2023-2024 Catalogue

Psychology

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. Psychology focuses both on explaining, predicting, and controlling behavior, and also on understanding inner experience and consciousness, including emotion, thoughts, memories, self-awareness, and perceptions. In addition, psychology considers the impact of social and cultural context on behavior and experience. Psychology has its origins in multiple disciplines such as philosophy and biology and in many countries, including Germany, England, and Austria. It has flourished in the United States, and both professional and research organizations have had dramatic increases in membership. The psychology program at Wesleyan emphasizes intensive training in psychological research that will prepare students for graduate study. Students who plan on entering the workforce after graduation will also benefit from an understanding of the role of research in their field. 

Major Program. A major in psychology provides a student with a foundation for graduate and/or professional study. There are numerous fields and specialties available in this discipline, including physiological, cognitive, developmental, social, personality, clinical, counseling, community, health, industrial/organizational, experimental, consumer, evolutionary, school, and forensic psychology. Interdisciplinary specialties such as psycholinguistics are also options. Some of these require more than a four-year degree, and some require graduate work at the doctoral level. But a major in psychology also enables one to enter the world of work without advanced study. A psychology major who plans to seek a position in the human services field after graduation should work with her advisor to select interdisciplinary courses that will complement the major courses. 

Major Requirements: Psychology

The curricular model on which the psychology major is organized is described as a "generalist" model which places psychology squarely in the liberal arts tradition. This model includes an introductory course, methods courses in statistics and research, content courses in several areas of psychology, and integrative or capstone courses. As the introductory course, general psychology is a survey of the field with emphasis on research findings and methods of research. The methods courses (statistical methods, preparing to conduct research, and research methods) enable students to read, evaluate, and conduct psychological research. Content courses include the knowledge base of the discipline. According to the generalist model used, students are required to take at least two psychology courses with a brain and cognition orientation, one course with a clinical/counseling orientation, and at least two psychology courses with an interpersonal orientation. These content courses and elective courses, as outlined below, enable students to sample several areas in building a sound, broad knowledge base.

Capstone work in the major is provided through two required courses. One is a course in psychological history and systems with a strong writing component. The other is the senior seminar with emphasis on synthesizing empirical findings, speaking, and writing. 

Wesleyan College’s psychology program closely follows the American Psychological Association’s recommended guidelines for the undergraduate major. Each of the broad goals below include several learning outcomes that we expect students to be able to meet by the end of their degree. 

Goal 1 - Develop a knowledge base that includes significant development in breadth and depth of knowledge in psychology

SLO 1 - Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology

SLO 2 - Apply psychological principles to relevant situations 

Goal 2 - Develop a scientific approach to understanding human behavior 

SLO 3 - Demonstrate psychology information literacy

SLO 4 - Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological research

Goal 3 - Develop ethics and values that includes an appreciation of human diversity, as well as a sensitivity to issues of gender, race, ethnicity, and class as they relate to psychological theory, research, and practice

SLO 5 - Evaluate psychological science and practice using ethical standards

Goal 4 - Develop written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills appropriate to the standards and practice of the discipline of psychology 

SLO 6 - Demonstrate effective writing skills

SLO 7 - Exhibit effective presentation skills that appropriately incorporate psychological language and methodology 

Goal 5 - Develop the ability to apply psychological content and skills to career goals in order to facilitate meaningful professional direction

APA recommendations regarding professional development are met through Wesleyan College's Here to Career Professional Development Experience courses. 

(or other brain and cognition or clinical/counseling content courses not selected in Sections II and III.) *at least one elective must be at the 300-level or higher.

Course Sequencing for the Psychology Major. As there are few sequences of courses, the psychology major provides a great deal of flexibility in scheduling. Students who expect to major in psychology early on should plan on taking PSY 101 (General Psychology) and MAT/PSY 220 (Statistical Methods) in their first year; these two courses serve as prerequisites for most of the major courses. The research sequence (PSY 230/PSY 305) may be taken either during the sophomore or junior years. Students who decide to join the major later on can shift most of the major courses to their third and fourth years as long as they prioritize being able to take the research sequence by their junior year. 

Professional Development: Throughout their Wesleyan education each student is given opportunities to explore professional and career choices, and to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and skills essential for professional success. Each student will complete PDE 400 Professional Development Experience and PDE 401 Professional Practice Seminar.

Minor Requirements: Psychology. A minor in psychology requires 21-22 hours in psychology. Required are PSY 101, 203, 207, 240, 310, 325, and one additional psychology course (3-4 hours) at or above the 200 level.

Minor in Equine Assisted Therapy. A minor in equine assisted therapy allows students to explore a growing field in which mental health professional utilize horses in a therapy setting. Equine assisted therapies differ from therapeutic riding in that the therapy setting is conducted on the ground rather than in the saddle, and the horse is part of a three-pronged therapy team (mental health specialist, equine specialist, and the horse). The EAT minor takes an interdisciplinary approach to therapy, giving students additional tools and experiences to carry into their professional roles upon graduation. The minor combines well with biology and psychology for students interested in veterinary studies or further study in equine assisted therapy or with business for students who wish to pursue equine-related business opportunities. See the Equine Assisted Therapy catalog listing for full details. 

Minor in Neuroscience. The neuroscience minor allows students to explore the nervous system and its contributions to human and animal behavior. Students enrolled in this minor are encouraged to attain a solid understanding of the underlying concepts; to develop skills in experimental design and data analysis; to approach problems and tasks logically, creatively, and critically; to become knowledgeable of theory used in the current literature; and to become proficient in using methodology commonly employed in research in neuroscience. This minor takes an interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience and integrates information from both biology and psychology. The neuroscience minor coupled with a major in biology or psychology provides an excellent background to pursue varied career opportunities. See the Neuroscience catalog listing for full details.

Minor in Organizational Behavior. Combining content from business and psychology, the organizational behavior minor provides students with a more focused exploration of the impact of human behavior (both as individuals and in groups) on organizational practices. This minor would be an ideal option for a psychology or business major who plans to apply to related graduate programs. Note that this minor is not available to business majors completing the organizational behavior track within that major. Students who plan on entering the workplace following graduation will benefit from increased knowledge relating to human resources, conflict management, and employer-employee relations in governmental, for-profit, and non-profit organizations in both public and private sectors. See the Organizational Behavior catalog listing for full details.

Other Postgraduate Opportunities. Although a substantial portion of psychology graduates with a bachelor’s degree will enter the job market directly, many will continue on to psychology-related graduate programs, professional programs in law or medicine, or advanced study in closely related fields such as social work or speech-language pathology. The psychology major prepares graduates for professional employment in a wide variety of settings, including non-profits, educational institutions, healthcare or business settings, and government agencies. 

Resources for Non-Majors. The department has many resources for the non-major. The introductory course (PSY 101) provides a broad overview to the discipline and would be useful to all other majors on campus. In addition, it fulfills one of the social science divisional requirements for general education. Students interested in exploring the field of human services may enroll in Introduction to Human Services (PSY 106), which fulfills the speaking competency requirement for general education under the social sciences column. The Psychology of Gender (PSY 301) fulfills the synthesizing requirement for general education. Many students in other disciplines, especially in business, education, and communications, find that Statistical Methods (PSY 220) is an invaluable tool, and it fulfills the quantitative reasoning requirement for general education. Nursing students and other non-majors find Developmental Psychology (PSY 240) useful and interesting. Some of our courses also appeal to non-majors in terms of practical applications; examples include testing and therapy, abnormal psychology, and forensic psychology.

Find out more about this program.