Psychology

CHAIR: Elizabeth Yost Hammer, Office: 444 Monroe Hall

Today psychology plays an important part in the background that every well educated person should have. For this reason, the department emphasizes the contribution that psychology can make to the liberal education of all students. At the same time, the departmental program is designed to provide a thorough base of knowledge and skills for those students who are preparing to enter graduate study with the goal of becoming professional psychologists, or pursuing a graduate or professional degree other than psychology (i.e., M.S.W., M.B.A., J.D.), as well as those desiring a terminal degree in psychology without plans for graduate education.

The department also offers a formal degree program in which the student can major in psychology and simultaneously complete the course requirements expected for admission to medical, dental, veterinary, and other health-related schools.

Since the undergraduates who participate in the psychology program have a rich variety of goals, the department makes a conscious aim to individualize both the learning process and the curriculum of instruction. When a student enters the department, he or she is assigned to a freshman faculty adviser. As a sophomore, each student is assigned an adviser who remains as adviser until the student graduates.

The Department of Psychology offers courses in a variety of formats for students whose area of concentration is not psychology. These courses are designed to help students in other fields become intelligent "consumers" of psychology in the modern world.

The bachelor’s degree program leading to the B.A. in psychology consists of a core of four courses (including a capstone course), four structured psychology electives involving psychology both as a social science and a natural science, one lab, and three other psychology electives.

Higher level instruction for psychology students is done with heavy reliance on close work with a faculty adviser who directs the student in the choice of areas of study and adjunct courses designed with the goals and interests of the individual student in mind. Students are encouraged to engage in research under the supervision of a faculty member, enroll in off-campus practicum experiences, and conduct service learning as part of a course. This permits maximum flexibility and efficiency in the planning of a truly personalized undergraduate education.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE PROGRAM IN PSYCHOLOGY

Total hours in psychology are 34 as follows:

1. Core		12 hours
	a. Introduction to Psychology	3 hours
	b. Introduction to Research	3 hours
	c. Statistics and Methods	3 hours
	d. History and Systems (capstone)	3 hours
2. Upper Division Work		22 hours

Working in close consultation with the faculty adviser, the student selects an additional 22 hours from the departmental offerings. The goal of upper division work is to prepare each individual in the best way possible to achieve the goals and objectives he or she has selected.

Adjunct Courses

The department maintains no set list of required adjuncts. Each student selects with his or her adviser an appropriate set of adjuncts or minors which will maximize preparation for achieving his or her own goals.

Departmental Comprehensive Examination

In order to demonstrate adequate knowledge of the depth and breadth of psychology, a senior comprehensive exam is given the semester before graduation. Successful performance on the departmental comprehensive exam is required for graduation. Information on both the comprehensive examination and the required criterion score is available from the chair of the department.

BACHELOR OF ARTS–PSYCHOLOGY

Freshman		F	S
Major	PSYC A100 — Electives	3	6
Foreign Language		3	3
Common Curriculum		9	6
		15	15
			30
Sophomore		F	S
Major	PSYC A301 — A303	3	3
Adjunct/Electives		3	6
Common Curriculum		9	6
		15	15
			30
Junior		F	S
Major	PSYC Electives	3	7
Adjunct/Electives		6	3
Common Curriculum		6	6
		15	16
			31
Senior		F	S
Major	PSYC Electives — A470	6	3
Adjunct/Electives		6	9
Common Curriculum		3	3
		15	15
			30
TOTAL: 121 cr. hrs.

(View A&S Common Curriculum Requirements.)

Specific Common Curriculum requirements are given in the beginning of this chapter under Curriculum Design. Refer to A&S Common Curriculum in the index for page number.

BACHELOR OF ARTS–PSYCHOLOGY/PRE-MEDICAL PROGRAM