The study of psychology at Eastern Illinois University has deep roots that extend back nearly a century. Psychology-related instruction at Eastern can be traced to at least the 1920s, when faculty members with advanced training in psychology were already contributing to the education of future teachers. One notable early figure was Emma Reinhardt, who became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Illinois in 1927.

Because Eastern's primary mission during its early years was teacher preparation, psychology courses focused largely on the application of psychological principles to teaching and learning. For many years, psychology was housed within the Department of Education, and psychology courses appeared in the University catalog as part of the education curriculum.

A significant milestone in the discipline's development came with Dr. Donald A. Rothschild, who served at Eastern from 1934 to 1967 and was among the first faculty members to offer psychology courses under that designation. Recognizing the growing importance of the field, Eastern President Dr. Quincy V. Doudna announced on February 14, 1963, the formation of a separate Department of Psychology, which became operational on September 15 of that year.

By 1964, Psychology appeared as an independent department in the University catalog, with Dr. Rothschild serving as the department's first chair. The founding faculty included Dr. Arthur J. Looby and Dr. Henry A. Stackhouse. The department continued to expand, welcoming Dr. Harold G. Coe and Dr. Francis E. Summers during the 1965-66 academic year.

Since its founding, the Department of Psychology has grown steadily in size, reputation, and impact. Today, the department is home to approximately 15 tenured and tenure-track faculty members dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Psychology remains one of Eastern Illinois University's most popular majors, reflecting the department's long-standing commitment to understanding human behavior and preparing students for meaningful careers and advanced study.

As the number of online psychology courses increased over the following years, students enrolled in other online degree programs, such as the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) and Organizational and Professional Development (OPD) programs, were able to complete a Psychology minor entirely online. This success prompted faculty to explore a larger vision: creating a pathway for transfer students who had already completed their general education requirements to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology fully online.

Formal planning for the program began during the 2014-15 academic year. On May 12, 2015, the department held an all-day faculty retreat dedicated to developing the foundation for an online degree completion program. The retreat was organized by Interim Department Chair Dr. Assegedetch HaileMariam, coordinated by Dr. Caridad Brito, and supported by the School of Continuing Education.

Program development continued throughout the 2015-16 academic year. During this time, Dr. Jeffrey Stowell created the program's website, helping establish an online presence and recruitment platform for prospective students. To guide implementation, the Online Psychology B.A. Committee was formed and held its first meeting on September 23, 2016. The committee was chaired by Dr. Caridad Brito and included Dr. Ronan Bernas, Dr. Daniele Nardi, and Dr. Jeffrey Stowell.

The committee played a central role in developing program policies and procedures, recruiting and training adjunct faculty, and coordinating with offices and departments across the University to ensure a successful launch. These efforts culminated in the enrollment of the program's first cohort of online Psychology majors in Spring 2017.

The program reached another milestone in Spring 2018, when its first two students graduated. Since then, the Online Psychology B.A. Program has continued to grow and thrive, maintaining an average enrollment of approximately 90 active students each semester and providing flexible, high-quality psychology education to students across Illinois and beyond.

Eastern Illinois University's commitment to neuroscience began with the creation of an interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor. In Spring 2009, then Department Chair Dr. William Addison encouraged the Department's Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) to explore the development of a neuroscience minor modeled after successful programs at other institutions while making effective use of existing courses. Faculty from the Departments of Biology, Communication Disorders and Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Philosophy collaborated to identify and refine a curriculum that would provide students with a broad, interdisciplinary foundation in neuroscience.

Following extensive review and discussion, the proposed minor was presented to the University's Council on Academic Affairs (CAA) on October 1, 2009. The proposal was approved, with the minor officially launching in Fall 2010. During the same meeting, the CAA also approved Cognitive Neuroscience, a course developed by Dr. John Best, which became one of the core psychology courses within the new program.

Building on the success of the minor, the department soon began exploring the possibility of offering a full undergraduate degree in neuroscience. In December 2015, Department Chair Dr. John Mace appointed Drs. Fayeza Ahmed and Daniele Nardi as co-chairs of a newly formed Neuroscience Committee charged with developing a proposal for a Neuroscience major. Committee members included Drs. Caridad Brito, Jeffrey Stowell, and Joseph Williams, and the group began its work during the Spring 2016 semester.

After Dr. Ahmed's departure from EIU following Spring 2016, Dr. Daniele Nardi continued as committee chair. Throughout the 2016-17 academic year, the committee examined neuroscience programs across the country, designed a comprehensive curriculum, and established key partnerships with the Departments of Biology and Chemistry. These collaborative efforts ensured that students would receive rigorous training in both the behavioral and biological sciences.

The approval process for the new major began at the university level during Spring 2017 and culminated in Spring 2018, when the program received approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Following Dr. Nardi's departure from EIU in 2018, Dr. Jeffrey Stowell assumed leadership of the Neuroscience Committee and helped guide the implementation of the new program.

