SYLLABUS
Psychology 255: Industrial/Organizational Psychology – Spring 2013
Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:40PM – 2:00PM, in Old Horticulture Room 206
INSTRUCTOR:
Name:
Marina Pearce, M.A.
E-mail:
marina@msu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment only
TEACHING ASSISTANTS:
Name:
Emily Pacic
E-mail:
pacicemi@msu.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays, 3:30-5:30pm, North Case Hall’s 2nd floor study lounge
Name:
Lindsey Budnick
E-mail:
budnick2@msu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 2:40-4pm, Berkey Hall Room 314
COURSE WEBSITE:
http://www.angel.msu.edu
COURSE OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES:
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American will spend over
100,000 hours performing work-related activities by the time they reach the age of 65. That
amounts to about 15% of the average person’s entire life and almost 25% of his or her waking
hours spent at work!
Work holds an important role in the daily lives of people everywhere and represents a unique
domain of human psychology. Psychology 255: Industrial/Organizational Psychology is designed
to introduce you to major theories and practices relevant to the attitudes and behaviors of
people at work from the time they enter the labor force until retirement.
Because this is an introductory course, we’ll be touching on a variety of core areas in the field of
industrial/organizational psychology – including leadership, teamwork, staffing, training, work
attitudes, performance, and much more. All of these topics will affect you, your career, and
your time spent at work (or in non-work organizations, like teams and clubs). As such, this
course will provide you with information you can use regardless of whether you ultimately
enter a career in industrial/organizational psychology.
This course will involve:
 Reviewing a variety of topics within the domain of industrial/organizational psychology
(e.g., training, staffing, leadership)
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Discussing general principles and processes underlying the science and practice of
industrial/organizational psychology
Gaining insight into how industrial/organizational psychology is applicable to different
types of organizational settings, including one’s own work life
Promoting the importance of research in industrial/organizational psychology
TEXTBOOK (REQUIRED):
Frank J. Landy & Jeffrey M. Conte. (2010). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to industrial
and organizational psychology. McGraw-Hill. 3rd edition.
 Reading your textbook assignments will be important for your success in this course.
The text provides a great resource of basic, well-documented information from
industrial/organizational psychology. The writing style is engaging and informal, and
many descriptions and examples are included. In class lectures, I will build on and
supplement this material with real-world case examples, articles, and exercises.
 The textbook’s “Student Companion” website contains helpful study guide materials,
glossaries, and self-quizzes.
 Note that if you use an earlier edition of the text you will miss some content that may be
important in coursework/exams.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Although attendance is not strictly required in all class sessions, it is expected. Lectures and inclass exercises will be a source of material included in exams, in addition to the information
available in the textbook. In-class exercises will be handed in and counted for course credit;
whether or not you attend and participate in them will impact your ultimate course grade.
GRADING:
Your final course grade will be based on the following:
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
*Assignment 1: Job Analysis Write-up
*Assignment 2: Current Event Newspaper/Magazine Article + Summary
*Assignment 3: Participation in I/O Research at MSU
In-class Exercises
20%
20%
20%
15%
15%
15%
10%
* Of the three assignments listed above, only the two assignments for which you receive the
best grades will be used when calculating your final course grade (in other words, the
lowest of the three grades will be dropped). If you choose to complete only two of the
assignments, those two grades will be used when calculating your final course grade.
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Here’s the translation of overall final percentage grades to numerical (GPA) grades:
90.00-100.0% = 4.0
85.00-89.99% = 3.5
80.00-84.99% = 3.0
75.00-79.99% = 2.5
70.00-74.99% = 2.0
65.00-69.99% = 1.5
60.00-64.99% = 1.0
0.00-59.99% = 0.0
EXAMS:
There are 3 exams, each of which will cover approximately one-third of the course material. The
final is not cumulative, and will be given during the last session of class (not during Finals week).
Exams will consist of multiple choice questions, which you will answer using scantron sheets.
Be sure to come on exam days prepared with #2 pencils and your MSU ID. No digital devices
(e.g., cell phones, laptops, tablets) or face-shielding apparel (e.g., caps, sunglasses) will be
permitted during exams.
Exams are given during normal class times. Because you chose to enroll in this course, knowing
its meeting times in advance, you are expected to be available and in attendance on exam days.
If you are severely ill or have a personal emergency on exam day, you must contact the
instructor (not the teaching assistants) within 24 hours of the exam regarding the reason for
your absence as well as your plans to take a make-up exam. You will likely be required to
provide proof of illness (e.g., doctor’s note) or personal emergency (e.g., newspaper article).
Make-up exams:
 Will consist of short answer essay questions and some multiple choice questions; and
will NOT be the same as the regular exam – they will cover similar content but will
involve no overlap in terms of questions.
 Will be given approximately 1 week after the scheduled exam date.
 Will occur at the same time for everyone taking the make-up exam – and will not be
scheduled “at your convenience” but rather at the convenience of the exam proctor.
Failure to take the make-up exam as scheduled cannot be renegotiated and will lead to your
receiving 0 points for the exam grade.
IN-CLASS EXERCISES:
During some class sessions, you will be provided with opportunities to complete in-class
exercises. When you are present and participate in an in-class exercise, regardless of whether
you answer a question “correctly,” we will make a note of your name and give you credit. Each
of these in-class exercises will be worth 2% of your in-class exercise grade. You can receive up
to 10% credit (i.e., participation in 5 in-class exercises). Although there will be more than 5 inclass exercise opportunities throughout the course of the semester, only 5 will count toward
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your final course grade. This way, if you miss a class session and cannot participate in an in-class
exercise on a given day, you will have another opportunity to complete one.
