Psychology Schools in Indiana
The following guide to psychology schools in Indiana includes essential information on the undergraduate and graduate programs available in the state. Indiana’s psychology programs, which focus on various areas of psychology such as clinical psychology, allow students to gain the foundation necessary for a successful career in the psychology field. Students who need a more flexible and convenient alternative to a traditional psychology program may consider an online undergraduate or graduate program.
Quick Facts
- There are 47 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Indiana.1
- 2 schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
- 46 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
- 15 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
- 2 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
- 2 schools ranked in the Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018.3
- 1 school ranked in PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs.4
- 2 schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2019.5
For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Psychology Programs in Indiana
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Purdue University (#15)
- Indiana University Bloomington (#33)
*Institution-wide ranking.
Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018
- Earlham College
- Hanover College
PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs
- Indiana University East (#29)
Times Higher Education Best Universities for Psychology 2019
- Indiana University (#60)
- University of Notre Dame (#101-125)
Continue reading below to learn more about several of the graduate and undergraduate psychology programs offered at some of Indiana’s leading universities.
Schools in Indiana with Psychology Programs
Traditional Undergraduate Programs
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame’s bachelor’s degree in psychology focuses heavily on research, allowing psychology majors to become adept at research and to prepare them to move on to graduate studies. The psychology major requires students to successfully complete 30 credits in the psychology department. Courses encompass such topics as science, practice, and policy; computers in psychological research and education; business and psychology; and youth, risk, and resilience. Psychology majors must also complete a practicum to receive hands-on experience and may also complete a year-long senior thesis project. Students may want to become involved in the campus community by joining the Psychology Club or Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology students.
Indiana University Northwest
Undergraduate students at Indiana University Northwest may opt to pursue at Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. Students opting for a BA must complete 120 credits of general college coursework and psychology requirements while the BS requires 128 credits to fulfill degree requirements. Students, who will gain the foundation necessary to move on to graduate study, are encouraged to engage in an independent study or to assist a faculty member with research to gain valuable real-world experience and to hone research skills. Indiana University Northwest is also home to campus chapters of the Psychology Club and Psi Chi.
Earlham College
Earlham College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program that equips students with a core understanding of the study of psychology and prepares graduates for advanced study. Elective courses in the psychology major include Sensation and Perception, Cradle and Grave, Psychology of Sustainability, Counseling and Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology. The program includes a broad range of options for experiential learning, including observation opportunities and assisting in faculty research. Students may also elect to take an internship or field study for major credit. In addition, the program’s capstone is built around an original, empirical research project conducted in the senior year of study. Students also complete a comprehensive examination to complement the research project. The faculty of the Psychology Department have diverse areas of interest in the study of psychology and students enjoy individualized attention thanks to Earlham’s competitive 10:1 student-faculty ratio.
Traditional Graduate Programs
University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis’s School of Psychological Services features a Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Psychology with graduate students permitted to concentrate in one of four areas, including foundational psychology, research psychology, mental health counseling, and addictions counseling. The mental health counseling and addictions counseling tracks feature an additional specialty in child and adolescence. Each track has different requirements for graduation. Foundational psychology requires 48 credits; research psychology majors must complete 54 credits while mental health counseling students undertake 60 credits and addictions counseling finish 66 credits. Only the research concentration requires a thesis, although all psychology graduate students must complete a practicum.
Indiana State University
Indiana State University awards both the Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology and the Master of Science (MS) in Psychology and prepares students to continue on to doctoral studies. As a result, these psychology programs place a strong emphasis on social psychology, cognitive psychology, and biopsychology. Students pursuing an MS must complete a major project to fulfill degree requirements, but unlike MA students, are not required to offer a defense of the project. The 32 credit program generally takes between one and a half and two years to complete, although some students have finished in a year. All psychology students must successfully pass courses in the foundations of psychological research and advanced statistics. MA students must also complete a thesis.
Online Psychology Programs
Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana Wesleyan University is home to an online Bachelor of Science in Psychology of Human Relations that emphasizes the practice of psychology in the context of everyday life. Students learn how to apply creative problem-solving in personal and professional environments, including the service professions, business, and ministry. Core courses in the psychology major include Physiological Psychology, Theories of Personality, Research Methods in Applied Psychology, and Techniques in Motivation and Change. The program culminates in a capstone that may include a major thesis, performance, or presentation, as approved by faculty. Online students who are located out-of-state receive the same competitive tuition rate as in-state students, which can make an education at Indiana Wesleyan an affordable option.
