The psychology major has the following goals:
- To aid in the professional preparation of students seeking careers in psychology, counseling or social work, Christian ministry, nursing, business, and law.
- To give basic preparation to students who expect to attend graduate school in psychology or one of the other behavioral sciences.
- To contribute to the development of the student’s ability for critical thinking and capacity for personal reflection.
The psychology major may be taken on either the Bachelor of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Science Degree and can lead to a broad range of career options. Because career opportunities in some areas of specialization require a graduate degree, it is important for students to take time to examine their interests, values, and goals before embarking on a course of study.
General education courses build and strengthen the verbal and quantitative skills that are the foundation of the psychology major and they provide an essential context for the study of human development and social problems. Recent research has demonstrated that such courses also can be instrumental in increasing a person’s capacity for open and flexible thought.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Identify, demonstrate, or apply major concepts and theories of psychology.
- Identify, apply, or propose appropriate use of research methods.
- Analyze using critical thinking skills in the application of psychological science to everyday problems.
- Develop a familiarity with different disciplines and professions within psychology.
Courses
General Education Requirements - 46 hours
English 1301, 1302, and three hours sophomore literature - 9 hours
Fine Arts (three hours from music, theatre, fine arts, art, or equivalent) - 3 hours
Christian Ministry 1301 and 1302 - 6 hours
History - 3 hours
Political Science 2305 - 3 hours
Social Science (CJUS, ECON, GEOG, PSYC, SOCI) - 3 hours
Physical Activity - KINE 1238 - 2 hours
Science (must be lab science) - 8 hours
Mathematics 1342 and three additional hours of Math- 6 hours
Communication 1311, 1315, or 1318 - 3 hours
Departmental Requirements for Psychology Majors:
MATH 2316 Data Analysis
Major area of study (see below) - 37 hours
Minor (minimum of 18 hours) - 18 hours
Electives (to total 120 hours)
Total: Minimum one hundred twenty (120) semester hours
Psychology Major Requirements
Completion of thirty-seven (38) semester hours:
PSYC 2301 Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 2332 Introduction to Research Methods
PSYC 3232 The Literature Review
PSYC 3306 Theories of Personality
PSYC 3307 Seminar in Moral, Ethical, and Religious Issues
PSYC 4301 Psychological Assessment
PSYC 4304 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 3310 Advanced Research Design and Data Analysis
PSYC 4332 Social/Experimental Research
PSYC 3367 Social Psychology or PSYC 4307 History and Systems of Psychology
PSYC 3303 Neuropsychology or PSYC 3311 Health Psychology
PSYC 3309 Cognition or PSYC 3312 Learning and Memory
Three (3) hours from the following:
PSYC 3331 Child and Adolescent Development
PSYC 3336 Adult Psychology
Students have the opportunity to pursue two minors, and are encouraged to select a minor from the following list of minors offered by the Department of Psychology and Sociology. Students may also choose a second minor to enhance the liberal arts degree which may be selected from any department in the university.
- Counseling Minor
- Faith Development
- Family Studies
- Psychology
- Sociology
Semester by Semester Plans
Prior to the 2018-2019 school year there was more than one available major for Psychology. Please choose catalog according to your major.