research study. Additionally, comprehensive exams require students to review all that they have learned, and integrate those topics into recommended solutions to organizational problems posed in the questions.
"Professors at MTSU cover topic areas more comprehensively and in more depth than I have encountered in other programs. For instance, I have more employee selection knowledge than many of my colleagues, some of whom have higher degrees. Additionally, I have a better grasp of statistics than people who have graduated from other Master's programs.
"Most other I/O Master's programs do not require students to complete a thesis, comprehensive exams, and a practicum. The fact that MTSU does, may seem daunting to prospective students. However, I found that these requirements, combined with the dedication and in-depth expertise of faculty members, provided me with a solid foundation of I/O knowledge which I rely upon daily in my career as a consultant.
"Again, I'm just so pleased with what I gained from the program, that I felt compelled to send you my two cents."
Dr. Sharon Wagner (former I/O faculty), Ed Jerden, Dr. Chris Tate (current Clinical faculty), Ali Duncan Jerden, and Zack Vinton enjoy catching up with each other at SEIOPA.