Indiana Institute of Technology
Indiana Institute of Technology offers an online Master of Science in Psychology designed to help graduates achieve career advancement, expanded employment opportunities, and prepare to pursue doctoral study. Graduates enrolled in the program gain foundational knowledge of psychological principles, practice, and research with an emphasis on respect and appreciation of diversity. Required courses include Lifespan Development, Advanced Counseling Theory, Legal and Ethical Issues in Psychology, and Advanced Biopsychology. Students also complete a capstone course that assesses the student’s knowledge and progress through a comprehensive exam. Students must have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above; a minimum of two years of significant work experience is also recommended.
EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Indiana
The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Indiana on a variety of factors. Clicking on the arrows in the top row allows you to sort the table. In addition to factors such as focus areas offered and tuition costs, accreditation is an important consideration when researching psychology programs. Depending on the type of program and the ultimate career path you are considering, accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) can make it easier to become licensed in your desired area of practice. For more information on these accreditations, see our overview of accreditation for psychology programs. You should also ensure that the program you are considering will meet the licensure requirements in the state where you wish to practice. The Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), a licensing exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), is required in most US states in order to qualify for psychologist licensure. The EPPP results shown below are provided are for the exam period from February 1, 2015 to March 21, 2017.6 Only results from APA-accredited or ASPPB-designated doctoral programs with at least four test-takers during the exam period are included.6
School | BA/BS | Grad Prog. | Online Prog. | Nat’l Accred.* | Grad Rate** | EPPP Pass Rate6 | # Taking6 | College Factual Under- grad Rank7 | US News Grad Rank8 | Net Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anderson University | Yes | No | No | — | 60% | — | — | — | — | $23,787 |
Ball State University( Counseling PhD) | Yes | Yes | Master’s | APA, CACREP, NASP | 63% | 84% | 19 | — | 202^ | $13,642 |
Ball State University (School PhD) | Yes | Yes | Master’s | APA, CACREP, NASP | 63% | 80% | 5 | — | 202^ | $13,642 |
Bethel University | Yes | No | No | — | 71% | — | — | — | — | $20,247 |
Butler University | Yes | No | No | CACREP | 82% | — | — | — | — | $37,954 |
Calumet College of Saint Joseph | Yes | Yes | No | — | 27% | — | — | — | — | $10,340 |
DePauw University | Yes | No | No | — | 85% | — | — | 113 | — | $29,262 |
Earlham College | Yes | No | No | — | 64% | — | — | — | — | $22,601 |
Franklin College | Yes | No | No | — | 61% | — | — | — | — | $22,245 |
Goshen College | Yes | No | No | — | 68% | — | — | — | — | $18,519 |
Grace College and Theological Seminary | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | CACREP | 57% | — | — | — | — | $20,577 |
Hanover College | Yes | No | No | — | 72% | — | — | — | — | $21,548 |
Holy Cross College | Yes | No | No | — | 39% | — | — | — | — | $24,399 |
Huntington University | Yes | Yes | Master’s | — | 61% | — | — | — | — | $19,709 |
Indiana Institute of Technology | Yes | No | Bachelor’s, Master’s | — | 35% | — | — | — | — | $20,041 |
Indiana State University | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA, CACREP, NASP | 41% | 95% | 20 | — | 202^ | $11,923 |
Indiana University-Bloomington (Counseling PhD) | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA, NASP | 78% | 80% | 10 | 112 | 17^ | $11,931 |
Indiana University-Bloomington (School PhD) | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA, NASP | 78% | 67 | 9 | 112 | 17^ | $11,931 |
Indiana University-East | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | — | 41% | — | — | — | — | $7,898 |
Indiana University-Kokomo | Yes | No | No | — | 37% | — | — | — | — | $7,173 |
Indiana University-Northwest | Yes | Yes | No | — | 34% | — | — | — | — | $5,621 |
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA | 47% | — | — | — | 112^ | $9,371 |
Indiana University-South Bend | Yes | Yes | No | CACREP | 32% | — | — | — | — | $8,486 |
Indiana University-Southeast | Yes | Yes | No | — | 32% | — | — | — | — | $8,541 |
Indiana Wesleyan University | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | CACREP | 66% | — | — | — | — | $20,342 |
Manchester University | Yes | No | No | — | 56% | — | — | — | — | $18,308 |
Marian University | Yes | Yes | No | — | 57% | — | — | — | — | $20,427 |
Martin University | Yes | Yes | No | — | 4% | — | — | — | — | $14,095 |
Oakland City University | Yes | No | No | — | 57% | — | — | — | — | $15,066 |
Ottawa University-Jeffersonville | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | — | N/A | — | — | — | — | N/A |
