B.A in Psychology

The Psychology Department seeks to prepare graduates who are able to use their understanding of psychology as they pursue their careers, contribute to the larger community, and live full and meaningful lives. Its curriculum enables students to develop both breadth and depth of knowledge about psychology, its approaches to understanding human behavior and mental process, and its applications.The goals of the Psychology Program are the following: To help students develop an understanding of the theoretical concepts, methodology, and research-based findings in the foundation areas of psychology. To help students understand applications of psychology to personal and societal issues. To help students use and respect skeptical inquiry, critical thinking, and the scientific approach to understanding behavior and mental processes. To help students express themselves effectively in written and oral communication.To help students understand themselves and others in a cultural context and develop interpersonal skills for diverse settings over the lifespan.Psychology majors complete a Bachelor of Arts degree which provides students with a breadth of coursework and experience across the diverse areas of psychology: biological, social/personality, learning and development, and mental health. Skills of critical thinking, research design, data collection, data analysis, and professional writing and speaking are developed throughout the major coursework. Upper level courses provide additional opportunities for students to pursue areas of particular interest in greater depth. In a two-course capstone sequence, students elect to pursue either advanced research or practicum experience. Additional research and internship opportunities are available either in conjunction with upper level courses or as independent study. Students work with their advisors to select those options within the major, as well as in service and work opportunities, that will best prepare them for their postgraduate goals.The Neuroscience Minor can be combined with the Psychology Major and with other majors to develop more depth in the study of brain and behavior. This interdisciplinary field of Neuroscience is designed to help prepare students for careers and graduate study in research and clinical fields, as well as a wide variety of other areas where a comprehensive understanding of the brain and behavior would be advantageous. Psychology can be combined with other majors and minors (e.g., Art, Biology, Business, Education, Expressive Arts Therapy, Outdoor Leadership, Philosophy, Social Work, or Writing) to address specific combinations of interests and applications. The Psychology Major prepares students for graduate study in psychology and related fields or for immediate employment in a wide range of human services settings. When combined with other appropriate coursework and experiences, psychology can also provide excellent preparation for law school or medical school.