Psychology Department

The Department of Psychology offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The psychology program has been designed to comply with the recommendations provided by the American Psychological Association, providing a broad base of knowledge with a focus the multitude of career options available in the discipline of Psychology. This program will provide you with knowledge of psychology’s core areas of knowledge including coursework in developmental psychology, social and personality psychology, learning, psychopathology, behavioral neuroscience, cognition and sensation and perception. Students who are interested in career paths that require advanced degrees will experience coursework in research and statistical methods and students who are interested in career paths that focus on finding full time employment directly after their bachelors have the opportunity to focus on gaining additional applied coursework in areas that align with their career goals.

Psychology Features

All professors in the Department of Psychology have doctoral degrees and are trained researchers. We are a diverse department, and our areas of expertise range from consulting work to research on human memory, the influence of groups, animal learning, behavioral neuroscience, mental disorders, child development, and social justice.

A variety of options encourage you to move beyond the classroom:

You can do your own research project. To help you, we have research facilities in Wright Hall that will allow you to experience running and participating in experiments, videotape interviews, use computers, and so on.
You can do an internship by finding a position in a variety of settings relevant to the discipline of Psychology. For example, you could choose to do an internship working children and adolescents in a school setting, or work in organizations who support adults with severe and chronic mental health issues, be a research assistant in a sleep lab or any psychology-related job and by writing a paper on the experience. The department works with students individually to find an internship that supports their interests and career goals.
You can attend talks by guest speakers, and take trips to conferences, institutions, and research facilities.
You can choose to participate in service learning projects working with children, the elderly, and adults who have mental health issues in the community.
If you qualify with an overall QPA of 3.0 or above and a 3.2 or above in psychology, you are invited to apply to Psi Chi, a national honor society. You must have completed three psychology courses at Shippensburg University and three semesters at Shippensburg University.

Psychology Career Opportunities

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a popular degree and valued by industry and government. Students graduating with a psychology degree should be proficient in communication (verbal presentations as well as writing), research, and knowledge about human behavior and thought processes. Therefore, graduates often find positions in business, the legal system, the educational system, research companies, and mental health industries.

Many students who wish to work in more specialized areas of psychology go on to master’s programs in areas such as counseling, experimental, forensic, and industrial/organizational psychology. Some students pursue doctorates in areas such as clinical, developmental, and social psychology. More than 30 percent of our graduates go on to earn an advanced degree.

A bachelor’s in psychology can lead to careers in:

Clinical psychology
Cognitive psychology
Conditioning-learning
Counseling psychology
Developmental psychology
Health psychology
Forensic psychology
Industrial/organizational psychology
Legal psychology
Behavioral neuroscience
Physiological psychology
School psychology
Social psychology
Quantitative psychology

Students wishing to change majors to psychology must have a 2.0 quality point average or higher.

Programs

Accelerated Program

Major

Psychology, B.A.

Minor

Psychology Minor

Certificate

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certificate

Courses

Psychology