Purdue University-Fort Wayne | Yes | No | No | — | 39% | — | — | — | — | $10,195 |
Purdue University-Main Campus | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s, Master’s | APA | 81% | 100% | 8 | — | 39^ | $11,898 |
Purdue University-Northwest Campus | Yes | No | No | CACREP | 37% | — | — | — | — | $9,747 |
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | — | 57% | — | — | — | — | $16,337 |
Saint Mary’s College | Yes | No | No | — | 78% | — | — | — | — | $25,610 |
Taylor University | Yes | No | No | — | 82% | — | — | — | — | $25,382 |
Trine University | Yes | No | No | — | 65% | — | — | — | — | $24,973 |
University of Evansville | Yes | No | No | — | 74% | — | — | — | — | $23,038 |
University of Indianapolis | Yes | Yes | No | APA | 60% | 98% | 44 | — | — | $20,976 |
University of Notre Dame | Yes | Yes | No | APA | 97% | 100% | 5 | 25 | 60^ | $30,229 |
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | Yes | Yes | No | — | 55% | — | — | — | — | $16,544 |
University of Southern Indiana | Yes | No | No | — | 47% | — | — | — | — | $12,587 |
Valparaiso University | Yes | Yes | No | CACREP, NASP | 71% | — | — | — | — | $23,916 |
Wabash College | Yes | No | No | — | 71% | — | — | — | — | $22,101 |
Schools marked with a caret (^) in US News Best Graduate Psychology Programs ranked in a tie with other programs in their respective positions.
*See our guide to psychology program accreditation for more information on these accrediting bodies.
**The graduation rate is for first-time, full-time undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students who began studies in Fall 2012 and is calculated based on the percentage of students earning their degree or certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion.1
Schools with Psychology Degree Programs in Indiana
Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.
Ball State University
2000 West University Ave
Muncie, IN 47306
(765) 289-1241
https://www.bsu.edu/
Student Review: “I think Ball State University has one of the best psychology departments in the state of Indiana. Although the classes are very challenging and you have to put in hours of studying, the professors are always there to offer help. All of the professors offer extended office hours which come in hand, especially during finals week. One of my favorite things about their psychology program was the size. The program is the perfect mixture between just large enough and everyone knows everyone. I never got bored because there is always something to do on campus and most of the time it involved a club related to the psychology department. I highly recommend Ball State and its psychology department.” – Student at Ball State University
Earlham College
801 National Rd W
Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 983-1734
https://earlham.edu/
Student Review: “Overall it was very enjoyable. Classes were small and there were a lot of high-level discussions. Professors were usually available during office hours to help me out with any big projects. There is very little cheating at this school, but the trust of students is very high, as there is a strong ethical code at this school. Students at this school are very friendly and open to talking, but you will find a majority of hipsters with fixie bikes. Dress at this school is always casual – a lot of people don’t even wear shoes to class in the summertime. The campus is very low pressure, and it’s normal to be about 5 minutes late to everything on campus, they call it “Earlham Time”. I learned quite a bit at this school. I enjoyed the rigorous classes and approachable professors, but perhaps the atmosphere was a little too casual for my taste.” -Student at Earlham College
Ivy Tech Community College
4301 South Cowan Rd
Muncie, IN 47302
(888) 489-5463
https://www.ivytech.edu/
Student Review: “The Ivy Tech Community College psychology program was a decent experience. The actual course curriculum was demanding at times, but I noticed it primarily depended on what teacher you were assigned. I felt that I learned a vast amount of information which I could use to apply to my degree. Help was always available if needed, and tutoring was free. At least twice in the semester guest speakers would come to discuss their career field and work ethics with students, which I thought was excellent for helping me choose my psychology career. The only aspect of the program that I believe could use some correction would be the style of lecture many teachers are using. Instead of simply relying on PowerPoint presentations I believe it would be much more beneficial if teachers began giving handouts and going over the curriculum more aesthetically.” – Student at Ivy Tech Community College
