Psychology majors receive personalized advising and mentoring from a team of dedicated professors with expertise/interest areas that include autism, forensic psychology, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, the psychology of women, moral development, neuroscience, social psychology and gerontology. Exciting special topics courses are offered regularly in areas such as sleep and dreams, child psychopathology, health psychology and positive psychology. Professors encourage students to pursue field study and research opportunities that best fit their individual interests and goals.
Psychology majors have entered doctoral and master’s programs in Psychology, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, Social Work, Applied Developmental Psychology and Counseling. Others have enrolled in programs in Medicine and Law. Psychology alumni work in a range of settings from school systems to psychiatric hospitals and businesses in such roles as school psychologists, counselors, elementary teachers, Gestalt therapists, case supervisors, researchers and administrators.
Psi Chi: The Psychology department is affiliated with Psi Chi, the International Academic Honors Society for Psychology. Psychology majors and minors who demonstrate superior scholarship are eligible to apply for membership in the USJ’s Psi Chi chapter.
Accelerated options
Outstanding Psychology majors may be invited during their senior year to enroll in two introductory level three-credit graduate Counseling classes. Accepted students may transfer the six credits taken during their senior year into the Master’s degree, resulting in significant financial and time savings.
Accelerated Direct Entry: Students admitted to USJ in the accelerated track will complete all of the undergraduate CORE and Psychology major requirements by the end of the junior year (minimum 103 credits). If eligible, these students will move directly into full time graduate studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A. or School Counseling, M.A. for the senior year. Up to 12 graduate credits will be shared between the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Admission to the graduate program will depend on successful completion of the following requirements:
- 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA by December of the third year
- Grades of B- or better in all major courses
- Successful application and interview with Counseling (application process will waive requirement for letters of recommendation)
In addition to all Psychology Major courses, accelerated track students will be required to complete two additional courses in the fourth year: COUN 470 - Introduction to Counseling I and COUN 480 - Introduction to Counseling II
B.A. program outcomes
The student will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends in Psychology
- Understand and apply basic research methods in Psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation
- Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes
- Communicate effectively in a variety of formats
(Adapted from the American Psychological Association’s National Guidelines and Suggested Learning Outcomes for the Undergraduate Major)
Admission and continuation requirements:
Students are accepted as majors upon approval of the department faculty and only after completing six credits in Psychology with an average grade of C+ or higher in those courses. To continue, majors must maintain a C or better in all courses in the major. Students who do not earn a C or better in a required course after two attempts cannot continue in the major. Students accepted in the direct entry accelerated track must earn a B- or better in all major courses to continue on that track.
