Department of Psychology
Faculty & Staff
Sarah Martin, Chair and Professor
Gregory Feldman, Professor
Elaine Augustine, Associate Teaching Professor
Amanda Carey, Associate Professor
Elizabeth Donovan, Associate Professor
Rachel Galli, Associate Professor Emeritus
Megan McCarty, Associate Professor
John Reeder, Associate Professor
Geoffrey Turner, Associate Professor
Kelsey Gildawie, Assistant Professor
Overview
Psychology is the scientific exploration of behavior and mental processes. Our curriculum covers the biological, cognitive, developmental, emotional, personal, and interpersonal aspects of the human experience, as well as the methodologies used to study them. Along the way students gain a better understanding of themselves and others. Students also learn about the application of psychology to diverse fields and real-world challenges.
The breadth and depth of our course offerings, along with opportunities for research and fieldwork experience, prepare students for graduate study and a wide variety of careers in psychology and related fields including basic research, clinical practice and counseling, neuroscience, child development, education and school psychology, social work, human factors, organizational psychology and human resources, public health, law, and any other field that involves behavior and thought (in other words, any field at all). The Psychology major can be combined with majors and minors in other departments leading to exciting interdisciplinary careers.
We also offer a joint major in Neuroscience and Behavior for students whose interests span psychology and biology (See separate Neuroscience and Behavior section of catalog for more details about this program).
Learning Outcomes
Content Knowledge and Applications (CKA): Students demonstrate comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical or evidence-based findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavior and mental processes.
Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking (SCT): Psychology is a STEM discipline that uses the same research practices found in other scientific fields. The skills in this domain involve the development of scientific reasoning and investigation, including developing proficiencies in research methods and statistics.
Communication, Psychological Literacy, and Technology Skills (CLT): The skills in this category address the ability of students to build and maintain effective communication skills in processing and expressing information.
Values in Psychological Science (V): The skills in this domain promote the development of ethical and socially responsible values and behaviors in personal, professional, organizational, and institutional settings. The goal includes ethical reasoning and practices, interpersonal and intercultural responsiveness, and strategies that promote and sustain strong communities and equitable opportunities.
Personal and Professional Development (PPD): The skills in this domain refer to abilities that sharpen students’ readiness for the workplace whether the student’s future involves graduate school or a job following the baccalaureate degree.
Departmental Honors
The general requirements for obtaining departmental honors are indicated in the Undergraduate Catalog under Academic Honors and Recognition Programs. To qualify for Honors in Psychology, a student must satisfactorily complete either PSYC 350 (Independent Study) or the first half of PSYC 380 (Fieldwork in a Psychological Setting) during the first semester of the senior year. The student must then propose a thesis to the Psychology Faculty. If the proposal is approved, and if the student’s Psychology GPA is at least 3.5, the student may register for PSYC 355 Thesis or PSYC 381 (Thesis in Psychology) in the second semester of the senior year. By earning a grade of A or A- in that course and successfully defending the thesis to the Psychology Faculty, the student will graduate with Honors in Psychology. Note that although a thesis can be proposed after the first semester of PSYC 380, students must still complete the second semester of that course (which can be done concurrently with PSYC 355 or PSYC 381).
Prerequisites
PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychological Science is a prerequisite for all courses offered by the psychology department. Upper-level psychology courses have additional prerequisites as detailed in the course descriptions. Students may use an AP psychology test score of 4 or 5 to replace the PSYC 101 course requirement.