The Department of Psychology offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, as well as a Masters' program with two fields of concentration: Applied Behavior Analysis, and Doctoral Preparation. All of the programs of study offered by the Psychology Department are designed to help the student understand the behavior of human beings and other organisms. Behavioral variety is reflected in both the course offerings of our department and in the interests of the faculty. Students may study parenting, children learning moral concepts, adolescents, adults who are depressed or anxious, and people who have chronic health problems, all in one academic year.
This diversity of interests and activities is tied together by the faculty's commitment to scientific inquiry. Throughout their coursework, students learn how to answer questions about behavior through empirical research and theoretical analysis.Several objectives can be met by studying psychology at the University which includes increased understanding of behavior, career preparation, and post-graduate studies preparation.
Graduate and Professional School Preparation
Students interested in entering Masters and Doctoral programs in psychology or professional schools such as law and education have the opportunity to pursue an intensive series of course, practicum and research experiences that can significantly improve their chances of admission and later achievement. The program provides students with research and hands-on experience as early as the freshman year, so that by the time of graduation students may have authored or co-authored conference presentations and research papers and worked with a wide range of applied problems.
Whatever objectives students may select, they find that the department provides much more than traditional in-classroom instruction. There are opportunities for direct work with children and adults in a number of community agencies, institutions and businesses. Research experience is encouraged through one or more of the several ongoing research projects, and many courses have laboratory and fieldwork experiences associated with them. As a result, students can become a part of the continuing work of psychology.