Department of Psychology at Illinois State University
Welcome to the Department of Psychology at Illinois State University! We are very proud of both our Undergraduate Program and our Graduate Sequences. At many large universities, courses are often taught by graduate students, and faculty spend most of their time working on research or teaching only graduate courses. But not at Illinois State. There are approximately 45 full-time faculty members who teach psychology courses and all of the required psychology courses for the Major are only taught by full-time faculty. The department's faculty hold doctorate degrees from some of the finest universities in the country. The specialty areas for teaching and research of the faculty are as diverse as their educational experiences. Because of the emphasis on teaching and conducting research, psychology students are encouraged to work with faculty on research projects or teaching activities in order to enhance their academic experiences. See For information about our faculty, see their individual Web sites.
PSY 111 Introduction to Psychology is now reserved for freshman psychology majors. The classes are limited to only 30 students. This class size is comparable to virtually any course at a private college, which makes Illinois State's undergraduate psychology program unique in the state of Illinois. Even though Illinois State is a large university, PSY 111 gives students a greater opportunity to get to know each other and meet many of the psychology professors.
PSY 111 is four hours of credit rather than the standard three hours. In the fourth hour, all freshmen psychology majors meet as a group for special demonstrations, presentations by the PSY 111 faculty and by other faculty in the department, and group discussions. PSY 111 is also taught by full-time tenure-track faculty, not graduate students. Many public universities assign graduate students to teach some of its courses, especially introductory or 100-level courses. In the Department of Psychology, psychology courses required for the Major are taught by full-time faculty.
The Major in Psychology requires a capstone experience, which provides students with challenging opportunities to apply their knowledge of psychology to research, teaching, and practice endeavors. Students can work with faculty in the classroom or their research labs, or study specific topics of the student's area of interest. The department has also established an extensive internship program that gives students opportunities to apply their knowledge in a work setting. The Research Apprenticeship Program, the Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship Program, and the Internship Program are designed to give students real-world experiences beyond the classroom.
Illinois State's undergraduate psychology program gives students the opportunity to learn from full-time faculty who frequently publish in top-rated journals in diverse areas of psychology. In our upper division 300-level content courses, students study with psychologists who are experts in the specific area covered in the course. Thus, a course in Psycholinguistics (PSY 369) is taught by a faculty member whose area is psycholinguistics. Clinical Applications of Psychology (PSY 351) is taught by faculty members with experience in a variety of clinical settings. Our faculty supervise over 200 students working on research projects each year. To get an idea of the diversity of faculty interests, see Out-of-Class Experiences with Faculty. Faculty have also developed their own Web sites that illustrate the individual areas of interest and the depth of their research projects.
See also The Major in Psychology at Illinois State and Transferring to Illinois State.
The graduate programs in the Department of Psychology offer a wide variety of career development. If students are looking for experience for immediately entering the job market or if they want to achieve their doctorate, we have many options to choose from.
Our graduate programs in School Psychology have all of the available accreditations and approvals suggested for higher quality training, comprehensive curricular content, and properly supervised field experiences. Our doctoral program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). The doctoral degree program is also approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Our specialist degree program in School Psychology is approved by NCATE and NASP. Both graduate programs are approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
One of the strengths of the Clinical-Counseling Psychology Program has been the presence of faculty who have been trained in Clinical Psychology and faculty who have been trained in Counseling Psychology. Several classes of students have now graduated and moved into professional practice. Many have entered doctoral training programs. Students who complete the Clinical-Counseling Program are eligible to sit for both the Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor examinations.
The master's degree program in Psychology offers a Master in Arts or a Master in Science degree. The program offers concentrated study in the following sequences: Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, Developmental Psychology, Industrial/Organizational-Social Psychology, and Quantitative Psychology. Students may also seek to complete degree work for two sequences simultaneously.
The Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences sequence is a two-year master's degree program which emphasizes study in basic research content areas (e.g., behavioral neuropsychology, conditioning, perception, learning, memory, psycholinguistics, and cognitive development) and the development of quantitative and methodological skills. Commensurate with faculty expertise, the sequence supports two emphases: one in Behavioral Neuroscience and one in Cognitive Science. The sequence provides critical foundation preparation for advanced graduate study and can facilitate entry into careers in community college teaching as well as a variety of careers in the business-industrial sector.
The Developmental Psychology sequence provides preparation in lifespan development using a distinctly ecological and interdisciplinary approach. The curriculum offers in-depth exposure to developmental theories, methodologies, and applications within each of the following age sectors: infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and aging. Students may also complete professional practice experiences in the community. This sequence offers course work to complete the Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies or the Graduate Certificate in Social Aspects of Aging.
The Industrial/Organizational-Social Psychology sequence can be completed in two years. Both the I/O emphasis and the Social emphasis are designed to meet the educational needs of two types of students; those students who later plan to enter doctoral degree programs and for those seeking employment in such areas as human resources management, personnel administration, and organization development. Thesis research can be of an applied nature, combining fundamental research skills with practical skill development.
Read about Industrial/Organizational-Social Psychology
The Quantitative Psychology sequence is a two-year master's degree program which provides preparation in the use of quantitative methods in the solution of problems in theoretical and applied psychology. The sequence provides critical foundation preparation for advanced graduate study and can facilitate entry into careers in community college teaching as well as a variety of careers in the business-industrial sector.
Read about Quantitative Psychology
