Department of Psychology

Department Chair: Professor Alan Tjeltveit
Professors: Edelman, Harring, Rudski, Sciutto
Associate Professors: Bagley, Gotthard, Richmond, Sinno, Vick, Wolfe
Assistant Professors: Frazer, Lassiter, Michniewicz

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior. The major is designed to permit a wide range of applications while maintaining requirements that will give an excellent background in and knowledge of what constitutes the science of psychology.

Students with a wide range of interests either major in psychology or complete a number of psychology courses. A major in psychology will give students the necessary background to go to graduate school in any area of psychology (e.g., clinical, counseling, development, social, or experimental). The study of psychology provides an excellent background for students interested in careers in a variety of areas, such as the health professions, human resources, law, education, business, biology, or the natural sciences.

Special Programs

Psychology Thesis Program & Graduation Honors

Qualified psychology majors may apply for a year-long thesis program featuring advanced, original research. The program is developmental in that it seeks to offer intellectually curious students an intensive experience of mentorship and collaboration. To be eligible for the Thesis Program, a student must be a junior or senior psychology major and must have a psychology GPA of 3.30 or better. Normally, students will have also completed PSY 103 - Psychological Statistics , PSY 104 - Research Methods in Psychology , and at least one semester of PSY 270 - Research Apprenticeship , PSY 970 Psychology Independent Study/Research , or equivalent experience prior to beginning their thesis.

Thesis students develop, conduct, and defend a sophisticated empirical or theoretical research project. The first semester of the thesis year is spent developing a comprehensive research proposal. During the second semester, students complete their research, generate a written thesis, and orally defend the project at a public presentation. Thesis work is advised and evaluated by a Thesis Committee.

The Thesis Program counts as a Capstone (Culminating Undergraduate Experience) experience. Thus, students who successfully complete the program are not required to take PSY 490 - CUE: Advanced Research in Psychology . Interested students should speak with their advisors in the Fall of their junior year, and may visit the Psychology Department office or the Psychology website for more information.

Graduation Honors in Psychology

Students seeking graduation honors in psychology must first be admitted to the Thesis Program and successfully develop a research proposal during the first semester of the thesis year. During the second semester, the thesis advisor may choose to nominate exceptional work for honors consideration. The thesis committee decides whether or not to grant honors at a meeting immediately following the student’s oral defense. Please note that being nominated does not guarantee the conferral of psychology honors. Students must maintain a psychology GPA of 3.70 or higher to qualify for departmental graduation honors.

Teacher Certification

Students who are accepted into the Pre K-4 Program may count EDU 104, 105 - Educational Psychology: Child Learning & Development, as an elective in the Psychology major. Students who complete the Pre K-4 Program may count EDU 201 - Introduction to Special Education: Diverse Learners & Inclusive Classrooms to satisfy one of the courses in the Advanced Course and Seminar requirement. Admission to student teaching requires 2.50 grade point average in the Psychology major.

Programs

Major

Psychology, A.B.

Courses

Psychology

Biological, Behavioral, and Cognitive Processes

Sociocultural Processes

Developmental Processes

Clinical and Applied Psychology

Culminating Undergraduate Experience

PSY 490 - CUE: Advanced Research in Psychology

Individualized Instruction