Six Indiana universities offer APA-accredited doctoral training in psychology, with both PhD and PsyD paths across clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Programs typically run four to six years and include a full-time predoctoral internship. Many are designed to meet Indiana’s psychologist licensure requirements, though applicants should confirm current standards with the state board.
If you’re researching psychology doctoral programs in Indiana, six universities currently offer APA-accredited training in clinical, counseling, or school psychology, on campuses in Muncie, Terre Haute, Bloomington, Indianapolis, and West Lafayette. Each program sets its own admission requirements, funding structure, and clinical focus, but the first decision every applicant faces is the same: PhD or PsyD.
PhD or PsyD: Which Doctoral Track Fits Your Goals?
Both degrees lead to psychologist licensure and require passing the EPPP, the national licensing exam recognized by state psychology boards. The real difference is training emphasis, not career ceiling.
A PhD follows a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model, with a stronger emphasis on research. Most PhD programs on this list guarantee assistantships and tuition waivers, since students are expected to produce publishable research alongside clinical training.
A PsyD follows a practitioner-scholar model, weighted toward clinical practice. Indiana State University and the University of Indianapolis offer PsyD tracks that emphasize direct assessment and intervention experience over original research, and PsyD students more often pay standard tuition rather than receive full funding.
Still deciding? See our guide on how PsyD and PhD training tracks differ.
Indiana Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
All programs listed below are accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State University | PhD | Counseling & School Psychology | Muncie, IN |
| Indiana State University | PsyD | Clinical & School Psychology | Terre Haute, IN |
| Indiana University Bloomington | PhD | Clinical, Counseling & School Psychology | Bloomington, IN |
| Indiana University Indianapolis | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Indianapolis, IN |
| Purdue University | PhD | Counseling Psychology | West Lafayette, IN |
| University of Indianapolis | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Indianapolis, IN |
Ball State University
Ball State’s psychology doctoral training in Muncie, about an hour northeast of Indianapolis, spans two departments depending on specialty.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
Offered through the Department of Counseling Psychology, Social Psychology, and Counseling, this program integrates theory, research, and clinical intervention across a wide range of interpersonal contexts. Graduates pursue careers in academia, health care settings, university counseling centers, and private practice. The program requires 106 to 112 credits and typically takes four to five years, including three years on campus plus a predoctoral internship year. Every doctoral student receives an assistantship and a full tuition waiver starting in the first year.
PhD in School Psychology
Offered through the Department of Educational Psychology, this program follows a scientist-practitioner model with additional training in advocacy and is aligned with National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) standards. It requires a minimum of 119 credits over five years of full-time study, including four years of coursework and a final one-year internship. Graduates work in schools, private practice, academia, community mental health clinics, and hospitals.
PhD in Counseling Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA). Program website
PhD in School Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA); NASP-approved. Program website
Location: Muncie, Indiana
Indiana State University
Indiana State offers two doctoral tracks in psychology, housed in different departments on the Terre Haute campus.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Offered through the Department of Psychology, this practitioner-scientist program emphasizes diversity training as part of the development of a clinical professional identity. Students begin clinical coursework in the first year and gain hands-on experience in the Psychology Clinic, working with clients from Terre Haute and the surrounding area. The program’s APA accreditation was most recently reaffirmed through 2035.
PsyD in School Psychology
Offered through the Department of Applied Clinical and Educational Sciences, this program awards a Master of Education in School Psychology on the way to the PsyD and meets Indiana’s educational requirements for School Psychologist certification. Students train through the Porter School Psychology Center, a campus-based clinic for school psychology graduate students, and complete a sequence of practica, an externship, and an internship.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA), reaffirmed through 2035. Program website
PsyD in School Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA). Program website
Location: Terre Haute, Indiana
Indiana University Bloomington
IU Bloomington’s psychology doctoral training spans two departments. For a closer look at the campus and admissions process, see our profile of IU Bloomington’s clinical psychology program.
