Prospective Students
Learning About Psychology and Its Applications
The Bachelor of Science Program in Applied Psychology is an interdisciplinary program designed to develop students who are able to bridge psychological theory, research, and practice in a multicultural world. Applied psychologists work with children, adolescents, families, businesses, and communities focusing on issues such as learning and schooling, race/ethnicity, sexuality, religion, health, and parenting. The program provides you with hands-on learning experiences that help you understand the range of work environments within the human services professions and the many ways that psychology and counseling are used in both research and real-world settings- invaluable information in helping you make your career decisions.
A Portfolio of Experience Built on a Strong Academic Base
The undergraduate major in Applied Psychology combines a broad-based liberal arts component with required course work in various fields across psychology- developmental, social, community, counseling- and research skills. Specialization electives allow you to focus on a specific field within psychology or to explore an area of interest in a related discipline. A three-semester fieldwork sequence offers you the opportunity for continuous career exploration in clinical and research settings, helping you build a portfolio of experience valuable for seeking an entry-level position and graduate study. Applied Psychology majors with a record of exceptional achievement may apply to our Honors Program.
Distinguished Faculty
Faculty members in the Department of Applied Psychology are not only teaching you in the classroom but, as applied psychologists, are actively engaged in research. Professor Gigliana Melzi, the Director of the Undergraduate Program, investigates the ways preschool children, in particular Latino children, interact with their parents to acquire language and literacy skills. Professor Selçuk Sirin's work focuses on the lives of immigrant children and their families. Professor Jacqueline Mattis studies African American spirituality and religiosity. Professor Lawrence Aber investigates social, emotional, and behavioral development among high-risk youth as well as program and policy implications of developmental research on this population. Professor LaRue Allen's research focuses on the impact of socio-cultural and ecological factors on human development, exploring adolescent development, parent-child relationships, and early childhood preventative interventions. Other distinguished faculty are conducting research in areas relating to friendship development, women's health, high-risk sexual behaviors, drug abuse, and stereotyping.
Curriculum
The B.S. Program in Applied Psychology requires students to complete a total of 128 points-60 points in the liberal arts and 68 points in the major. In addition to 32 points of specified liberal arts courses, students complete a 12-point concentration of courses in a single social science or humanities discipline of their choice. There are 16 points of liberal arts electives that provide students many opportunities to explore a variety of liberal arts subjects or to declare a minor. The Applied Psychology major consists of 12 points of required courses in psychology, 12 points of core electives in psychology and counseling, 12 points in research, 12 points of field experiences, 8 points of specialization electives, and 12 points of unrestricted electives to explore a wide range of interests or to be used toward a minor.