Psychology Degrees

Expand your understanding of behavior

Studying psychology develops an understanding of human behavior and helps us explain the cause of our actions. A psychology degree from Indiana University Kokomo can set you on the path to a bright future in an expanding field.

A psychology degree provides you with the opportunity t0 develop and achieve your personal and professional aspirations, including opportunities to engage in research with faculty, conduct independent research, and experience internship opportunities within the community.

At IU Kokomo, we offer different degree options depending on your goals and future plans.

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology provides an interdisciplinary foundation for students wishing to broaden their options for careers after graduation, while still supporting graduate and professional school options if the student desires.

This degree is for students interested in a traditional liberal arts approach to psychology, with flexible paths to graduate school or the workplace. Students seeking counseling, social work, and other human service careers will benefit from this program’s strong emphasis on cultural literacy and language – a major key to success in today’s world.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, General Science Track

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology – General Science track provides the most flexibility for students who are transferring from other majors or institutions, or who desire graduate or professional school in fields such as occupational therapy.

This degree is for students interested in professional programs such as medical school, physical therapy (PT), or occupational therapy (OT). It also prepares students for workplaces where a strong laboratory science background is helpful. Courses in biology, chemistry, or other laboratory sciences enhance student understanding of human and animal behavior.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Psychological Science Track

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Psychological Science track provides a more in-depth focus in psychology coursework and research for students who plan to study psychology in graduate school.

This degree is for students interested in graduate school in psychology, particularly at the doctoral level, or workplaces where a strong social science research background is helpful. All students in this track are required to complete an original, year-long, independent research project under the advisement of a faculty member.

Conduct research, choose an internship

To complete the psychology major and delve into your field, you’ll be required to find an internship placement, or complete an independent research project. This choice should be guided by your ultimate career goals.

If you plan to work in an applied area of human services, such as social work, counseling, or occupational therapy, an internship is the best choice. However, if you plan to enter graduate school in an area where research is required, such as law school or most Ph.D. programs, the independent research sequence is highly recommended.

 

The internship is an independent study course to give psychology majors an opportunity to get real-world experience in a psychology-related field as part of their major requirements. Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of on-site work at their chosen placement to earn a grade for the course. Mentorship is supervised by a faculty member in psychology and by an on-site supervisor. Students are evaluated by both their faculty supervisor and the on-site supervisor at the end of their term as an enrolled internship student.

Helping Skills Internship Sequence in Psychology

Students must complete the Helping Skills and Ethics course before enrolling for this internship. Enrollment in the Helping Skills course is capped at 20 students, so majors should plan ahead to make sure they complete their internship during the semester of their choosing. The Helping Skills course is graded to a significant extent on effort, but faculty who teach it also use the course as an opportunity to become familiar with each student's potential strengths and interests as an intern.

Steps to Setting Up Your Internship

Have steps 1-5 completed 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the term that you wish to start your practicum.

Complete the Helping Skills and Ethics course in a satisfactory fashion.

Consult with Rosalyn Davis, Ph.D. well in advance of your desired internship term regarding the timing of the internship, as well as your goals for the internship and career. This consultation will often take the form of a 20-30 minute meeting. Please contact Rosalyn Davis, Ph.D. to receive internship paperwork during your meeting. Please request permission to add the class during that meeting as well.

Upon completion of your paperwork at your site, please return it to Rosalyn Davis, Ph.D. for her records and to be sent to Career Services.

At IU Kokomo, students have completed their internship experience at Bona Vista Programs 

This list is not exhaustive and we try to match career interest to site placements. Please note, not all placement sites accept internship students every semester. Other placements are possible if you wish to have a different kind of internship experience; consult with your instructor about new or different ideas. 

 

Students who plan to pursue doctoral degrees, law school, or research-related careers are advised to complete the two-semester course sequence in research called Supervised Research in Psychology I & II. In this course sequence, which typically lasts through the Fall and Spring of the senior year, students work under the advisement of a resident faculty member in psychology to pursue an original research question of their choosing. Many students develop an original research hypothesis that involves the collection, analysis, and reporting of original research data. Other students have completed other types of projects, such as theoretical reviews of research, or grant proposals involving reviews of the scholarly literature. All resident faculty advise on these projects, and students should seek a faculty advisor whose expertise most closely matches their own research interests.

These independent study courses provide a means for students to get research experience without completing the full two-semester research sequence. The activities to be graded for these courses vary depending on the preferences of the student and the faculty advisor who agrees to work with that student. In some cases, the faculty member and student read scholarly literature together and meet regularly to discuss issues raised in those pieces. In other cases, students receive course credit for assisting faculty with ongoing scholarly projects. In either case, enrollment must be arranged through mutual agreement of the student and the advising faculty member.

Because students and faculty in psychology are continuously working on various research projects, you may be asked to participate in one of these ongoing projects. Participating in research is a great way to learn about research in psychology without committing weeks of time to that effort. All such projects are described clearly to potential participants before any data is collected, and students can ask any faculty member in psychology for more information about these studies.

Steps to complete your independent research:

  • Complete PSY-P355 Experimental Methods: Although P355 and PSY-P493 can be taken at the same time, it is recommended that you complete P355 prior to enrolling in the independent research sequence. 
  • The independent research project is a two-semester sequence, so plan your schedule to allow for two semesters enrollment. 
  • The availability of summer sections of independent research depends on the faculty mentor's availability. Get in touch with Gin Morgan, Ph.D. to discuss your options. It is best to come to this meeting with some possible ideas for your research project, but it is not required. She will recommend one or more faculty mentors that will work well with your interests. 

Alternatively, if you have a faculty mentor you'd like to work with, you may contact them directly to set up an appointment to discuss your independent research project. The faculty mentor you decide to work with will then request permission for you to enroll in their section of PSY-P493. You will work with the same faculty mentor in PSY-P493 and PSY-P494.

Ready to get started?

If you are interested in joining the Department of Psychology, we encourage you to reach out to our Office of Admissions to learn more about the application process, and explore our Degree Map to see what courses await you!