Main Content
Syllabus
PSYCH 281: Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology (3) Personnel selection, training, accident prevention, morale, and organizational behavior. Prerequisite: PSYCH 100.
Overview
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.This course will introduce methods, practice, research, and theories of industrial and organizational (or I/O) psychology. I/O psychology is a subfield of psychology concerned with various aspects of people in the workplace, including employee productivity and well-being. The industrial part deals with human resource functions, such as analyzing jobs, appraising employee performance, and selecting, placing, and training employees. The organizational part is concerned with the social and psychological aspects of work, including employee attitudes, behavior, emotions, health, motivation, leadership, etc. Both real-world applications and research will be emphasized throughout the course.
Objectives
On completion of this course you will
- understand what it means to be an I/O psychologist;
- develop an awareness of the history and major perspectives underlying and driving the field of I/O psychology;
- develop an understanding of how theory and research in I/O psychology is applied in work settings;
- develop some critical-thinking skills in order to be able to think critically about research; and
- develop an understanding of the potential I/O psychology has for society and organizations both now and in the future.
Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Outreach Help Desk
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Grading
Grades will be established based on your performance on various weekly activities and quizzes.
1. Lesson Activities = 700 points, or 70% of your total course grade
The purpose of the lesson activities is twofold: (1) to encourage you to keep pace with the course and (2) to allow the instructor to evaluate how well you are absorbing and applying the knowledge from the course.
Lesson activities may take many forms. For instance, you may be asked to interview someone you know in a leadership position then write a reflection on what you have learned. Other weeks, you may utilize discussion boards and/or work with other students to complete a project. Detailed instructions will accompany each activity. You should make a habit of opening the lesson assignment to check on the activity instructions early in the week of that lesson and/or the week before so you are aware what is coming.
Most activities are worth 45 points, with the exception of your first lesson assignment and group projects.
You should read all the lesson materials and readings each week before completing the activity for that lesson. You will be expected to include lesson terminology in some way in almost all of your lesson activities. Where appropriate, you should also cite the page numbers of the lesson and/or reading.
The time and effort needed to complete the activities will vary. In general, you might expect to spend one or two hours per lesson (this includes preparation time, such as time you might take to interview others before reporting). This does not include time spent reading the lesson material and additional readings.
Assignments typically contain two or more parts (e.g., two or more discussion questions). In these cases, the total points for those assignments are likely to be broken up between the parts. Obtaining all points for the assignment, then, requires that you complete all parts to the best of your ability.
2. Quizzes = 300 points, or 30% of your total course grade
There is a quiz for each lesson on the syllabus. Quizzes take the place of the exams that are used in most resident or face-to-face courses. Since no one is able to proctor the exam, the quizzes will be worth a smaller percentage of your grade than they would in most face-to-face settings. The weekly activities, in comparison, will generally take more time and effort. Thus, they are worth a larger percentage of your grade.
Once you open the quiz, you will have 25 minutes to complete it. The timer does not stop once you open the quiz even if you log out of ANGEL. You will not be able to print the quiz, and you will not have enough time to look up the answers in the lesson material or readings while completing the quiz. You are expected to complete all readings, study, and be prepared before opening the quiz, just as you might be prepared for a closed-book exam, so be sure you are preparing accordingly. (Note: The quizzes are not cumulative, so you will only have to study the material for that week’s unit each week.)
You must complete all quizzes. Each quiz is due by midnight Sunday. You will be able to review your quiz results for a three-day period starting two days after you submit it. After this time period, you will not be able view your results. Please contact the instructor with specific questions.
Grading Scale
To calculate your grade at any point in the semester, add the total points you have earned and divide by the total points available. There are 1,000 points available by the end of the semester, so your final grade will be determined by dividing total points earned by 1000.
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Percentage Of Total Points
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Letter Grade
|
|---|---|
|
93–100%
|
A
|
|
90–92%
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A-
|
|
87–89%
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B+
|
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83–87%
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B
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80–82%
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B-
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75–79%
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C+
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70–74%
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C
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60–69%
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D
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below 60%
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F
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Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Deferred Grades
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Submission of Assignments
As this course is on a defined schedule, you are expected to maintain timely progress through the course. Assignments for each lesson are to be completed by the end of each week. Failure to submit your assignment by this time will result in points removed (5 per day) from the total possible score you may receive for that assignment.
If you are unable to meet the deadline on a particular week due to an emergency, you should contact the instructor prior to the end of the week for the possibility of extending the deadline for that particular assignment. Decisions about extensions will be made at the discretion of the instructor on an individual basis.
Course Schedule
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Graduation
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity—scholarship free of fraud and deception—is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to
- cheating,
- plagiarism,
- fabrication of information or citations,
- facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others,
- unauthorized prior possession of examinations,
- submitting the work of another person or work previously used without, informing the instructor and securing written approval, and
- tampering with the academic work of other students.
Students are responsible for maintaining academic integrity. Violations include cheating on exams or quizzes, talking to others during an exam or quiz, getting help from others on exams or quizzes, having notes accessible during exams or quizzes, looking at another student's answers during an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and dishonesty in any aspect of course participation. Also, you may not share any information from this course (including assignments and papers) with others, nor post such information electronically without the permission of the instructor. Violations of academic integrity including charges of plagiarism) and may result in a grade of F for the course as well as other penalties (see Faculty Senate Policy 49-20).
Heads up – several note-taking/note-sharing companies approach students about “jobs” (including Nittany Notes and those that appear to be connected to PSU). If this is something that you want to do, you MUST talk with your instructor first. Unless you have permission, you risk academic sanctions related to charges of plagiarism and disciplinary sanctions.
How to avoid plagiarism in this course
- Always place copied information within quotation marks, cite the source, and include information about the source in a bibliography.
- Always cite paraphrased information and include information about the source in a bibliography.
- When in doubt, cite and include the source in a bibliography.
Please make sure you submit the correct version of your paper. Whatever you hand in will be considered your final version and will be graded, even if you submit a blank document. Please note, claiming that you submitted the wrong file is NOT an acceptable excuse for work containing plagiarism.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a student of suspected dishonesty before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us.
Additionally, World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.
For More Information on Academic Integrity at Penn State
Please see the Academic Integrity Chart for specific college contact information or visit one of the following URLs:
- Penn State Senate Policy on Academic Integrity
- Turnitin (a web-based plagiarism detection and prevention system)
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Course Policies
The purpose of course communication tools is to provide students with a quick method for contacting faculty, teaching assistants, and other students of the class, in regards to course related questions, comments, and concerns. Please note that, according to University policy AD95/AD96, course communication tools may not be used as a method for emailing unauthorized content including but not limited to: solicitation for businesses, advertisements, selling or distributing personal or class materials, transmitting offensive, obscene, or harassing materials, chain letters, news posts, or other forms of “spam” email. Doing so will be considered a violation of course and/or University policies, and might also violate the student code of conduct and the expectations expressed in the Penn State Principles. Resulting penalties might include the suspension or termination of system access, as well as disciplinary or academic sanctions. When appropriate, information about violators will be passed on to University Police Services. If you have any questions in regards to whether or not a particular email you wish to send would violate University policies, please check with your instructor before sending messages to others through the University system.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and that you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.