Psychology
As a Christian university, IWU provides students pursuing an undergraduate psychology degree in Indiana with a better understanding of human thought and behavior by studying psychological theory and research, exploring philosophical issues related to the nature of the person, and integrating their findings in light of Christian perspectives.
The Psychology program at Indiana Wesleyan University emphasizes the practical application of psychological principles in everyday life, combining theory and practice, scholarship and service. Coursework, practicum and research experiences help students develop critical-thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills, which will be invaluable in your chosen profession or as you pursue your Master's degree in a graduate program.
Students may also choose to minor in Psychology as a supplement to another IWU Bachelor's degree.
The curriculum provides students with a broad base and solid foundation in several areas - including developmental psychology and abnormal psychology - while offering a Christ-centered approach to this vital and growing area. Faith integration within the field is emphasized, relating biblical principles to the study of human behavior. Our graduates are well-equipped to start a career as a psychiatric technician, pursue graduate education, or you could also use your degree to become a human resources manager.
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:
- 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
- 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
Courses
One of the best ways to discover a degree program is to check out the course listings. By simply clicking on the course titles below, you can get a preview of the classes you will attend as a student at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Preview your classes
REQUIRED CORE COURSES*
* Students choose from either PSY-225 or PSY-227 from either PSY-250, PSY-251, or PSY-252; and from either PSY-370 or PSY-485. MAT-305 counts as general education MAT requirement for Psychology majors.
Double Majors
Required Core: 36 - 37 credit hours
Psychology Electives: 6 credit hours
Single Majors
Required Core: 36 - 37 credit hours
Psychology Electives: 6 credit hours
Behavioral Science Electives: 6 credit hours
ELECTIVE OPTIONS
PSYCHOLOGY MINOR
The Psychology minor may be earned by taking 24 credit hours of recommended courses for the Psychology major, not including PSY-485 and PSY-487.
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.
Meet The Behavioral Sciences Faculty