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Department of Psychology

College of Arts and Sciences

Welcome to the Department of Psychology!

The Psychology program at ISU encourages a spirit of active inquiry and critical thinking, life-long learning and development and social responsibility. The curriculum is based on the premise that any student of psychology, regardless of program goals, should be well-informed about basic principles of behavior. The undergraduate degree in psychology prepares students for graduate studies in psychology and related fields as well as employment in a variety of settings including health services, research, government and business.

Degree Programs

The Department of Psychology offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Our graduate programs include a Master's (M.A./M.S.) in General Psychology and a Doctoral program (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology.

We also have a Psychology Clinic that provides services to students and members of the Terre Haute community.

Mission statement:

The Department of Psychology assists students to achieve their personal and professional potential through training in scientific methods and discipline-specific knowledge, promoting a spirit of active inquiry and critical thought, and fostering a sense of social responsibility.

We are currently hiring for several faculty positions.

The Department of Psychology at Indiana State University invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of assistant or associate professor to begin Fall 2026. The position will primarily support our APA accredited clinical psychology doctoral (Psy.D.) program and will also include some undergraduate teaching. The position is open to clinical or counseling psychologists who are eligible for licensure and endorsement as a Health Service Provider in Psychology (HSPP) in Indiana. We welcome applications from individuals in all areas of clinical and counseling psychology, but candidates with interest and experience in clinical training/supervision, assessment, health psychology, or child/adolescent psychopathology are especially encouraged to apply. Individuals who may have had non-traditional career paths, who have taken career breaks, or who have achieved excellence in careers outside of academia are also encouraged to apply. Applicants may apply ABD, but must anticipate their earned doctorate from an accredited institution prior to the position start date.

The typical teaching load is 3 classes/semester. Specific responsibilities will include teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, supervision of empirical Psy.D. dissertations, overseeing therapeutic and assessment services provided by Psy.D. students working in the ISU Psychology clinic, and contributing to service activities in the department and university.

More information about the department and its programs can be found at www.indianastate.edu/academics/colleges/arts-sciences/psychology. 

Applicants must apply online at https://jobs.indstate.edu/postings/53878 and submit a cover letter that includes information on teaching and research interests, curriculum vitae, graduate transcripts, and list of references (to be contacted if invited to interview). Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2025 and will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries about this position may be directed to the chairperson of the search committee, Dr. Liz O’Laughlin at Liz.O’laughlin@indstate.edu. 

Indiana State University is a comprehensive university with an enrollment of approximately 9,000 students located in West Central Indiana, an area that enables a high quality of life with a low cost of living. Terre Haute is the regional center for health care, commerce, the arts, and education for the surrounding areas and home to four colleges/universities and several museums. For more information about the city, visit www.terrehaute.com. 

The College of Arts and Sciences welcomes all faculty, staff, and students, regardless of identity or affiliation. The college values the contribution of all individuals in the execution of its primary mission, which is to educate undergraduate and graduate students. To that end, we will strive to attract representative staff and faculty. 

Indiana State University is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our employment application process.

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The Department of Psychology at Indiana State University (ISU) invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin Fall, 2026. The position is open to candidates in any area of psychology, but we especially welcome applications from individuals who can teach classes in research methods, statistics, health psychology, developmental psychology, or I/O and related areas of psychology. Applicants may apply ABD, but must anticipate their earned doctorate from an accredited institution prior to the position starting date.

All candidates must demonstrate strong potential for effective teaching in our undergraduate and graduate programs, which include a BS in Psychology, an MA in experimental psychology, and a PsyD in clinical psychology. The typical teaching load is 3 classes/semester, and may include online as well as on-campus sections. Specific responsibilities will include teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, developing a program of research that can involve students, chairing theses and dissertations, and participating in service activities in the department and within the broader university. More information about the department and our programs can be found at https://indianastate.edu/academics/colleges/arts-sciences/psychology.

Applicants must apply online at http://jobs.indstate.edu/postings/53939 and submit a cover letter that includes information about teaching and research interests, curriculum vitae, graduate transcripts, and the names of three references (to be contacted if invited to interview). Inquiries about the position can be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. Ted Maldonado at ted.maldonado@indstate.edu. For full consideration, applications should be received by November 1, 2025.

ISU is a comprehensive university with an enrollment of approximately 9,000 students located in West Central Indiana, an area that enables a high quality of life with a low cost of living. Terre Haute is the regional center for health care, commerce, the arts, and education for the surrounding areas and home to four colleges/universities and several museums. For more information about the city, visit www.terrehaute.com.

