Best Psychology Programs in Iowa for 2027

Students at Iowa State University choose four of six breadth areas, from developmental and social psychology to biological, cognitive, mental and physical health, and applied psychology, then add five more psychology electives. The core includes Research Design and Methodology, Psychological Measurement I, a statistics course and a career course. The BS adds a second research methods course. The BA asks for an approved minor, certificate or second major, and its students may take an advanced English composition course instead. A fully online BA is open to students who arrive with at least 30 transferable credits, and optional career tracks map courses to paths such as clinical, forensic, health, school or industrial-organizational psychology.

Required Courses

17 to 18 credits, including Research Design and Methodology and Psychological Measurement I.

Breadth

One course from each of four of six areas, 12 credits.

Electives

Five more 3-credit psychology courses.

BS Versus BA

BS students take Research Methods in Psychology; BA students complete a minor, certificate or second major.

Online BA

Distance BA with at least 30 transferable credits to declare.

Program Sources: Psychology | Iowa State University Catalog

Any psychology course can count as an elective in the University of Northern Iowa's 38-hour Psychology BA, and 18 hours of electives leave plenty of room to follow your interests. The required courses are Introduction to Psychology, Professional Preparation in Psychology, Social Sciences Statistics and Research Methods, which carries four credits. Three of four core areas finish the base: Biopsychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology and Cognitive Psychology. Departmental honors needs a 3.00 overall GPA, a 3.50 psychology GPA and a research project the department approves. Related options include a Mental Health Minor and certificates in Behavioral Health, Military Psychology, School Psychology, Student Affairs and Work Psychology.

Major Hours

38 hours, with electives making up 18.

Research Courses

Social Sciences Statistics, three credits, and Research Methods, four credits.

Core Content

Three of Biopsychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology and Cognitive Psychology.

Departmental Honors

3.00 overall GPA, 3.50 psychology GPA and an approved research project.

Related Programs

Mental Health Minor and five certificates.

Program Sources: Psychology B.A. | University of Northern Iowa University Catalog

Research is built into every year of the 36-credit psychology major at Central College, and all psychology students conduct a study alone or in a group. General Psychology comes first, followed by Psychological Investigations, Fundamentals of Statistics and Experimental Psychology, with Advanced Research in Psychology in the junior year. Twenty-one credits of electives complete the major, including at least six at the 300 level or above and three more at the 400 level. Internships earn credit and can be arranged at more than 500 sites. The flexible requirements leave room for a minor or a second major, and off-campus options include study abroad and the Chicago Metropolitan Program.

Major Credits

36 credits, including 21 of psychology electives.

Research Core

Psychological Investigations, Fundamentals of Statistics and Experimental Psychology, four credits each.

Upper-Level Electives

At least six credits at the 300 level or above and three more at the 400 level.

Internships

More than 500 sites, available during the semester or over the summer.

Double Majors

Students have paired psychology with biology, sociology, art, Spanish and other majors.

Program Sources: Psychology | Central College Course CatalogPsychology | Academics | Central College

Capstone choices at Saint Ambrose University range from a two-course Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis sequence to a Supervised Psychology Practicum or Professional Development and Integration in Psychology. The Psychology BS runs 37 credits and first requires Introduction to Psychology, Introductory Statistics, Research Methods, Writing in Psychology and Brain and Behavior. Then you pick a course from each of four menus, such as Life-Span Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and Psychology and Law. Six more credits at the 300 level or above can't come from community college courses.

Credits

37 credits.

Core Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Introductory Statistics, Research Methods, Writing in Psychology and Brain and Behavior.

Grade Rules

C or better in Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods, Writing in Psychology and Brain and Behavior.

Capstone

Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis I and II, Supervised Psychology Practicum, or Professional Development and Integration in Psychology.

Upper-Level Credits

Six more credits at the 300 level or above, not from a community college.

Program Sources: Psychology (BS) | St. Ambrose University Academic Catalog

The BA at Drake University takes 37 hours inside the psychology department, while the BS takes 40 hours there and 12 more in the natural sciences. Both begin with a four-credit Introduction to Psychology that includes a lab, then Introductory Statistics, followed by Research Methods, and you need a C or better in the last two to move into some upper-division courses. Next come three groups, with a single course required from each: biology, behavior and cognition; development, identity and society; and health, wellness and treatment. A four-credit lab course, three upper-division electives and a capstone finish the major. The capstone can be Multicultural Psychology, Applied Professional Ethics, History and Systems, an independent study or an internship.

BA Hours

37 hours within the department.

BS Hours

40 hours within the department plus 12 hours of natural science.

Research Core

Introduction to Psychology with lab, Introductory Statistics and Research Methods, four credits each.

Lab Options

Advanced Statistics, Conditioning and Learning, Cognitive Psychology, Comparative Psychology, Experimental Social Psychology, Psychological Assessment or Applied Behavior Analysis.