Student Review: “My psychology preparation program was enjoyable, but I disliked how dull the lectures tended to be. I noticed, for the most part, the teacher just read PowerPoint presentations during each class. While this may be useful to some students, I personally believe it left more to be expected in the class. I got the feeling the teacher didn’t understand the material fully themselves, which is why they primarily chose to rely on PowerPoints. I did enjoy the occasionally textbook references, and there were case study clips which were watched, but they weren’t incorporated as much as I would have liked. Overall, I think the class was very enjoyable and less difficult than my other courses.” – Student at Ivy Tech Community College
Purdue University
610 Purdue Mall
West Lafayette, IN 47907
(765) 494-4600
https://www.purdue.edu/
Student Review: “I was slightly disappointed by the psychology program here at Purdue. I started by taking a basic psychology class, which was more or less the same class I took in high school. I did enjoy the fact that we had to participate in psychology studies in this class. After finishing this class, I attempted to enroll in many other interesting upper-level classes. However, there are not a lot of classes offered, and they get filled up very quickly. When I did finally get into these classes, they were exciting and challenging. I still feel that had I studied psychology at a smaller university, I would have had a better experience.” – Student at Purdue University
Student Review: “As a graduate of the psychology program at Purdue University I felt prepared to enter and excel in any number of fields. I felt that the education I received provided me with a basis to understand people better which, in turn, allows me to adapt better to any situation I find myself in. After obtaining my degree, I went on to law school and became a licensed attorney. From there I entered the field of mediation, which then led me to a career Human Resources, which I believe is the absolute best fit for my personality. I would not be able to be successful in any of these endeavors without the top-notch education in psychology I received from one of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Hail Purdue!” – Student at Purdue University
Student Review: “The program was average. There were some really great professors and some that were horrible. All-in-all, it was just challenging enough. The books were priced reasonably and the staff was very helpful but the program’s office was in a bad location. It seemed like they were just shoved into a corner because nobody really cared about them. Despite all that, the classes were generally fun and I learned a lot. It was a great experience.” – Student at Purdue University
Student Review: “While Purdue is most well know for its engineering, people don’t realize that the department of psychological sciences at Purdue is consistently among the top 50 psychology departments in the U.S. I didn’t start out studying psychology, but after taking one introductory class to psychology at Purdue I fell in love with their program. Nearly every professor and TA I had were wonderful. They were very easy to talk to and happy to help me answer any questions after class or during their office hours. The classes were relatively small, which allowed the class to engage in discussions rather than having the professor lecture us for the hour. Once I took all of the basic freshman level classes, I felt like most of the material I learned I could directly apply to any job I would have in my field. This made learning the material a lot easier and even more interesting. Lastly, the professors were extremely helpful for finding a job. Many of them were more than happy to write me a recommendation, and so many of them had great connections that they shared with me. Overall, I was extremely impressed with Purdue’s psychology program during my years there.” – Student at Purdue University
Student Review: “Purdue University’s psychology program proved to be fulfilling. Not only was I able to take a variety of psychology courses that aligned with my interests, I was able to utilize Purdue University’s research opportunities. Even as an undergraduate student, I could focus my interests on research that examined abusive relationships through psychological methods. I was able to write a thesis, which I hope to expand upon in graduate school. Eventually, I’d like to become a marriage counselor, and my undergraduate psychology experience at Purdue has greatly prepared me for that career. The one disadvantage to studying psychology at Purdue University related to how few psychology students there were. Compared to a liberal arts school, Purdue University has significantly less liberal arts students compared to its other colleges. However, I feel like the courses I took challenged me in the right ways, and I feel confident in my education.” – Student at Purdue University
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2018 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2017.
4. PsychologyDegree411 Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2019/subject-ranking/psychology
6. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/2017_Doctoral_Report.pdf
7. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
8. US News & World Report Best Graduate Psychology Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings