Psychology Department Mission Statement

The mission of the psychology department is to support the University and the larger community. It does so by providing a diverse, dynamic, and personalized learning environment and experiences that inspire student achievement, foster academic excellence, instill ethics and values, promote service, and facilitate lifelong learning. These objectives are ingrained in the Psychology Department's constitution, which can be reviewed in this document.

Psychology students will develop the knowledge, understanding, appreciation, discipline, and skill that will enable them to function personally and professionally as informed and socially responsible citizens. These are achieved through lectures, readings, research, laboratory experiences, writing assignments, discussions, service, and other personal and professional academic and scholarly activities.

The Psychology Department offers an academic major and minor. It serves students through courses that fulfill general education requirements as well as foundation requirements for other academic and professional programs.

Program Goals

To fulfill the department's mission, our faculty members do the following.

1. Provide superior classroom instruction on theories and concepts relevant to the science and application of psychology.
2. Engage students in experimental psychology by providing relevant laboratory and supervised research experiences.
3. Engage students in clinical/counseling psychology by providing relevant, supervised, professional practicum, service, and internship experiences.
4. Provide classroom instruction and encourage activities which promote and facilitate critical thinking, moral and ethical reasoning, oral and written communication, and digitalliteracy.
5. Provide classroom instruction and experiential activities to foster an understanding and appreciation of, and a respect for diversity across individuals and cultures.
6. Provide academic advisement relevant to individual student needs.
7. Promote and support the personal and professional development of students and colleagues.
8. Promote and support service and social responsibility of students and colleagues.
9. Meet or exceed the guidelines set by the American Psychological Association for the undergraduate psychology major.

Learning Outcomes

Undergraduate Psychology Major and Minor Program Learning Outcomes (as defined by APA guidelines for the psychology major). ¹

For the major, students will broadly demonstrate proficiency and achievement in the following five (5) goals, and for the minor, students will demonstrate an introductory level of proficiency and achievement in the following goals.

Goal 1: Content Knowledge and Applications

1. Describe key concepts, principles, and theories in psychological science.
2. Develop a working knowledge of psychology's major subfields.
3. Portray significant aspects of the history of psychological science.
4. Apply psychological content to solve practical problems.
5. Provide examples of psychology's integrative themes. ² 
   • Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts as new data develops.
   • Psychological science explains general principles that govern behavior while recognizing individual differences.
   • Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.
   • Psychological science values diversity, promotes equity, and fosters inclusion in pursuit of a more just society.
   • Our perceptions and biases filter our experiences of the world through an imperfect personal lens.
   • Applying psychological principles can change our lives, organizations, and communities in positive ways.
   • Ethnical principles guide psychological science research and practice.

Goal 2: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking

1. Exercise scientific reasoning to investigate psychological phenomena.
2. Interpret, design, and evaluate psychological research.
3. Incorporate sociocultural factors in scientific research practices.
4. Use statistics to evaluate quantitative research findings.

Goal 3: Values in Psychological Science

1. Employ ethical standards in research, practice, and academic contexts.
2. Develop and practice interpersonal and intercultural responsiveness.
3. Apply psychological principles to strengthen community and improve quality of life.

Goal 4: Communication, Psychological Literacy, and Technology Skills

1. Interact effectively with others.
2. Write and present effectively for different purposes.
3. Provide evidence of psychological literacy.
4. Exhibit appropriate technological skills to improve communication.

Goal 5: Person and Professional Development

1. Exhibit effective self-regulation.
2. Refine project management skills.
3. Display effective judgment in professional interactions.
4. Cultivate workforce collaboration skills.
5. Demonstrate appropriate workforce technological skills.
6. Develop direction for life after graduation.

American Psychological Association. (2023). APA guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major: Version 3.0
American Psychological Association. (2021). APA Introductory Psychology Initiative (IPI) student learning outcomes for introductory psychology