POLICIES REGARDING ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states: “The student shares with the faculty the
responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.”
In addition, the Michigan State University Psychology department adheres to the policies on
academic honesty specified in General Student Regulation 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and
Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00,
Examinations (see Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU Web
site www.msu.edu) .
In accordance with university-wide policies, you are expected to complete all course
assignments, including exams, without assistance from any unauthorized source. You are
expected to develop original work for this course. You may not submit work you completed for
another course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Also, you are not authorized to use
the www.allmsu.com web site to complete any course work for this class. Students who violate
MSU rules may receive a penalty grade, including but not limited to a failing grade for the
assignment or the course overall.
Specific to this course, cheating on an exam will result in receiving 0 points for that exam.
Plagiarism in an assignment will result in receiving 0 points for that assignment. “Faking”
participation in an in-class exercise (i.e., giving a name that’s not your own) will result in
receiving 0 points for your in-class exercise grade – or, if it’s a systematic problem – 0 for the
course overall.
INSTRUCTOR AVAILABILITY:
While I do not have set office hours, I am available to meet with students at prearranged times
(please see me before or after class, or e-mail me, to schedule a meeting). I do check email
frequently and will do my best to respond to any message within 24 hours. However, an
immediate response is not guaranteed. I will likely not reply to an e-mail sent after 5pm until
the next day. I urge you to contact the teaching assistants with questions first, as I will often
forward e-mails to them to answer. Include “Psych 255” in the subject line of your e-mail so we
know what class your message concerns. Note that incorporating common courtesy in your email is more likely to generate equally courteous and timely responses.
CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT:
It’s important to me that students pay attention in class and are respectful to me as an
instructor as well as to one another. In return for this courtesy, I will do my best to treat you
with respect. Cell phones must be silenced or turned off before class starts. Individual
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conversations outside of set class discussion times are disruptive to other learners – if you are
disruptive, you will be asked to leave the class. Please treat other members of the class with
courtesy and respect. Texting, emailing, game-playing, and web-surfing during class are
counterproductive to learning, lessen your capacity to engage with those around you, and are
generally rude. You will find it easier to learn class material when sites like E-mail, facebook,
and ESPN are not competing for your attention. Leave the outside world outside of class and
be fully present.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
• Complete your readings before class. Information from these readings will be reviewed
during class and expanded upon using real-world case examples, articles, and exercises.
Therefore, it’s important that you have a working knowledge of the material from the
readings in advance.
• Finish your readings and assignments early so you have time to ask questions if/when
they arise.
• Use the class slides as study aids, and recognize that they are not a substitute for
readings or participation.
• Ask questions during and outside of class to ensure that you understand the material.
• Speak up! Share your own experiences to help others grasp the real-world implications
of the material discussed in class.
• Pay attention and be engaged – you will get more from the class if you give more.
• The time to be concerned about your grade is early on – not in the last few weeks.
Contact us as soon as possible if you are falling behind and need additional help.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
If you have a disability or situation that will require accommodations, please see me sometime
during the first week of class.
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Class
Meeting
M, 1/7
W, 1/9
M, 1/14
W, 1/16
M, 1/21
W, 1/23
M, 1/28
W, 1/30
M, 2/4
W, 2/6
M, 2/11
W, 2/13
M, 2/18
W, 2/20
M, 2/25
W, 2/27
M, 3/4
W, 3/6
M, 3/11
W, 3/13
M, 3/18
W, 3/20
M, 3/25
W, 3/27
M, 4/1
W, 4/3
M, 4/8
W, 4/10
M, 4/15
W, 4/17
M, 4/22
W, 4/24
Tasks/Topics
Course Overview
What is I/O?
Research Methods & Statistics in I/O
Research Methods & Statistics in I/O
CLASS VISITOR: Summer Internship Opportunities in I/O
NO CLASS: MLK DAY
Individual Differences
Assessment (Guest Lecture)
Performance
Job Analysis
Performance Measurement
Performance Measurement
EXAM 1
(covers readings, lectures, in-class exercises, and
assignments since course beginning)
Staffing
Staffing
Training & Development (Guest Lecture)
Training & Development
NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK
NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK
Motivation
Motivation
Job Attitudes & Emotions
Stress & Well-being
Stress & Well-being
EXAM 2
(covers readings, lectures, in-class exercises, and
assignments since Exam 1)
Justice & Fairness
Diversity & Culture
Leadership
Leadership
Teamwork
Organizational Dynamics
Organizational Dynamics
EXAM 3
(covers readings, lectures, in-class exercises, and
assignments since Exam 2)
Readings & Assignments
(complete before each class)
1.1, 1.4
2.2
2.3, 2.4
3.1, 3.2
3.3, 3.4, 3.5
4.1, 4.2
4.3, 4.4
5.1, 5.2; Assignment 1 due
5.3, 5.4
6.1, 6.2
6.3, 6.4
7.1, 7.2
7.3, 7.4
8.1, 8.2
8.3
9.1, 9.2; Assignment 2 due
10.1, 10.2
10.3, 10.4
11.1, 11.2
11.3; 1.3
12.1, 12.2
12.3, 12.4
13.1, 13.2, 13.3
14.1, 14.2
14.3
Assignment 3 due
** There is no exam or class meeting during finals week. The last exam (Exam 3), which is NOT
cumulative, will be given during the last class session before finals week: W, 4/24. **
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