Why Psychology?
"I chose to major in psychology early on in my undergrad career at SMC. I was interested in animal behavior and cognitive psychology, but what helped me to make my final decision to major in this discipline rather than something like biology, for example, was the major's wide range of courses...Psychology is a great foundation for any future studies, and conducting any research study as an undergraduate will really help you get a hold of the field's general principles and applications. " - Hope Lobkowicz '05
Alumni Spotlight
Angy Kallarakal '05 is working towards her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Maryland-Baltimore.
The general objective of the psychology major is to enhance understanding of behavior and mental processes and to examine their connections to the fields of biology and the social sciences. This general objective is translated into specific objectives that concern the understanding of (a) scientific methodology, (b) the current state of psychological knowledge, and (c) the application of both methodology and knowledge to real-world problems and events. The psychology major consists of six components. First, a required core of courses introduces students to the field and to communication skills within the field. This core includes required methodology courses in writing, library research, statistics, and experimental design. Second is a lower-division content-course requirement. Third is a set of upper-division content courses that represent psychology’s close alliance with both social science and natural-science approaches to the study of behavior. Fourth, psychology majors select upper-division semester-hours from a group of elective offerings. Fifth, every psychology major must complete a senior capstone experience. Finally, psychology majors must demonstrate, through one of the approved options provided in documents made available by the department, that they have an understanding of the contributions of diversity and multiculturalism to the understanding of psychology.
