Online and Distance Learning

We can use psychology to understand and change human behavior in a business setting.  This is the subject matter of a psychology and business degree program.  This page will help you to find out more and to locate suitable university programs, especially online programs.

You can study business with psychology online and on-campus at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.  Sometimes it is combined with organizational behavior or is included in an industrial organizational psychology degree program.

This page has details of the programs, where they can be taken, what the prospects are, and more ...

You might also like to check the business psychology masters degree and the organizational psychology PhD pages.

Where can you take psychology and business programs

Make sure the program you take is accredited by an appropriate accrediting body.  Listed here are selected accredited schools where you can study programs in which psychology is applied in a business setting.

• Capella University
  • MS - Industrial / Organizational Psychology
  • MS - Leadership Coaching Psychology
  • PhD - Industrial / Organizational Psychology

• University of the Rockies
  • Doctor of Psychology
    • Business Psychology
    • Executive Coaching
    • International Leadership
    • Mediation and Conflict Resolution
    • Mental Health Administration
    • Non-Profit Management
    • Organizational Consulting
    • Organizational Diversity
    • Organizational Leadership
  • Master of Arts in Psychology
    • Business Psychology
    • Executive Coaching
    • International Leadership
    • Mediation and Conflict Resolution
    • Mental Health Administration
    • Non-Profit Management
    • Organizational Consulting
    • Organizational Diversity
    • Organizational Leadership
  • Graduate Certificates
    • Business Psychology
    • Organizational Leadership

• American InterContinental University Online
  • Bachelor's of Business Administration - Organizational Psychology and Development
  • MBA - Organizational Psychology and Development

• Browse more schools and programs at the foot of the page.

• Search for psychology and business programs.

• Click here for a page that links to campus universities and campus colleges in Canada. It also provides some advice on choosing a suitable campus.

What do you study in business psychology programs?

Business careers involving psychology usually require you to deal with people in a number of settings.  Thus, you need the following:

• Knowledge of how to improve the work place environments and workplace communications;
• Ability to understand how groups function;
• Knowledge of negotiations strategies, problem solving, and group cohesion.

So in business psychology and organizational behavior programs you would take courses in: Communication skills, group dynamics, social psychology, organizational management, organizational behavior, research methods, negotiations training, psychological measurement, statistical methods, and training and development.

In a masters degree you learn about how to examine the culture of a given organization and evaluate the effect it has on the business so as to create work environments conducive to better performance.  So you would also need to cover the following knowledge and skills in greater depth: Communication, management, team building, motivational, analysis and evaluation, leadership, and critical thinking.

What jobs do graduates of business psychology get?

Many business psychologists, work in Human Resource (HR) departments.  With a bachelor's degree you could work as a human resources generalist but in order to advance in your career, a master's degree in business psychology is often required.

With a masters degree you can begin a career in human resources or organizational development as a facilitator in corporate communications, team building, or coordinating professional development and training programs.  With a masters degree you could also work in executive search firms, or as a consultant.

Accredited degrees in psychology provide many business career opportunities in the private and public sectors. And prospects are good.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts an increase in business psychology jobs over the next several years, mainly because of concern over worker productivity, retention rates, workplace diversity, and anti-discrimination.

Salaries are high among some of the jobs that business psychologists take, but vary widely depending on the job type, geographical location, company size, education level and experience.  For example, as an HR Manager with 5-9 years experience, you would earn over US57,000 per year (PayScale.com).  Some other job titles to look for are: Senior Research Consultant, Human Resources Consulting Assistant and Employee Relations Manager.

Other programs related to business psychology

You may wish to look at the related areas listed below:

• industrial / organizational psychology;
• general psychology;
• leadership psychology degrees.

For more schools and programs