Program Description
The program in psychology is made up of a structured curriculum where students develop a thorough understanding of concepts and principles that attempt to explain human behavior and consciousness. This program prepares students to (1) obtain entrance into graduate programs in any field of psychology and/or (2) begin work as a non-professional in community mental health centers and agencies, or in various business settings where a liberal arts background plus interpersonal skills are needed.
Students who obtain an advanced degree have a growing range of new opportunities for employment in medical settings, the military, team sports, business, as well as in traditional areas such as community mental health, private practice, and university teaching and research.
The recent changes in medical health insurance are beginning to affect psychology majors who choose to work in the mental health field. Graduates are finding more job opportunities in mental health settings, and are expected to handle increased independence and responsibility in their positions.
Program Mission
The psychology program develops majors who will either enter graduate programs in psychology and related fields, or will enter the work force through providing service in professional settings. In addition, the program will contribute to the liberal arts mission of the university; and will help educate non-majors who can use their exposure to psychology in applied settings such as education, social work, nursing and other health fields. The program will accomplish this by providing a curriculum that encourages students to develop ways of thinking that include objectivity, an eclectic approach to knowledge, a desire to search for conceptual meaning, an ability to synthesize themes, and an ability to apply their knowledge to problems in daily living; by promoting professional preparation through offering a greater number of field opportunities and involvement with community agencies; and by providing a setting where faculty are encouraged to continue professional development to serve as models of scholarship and professionalism for our students.
Program Goals
- To provide students with a knowledge of concepts, principles and theories of behavior.
- To prepare students for graduate study in psychology.
- To provide students with field experiences in psychological agencies in the community.
- To provide opportunities for those students preparing to enter the business and nursing professions to become more skillful and articulate in dealing with human behavior.
- To strengthen the professional preparation of teachers by providing for the study of the patterns of human growth and development.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the major, the student will be able to:
Major Requirements
All hours counted toward the 46 hours in Psychology must have a grade of “C” or better. are required to participate in program assessment activities.
psychology majors must take three hours of computer science, six hours of history, three hours Political Science, General Psychology (PSY 2301) or its equivalent, Introduction to Philosophy (PHI 2301) or its equivalent, and two literature courses (except for ENG 3346).
Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology are required to take 46 semester hours in the discipline.
Required Major Courses (22 hours):
PSY 2301 General Psychology
PSY 2302 Advanced General Psychology
PSY 2326 Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
PSY 3317 Research Methods in Psychology,
PSY 4453 Experimental Psychology,
PSY 4339 Senior Seminar in Psychology
PSY 4336 History and Systems in Psychology.
Beyond the required courses, students must choose two courses from each of three “Core” areas: Biological and Cognitive Foundations, Social and Developmental Foundations, and Clinical-Counseling Foundations (18 hours). Two additional courses (6 hours) in psychology must also be taken to complete the minimum 46 hours in the major.
Biological and Cognitive Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 3301 Biological Psychology
PSY 3305 Motivation and Emotion
PSY 3308 Psychology of Cognition
PSY 3346 Learning and Memory
PSY 3348 Sensation and Perception
Social and Developmental Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 3302 Psychology of Adolescence
PSY 3303 Psychology of Aging
PSY 3307 Social Psychology,
PSY 3309 Cross Cultural Psychology, and
PSY 3336 (Developmental Psychology.
Clinical and Counseling Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 2308 Psychology of Adjustment
PSY 3306 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 3316 Principles of Psychological Testing
PSY 3329 Psychology of Personality
PSY 4331 Counseling Psychology
Minor Requirements
A minimum of 18 semester hours is required for a minor in Psychology. PSY 2301 is usually prerequisite to all other courses in psychology. Minors may not enroll in PSY 2302, PSY 3317, PSY 4453, PSY 4339 (Senior Seminar) or PSY 4336.
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