The Psychology Department at Indiana Wesleyan University is devoted to being a community that studies and cultivates human growth and flourishing across, and in the midst of, all life’s situations.  To do this, we draw from what we continue to learn about ourselves through science, the best research-based practices for applying psychological principles and theory, along with the wisdom traditions of Christian spirituality and spiritual formation.

We emphasize the value of psychological research to the classroom and everyday life.  In particular, we seek to foster a love for learning about ourselves through psychological and neural methods, and for integrating these discoveries into daily life, with the aim of more intentionally participating in our own growth and contributing to the growth of others.  We understand this growth to, ultimately, find its source in, and draw us into, Christ’s life and love (Jn. 1:1-5; Acts 17:28).  We are passionate about doing this integrative work where we live, starting with our local communities in Marion, IN.

The kind of life-long formational and transformational learning we are committed to involves combining theory and research, on the one hand, with practice and service, on the other.  So does our curriculum, which includes:

• Courses covering the foundations across psychology, neuroscience, and counseling
• Travel courses aimed at exploring the history and applications of psychology in various communities, cultures, and urban settings
• Research experience
• Social engagement focus that partners with agencies in the city of Marion to help address poverty, opioid addiction, and academic failure
• Practicum experience in helping professions
• The integration of Christian discipleship and spiritual practices with psychology

Students have the option of (1) majoring in psychology, (2) double-majoring in psychology along with another major, or (3) pursuing a minor in psychology. Because psychology is widely applicable across vocations, we do all we can to make it easy for students to double-major or minor in psychology.

Over the past 10 years, our students have gone on to:

• Pursue master’s degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Organizational Psychology, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Social Work, Child Life Specialist
• Pursue doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Law
• Work for community mental health agencies
• Start and serve in ministry positions and non-profit agencies
• Work for software companies

Earning a Bachelor's of psychology in Indiana from IWU can be a great start to an extremely fulfilling career. We invite you to contact us at 866-GO-TO-IWU to request more information about our Psychology Department.

Research Participation

Empirical research provides the foundation for psychological knowledge. Therefore, one of the goals of the Psychology Department is to help students understand how empirical research is conducted, and how it contributes to our knowledge base. In an effort to achieve that goal, students are given opportunities to participate in a variety of research projects throughout the year. Our hope is that research participation will help students make connections between theory and research, and will help researchers recruit study participants.

Research Requirements for General Psychology (PSY-150)

All students enrolled in General Psychology (PSY-150) are required to participate in activities that will help them learn more about how research is conducted, and how it contributes to psychological knowledge. Students are encouraged to serve as participants in psychological research studies that are carried out by IWU faculty; however, an alternative research activity is available if students elect not to participate. All research participation must be completed by the Monday of the last week of regularly scheduled classes.

Ways to Meet the Requirement:

1. Research Participation. Students may participate in 2 hours of research that is approved by the Psychology department (studies are posted online and, occasionally, may be mentioned in class). An hour of participation is equal to 4 credits (every 15 minutes of participation = 1 credit). Therefore, students will need a total of 8 credits for the semester. Note that if you sign up for a study you should arrive five minutes early because some experiments cannot accommodate late participants. Students who are unable to make a scheduled appointment must notify the researchers beforehand or they will be penalized. If you are interested in serving as a research participant, please read the instructions for using our online research participation system. There you will find out more information about the various studies that are being conducted and you can choose which one best fits your interests and schedule
2. Alternative Writing Assignment. Students may read peer-reviewed journal articles from one or more areas of psychology and write about them. Each article summary is worth 4 credits; therefore, students must complete two article summaries to meet the 8 credit research requirement. Eligible articles include those that are at least 5 pages in length and report the results of original empirical research (i.e., research that involves the collection of data from human or animal subjects). The requirement for article summaries may vary by instructor, but should be at least 500 words in length and include the following:
   • APA style citation of the article
   • Identification of the research question(s)
   • Description of the methods the researchers used to conduct their study
   • Description of the results of the study
   • Summary of the authors conclusions
   • What you learned about research after having read this article
   If you have any questions, please contact the Research Coordinator in the Psychology Department at 765.677.2409 or send an email to psych.research@indwes.edu

Faculty

At Indiana Wesleyan University, our Psychology program is designed to offer a Christ-centered approach to preparing you for a career in this vital and growing field. Our faculty members are recognized leaders in psychology, in research, and in their contributions to scholarly literature. Your learning experience here will take you far beyond basic psychological theory to implement innovative evidence-based practices in your own practice.

Career Paths

IWU Psychology graduates pursue a variety of career paths. Some of them leave IWU and go directly into the workforce, while others complete graduate work before settling into their careers. Some of the career paths of recent graduates are listed below.

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Courses

One of the best ways to discover a degree program is to check out the course listings. Preview the courses for Psychology at Indiana Wesleyan University using the course catalog.