When you think of the higher education opportunities in Indiana, you likely think of some of the top institutions in the nation. The state is home to the likes of the University of Indiana, Notre Dame University, and Purdue University, all of which are heralded for their excellent academic programs.
When it comes to getting a higher education, you want to attend a school that offers top-tier programs in your field. You also want the ability to choose from many different options that allow you to tailor your studies to your area of interest. These and other schools in Indiana do just that.
Child Psychology Graduate Programs in Indiana
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering child psychology graduate programs in Indiana:
- The University of Indiana
- Purdue University
- The University of Notre Dame
- The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
- The University of Indianapolis
- Capella University
The University of Indiana
The University of Indiana was founded in 1825. Its first class was just ten students, all of which were men. Things have changed on campus over the years, and as the school progressed, it admitted women and people of color and expanded its degree programs. Today, IU has more than 71,000 students and is one of the largest universities in the nation.
With size comes plentiful options for completing your education. IU offers nearly 1,000 academic programs and more than 20,000 courses each year. You can participate in one of more than 1,500 student organizations and clubs, explore more than 200 museums and research centers, and choose from nearly 400 study abroad programs, too.
Child Psychology Graduate Program Information
The Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Indiana is a residential program that takes about four to five years to complete. One of the advantages of this program is that IU gives you the flexibility to adjust your course of study to meet your specific academic goals.
The program’s first year focuses on coursework in advanced statistics, research, and developmental psychology seminars. In year two, you focus more on research with a second-year research project, though you still take multiple developmental psychology courses.
The second year also requires you to take qualifying exams before moving on to higher doctoral studies in the program. If you pass your exams, you will move into the third year, during which you will participate in a teaching psychology practicum and continue your research and coursework.
The fourth year of the program focuses solely on your dissertation research. In some cases, you might need a second year to complete this phase of the program.
You can apply online to IU’s developmental psychology program. To qualify, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. You must also submit the following:
- A personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- A $70 application fee
You must also identify three faculty members with whom your research interests align.
Purdue University
Purdue University was founded in 1869 as part of the Morrill Act of 1862. The Morrill Act established land grants for universities nationwide to improve access to higher education. The school’s first class began in September 1874 with 39 students and six teachers. Needless to say, Purdue has grown by leaps and bounds over the years and today has an enrollment of more than 41,000 students.
As a student at Purdue, you can explore nearly 7,000 courses in more than 200 areas of specialization. Most of these programs are at the undergraduate level – about 75 percent of the university’s students are undergraduates. But Purdue also has a robust graduate school with a heavy emphasis on research.
Child Psychology Graduate Program Information
Purdue’s Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychological Sciences is a six to seven year terminal degree that prepares you for either clinical or research work. To do so, you will take two years of clinical coursework and participate in original research in the form of a dissertation, among other related activities.
Your clinical coursework includes an examination of topics like:
- Behavioral disorders
- Assessment
- Psychological interventions
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Evidence-based interventions
Your coursework in these areas is paired with clinical opportunities on Purdue’s campus as well as field locations throughout the state. Your clinical experiences will be with both children and adults.
The research component of the degree begins during your first year in the program, during which you will complete an initial research project. From there, you must also develop a master’s thesis, write a preliminary doctoral paper, and complete the aforementioned doctoral dissertation.
To apply, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher. You must also submit the following documentation with your application:
- Official transcripts from each college or university attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- A statement of purpose
- A diversity essay
- A resume or curriculum vitae
A personal interview may also be required.
The University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame was founded in 1842 by Reverend Edward F. Sorin, a priest in the Catholic church. His mission was to establish a school that powered the ability of people to do good in their communities. Since then, ND has sought to instill the quality of doing good for others in its students.
The university also focuses on high-quality academics, as evidenced by the fact that it’s ranked in the top 25 universities in the nation by US News and World Report.
Notre Dame is a mid-sized school with around 13,000 students. The school offers about 75 undergraduate majors and dozens of graduate and professional programs organized into eight colleges and schools. Among those programs is the Developmental Psychology degree outlined below.
