SWAGÊÓƵ

The Psychology program at SWAGÊÓƵ is committed to advancing the scientific discipline of psychology through student-centered teaching, hands-on research, and internship opportunities. Our goal is to prepare students to become psychologically literate citizens with the skills necessary to engage in research and practice. We aim to advance scientific knowledge, solve real-world problems, and improve our communities. We accomplish this goal by combining hands-on classroom instruction by experts in a variety of psychological disciplines with on-campus research experiences, and local internship opportunities that prepare students for a broad range of career options. The curriculum in our major has been structured to provide students with exposure to core concepts and skills in psychology, while also enabling them to identify a minor and focus their studies on a sub-discipline such as mental health, psychology, education, business, and research. With a psychology degree from SWAGÊÓƵ, our program and alumni are advancing their education in post-graduate degree programs, and/or pursuing careers in clinical/counseling, health, education, law, business, and government.

The SWAGÊÓƵ Psychology faculty work closely with students to advance the science and professional practice of psychology by promoting our discipline and training our students as a partner in advancing scientific knowledge and developing innovative solutions to important life problems both locally and globally. It is our goal to cultivate ethical and socially responsible individuals who have a well-developed capacity for synthesizing information, are strong critical thinkers and communicators, respect and enhance diverse people, cultures, perspectives, and are stewards of the planet. We believe these skills are necessary for students to pursue a life of intellectual curiosity, to contribute positively to society, and compete in a rapidly shifting and complex workplace.

The Psychology program faculty represent a diverse range of specializations. As such we are advancing the field in areas ranging from behavioral neuroscience to lifespan development, mental and behavioral health issues, cognitive and memory processes, and social relations. We not only provide training for specific pursuits within our own field (e.g., mental healthcare providers researchers), we provide critical instruction to those pursuing careers in numerous other disciplines (e.g., education, nursing, medicine, social work, business/industry, law). Within this broad range of pursuits, we aspire to certain core values that connect us as a faculty. As a program we value:

• The importance of the scientific approach as a means of understanding human behavior, human development, mental health, cognition, and social interactions.
• The teacher-scholar model through the pursuit of scientific research as both a teaching tool and a practice that advances the field of psychology and improves the quality of life and the planet.
• Psychological literacy among our students is achieved through active, engaged applied learning experiences in the classroom, laboratory, and internships that go beyond content and lead to the development of data analytical skills critical thinking skills, information literacy as well as oral and written communication skills.
• An open, supportive and collegial environment that embraces diversity in all of its forms and promotes global citizenship, integrity, and ethical behavior.

Finally, students completing a psychology major may elect to complete a minor area of study as well. Faculty advisors work with each student to help them identify a minor that will help them to achieve their future goals. For example, many of our majors plan to provide counseling services after graduation and elect to complete a minor in either mental health rehabilitation or art therapy (both minors offered within the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences). Other students may have an interest in applying their knowledge of psychology in an education or business setting after graduation and may decide to pursue a minor in the Education or Business Department. The psychology degree can be customized to a student's interest and career aspirations by adding any of the minors offered by the SWAGÊÓƵ.

Our goal is to ensure that as students leave the major they have developed not only knowledge consistent with their interests, but also applied skills that will assist them as they move forward into careers or additional educational opportunities (e.g., graduate school in psychology, graduate work in other allied health fields).

PSY Majors must take:

• PSY 250 as one of their SGA courses
• EXP courses outside of the Psychology program for their Core requirement

PSY Majors are encouraged to take MAT 120 as their Math core

Students wishing to pursue teacher certification in Psychology can complete a double major with Psychology and Secondary Education or a major in Secondary Education and a concentration in Psychology. For more information, see the Secondary Education catalog page.

Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.

A grade point average of 2.25 is necessary to be approved to add a major in Psychology, Animal Behavior, or Neuroscience, and to add a minor in Psychology, Animal Behavior, Neuroscience, Art Therapy, or MHRT/C. Double majoring or majoring and minoring within the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences may be possible for a student. However, students interested in this option should do so with close consultation of their academic advisor to ensure that a substantial degree of overlap between the two areas does not occur.

A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all psychology courses used toward graduation. Students must also complete the University Core mathematics requirement by the end of the first year. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences strongly recommends that students take PSY 225 and PSY 285 in their sophomore year. The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences requires that PSY 225 and PSY 285 be completed by the end of the junior year. See Undergraduate Academic Policy also.

At the completion of their bachelor's degree in Psychology, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, historical trends, and empirical findings in psychology and the ability to apply these to behavioral problems.
2. Demonstrate scientific reasoning and problem solving, including effective research methods (e.g., design, data analysis, and interpretation).
3. Recognize and/or employ ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity.
4. Demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal skills, including in the context of a psychological project.
5. Apply psychology-specific content and skills, effective self-reflection, project-management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation.

A student with GPA of at least 2.25 and a major at SWAGÊÓƵ may minor in Psychology with the approval of the assistant academic director. Declarations must occur prior to the completion of the first semester of the junior year. Major programs of study with significant course overlap with psychology minor requirements may be disallowed by the Director or Assistant Academic Director of the school. Students declaring a minor in Psychology will not be allowed to double-dip credits across the minor and either major or core requirements (unless no other options are provided by the major, minor, or core requirements). A minimum of eighteen hours of approved course credit with a minimum grade of "C-" in each course is required for the minor in Psychology as follows:

We offer qualified students the option of graduating with Honors. This includes significant research, scholarship or creative activity under the direction of a faculty member. Interested students should consult with their major advisor.

Courses completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the required courses offered at SWAGÊÓƵ in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they may transfer as general electives. All courses completed must be no older than five years. Other restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions also.

See Undergraduate Admissions.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.