SJSU Annual Program Assessment Form
Academic Year 2013-2014
Department: Psychology
Program: Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
College: Social Sciences
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/psych/Graduates/industrialpsych/index.html
_ Check here if your website addresses the University Learning Goals.
Program Accreditation (if any):
Contact Person and Email: Howard Tokunaga, Ph. D. (Program coordinator)
(howard.tokunaga@sjsuledu). Report was prepared by Drs. Howard Tokunaga and Megumi Hosoda
(megumi.hosoda@sjsu.edu).
Date of Report: August xx, 2014
Part A
1. List of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Goal1: Students of the program will acquire a base of knowledge about the principles of psychology
as they are applied to industrial and organizational settings.
Objective 1a: Students will learn core psychological competencies including
a. History of I/O psychology and its integration into the broader discipline
b. Related fields of psychology (i.e., social psychology, personality psychology,
psychometrics, motivation, learning theory)
Objective 1b: Students will learn core I/O competencies including:
a. Ethical, legal and professional issues
b. Measurement of individual differences
c. Criterion theory and development
d. Job and task analysis
e. Employee selection
f. Performance appraisal and feedback
g. Training and development
h. Work motivation
i. Attitude theory
j. Organization theory
k. Organizational development
Objective 1c: Students will learn data collection and analysis skills including
a. Research methods (i.e., methods, procedures, and techniques used to conduct empirical
research in I/O psychology)
b. Statistical methods (i.e., techniques used in the analysis of data generated by empirical
research)
Goal 2: Students of the program will acquire a base of knowledge about the practice of I/O
psychology by applying the concepts of I/O psychology to the functioning of organizations
Objective 2a: Students will perform professional activities related to I/O psychology, but not
limited to:
a. Administering employee surveys
b. Evaluating organizational interventions
c. Conducting job analyses
d. Creating selection tests
e. Developing performance management systems
These PLOs are consistent with Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s Guidelines for
Education and Training at the Master’s Level Industrial and Organizational Psychology (1994).
Arlington Heights, IL: Author (http://www.siop.org/guidelines.aspx)
2. Map of PLOs to University Learning Goals (ULGs)
ULG 1 Specialized
knowledge: Depth of
knowledge required
for a degree, as
identified by its
program learning
outcomes
Objective 1a: Students
will learn core
psychological
competencies
Objective 1b: Students
will learn core I/O
competencies
Objective 1c: Students
will learn data
collection and
analytical skills
ULG 2 Broad
integrative
knowledge:
Mastery in each step
of an investigative,
creative or practical
project (e.g.,
brainstorming,
planning, formulating
hypotheses or complex
questions, designing,
creating, completing,
and communicating).
An understanding of
the implications of
results of findings from
a particular work in a
societal context (e.g.,
social or economic
implications of a
scientific finding).
ULG 3 Intellectual
skills: Fluency in the
use of specific
theories, tools,
technology and
graphical
representation.
Skills and abilities
necessary for life-long
leaning: critical and
creative thinking,
effective
communication,
conscientious
information gathering
and processing,
mastery of
quantitative
methodologies, and
the ability to engage
effectively in
collaborative activities.
ULG 4 Applied
knowledge: The ability
to integrate theory,
practice, and problemsolving to address
practical issues.
The ability to apply
their knowledge and
skills to new settings or
in addressing complex
problems.
The ability to work
productively as
individuals and in
groups
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
ULG 5 Social & Global
Responsibilities: The
ability to act
intentionally and
ethically to address a
global or local problem
in an informed manner
with a multicultural
and historical
perspective and a clear
understanding of
societal and civic
responsibilities.
Diverse and global
perspectives through
engagement with the
multidimensional SJSU
community.
Objective 2a: Students
will perform
professional activities
related to I/O
psychology
x
x
x
Note that I/O psychology is psychology applied to the work setting and takes on a science-practitioner approach. This means that I/O psychology
generates scientific knowledge and applies that knowledge to address a real issue or problem in the workplace. Therefore, almost all courses in
our program have a theory and application component. In particular, thesis requirements map nicely onto ULG1, ULG2, and LUG3. Furthermore,
courses like Psyc249(Fieldwork in I/O psychology) map onto ULG4.
