Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree Programs in Indiana

The state of Indiana offers students many options to earn their undergraduate psychology degree. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook says that the field of psychology is predicted to grow at a rate of approximately 12 percent. With this growth, psychologists will also see rising salaries. However, students who earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology do not only continue on to careers as professional psychologists. A large number of people holding an undergraduate psychology degree go on to careers and/or graduate studies in many other fields. Some of these fields include:

social services
human resources
business
management
law
medicine, and others

A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology is an excellent way to earn a degree that opens many, many doors upon graduation.

Anderson University

The School of Nursing, Kinesiology, and Behavioral Science

Anderson University is a fully accredited private Christian liberal arts university in Anderson. It’s affiliated with the Church of God (also located in Anderson, Indiana). The University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and the Independent Colleges of Indiana society. In 2014, US News & World Report ranked Anderson as the 41st best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The School of Nursing, Kinesiology, and Behavioral Science at Anderson offers degree programs in:

Featured Programs

Kinesiology
Nursing
Psychology
Sociology

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

A faculty with diverse training, expertise and teaching styles leads students in the Department of Psychology. The Psychology major at Anderson is one of the most popular majors. The BA degree program provides students with excellent preparation for a variety of careers and graduate programs. The curriculum can also be combined as a double major with complementary areas such as Criminal Justice or Christian Ministries. The field of psychology crosses a variety of disciplines including:

biology
sociology
religion

Students may choose to major or minor in psychology to prepare for working with people of all ages and abilities. Upon graduation, students will be adequately prepared for graduate work in:

psychiatric social work
professional training in clinical or counseling psychology
working with families
personnel work in industry
pre-ministry
careers in the not-for-profit sector
working with handicapped individuals
careers in teaching and research

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Anderson University
The School of Nursing, Kinesiology, and Behavioral Science
Hartung Hall 113P
1100 East Fifth Street
Anderson, Indiana 46012
(800) 428-6414
E-Mail: wlpriest@anderson.edu

Ball State University

The College of Sciences and Humanities

Ball State University, commonly referred to as Ball State or BSU, is a public coeducational research university located in Muncie. In 1917, the Ball Brothers, who were industrialists and founders of the Ball Corporation, acquired the foreclosed Indiana Normal Institute and donated the school and surrounding land to the state of Indiana. The Indiana General Assembly accepted the land parcel and school in the spring of 1918. The initial class size was just 235 students. Today, Ball State is classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a high research activity university. The university is comprised of seven academic colleges, including:

the College of Architecture and Planning
the College of Communication, Information, and Media
the Miller College of Business
Teachers College

In 2014, US News & World Report ranked Ball State University as the 173rd best National University. The College of Sciences and Humanities prepares students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in an evolving society. It also prepares them to become responsible and responsive citizens. The College offers a variety of majors, minors, and provides most of the courses that create the University Core Curriculum required for all Ball State undergraduates. The college also gives students experiences designed to enhance their ability to:

analyze situations
think critically
solve problems creatively
communicate their ideas clearly

These skills, acquired through a liberal education, contribute to life-long learning and earning.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychological Science

The Psychological Science Major is for students with a variety of career goals. Students may be seeking employment immediately after graduation. Or they may plan to use their degree as preparation for graduate study leading to a variety of careers in teaching, counseling, and other fields. Students will have the opportunity to participate in integrative learning experiences. Here, students solve a real-world problem for a business or community partner. For example, psychology, premed, and health science majors works to produce a Resource Guide and a support group for people living with HIV. The project provides hands-on experience with psychosocial support and working with community organizations and agencies. Credit hours earned in psychological science coursework include a solid core of:

introductory studies
statistics
research methods
other foundational learning

Students then build a flexible learning experience tailored to suit their individual needs and interests. They have broad choices that include coursework in:

learning and cognition
motivation and emotion
personality
abnormal psychology
diversity
psychology

Accreditations
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

Contact
Ball State University
The College of Sciences and Humanities
Department of Psychological Science
North Quad (NQ), room 104
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie, IN 47306
(800) 382-8540
E-Mail: askus@bsu.edu
Program Website: http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/psychology

Bethel College

The College of Arts and Sciences

Bethel College, a Christian liberal arts college located in Mishawaka, was established in 1947 and is still affiliated with the Missionary Church. Twenty-seven-year-old Woodrow I. Goodman was appointed the first president, at that time the youngest in the United States. Bethel College opened in the fall of 1947 with ninety-four students. During that same year, the MBC evolved into the United Missionary Church. In 2014, US News & World Report ranked Bethel as the 19th best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The College of Arts and Sciences is a Christian college offering over 50 areas of study, so students can focus on their individual passions. Graduates leave ready to pursue their careers or a graduate education.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The mission of The Psychology Department at Bethel College is a strong committment to the general mission of the institution. The school upholds to “affirm our Christian responsibility to be a witness and participant in the discipline and in the contemporary world”. The Psychology Degree Program’s goal is to “challenge the mind, to enlarge the vision, and to equip the student for lifelong service”. The learning outcomes for the department outline what each graduate should possess in order to graduate. These include:

Develop competency in the skills and knowledge of the discipline.
Think analytically and critically within the discipline.
Apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge and skills in experiential situations.
Be prepared to utilize knowledge and skills in a variety of settings including interpersonal relationships, employment situations, and/or graduate or professional school.

