B.S. in Psychology

Program Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate discipline-specific knowledge identifying ways in which psychology is an empirical science, explain the goals of psychology as a field, and list and explain important aspects of psychological functioning and theories of psychological function in domains such as learning, perception, cognition, memory, social processes, development, individual differences, mental health, and the biological and genetic bases of behavior.
• Demonstrate mastery of research methodology including relating theoretical ideas to empirical ; ;research methods, designing and critiquing experiments to test hypotheses, and explain the limitations of experiments, conducting and presenting appropriate statistical analyses using quantitative technology tools, and identifying and explaining important differences between correlational and experimental studies in psychology.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills in psychology including identifying the logic and flaws in existent research in the context of classroom, laboratory and field work, and using scientific methods and scientific attitude to approach problems.
• Apply psychological science, theory, and research findings to address practical problems such as promoting health and healthy life styles, retaining and enhancing cognitive function during aging and in groups, understanding everyday cognitive and perceptual processes, explaining and reducing prejudice and social disparities, promoting equal opportunities, recognizing and using persuasive methods that alter attitudes, recognizing relations between brain and behavior, and interpreting personal adjustment and clinical problems with psychological science.
• Demonstrate values in psychology such as objectivity in weighing evidence, using empirical evidence to support claims, outlining ways in which scientific explanations are tentative and how this is an aspect of the progression of science, identifying and explaining ethical principles in the conduct of research with humans and animals, and providing examples of human individual and cultural diversity in psychological functioning.

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation; 42 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 and above.

Students should consider developing a minor or second major in an area that enhances career interests.  Information regarding these options is available through Psychology Faculty Advisors, and the Psychology Department website.