PhD in Clinical Science
Offered through the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, this program is explicitly research-oriented rather than practice-oriented, training clinical scientists rather than primarily service providers. Students still develop clinical skills and complete a full-time predoctoral internship, but the emphasis throughout is on research training. A required minor in one of seven other psychology areas (sensory, behavioral neuroscience, developmental, social, cognitive, mathematical, or animal learning and behavior) must be completed within the first three years.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
Offered through the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, this program follows a scientist-practitioner model with a strong emphasis on multicultural issues and social justice. Students train as researchers, practitioners, consultants, and faculty members, and complete a full-time internship at the end of the program.
PhD in School Psychology
Also offered through the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, this program follows a scientist-practitioner model, emphasizing the integration of research and practice, with students from a wide range of backgrounds, through practicum and internship training.
PhD in Clinical Science accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA). Program website
PhD in Counseling Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA). Program website
PhD in School Psychology accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA); NASP-approved. Program website
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Indiana University Indianapolis
The Department of Psychology is part of Indiana University Indianapolis (formerly part of IUPUI, which split into separate IU and Purdue campuses in 2024).
PhD in Clinical Psychology
This program prepares graduates for careers as researchers, educators, direct clinical service providers, and administrators, with clinical training grounded in behavioral science research methods. It requires five years of full-time study, including six academic semesters of coursework, a minimum of 800 practicum hours, a master’s thesis, a preliminary examination, a dissertation, and a one-year full-time internship in an approved clinical setting. Students choose between two training emphases: Clinical Health Psychology or Severe Mental Illness/Psychiatric Rehabilitation.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA); member, Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs (CCHPTP)
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana. Program website
Purdue University
The Department of Educational Studies is based on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
This program admits both post-bachelor’s and post-master’s students into a broad course sequence covering the biological, cognitive, social, and physiological bases of behavior, psychological assessment, and evidence-based counseling intervention. It requires at least 90 credit hours, including 12 dissertation credits and 3 internship credits. Full-time students typically spend five years on campus, followed by a one-year predoctoral internship in an APA-accredited setting during the sixth year, under a scientist-practitioner training model.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA)
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana. Program website
University of Indianapolis
The School of Psychology is based at this private institution in Indianapolis.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology
This practitioner-scholar program builds core knowledge in assessment, intervention, and research skills through a structured sequence of practical experiences across more than 40 affiliated practicum sites. The program is 111 credit hours and typically takes five years, including an internship, with an optional add-on master’s degree available for 9 additional credit hours. In the third year, students complete a concentration chosen from seven options: adult psychopathology and psychotherapy, child and adolescent psychology, community psychology and social change, generalist, health psychology and behavioral medicine, neuropsychology, or psychological assessment. Graduates have posted a 94% pass rate on the EPPP.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (COA)
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana. Program website
Every program on this list requires the EPPP for state licensure, but admission requirements, funding, and clinical focus vary widely by school. Compare degree types and locations in the table above, then check each program’s website directly for current application deadlines. If you’re specifically weighing a school psychology track, see our guide on “What Education Does a School Psychologist Need?”
Frequently Asked Questions
How many APA-accredited psychology doctoral programs are in Indiana?
Six Indiana universities currently offer APA-accredited doctoral training in psychology: Ball State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Indianapolis, Purdue University, and the University of Indianapolis. Programs span clinical, counseling, and school psychology at the PhD and PsyD levels.
Should I choose a PhD or PsyD program in Indiana?
It depends on whether you want a research-heavy or practice-heavy training path. PhD programs, offered at four of the six schools on this page, follow a scientist-practitioner model and often come with full funding. PsyD programs, offered at Indiana State University and the University of Indianapolis, follow a practitioner-scholar model with a heavier clinical caseload and less guaranteed funding.
How long does a psychology doctorate take to complete in Indiana?
Most programs take four to six years of full-time study, including a full-time predoctoral internship in the final year. Some school psychology tracks take five to eight years, with a master’s degree earned along the way.
Does graduating from an APA-accredited program guarantee licensure as a psychologist e in Indiana?
No. APA accreditation confirms a program meets national training standards, but the state licensing board sets the actual requirements for practice, including supervised experience hours and passing the EPPP. Confirm current psychology licensure requirements directly with the board before enrolling.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.