Psychology is a fascinating field that focuses on the study of human behavior and the mind. The Psychology program at Ivy Tech prepares students to pursue a four-year degree in the subject.
Students learn:
How to understand and interpret scientific research.
The science behind how people and animals think, feel, and behave.
How humans grow and develop over a lifespan.
Classes are typically under 30 students, which allows for personalized feedback, group discussion, and hands-on learning. Graduates finish with a solid base from which they can pursue additional studies in psychology.
Ivy Tech Psychology faculty members are primarily focused on teaching, rather than research. And, they come to the classroom with practical experience in the field.
Career Options
An associate degree in Psychology provides the foundation you need to complete a bachelor’s degree in the subject.
Should you choose to enter the workforce immediately upon completion of your associate degree, you’ll be ready to work in one of the following roles:
Psychiatric Technician
Social and Human Services Assistant
Home Care Aide
Family Advocate
Youth Counselor
Social Science Research Assistant
High Demand Field
Psychology is a fast-growing field with an above-average employment growth rate. Consider entering the field as a Mental Health Counselor, a role that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow at a rate of 22% between 2021 and 2031.
Transfer Opportunities
An Associate of Science in Psychology from Ivy Tech gives you options for what's next as you continue to a four-year university to pursue a bachelor's degree–and allows you to save $10,000+ on your bachelor's degree!
Guaranteed Admissions Program
It sounds too good to be true, but it isn't! Psychology is a Guaranteed Admissions program at Ivy Tech, meaning you will be automatically accepted into one of our partner institutions upon completion of your Ivy Tech associate degree with a certain GPA and other requirements met. There are currently 14 state-supported colleges and universities that guarantee Ivy Tech AS in Psychology graduates will be accepted into their Psychology bachelor's degree programs. These partners include Indiana University, Purdue University, Ball State, and more. Learn more about Guaranteed Admissions
Transfer as a Junior
If for any reason you do not qualify for Guaranteed Admissions or the university of your choice isn't on the list, you can also transfer with our Transfer Single Articulation Pathways (TSAP) program. TSAP-eligible programs like Psychology, allow graduates to transfer their hard-earned credits to any public four-year university in Indiana with junior status after completing Ivy Tech's associate degree program. Students using the TSAP pathway must still apply for admission to their college of choice, but often are successful in their pursuit of a bachelor's degree. Learn more about TSAP
Associate Degree – Transferable Degree
The Associate of Science (AS) in Psychology prepares students for future work and study in the field. You'll take a wide range of general education and subject-specific courses in order to gain a well-rounded view of human psychology and to satisfy general education course requirements for bachelor's degree programs.
This field provides many opportunities to help others better understand and manage their mental and emotional health. Psychology graduates go on to work in a variety of settings from private therapy practices, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and mental health centers. What these roles have in common is the skills and traits practitioners must bring to them.
Careers in psychology often require:
Empathy
Patience
Adherence to a code of ethics
Ability to maintain boundaries
Communication
Strong emotion regulation skills
Comfort working with other people
Critical thinking
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the traits above, psychology may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
Students coming to Ivy Tech with their high school diploma or equivalent can start straight into the degree program without completing any prerequisite courses as long as they are considered college ready by the knowledge assessment.
PSYC 101 does require college level English writing skills, which students can show by doing their knowledge assessment test or passing at least one of the courses below with a grade of "C" or better. If a student chooses to take a course to show college readiness in writing, they would ideally do so during their first semester at Ivy Tech.
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit
Courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least 4 weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Psychology Courses
Descriptions of psychology courses can be found in our online course catalog:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our course list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Course Formats
Psychology courses are offered both in person and online.
How to Apply
Applying to Ivy Tech is free and easy. Start by completing the online general application. After you're accepted, you’ll receive information about setting up your student account and completing the tasks you need to enroll, including course placement, registering for classes, and paying tuition.
Visit our How to Apply page for complete application and enrollment steps.
“The Ivy Tech Psych TSAP program gave me the skills and tools I needed to succeed in a four-year college. While saving money on tuition, I received the same level and attention I would expect from a four-year university. The program and its committed professors gave me a solid understanding of psychology.”
–Jasmine Christy | Associate of Science in Psychology
“Ivy Tech's Psychology program made me who I am today. I never thought
I'd make such a difference in the lives of those who need it the most. I learned from the best and because of them, I am a Behavioral Therapist for children with autism. I know what I do is important and give all the credit to the professors who believed in me enough to make me believe in myself. The parents/caretakers of the children I work with would say the same.”
–Kyleigh Carmean | Associate of Science in Psychology
Featured Faculty & Staff
Douglas Lalama
Assistant Faculty Lead and Associate Professor
Debra Applegate
Associate Adjunct Faculty
Autumn McNichols
Professor and Program Chair
Douglas Lalama
Assistant Faculty Lead and Associate Professor
Debra Applegate
Associate Adjunct Faculty
Autumn McNichols
Professor and Program Chair
Douglas Lalama is a Psychology professor, and so possesses classroom experience as well as online course development and teaching expertise. Ivy Tech online Psychology courses are under constant review for quality assurance. Douglas ensures that instructors are being held to high standards and that student feedback is considered in the development and maintenance of online courses.
Debbie is the gold standard for adjunct faculty. Her enthusiasm, passion, and empathy show in every interaction she has with students and colleagues. Going above and beyond comes naturally for Debbie, and her students are so fortunate to have her guidance, constructive feedback, and subject matter knowledge. She truly makes a difference in the lives of our students every single day.
— Autumn McNichols, Professor of Psychology; Department Chair General Studies, Muncie Campus.
Autumn McNichols has extensive experience both as a practitioner and educator of psychology. As part of the classroom experience, she incorporates service learning projects that have a positive impact on students as well as the community.
Find Local Admissions Contact Info
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New Students can visit us during our weekly Tuesday Walk-In hours or make an appointment with their Enrollment Specialist.
Current Students can meet with their academic advisor by logging into MyIvy and clicking the "Schedule an Appointment" button or visiting during weekly Tuesday Walk-In hours.
Advising Team Ginny Leonard, Senior Director for Academic Advising and Student Success Advisor for: Exploratory/Undecided students vleonard5@ivytech.edu
Dee Denton Advisor for: Nursing Interest and Health Science ddenton@ivytech.edu
Jake Brunsman Advisor for: General Studies, Liberal Arts and Education programs jbrunsman2@ivytech.edu
Will Parshley Advisor for: School of Public and Social Services, School of Information Technology and Psychology-AS TSAP wparshley@ivytech.edu
Zech Saenz Advisor for: School of Business, Logistic and Supply Chain Management, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Applied Science zsaenz@ivytech.edu
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-803-1953
Zoom Video Calls Call 812-803-1953 to make an appointment for a meeting via Zoom or join virtual drop-in hours as shown below.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 463-207-5972 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00am-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00pm-5:00pm Zoom Link
Olivia Bruce 463-231-5073 obruce1@ivytech.edu Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Mondays 1:30pm-4:30pm & Tuesdays 8:30am-11:30am Zoom Link
Monday Virtual Office Hours Mondays 5:00pm-6:00pm Zoom Link
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2024 State Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Indiana. (2025). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2024-2025
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
