Undergraduate College Catalog

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Psychology Major

Overview

Mission Statement

The mission of the Psychology Department is to contribute to a balanced program in the liberal arts through an emphasis on both scientific and philosophical considerations of the behavior of organisms, including human beings, in order to prepare students for graduate study and/or professional work. In order to meet the needs of the diversity of students who wish to major in psychology, students may pursue either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students whose career goals might include a doctoral degree in psychology should pursue the Bachelor of Science degree. Students whose immediate career goals do not include a doctoral degree (i.e., who wish to enter a master’s program in psychology or a related field or enter the job market following graduation) should pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students in any major may pursue the department’s addiction counseling concentration, but only those with a BS or BA in psychology or another human service degree would be qualified to get licensed.

Requirements

Core Courses

PSYC 101General Psychology

3
PSYC 201Psychology in Context

3
PSYC 202Research Methods

3
PSYC 318Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

3
PSYC 391Junior Seminar

1
PSYC 450History and Systems

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Plus one of the following courses:

PSYC 302Abnormal Psychology

3
PSYC 311Theories of Personality

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Plus one of the following courses:

PSYC 321Biological Psychology

3
PSYC 330Health Psychology

3
PSYC 360Psychopharmacology

3
Total Credit Hours:3

Plus two of the following courses:

PSYC 315/SOC 315Social Psychology

3
PSYC 317Motivation and Emotion

3
PSYC 319Cognition

3
Total Credit Hours:6

Electives - Choose from the following:

PSYC 203Developmental Psychology

3
PSYC 204Adolescent Psychology

3
PSYC 215Applied Behavior Analysis

3
PSYC 306Industrial and Organizational Psychology

3
PSYC 316Tests and Measurement

3
PSYC 323Judgment and Decision Making

3
PSYC 365Dynamics of Addiction

3
PSYC 370Psychology of Religion

3
PSYC 373Psychology of Human Sexuality

3
PSYC 395Thesis Development

1
PSYC 401Professional Ethics

3
PSYC 410Fundamentals of Counseling

3
PSYC 411Group Counseling

3
PSYC 412Advanced Counseling

3
PSYC 413Family Counseling

3
PSYC 420Theories of Psychotherapy

3
PSYC 430Psychology and Law

3
PSYC 440Psychology of Gender

3
PSYC 491Senior Research Seminar

1
PSYC 497Independent Research in Psychology: Senior Thesis

3-6
Total Credit Hours:12

Note 1: Students are encouraged to seek internship experiences in psychology through the Career Resource Center.

Note 2: Psychology majors and minors should note that PSYC 410, PSYC 411, PSYC 412, PSYC 413, and PSYC 420 are specifically designed for the addiction counseling track and you are only able to count 3 of these 5 courses toward the psychology major or minor elective requirement.

Total Credit Hours: 40

 

Plan of Study

Freshman

Fall

PSYC 101General Psychology

3

Spring

PSYC 201Psychology in Context

3
Elective or Required Course

Sophomore

Fall

PSYC 202Research Methods

3
Elective or Required Course

Spring

PSYC 318Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

3
Elective or Required Course

Junior

Fall

Elective or Required Course
Elective or Required Course

Spring

Junior Seminar

1
Elective or Required Course

Senior

Fall

Elective or Required Course

Spring

PSYC 450History and Systems

3
Elective or Required Course

Outcomes

Intended Student Learning Outcomes for the Psychology Major

  1. Knowledge Base of Psychology: Students will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
  2. Research Methods in Psychology: Students will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
  3. Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology: Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
  4. Application of Psychology: Students will understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.
  5. Values in Psychology: Students will be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.
  6. Information and Technological Literacy: Demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers and other technology for many purposes.
  7. Communication Skills: Students will communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
  8. Personal Development: Students will develop insight into their own and others’ behavior and mental processes and apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.
  9. Career Planning and Development: Students will pursue realistic ideas about how to implement psychological knowledge, skills, and values in occupational pursuits in a variety of settings.
  10. Sociocultural and International Awareness: Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.