Psychology

Our mission is to educate undergraduate and graduate students in the science and profession of psychology. To accomplish this goal, the department seeks to:

• Promote the acquisition of the core knowledge and principles of psychology.
• Develop students' skills in research and statistics.
• Further students' ability to think analytically, logically, and creatively.
• Develop students' ability to communicate effectively according to the standards of the discipline.
• Foster increased understanding of diverse populations. 
• Enhance students’ professional growth and development.

Our faculty include psychologists and counselor educators with expertise in clinical psychology, school psychology, experimental psychology, mental health and school counseling, social psychology, cognitive psychology, and behavior analysis who serve the university, the Psychology Department and its students through demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and service.

To learn more about faculty areas of expertise review the specific faculty pages.

The Department of Psychology is located in Martin Hall, and our laboratories are well equipped and very productive. Students are actively involved in research projects and other professional activities such as internships as undergraduates.

Undergraduate program

For the undergraduate program of study, a Bachelor of Arts in psychology is offered. This program is patterned after the recommendations of the American Psychological Association for undergraduate majors in psychology. It offers a solid background in research methods and statistics, a central set of core theory courses and opportunities for focused, "hands on" experiences in research and in the field. Students can shape their curriculum to meet unique interests through our broad set of courses and electives.

Graduate programs

Our graduate programs provide students with specialty professional development in the areas of clinical psychology, experimental psychology and school psychology.  

The value of the undergraduate degree

Psychology majors, whether they have gone on to careers in psychology or other fields, cite courses in the principles of human behavior as especially important to life after college. The additional insight gained helps guide parents, business managers and professionals in many fields. Many bachelor's degree holders credit their college psychology courses with teaching them how people, including themselves, learn. "I use information on learning theory every time I conduct a training session for my employees," says a manager in a consumer products company. Above all, it is the rigorous training in the scientific method - the need to do thorough, objective research, analyze data logically and put forth the findings with clarity - that stands psychology majors in good stead as they pursue their future careers.

The majority of our declared majors express the desire to continue their education in graduate programs, not only in psychology but in other fields, such as, business, education, medicine or law. The deparment focuses on providing ample opportunities such as providing internship opportunities and career fairs, supporting students' research presentations at international, national and regional conferences and fostering a climate of intellectual excitement within our active research laboratories so students will be more competitive in the graduate school application process.