Child Psychology Graduate Program Information
The Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Purdue is designed to be completed in five years. During that time, you will learn about the development of humans across the lifespan on various levels. This multi-level curriculum helps you build the comprehensive understanding of human behavior that’s necessary to improve the lives of children with behavioral, social, emotional, and other difficulties.
As part of your studies, you will take courses in:
- Cognitive Development
- Socioemotional Development
- Concepts and Methods in Development
- Developmental Psychopathology
- Quantitative Methods
Additionally, you will participate in a variety of developmental psychology seminars and additional work in quantitative methodologies.
Research is an important component of this program, too. For example, you must complete a first-year research project and a master’s thesis, which you defend during your second or third year in the program. After that, you must pass a preliminary doctoral examination, and then you can move on to complete your dissertation work during the final years of the program.
If you want to apply to this program, you must have an undergraduate degree with high-quality research experience in psychology. You must also demonstrate potential as a scholar in the field of psychological research and be compatible with current faculty research interests.
Furthermore, your undergraduate program must have included courses in general psychology, statistics, and experimental psychology. You must submit GRE scores with your application as well.
The University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis was founded in 1902 to provide higher learning opportunities for young adults and to promote a culture of service learning as part of its affiliation with the United Methodist Church. Over the years, the university has held true to these ideals, even as the world around it has grown and changed.
Today, the university is still a small institution – there are fewer than 6,000 students on campus. However, the University of Indianapolis offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, more than 40 graduate programs, and a handful of doctoral programs.
Regardless of your level of study, you will enjoy small class sizes that average 17 students. You’ll also enjoy learning in a diverse environment where one-third of students are minorities or from abroad.
Child Psychology Graduate Program Information
The University of Indianapolis offers a Clinical Psychology PsyD program that’s accredited by the American Psychological Association. One of its three specialization areas is Childhood and Adolescent Psychology, which prepares you for clinical work with children under the age of 18, as a licensed psychologist in Indiana.
As part of this program, you will take part in high-level learning on topics like developmental psychopathology, psychological assessment, and the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children, and adolescents. Furthermore, you must complete a doctoral dissertation and successfully defend it prior to your degree conferment.
An additional component of this program is extensive practicum and internship training. These experiences take several forms, including placements in schools, inpatient facilities, and outpatient settings. The university has nearly two dozen practicum sites in the Indianapolis area where you can work with children of all ages.
As a result of your classroom studies, research, and field experiences, you will be well-prepared for licensure as a clinical psychologist. Graduates of this program have excellent pass rates on the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP).
If interested in this program, you can apply online by December 1 for consideration for admission during the following academic year. To qualify, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a 3.0 GPA or higher with a minimum of 18 hours of psychology coursework. You must also submit the following:
- A $55 application fee
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- A personal statement
- A curriculum vitae or resume
Child Psychology Work Opportunities in Indiana
Child psychologists in Indiana enjoy many different work environments in settings that range from urban to rural. Likewise, you can work with many different demographics of children, from infants to adolescents, and children with many different types of psychological needs, including those with mental, behavioral, and emotional difficulties.
For example, with a Ph.D. or PsyD in child psychology, you might work in a residential treatment center for seriously psychologically disturbed adolescents. In this role, you might offer services like individual therapy and group therapy while also being in charge of devising appropriate interventions on a case-by-case basis.
Another option is to work in a hospital setting, like the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. As a child psychologist in this setting, your focus might be on helping children develop resilience in the face of significant health issues.
Additionally, you might work with the families of pediatric patients to help them build the skills needed to cope with the stressors of their loved one’s health situation.
Yet another opportunity for work is to go into academics. After a period of time working in the field, you might use that experience to transition into a teaching position at one of the many colleges and universities in the state. Positions at community colleges usually only require a master’s degree, while four-year universities typically require a doctoral degree. In either case, you can use your experiences to help shape the advancement of future clinicians.
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