3. Alignment – Matrix of PLOs to Courses
Psyc240
Research
design and
applied
psychometrics
Objective 1a:
Students will learn
core psychological
competencies
Objective 1b:
Students will learn
core I/O
competencies
Objective 1c:
Students will learn
data collection and
analytical skills
Objective 2a:
Students will
perform
professional
activities related to
I/O psychology
x
x
Psyc270
Seminar in
I/O
psychology
Psyc271
Seminar in
personnel
psychology
x
X
x
x
Stat235
Multivariate
analysis
Psyc249
Field work
in I/O
psychology
Psyc272
Training and
development
in
organizations
(Elective)
Psyc293
Organizationa
l development
(Elective)
Psyc299
Master’s
thesis or
project
x
x
x
X
x
X
X
x
X
(class
project)
X
(class
project)
Although Psyc249 (Fieldwork in I/O psychology) maps directly to Objective 2a, many courses (e.g., Psyc270, Psyc271, Psyc272, Psyc293) have an
applied project where students conduct an I/O-related project.
4. Planning – Assessment Schedule
In the coming years, we will assess objectives 1a and 1b in Psyc271 (Seminar in personnel psychology).
5. Student Experience
The program’s PLOs are listed in Psychology department website
(http://www.sjsu.edu/psych/Graduates/industrialpsych/PLOs/index.html). As mentioned earlier, these
PLOS are consistent with SIOP’s Guidelines for Education and Training at the Master’s Level in Industrial
and Organizational Psychology (1994) (http://www.siop.org/guidelines.aspx).
These PLOs may not have been communicated to students via every single syllabus.
Part B
6. Graduation Rates for Total, Non URM and URM students (per program and degree)
According to the IEA website (http://www.iea.sjsu.edu/cognos/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi), the number of
degrees awarded by MS I/O psychology in the last five years are
2009/2010
12
2010/2011
8
2011/2012
13
2012/2013
10
2013/2014
4
Thus, in the last 5 years, a total of 47 students were awarded with a MS degree.
Graduation Rate (%)
2007 - 2012
Graduation Rate (%)
100
93
90
78
80
60
60
45
40
23
20
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Entering Class Year
The above figure shows graduation rates over the last six years. The average graduation rate is 65%,
ranging from 23% to 93%. Most students finish their degree within their 3rd year. Many times, an
internship turns into a full-time position in a company, thus, some students take longer than 3 years
to complete their thesis.
7. Headcounts of program majors and new students (per program and degree)
2011-2012
9
2012-2013
13
2013-14
9
A number of students we admit range from 9 to 13 students in a given year. However, for each
of the last three years, we have received more than 100 applications for the program.
8. SFR and average section size (per program)
A minimum headcount per section is 8. Most of the time, the average headcount per section is
higher than 8. Average SFR is about 4 students to 1 faculty advisor.
9. Percentage of tenured/tenure-track instructional faculty (per department)
There are three MS I/O faculty. Two are tenured and one is tenure track.
Part C
10. Closing the Loop/Recommended Actions
Based on an assessment report of 2013-2014, no major actions seem necessary. However,
minor actions such as the possibility of implementing a mini-course exists.
11. Assessment Data
Assessment data for Objectives 1a and 1b come from Psyc270 (Seminar in
Industrial/Organizational Psychology). An instructor, Megumi Hosoda, gave three examinations
throughout the semester to measure the students’ knowledge of various concepts covered in
Psyc270 (i.e. motivation, organizational justice, leadership, teams, job satisfaction). Results
indicate that 67% received a grade of A and 33% received a grade of A-, indicating solid
performance by the students.
Assessment data for Objective 1c comes form Psyc240 (Applied Psychometrics). An instructor,
Howard Tokunaga, had his students develop, administer, and analyze a survey designed to
measure one's attitudes toward gun control. His students reviewed and evaluated the
literature, defined a multidimensional definition of the construct, developed and evaluated an
item pool, constructed a survey that also asked for demographic and background information,
developed a sampling strategy, administered the survey, and analyzed responses to the survey
(item analyses, inter-item correlations, estimation of reliability, validation of dimensions using
factor analysis), and wrote up the scale development project in standard APA format.
Assessment data for Objective 2a comes from Psyc249 (Fieldwork in I/O Psychology) in which
students are required to obtain internship. Among 13 students who were admitted into our
program in Fall 2012, 12 of them (93%) successfully completed their internship at various
organizations (e.g., Intuit, Teslar, SAP, PG&E).
We informally contacted a small group of our I/O alumni and solicited their input on what skill
sets would be beneficial to have in the workplace. Many of them mentioned knowledge in Excel.
Based on their responses, we are considering a mini course on Excel.
12. Analysis
Overall, the MS I/O psychology program is doing a great job of meeting its two major goals.
These are seen from students’ course performance and a high success rate in securing
internship positions.
13. Proposed changes and goals (if any)
Based on these results, we do not anticipate any major programmatic changes. However, we
might implement a mini-course on Excel.