The first student enrolled in the Neuroscience major in Fall 2018, marking a significant milestone in the University's academic history. Today, the program continues to build on the collaborative vision that first inspired the neuroscience minor, providing students with an interdisciplinary education that prepares them for graduate study and careers in research, healthcare, medicine, biotechnology, and related fields.

Graduate Education at Eastern Illinois University

Graduate Programs in Psychology

General Psychology (1974-1985)

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology was introduced in 1974, making psychology one of the University's early graduate degree programs. For many years, the degree included four areas of specialization: General Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and School Psychology.

Several faculty members played key leadership roles in these areas. Dr. John Best coordinated the General Psychology option from 1982 to 1984, after which Dr. Frank Hustmyer assumed leadership of the program. Dr. Randall Best, a faculty member from 1968 to 1985, coordinated the Clinical Psychology option, while Dr. Herbert Morice directed the School Psychology option and Dr. Hustmyer oversaw the Experimental Psychology option.

As psychology continued to develop as a discipline, the graduate program evolved. By the late 1980s, the General and Experimental Psychology tracks were phased out. At the same time, the School Psychology option expanded into a separate Specialist in School Psychology (SSP) program, while the Clinical Psychology option grew into the stand-alone M.A. in Clinical Psychology program that continues today.

Clinical Psychology (1986-Present)

The M.A. in Clinical Psychology was formally established in 1986. Since its inception, the program has prepared students for master's-level clinical practice and for continued doctoral study through a strong commitment to the scientist-practitioner model. Students receive rigorous training grounded in psychological science, ethical practice, and evidence-based intervention.

The program combines coursework, supervised practicum experiences, a two-semester internship, and research training, often culminating in the completion of a master's thesis. This balanced approach ensures that graduates develop both the practical skills and scholarly foundation necessary for successful careers in psychology.

The program's first coordinator was Dr. William Kirk, who served from 1986 until 1999. After Dr. Genie Lenihan coordinated the program during the 1999-2000 academic year, Dr. Kirk resumed the role until his retirement in 2003. During the 2002-2003 academic year, Dr. Kirk and Dr. Keith Wilson served as co-coordinators. Following Dr. Kirk's retirement, Dr. Wilson led the program from Fall 2003 through Fall 2004, having previously served as co-coordinator with Dr. Russell Gruber during Dr. Kirk's sabbatical in 1998-99.

In Spring 2005, Dr. Anu Sharma became the program's fifth coordinator and guided the program through Spring 2011. Dr. Wesley Allan, who had previously served as Acting Coordinator during Dr. Sharma's sabbatical in 2009-10, assumed leadership of the program in Fall 2011.

Today, the Clinical Psychology program enrolls approximately 10 students in each incoming cohort, with roughly 20 students enrolled at any given time. The program has also attracted students from around the world, including China, Ghana, Haiti, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Turkey, and many other countries, enriching the educational experience through diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

Specialist in School Psychology (1990-Present)

The roots of School Psychology at Eastern extend back to the earliest years of graduate psychology education. Program records indicate that the first student specializing in school psychology completed the General Psychology M.A. degree in 1974. However, School Psychology did not appear as a formal option in the University catalog until 1986, and students continued to earn the General Psychology M.A. while completing requirements for state certification.

A pioneering figure in the development of school psychology at Eastern was Dr. Herbert Morice, who joined the department in 1967, only a few years after the Psychology Department was established. Dr. Morice was instrumental in creating the School Psychology option within the General Psychology M.A. program and served as coordinator from 1970 to 1977 and again from 1983 until his retirement in 1988. Between his terms, the program was led by Dr. George Batsche from 1977 to 1983.

The foundation for a separate specialist-level program was laid in the mid-1980s. Dr. Mary Ann Rafoth, who joined the department in 1985, is credited with preparing much of the original proposal for the Specialist in School Psychology program. Although she left Eastern in 1987, the proposal ultimately led to state approval of the Specialist in School Psychology (SSP) degree in 1990.

For several years after approval, students could choose either the traditional General Psychology M.A. route or the SSP. Because the SSP required completion of a thesis, relatively few students selected that option initially. In 1992, under the leadership of Department Chair Dr. Fred Yaffe, the SSP became the sole pathway to school psychology certification at Eastern.

The program achieved another major milestone in 1994, when it received approval from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). In the 2015-16 academic year, the program was further enhanced with the addition of a stand-alone Master of Arts degree earned en route to the SSP, aligning graduates' credentials more closely with salary structures used in Illinois public schools.

Leadership of the SSP program has reflected the dedication of many faculty members over the years. Following Dr. Morice's retirement, Sue Stoner and Dr. Christine McCormick served as co-coordinators during the 1988-89 academic year. In 1989, Dr. Mike Havey became coordinator and led the program for an extraordinary 21 years, until his retirement in 2010. Dr. Assegedetch HaileMariam succeeded him and served from 2010 to 2017, after which Dr. Margaret Floress became coordinator in Fall 2017.

Today, the Specialist in School Psychology program enrolls approximately 25 to 30 students annually and continues to prepare highly qualified school psychologists who serve children, families, and schools throughout Illinois and beyond.