As industry needs change, colleges and universities examine their programs to determine which ones need to adapt to accommodate the evolving nature of work. The College of Liberal Arts & Education is expecting growth in several program areas, including Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Communications, particularly in the Public Relations area.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Workplaces are transforming. The days of suits and cubicles have been replaced with open-concept offices and flexible work arrangements. These changes have increased the need for industrial/organizational psychologists who can help companies understand and maximize their human resources and the group dynamics of organizational life and assist in developing their internal culture.
“People in our field assist with things like talent acquisition, on-boarding, transitions to global assignments, and working in diverse environments,” said Kathleen Zimmerman-Oster, Ph.D., Director of the Industrial/Organizational Psychology master’s degree program. “We are uniquely situated to provide employers with consultation, technical assistance and strategic planning and intervention to maximize individual and team performance.”
Detroit Mercy offers a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Graduates in this field work in organizational training and development, evaluation and assessment, human resources, talent management, and executive coaching and leadership development.
“This field attracts people who have an interest in seeing the workplace become something people enjoy because work is such a large part of everyone’s life,” Zimmerman-Oster said.
She added that the growth in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology field has been pretty steady and it’s expected to continue upward because organizations are constantly trying to maximize their potential through change management and job redesign, while adapting to improved technology and cultural and organizational structure issues.
Students have the opportunity to get hands-on experience by working with the on-campus Institute for Leadership and Service and Department of Human Resources through project management roles. “These roles allow our master’s level students to get practical experience during their first year in the program before they go onto their internship positions,” Zimmerman-Oster said.
The program is also looking at incorporating a Master of Science degree in the future.
Public Relations
The Communication Studies department is in the process of several enhancements to the program, from examining curriculum to physical improvements of classroom labs.
“Communications is a relatively new field of study,” said Joe Abisaid, assistant professor of Communication Studies. “A communication degree is the type of degree that allows graduates lots of opportunities in the job market and in different sectors.”
Communication majors can find jobs in marketing, advertising, digital media, politics, entertainment and sports, and many other fields, including public relations.
“Public relations is projected to continue to offer jobs for those seeking to enter it,” Abesaid said.
Detroit Mercy is positioning itself to offer a unique and robust program to students.
The Communication Studies department has five full-time faculty members with almost 100 collective years of teaching experience and strong relationships with those who work in the field. The department will offer more specialized courses in the areas led by student interest and assist students with securing valuable internships.
“The job market has become so competitive and employers expect students to have some experience,” Abisaid said. “It’s also good for the students to get some idea of what it’s like to work in the field. Our proximity to the City of Detroit is a benefit for our students. The opportunities to study in an urban area gives them more connections to the industry.”
