The Psychology program at ISU encourages a spirit of active inquiry and critical thinking, life-long learning and development and social responsibility. The curriculum is based on the premise that any student of psychology, regardless of program goals, should be well-informed about basic principles of behavior. The undergraduate degree in psychology prepares students for graduate studies in psychology and related fields as well as employment in a variety of settings including health services, research, government and business.

The Department of Psychology offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Our graduate programs include a Master's (M.A./M.S.) in General Psychology and a Doctoral program (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology.

We also have a Psychology Clinic that provides services to students and members of the Terre Haute community.

Mission statement:

The Department of Psychology assists students to achieve their personal and professional potential through training in scientific methods and discipline-specific knowledge, promoting a spirit of active inquiry and critical thought, and fostering a sense of social responsibility.

Job Opportunities:

The Psychology Department is currently seeking an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology.  To learn more regarding this job opportunity, please click on the link below:

Assistant Professor Clinical Psychology.docx

Psychology Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Peter Levitt

Peter Leavitt, PhD, graduated from the University of Arizona's social psychology program in 2016 and joined the psychology department at ISU in the Fall of 2019.  Before ISU, Peter had a brief stint at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.  Peter considers himself both a social psychologist and a cultural psychologist, with much of his research focused on the cultural contexts in which psychological phenomena occur.  In graduate school, Peter studied the ways in which the social class cultures and identities of college students influenced their learning in different environments (e.g. face-to-face vs. online).  He continues to study social class identity and perceptions of social class at ISU.  Peter also studies intergroup/intercultural contact and prejudice reduction and he is pursuing several related lines of research about how to more effectively deliver anti-racist education and how to communicate more effectively across political and religious divides.  When he's not working, Peter enjoys talking to people about how to talk about political/religious/social issues, running/hiking, exploring small towns around the Midwest, watching movies, playing video games, and watching hockey and soccer.

Psychology Alumni Spotlight: Jordan Daley

Jordan Daley completed his bachelor's degree in Psychology at ISU in 2015.  He credits his love for advertising and data analytics to taking Dr. Sheets' Introduction to Social Psychology class during his junior year in the program.  Following graduation from ISU, he moved out west to pursue his Master of Business Administration degree at University of San Francisco where he continued to refine his analytics skills while interning at Bay Area-based education technology startups.  After obtaining his master's degree, he began working as an analytics specialist within the advertising industry where he leverages online and offline marketing data to help companies (such as Levi's, Zillow, Columiba Sportswear, etc) target and convert their core marketing audiences.  He currently resides in Portland Oregon with his wife, son, 2 dogs, 3 cats and their horse Pedro.

Psychology Graduate Student Spotlight: John Britton

John Britton is a second-year graduate student in the clinical psychology doctoral program at ISU.  He is originally from Odenton, MD, but has spent a good amount of time living in interesting cities such as Nashville, TN, and Miami, FL.  He chose ISU's PsyD program because of Dr. Tom Johnson's unique research involving music and psychology, the excellent training offered within the program's own clinic, and the close-knit community among faculty and students.  John's previous research experience includes his participation in a master's clinical project that developed a mindfulness-based music intervention for patients undergoing chemotherapy.  He learned about the neural mechanisms behind mindfulness and its role in motivation, attention, and curiosity.  During his time at ISU, he has been involved in research projects with Dr. Johnson focusing on motivations for listening to sad music and hiw it fosters connection.  John is interested in continuing this line of research with adolescents and investigating how they utilize sad music to gauge novel sad experiences.  John's clinical interest lie in working with adolescents and adults dealing with anxiety disorders in a group practice setting.  He is also interested in working with professional musicians, a population that is at greater risk for developing mood and substance related disorders.  ISU's PsyD program has shaped John's perspective by emphasizing the importance of approaching clinical practice as a scientitst and he is excited to utilize collaborative case conceptualization to inform evidence-based treatment.

Psychology Undergraduate Student Spotlight: Alishba Rizwan

Alishba Rizwan is an undergraduate student majoring in psychology with minors in both chemistry and business analytics.  She was born in Miami, FL, and raised in Terre Haute, IN.  She chose ISU due to its socially conscious student community and her interest in psychology.  Additionally, she was accepted into the Rural Health Program and is also a member of the Timmy Global Health Club.  Inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson's assertion that "Science remains true regardless of beliefs," Alishba pursued a degree in the sciences.  Her interest in psychology arose through her desire to gain a deeper understanding of human behavior through a psychological perspective.  Her psychological interest include social psychology and abnormal psychology.  After Alishba graduates, she plans to pursue a career as a product manager in the technology insdustry using her psychology and business knowledge acquired at ISU.  Her academic achievements include receiving Academic Excellence Awards from the Psychology Department and the Biology Department.  Some of her most memorable moments at ISU have been her interactions with the personable and enthusiastic faculty who continue to inspire and motivate her.