Psychology
Are you curious about how personality is formed? About the causes of mental health disorders and how to best treat them? How children develop? Healthy aging? The importance of sleep? Best ways to manage stress? Reasons why we sometimes forget what we want to remember but keep remembering what we would rather forget? Motivations behind criminal behavior? These and many other exciting questions are addressed within the discipline of psychology, which is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
Many students are interested in taking psychology classes, but they are not sure what career choices await them if they major in psychology. The bachelor’s degree in psychology at Bluffton prepares students for either graduate school or the job market upon graduation. Bluffton graduates have gone on to master’s degree programs in mental health counseling, doctoral programs in clinical or counseling psychology, and, for those students who double-major in social work, many have gone on to earn master’s degrees in social work.
In regards to the job market, Bluffton graduates often work as case managers and psychology aides in mental health agencies, residential treatment facilities, and group homes. Others work in non- profit agencies, like the Red Cross and United Way, in early childhood education centers, and in human resources occupations.
Students who double-major in psychology and criminal justice often go on to jobs in law enforcement. Students who pair their psychology major with a major in Bible and Theology often go on to church-related or service-related careers. Every student’s path is unique, and the psychology program at Bluffton works individually with students to craft their own journey.
The psychology major offers a variety of theoretical and applied courses to provide students with a broad, fundamental understanding of psychology’s main sub-fields with an emphasis on the scientist-practitioner approach. The goal of this approach is for students to gain an appreciation for the importance of empirical research, to teach students how to apply research findings to practical life problems, and for students to gain practical interpersonal and communication skills that will help them become effective and successful leaders no matter their career path.
Central to the coursework and experiences in the psychology major is an appreciation for human diversity and an emphasis on personal growth and self- awareness. Students are expected to explore personal biases and strive to develop empathy and an ability to take another’s perspective non-judgmentally. Discussion-based learning is used to promote engagement and ownership in the learning process. Students are encouraged to explore their faith beliefs and personal value systems, and they develop the ability to integrate their beliefs into their classroom learning.
The psychology curriculum is sized to allow students to complete either a second major or a minor. Psychology majors often complement their learning with areas such as social work, criminal justice, sociology, business administration, English and writing, education, nursing, speech pathology, or pre-physical therapy. The psychology program also partners with Bluffton’s art department to offer a major in pre-art therapy. Students are assigned academic advisors in both art and psychology, and graduates are prepared for entry into master’s degree programs in art therapy.
Each psychology major conducts at least one research project in which they learn how
to collect and analyze data, write a formal research report, and present their findings.
Students planning on graduate school can conduct additional research projects through
independent studies and honors projects. Students often present their research results
at both on-campus research fairs and off-campus research conferences. Opportunities
for practicum or internship placements are also available.
More info...
Major
(43 hours)
Courses in the psychology major introduce students to the diverse field of psychology,
develop basic skills in social and behavioral science research philosophy and methods,
expose students to the code of ethics adopted by the profession of psychology and
guide them in reflection upon the interaction of faith and psychology.
Required core: (40 semester hours)
PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology (3)
PSY 230 Tests & Measurements (3)
PSY 235 Developmental Psychology (3)
PSY 250 Abnormal Psychology (3)
PSY 258 Social Psychology (3)
PSY 284 General Statistics (3)
PSY 310 Personality (3)
PSY 315 Biological Psychology (3)
PSY 325 Special Topics in Psychology (3)
PSY 360 Basics of Social Research (3)
PSY 370 Psychology of Learning and Cognition (3)
PSY 403 Research Seminar (3)
PSY 412 Psychology, Faith and Ethics (3)
PSY 414 Social Science Seminar (1)
CHOOSE ONE COURSE FROM THE FOLLOWING ELECTIVES: (3 hours)
PSY 240 Interviewing: Theoretical and Skill Based Approaches (3)
PSY 385 Psychology Practicum (3)
CRJ 320 Family Violence (3)
CRJ 340 Conflict Transformation & Mediation (3)
SOC 325 Race & Ethnicity in American Society (3)
SOC 185 Women in Society (3)
SWK 280 Child Welfare Services (3)
EDU 353 Educational Psychology (3)
HFS 230 Sport Psychology (3)
In addition to completing a psychology major, students often choose a complementary second major or area of emphasis, such as social work, child development, biology or criminal justice, as a way of enhancing employment possibilities.
Psychology majors preparing for graduate school need a broad, solid grounding in the fundamentals of psychology to build upon. Additional electives from the natural sciences, sociology, philosophy and literature are encouraged.
Minor
(20 hours)
Students who would like to combine a minor in psychology with a major in one of the
other disciplines may do so by taking PSY 110 (3 hours) and 17 additional hours of elective psychology courses for a total of at
least 20 hours. Elective courses must be chosen from the list of courses approved
for the Psychology major and must include at least two courses with 300-level numbers
or above. One class from the list of approved psychology electives without a PSY prefix
can count toward this minor. All other classes to count toward the minor in psychology
must have a PSY prefix.
July 2024