Capstone

Multicultural Psychology, Applied Professional Ethics, History and Systems, independent study or internship.

Program Sources: Psychology Bachelor of Arts | Drake University Academic CatalogPsychology Bachelor of Science | Drake University Academic Catalog

Cognitive psychology, counseling psychology, and social psychology and personality are the three training areas of the Iowa State University psychology PhD, and all three share one December 1 application deadline. Students working toward the doctorate can earn a Master of Science along the way. Counseling psychology is APA accredited and requires a 12-month internship at an approved site. The program is full time, and a 20-hour-a-week teaching or research assistantship carries a tuition scholarship. Assistantships are assigned to all psychology graduate students without a separate application. The GRE is not required. About two-thirds of new students enter with a bachelor's degree, and one-third arrive with a master's.

Training Areas

Cognitive Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and Social Psychology and Personality.

Concentrations

Health Psychology and Psychology-Law.

Counseling Internship

12 months at an approved site, required of all counseling doctoral students.

Funding

Assistantships assigned to all psychology graduate students, with a tuition scholarship for a 20-hour weekly appointment.

Application Deadline

December 1 for all three areas; GRE not required.

Program Sources: Psychology | Iowa State University CatalogGraduate Admissions - Department of Psychology

Start dates are flexible for the Psychology Transfer Major AA at Des Moines Area Community College, which begins in any semester on the Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, Urban/Des Moines or West Des Moines campuses or online. Over 64 credits you take Introduction to Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Social Psychology with Statistics and Introduction to Philosophy, then fill the rest with AA core courses, a biology course and electives. The plan is aimed at students moving on to Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Iowa, Clarke, St. Ambrose or Upper Iowa, and requirements can differ at other schools. A three-credit diversity requirement with a C or better can double as a core course, so it adds no credits.

Credits

64 credits, with no more than 16 vocational credits counted.

Psychology Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Social Psychology.

Also Required

Statistics, Introduction to Philosophy, two composition courses and a biology course.

Transfer Partners

Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Iowa, Clarke, St. Ambrose and Upper Iowa.

Start Terms

Any semester.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology: Transfer Major AA - Des Moines Area Community College

General, social and developmental psychology are the core of the Psychology Transfer Major AA at Eastern Iowa Community College District, along with the social sciences and the liberal arts. The psychology courses are Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology, taken with Statistics, General Biology and Introduction to Philosophy before general education in communication, arts and humanities, cultural perspectives and a physical science. Chemistry or physics is the recommended physical science, and chemistry is the better pick if you're headed to the University of Iowa. Iowa State transfers should take both philosophy courses and a different biology course. The 62 credits are offered at Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges and online, and Iowa State, the University of Iowa, Northern Iowa and five more colleges are named as transfer destinations.

Credits

62 credits.

Psychology Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology and Developmental Psychology.

Science and Math

Statistics, General Biology IA and a four-credit physical science.

Iowa State Transfer

Take both PHI 101 and PHI 105, and BIO 105 or BIO 163 for biology.

Campuses

Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges, and online.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology Transfer Major, AA - Eastern Iowa Community Colleges

Many of the psychology courses found at four-year schools are taught at Iowa Western Community College, so you meet the concepts and vocabulary before you transfer. The Psychology Transfer Major, A.A. runs four semesters and 62 credits, covering Introduction to Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Personality and Adjustment, Educational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Issues in Psychology and Social Psychology, alongside Statistics and Introduction to Sociology. You can take it full time, part time, in the evening or online, at the Council Bluffs campus or the Clarinda, Cass County, Page/Fremont County and Shelby County centers.

Credits

62 semester hours over four semesters.

Psychology Courses

Seven, from Introduction to Psychology to Issues in Psychology.

Statistics

Statistics 1, four credits.

Formats

Full time, part time, evening and online.

Locations

Council Bluffs plus four area centers.

Program Sources: Psychology Transfer Major, A.A. - Iowa Western Community College

Developmental, Abnormal, Social and Child Psychology are the courses that go beyond the introduction at Western Iowa Tech Community College. They are part of the 64 credits in the Psychology Transfer Major, AA, along with Statistics, Introduction to Sociology, Diversity, Introduction to Ethics and a biology course. Sioux City and online students finish with about 16 credits of electives chosen with an advisor to fit the transfer school. Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa accept the transfer major, and the college has articulation agreements with the University of South Dakota and Briar Cliff University.

Credits

64 credits.

Psychology Courses

Introduction, Developmental, Abnormal, Social and Child Psychology.

Electives

16 credits chosen with an advisor.

Transfer Agreements

University of South Dakota and Briar Cliff University.

Locations

Sioux City and online.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology - Transfer Major, AA - Western Iowa Tech Community CollegePsychology | AA - Western Iowa Tech Community College