Program Director Welcome

Welcome to the home page for the M.A. program in Organizational Psychology. Thank you for your interest and we hope you will enjoy perusing all the information here, particularly our student testimonials and faculty and alumni videos.

Our M.A. students are an integral part of our community within the larger program of Social-Organizational Psychology at Teachers ‌College, Columbia University. Our students and faculty together study the most relevant and current problems facing organizations and their people. We aim to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, frameworks and methods that enable them to address the complex but critical issues of today’s organizations and world.

We uphold a scientist-practitioner model where theory and research inform practice and practice informs theory and research. Our faculty are currently studying leadership, stereotype threat, sexual harassment and ageism in the workplace, intractable conflict, covert processes in organizations, the effectiveness of diversity training, learning agility, social networks, how to lead constant change, and more. We are consulting to organizations both corporate and not-for-profit, across industries, around the world, using evidence-based practice, grounded in our and others’ research.

We are systems thinkers. We never limit our understanding to what we know about the individual, but always look to the group or team, to the organization, and to the systemic issues at play. We view organizations as situated in broader social, political, and economic contexts, and believe organizations affect, and are affected by, their environment. We use this perspective to guide us in gathering critical information, conducting rigorous analyses, and crafting relevant and workable solutions.

We are committed to social justice. So, as a program, we strive to engage in work that will affect positive change and contribute to the greater good.

The inextricable link between science and practice; the consistent use of a systems framework; and a broad and deep commitment to working for a just world – these are our values and are foundational to our work. We hope you will consider applying to be a part of our community.

Sincerely,

Sarah J. Brazaitis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Practice
MA Program Director
Social-Organizational Psychology Program