Indiana State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to excellence through diversity. The University actively encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. The College of Arts and Sciences welcomes all faculty, staff, and students, regardless of identity or affiliation. The College values the contribution of all individuals in the execution of it primary mission, which is to educate undergraduate and graduate students. To that end, we will strive to attract representative staff and faculty.

Download a PDF file of this document.

Psychology Faculty Spotlight: Rebecka Hahnel-Peeters

Rebecka Hahnel-Peeters, PhD, graduated from The University of Texas at Austin’s Psychology program in 2025. Shortly after, she joined ISU's Psychology Department as a faculty member. During her graduate training in Dr. David Buss's Evolutionary Psychology Lab, Rebecka focused on how women manage threats of sexual violence. Her research led to the development of the most comprehensive taxonomy to date of women's defensive strategies—identifying over 35 distinct behavioral categories. Rebecka's work centers on understanding the context-dependent nature of threat management and the role of individual differences in women's psychological responses. At ISU, she is excited to continue this research using adaptationist frameworks, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration. When not on campus, Rebecka likes to crochet and knit, go camping, and enjoy quality time with her husband.

Rebecka Hahnel-Peeters

Psychology Alumni Spotlight: Thomas Rea

Thomas E. Rea, Psy.D., HSPP, is a 2008 graduate of the Indiana State University Clinical Psy.D. Program. He completed his clinical internship at the VA Illiana Healthcare System in Danville, Illinois, before spending several years working in a hospital setting. Dr. Rea currently works in private practice at Murphy, Urban & Associates in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he has been since 2011. Dr. Rea works with clients of all ages and provides individual, family and marital therapy. He regularly cites his training and education in the ISU Psy.D. Program as preparing him for “whatever comes through the door.” Outside of his professional work, Dr. Rea enjoys spending time with his family and watching sports, especially Notre Dame football and those in which his children participate. He lives outside of Terre Haute with his wife, Christina (also an Indiana State alumnus and a proud breast cancer survivor), two daughters, Kennedy (who recently became a student at Purdue University) and Marley, and their dog, Millie.

Thomas Rea Alumni Spotlight

Psychology Graduate Student Spotlight: Karina Koo

Karina Koo was born and raised in San Francisco, California, earning a degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy at UCLA. She is currently in her third year at ISU’s Clinical Psychology PsyD program and was drawn to the program after connecting with faculty members over her interests, as well as for being a clinically strong program that also emphasizes research. Her research interests revolve around philosophical and spiritual beliefs and how they relate to psychology, particularly beliefs about free will and determinism, as well as evolutionary psychology. Karina is currently working with Dr. Sheets on how free will and deterministic beliefs relate to intimate relationship attitudes, such as whether you believe love requires a strong initial spark or requires day-to-day conscious effort. Karina also works with Dr. Schriver on a project related to ethical violations committed by psychologists. Karina’s clinical interest is relationships, and she is interested in exploring interventions like group and couples therapy in the future. Karina is most drawn to a future career that can combine both her passion for research and practice, so she is considering a career in academia. ISU has been really helpful for providing Karina with enriching experiences with clients and thoughtful classes that have shaped how she is developing her clinical orientation. She also greatly appreciates how invaluable conversations with like-minded and passionate peers have shaped her growth as a clinician. In her free time, Karina loves taking unscientific personality tests and playing deckbuilding video games.

Karina Koo

Psychology Undergraduate Student Spotlight: Hallie Rue

Hallie Rue is a senior psychology major with minors in counseling, history, and sociology. She is from Jasper, Indiana and her parents are both alumni of Indiana State University. Hallie is part of the Honors College where she serves as a Peer Mentor and is President of the Honors Council. She was recognized last year as one of the outstanding majors in the Psychology Department and is serving as President of Psi Chi this year. Although she enjoys many of her psychology courses, she is particularly interested in sport psychology and child/adolescent psychology. She wants to learn more about the impact of sports on young athletes and the effects of media and technology on children and adolescents. Hallie participated in Dr. Wright’s research lab last year and presented at the 2024 Spring Undergraduate Research Showcase. She also completed her Honors thesis titled “The Psychological Impact of Sports on Young Athletes: Bringing Awareness to Coaches and Parents.” Hallie’s long-term goal is to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology. She hopes to work as a child psychologist and to assist young athletes with mental health concerns and with sport performance.

Hallie Rue