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Bethel College
The College of Arts and Sciences
1001 Bethel Circle
Mishawaka, Indiana 46545
(800) 422-4101

Butler University

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis. The school was established in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler. Butler offers more than 60 major academic fields of study in six colleges:

College of Business
College of Communication
College of Education
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Jordan College of the Arts

In 2014, US News & World Report ranked Butler as the 2nd best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) takes a unique approach to students’ fulfillment of required coursework. An undergraduate degree in the CLAS requires completion of at least 120 credit hours. On average, students will dedicate 40 hours to their major field, 35 credit hours to courses in the core curriculum, and the remaining 45 credit hours to “elective” courses. This provides a student with several options:

The student may use all 45 credit hours to sample courses in a broad range of fields.
The student may use about 20 of these credit hours to complete a minor in a second discipline, leaving about 25 truly elective credit hours.
A student may use almost all of these 45 credit hours to complete a second major, specializing in two disciplines, but leaving little opportunity for a broader education.
The Combined Major provides a fourth option, where students have more coursework than a regular major, but less coursework than completing a major in each subject area separately (double majoring).

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The psychology major at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences emphasizes the basic tenets of human behavior, cognition and emotion as established by empirical scientific procedures. All psychology majors participate in the intensive study of the content areas and scientific methods of psychology to prepare for graduate training and professional careers. The knowledge and skills they acquire help them pursue careers in such fields as:

psychology
social work
counseling
management
human resources
public relations
sales
health administration

All students hoping to major in psychology should declare their major in the first year and should work closely with a departmental advisor. The psychology major is integrated with a multidisciplinary liberal arts and sciences education. The goals of the psychology major curriculum include:

To provide a substantial breadth of exposure to the psychological literature, giving each student a common core of psychological knowledge,
To provide each student with basic methodological skills,
To provide an intensive, sophisticated knowledge of at least one specialty within psychology.
Combined Major – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Anthropology

Students seeking the combined major of a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Anthropology will be required to fulfill a very specific curriculum. This includes:

Twenty-seven hours of General Psychology Core Curriculum
Choice of two out of three of the following course: Learning, Biological Bases of Behavior or Cognitive Process
Twenty-seven hours of General Anthropology Core Curriculum
A three-hour program elective of any psychology or anthropology course at the 300 – 400 level.

Combined Major – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology

Students seeking the combined major of a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Criminology are required to fulfill a very specific curriculum. This includes:

Thirty hours of General Psychology Core Curriculum
Thirty hours of Sociology Curriculum, which includes Sociology courses relevant to the field of Criminology

Combined Major – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy

Students seeking the combined major of a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Philosophy are required to fulfill a very specific curriculum. This includes:

Twenty-seven hours of General Psychology Core Curriculum
Six hours of Psychology electives, including one course from each of the following groups:
- Learning
- Biological Basis of Behavior
- Life Span Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Twenty-one hours of General Philosophy Core Curriculum
A three-hour program elective of any psychology or philosophy course at the 400 level.

Combined Major – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science

Students seeking the combined major of a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Political Science are required to fulfill a very specific curriculum. This includes:

Twenty-seven hours of General Psychology Core Curriculum
A program elective of one seminar course. The choices include:
- Advanced Seminar in Cognitive Psychology,
- Advanced Seminar in Biopsychology
- Advanced Seminar in Social Psychology
- Advanced Seminar in Developmental Psychology
- Advanced Seminar in Applied Psychology
Twenty-seven hours of General Political Science Core Curriculum

Combined Major – Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology

Students seeking the combined major of a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Sociology are required to fulfill a very specific curriculum. This includes:

Thirty hours of General Psychology Core Curriculum
Selection of one of the following seminar or thesis course:
- Advanced Seminar in Cognitive Psychology
- Advanced Seminar in Biopsychology
- Advanced Seminar in Social Psychology
- Advanced Seminar in Developmental Psychology
- Advanced Seminar in Applied Psychology
- Honors Thesis
Thirty hours of General Sociology Core Curriculum
Completion of one of the following courses:
- The Family and Gender roles
- Self and Society
- Racial and Ethnic Relations
- Sociology of Racism, Gender
- Race & Crime
- Urban Community
- Deviance and Social Control
- Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
- Latin American Societies, Global Society
- Selected Topics in Social Work
- Select Topics in Sociology (with permission of department chair)
- Internship (3 hours)

Accreditations
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Butler University
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
4600 Sunset Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46208
(800) 368-6852
Program Website

An undergraduate psychology degree is an excellent option for the widely accepted Liberal Arts Degree. These degrees can create opportunities in field beyond the scope of psychology or social services. People with an undergraduate psychology degree can be found working as:

lawyers
doctors or nurses
human resources managers
business leaders and many others

This is a degree that creates many opportunities. Additionally, for those who plan to continue their education and become professional psychologists, these programs prepare graduates in: