Iowa offers numerous psychology graduate programs, designed to prepare students for research, clinical practice, and academic careers. Key universities with popular psychology graduate programs in Iowa include Loras College, Drake University, Upper Iowa University, the University of Iowa, and Iowa State University.
In this guide, we will discuss popular psychology graduate programs offered by these universities, covering various specializations, course formats, and admission requirements.
Best Psychology Graduate Programs in Iowa
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering psychology graduate programs in Iowa:
- Loras College
- Drake University
- Upper Iowa University
- University of Iowa
- Iowa State University
- Purdue Global
- The Chicago School
- American Public University
To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.
Loras College
Online Master of Arts in Applied Psychology
Located in Dubuque, Iowa, Loras College offers you an online Master of Arts in Applied Psychology focused on organizational psychology applications. Specifically, you will study organizational leadership, positive change-making, human performance, and productivity. Within these areas, you will explore psychological principles such as motivation, social dynamics, and social justice, which are important for your development as a psychology professional and your ability to support change in various organizations.
You will be required to complete 30 credits of online coursework. Each class is fully online and synchronous, meaning you must attend live online sessions at specific times. You will take one class at a time, each lasting seven weeks, allowing you to focus deeply on one subject. Most students finish the program within two years despite this one-class-at-a-time format.
The synchronous design aims to be flexible. For example, classes meet once a week for approximately two hours, scheduled after 4:00 pm local time to minimize interference with your work commitments. You may start the program either in the spring or fall semester to fit your schedule.
Your curriculum will include both general and focused psychology courses. For instance, the Adult Development course covers cognitive, emotional, physical, and social changes during adulthood, as well as how these changes affect social and work environments.
You must also take Group Dynamics, a key course given the program’s focus on industrial-organizational psychology. This course explores social psychology topics including group behavior, motivation, social and team theories, leadership, and other critical elements of organizational dynamics.
Related to that, you will study Leadership and Organizational Development, which teaches you how to handle group dynamics at the organizational level. This course covers leadership development, traits of effective leaders, and both historical and modern leadership theories, highlighting their roles in improving organizational performance.
Additional required courses include:
- Learning and Motivation
- Intra-Professional Competency
- Community and Psychology
- Evaluation and Assessment
- Psychology of Stress and Coping
You will also complete an applied psychology capstone project, which involves independent psychological research. With guidance from a faculty member, you will apply your program knowledge and research skills to prepare a detailed research paper on a specific topic. For example, you might investigate how behavioral psychology techniques affect worker motivation and productivity.
You must also present your research findings orally to a faculty committee. Both the written paper and the oral defense must be completed before graduation.
Before applying, you should meet these admissions requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- Maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher, or a GPA of 2.9 in your last 60 undergraduate credits.
- Complete at least nine credits in behavioral sciences before applying.
- Submit a personal statement.
- Provide a resume or curriculum vitae.
- Provide three letters of recommendation.
Drake University
Master of Science (MS) in Counseling
At Drake University, you can pursue a Master of Science in Counseling with specializations in clinical mental health counseling, rehabilitation, and school counseling. You will engage with experienced faculty committed to excellence in research, teaching, and professional service.
The Clinical Mental Health specialization within this program holds accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Beyond coursework and professional experiences, you can strengthen your resume by participating in research projects supervised by Drake faculty, publishing research, or attending state and national conferences.
Designed for working adults, the Master of Science in Counseling offers classes on Drake’s campus during evenings and weekends, enabling you to work full-time while pursuing your degree. Typically, you will complete the program in about three years. You will receive practicum and internship opportunities to apply your classroom knowledge in real-world settings, with faculty advisors supporting your progress.
The program offers three specializations. All students complete core courses and choose one or more specializations based on educational and career goals. These specializations are:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling: This specialization prepares you for licensure as a licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa. It equips you with skills to work in various settings, including agencies, group practices, substance abuse centers, hospitals, residential treatment centers, and employee assistance programs. The 60-credit program can be completed in as little as two and a half years.
- Rehabilitation Counseling: This specialization prepares you to work in settings such as state agencies, Veterans Administration, hospitals, rehabilitation agencies, insurance rehabilitation, advocacy groups, or as a business consultant. The program combines classroom instruction and field-based experiences to prepare you for success.
- School Counseling: If you wish to work with students, this specialization leads to licensure as a school counselor in Iowa, preparing you for roles in elementary and secondary education. The 48-credit program may require two extra courses for those without teaching licenses who have not completed these courses as undergraduates.
Regardless of your specialization, all counseling students take these core courses. You will take a total of 33 credits of core courses:
- Introduction to the Counseling Profession
- Research in Counseling
- Career Counseling
- Methods of Counseling
- Assessment in Counseling
- Human Development and Life Issues
- Psychopathology and Psychiatric Disabilities
- Group Procedures
- Understanding Diverse Populations
- Trauma and Crisis
- Counseling Practicum
The program’s mission is to train you to be knowledgeable, competent, and skilled professional counselors serving clinical mental health, rehabilitation, and school settings. The program promotes skill development from early stages to a solid theoretical foundation, ethical and professional standards, advocacy, and cultural sensitivity aimed at equity and access in counseling.
In general, the program objectives are:
- To help you provide culturally responsive and socially just counseling, reflecting on your practice and addressing oppression and privilege.
- To demonstrate commitment to professional, ethical, and legal standards in counseling.
- To advocate for and empower individuals, welcoming clients of all identities, abilities, and differences.
- To apply knowledge of biological, psychological, social, and cultural foundations across the lifespan in counseling practice.
- To design and implement equitable, culturally responsive, and data-driven school counseling programs.
- To provide clinical mental health counseling services to diverse clients in multiple settings.
- To deliver rehabilitation counseling services to diverse consumers across various environments.
For admission, you must submit:
- A completed and digitally signed online Application for Admission.
- A current professional resume or curriculum vitae detailing your employment, professional development, and internships.
- A five-page, double-spaced Statement of Interest explaining your motivation for counseling.
- Two letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or others who can attest to your graduate success potential.
- Official transcripts from all institutions where you earned or will earn your bachelor’s degree. Additional transcripts may be required upon application review.
Each admission cycle, the program admits 20-25 students across all specializations. Applications submitted by deadlines are reviewed by the department, and selected candidates are invited for interviews. Admission decisions are communicated approximately 2-3 weeks after interviews.
You may transfer up to one-third (20 credits) of program credits if equivalent courses were completed at another university. Transfer credit is reviewed by the major instructor and program coordinator based on syllabi and transcripts. Credits eligible for transfer must:
- Be from a recognized graduate school within five years before admission.
- Have a grade of B or higher.
- Be directly related to your Drake graduate program and approved by your advisor and major instructor.
Practice-based courses like Methods of Counseling, Practicum, and Internship are not eligible for transfer credit.
Upper Iowa University
Online Master of Arts in Psychology
The Master of Arts in Psychology from Upper Iowa University is a fully online program that you can complete in about one year of full-time study. The program requires only 31 credits for graduation, and you are not required to take the GRE for admission consideration. You may start your courses at either of two start times each year, allowing flexibility to fit your busy schedule.
Each class in this program is accelerated, lasting just eight weeks. This format means you take fewer classes at once but move through the material more quickly. This approach reduces your course load and helps you focus more thoroughly on each subject.
This program does not lead to licensure, but there are many paths you can pursue with this degree. You may use it to prepare for doctoral studies or to advance your current career. Psychology applies broadly, and your degree can help you find work in fields such as:
- Human resources
- Education and training
- Law enforcement and criminology
- Higher education
Before graduating, you must complete all 31 credits. You will begin with a one-credit course on Applied Learning Strategies, designed to help you succeed in online graduate studies. This course introduces you to resources available to online students and offers strategies to enhance your success. You will also learn how to apply your studies to real-world situations.
Several required courses focus on core psychology topics. For instance, the Learning and Motivation course examines factors that influence how people learn and behave. You will explore motivation, including how incentives like money can encourage better performance or, alternatively, lead to negative behaviors like greed or fraud.
Another important course is Research and Ethics, where you will study how to design, conduct, and evaluate psychological research while following ethical guidelines. You will review various experimental designs and key psychological studies.
Additional courses you will take include:
- Adult Development
- Data Visualization
- Applied Social Psychology
- Leading to Motivate
- Group Dynamics and Cohesion
The program concludes with an experiential component, where you choose either a capstone project or a thesis. The capstone involves detailed research and applying your findings to a real-world issue, while the thesis is more theoretical and research-based. Either way, you will spend significant time synthesizing your learning toward the end of the program.
You may apply to Upper Iowa University at any time. To be eligible, you must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher, or a GPA of 3.0 or higher in at least six semester credits of graduate coursework.
- If you do not meet GPA requirements, submit an application essay, a resume or curriculum vitae, and two letters of recommendation.
University of Iowa
Ph.D in Psychology
The aim of the Ph.D. in Psychology program at the University of Iowa is to prepare you as a professional scholar capable of contributing significantly to the advancement of psychological science and effectively teaching undergraduate and graduate students about psychology. This program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).
This research-focused, STEM-designated program prepares you for careers in research, teaching, and related scholarly activities in academic, industrial, governmental, or medical settings. You will follow an apprenticeship-based model where you are accepted into a faculty mentor’s laboratory. While you may earn an MA degree during the program, the Department does not admit students seeking a terminal MA degree.
To earn your PhD, you must complete at least 72 semester hours of graduate coursework. Those entering without previous graduate work usually require at least five years to complete the program; those entering with previous graduate training may require less, depending on the nature of the earlier preparation.
The PhD program follows a learning-by-doing approach, with your advisor—an assigned faculty member—responsible for your intellectual and professional development. You must have an advisor at all times.
Upon admission, you select a training area from Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Science, Cognition, or the Individualized Training Track. Changing your training area requires approval and depends on available resources.
Each training area has specific program requirements, including coursework in statistics, quantitative methods, and core content, along with opportunities for further specialization. You may also take additional courses aligned with your research goals.
The Individualized Training Track allows you to design a personalized course of study with faculty mentors, especially if your interests cross traditional boundaries. You may choose this track before or after admission.
Regardless of specialty training, all students must meet course requirements in statistics and research methods, and they are expected to take courses in content areas other than their primary one.
During each of your first two semesters, you will typically take two or three courses, such as a statistics course, one or two courses in your main training area, and/or an elective from another area. You will also begin your research work under the supervision of your advisor and with support from your research advisory committee.
Near the end of the fall semester in your second year, you will submit a report outlining your research progress. At the start of the following semester, you will present your research at the annual graduate research symposium.
All PhD students must complete a first-year research project, presenting it at the departmental graduate research symposium during their second year. You also must pass a comprehensive exam and complete and defend a doctoral dissertation.
- First-year Project and Report: You are required to complete a written report on your first-year project, which is evaluated during your second-year review.
- Graduate Research Symposium: Early in the second year, you will give a conference-style presentation on your research at the Graduate Research Symposium.
- Second-year Review: Before the end of your second year, your progress will be reviewed based on coursework, research activities, symposium performance, and teaching or research assistantships.
- Comprehensive Exam: After passing the second-year review, you must take the comprehensive exam.
- PhD Committee: After clearing the comprehensive exam, you will form a PhD committee to oversee your dissertation.
- Prospectus: Some training areas require a separate prospectus defense, while others combine it with the comprehensive exam.
- Dissertation: You must produce and defend a written dissertation.
After passing your second-year review, you may apply for an MA degree, but this is not required for the PhD.
During subsequent years, you will continue taking selected courses in your training and interest areas, while further developing your research projects. You will also prepare a prospectus for your dissertation research and complete the comprehensive exam, which covers material related to your specialty area.
Your final year will be mainly dedicated to conducting your PhD study and writing your dissertation. During the PhD final examination, you will give an oral defense of your dissertation and should connect your dissertation work to broader topics within the field of psychology.
Becoming an effective teacher is important regardless of whether you plan to teach professionally. You will be expected to participate in teaching activities, such as assistantships, teaching summer courses, or supervising undergraduates.
To apply, you must complete two parts:
- Online application to the University of Iowa Graduate College
- Submission of Psychology program-specific materials.
Both parts must be completed for your application to be reviewed.
You must upload an unofficial academic transcript to your Admissions Profile and provide three letters of recommendation, which are submitted electronically by the recommenders. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts before enrolling.
Before applying, you should review faculty and their research topics to identify potential mentors whose interests align with yours. Contact faculty by email to discuss your fit with their research and inquire about available opportunities for the coming year.
Your application must be submitted by December 1. Although you can submit your application at any time, reviews occur only once annually between December 1 and February 1 for fall admission the next year. Decisions about admission depend on an overall evaluation of your academic history, research achievements, recommendation letters, and a personal statement detailing your background and goals. Faculty members in your chosen specialization area will initially review your submitted materials.
Having an undergraduate degree in psychology is preferred but not required. Ideal background coursework includes experimental psychology with a laboratory component, statistics, mathematics, and additional natural sciences. However, if your academic background lacks these elements but your overall qualifications are strong, you can still be admitted. You might need to complete additional coursework or engage in independent study prior to beginning your standard graduate studies.
The department provides or arranges financial support for graduate students in good standing for at least five years. Further funding depends on recommendations from the training area coordinator and approval by the Director of Graduate Studies and Chairperson.
Can You Become a Psychologist With a Master’s in Iowa?
No, in Iowa, you cannot become a licensed psychologist with only a master’s degree. To practice as a licensed psychologist in Iowa, you must have a doctoral degree and meet specific professional requirements set by the Iowa Board of Psychology.
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