MAJOR - PSYCHOLOGY
Department of Psychology
Department Mission: The Psychology Department aims to educate the whole person in accordance with the Catholic, Benedictine, and liberal arts traditions. In this endeavor, we help our students learn the basic information and methods central to our field in an ethical context and to integrate what they learn in psychology with what they have discovered in other fields. Our goal is to help our students understand psychology as the scientific study of behavior, mental processes, and emotion, and as the application of psychological science to the promotion of human welfare. We hope that this approach will enable students to understand the emotional, intellectual, behavioral, and spiritual complexities of the human person and to act as responsible citizens. Regardless of the careers our students choose, our goal is to enable them to think clearly and to act with integrity in their professional, public, and personal lives.
Departmental Goals: The general goal of the Department of Psychology is to contribute to the development of a thinking citizenry by helping students develop the skills necessary to be informed consumers of psychology. That is, students should be able to understand and evaluate psychological research presented in the popular press using critical thinking skills and an understanding of the appropriate interpretation and application of psychological research. The department has the following specific goals for students majoring in psychology: 1) To understand the discipline of psychology and its role in contributing to our comprehension of human persons; 2) To understand the role of theory in psychology; 3) To develop research skills and understand the role of evidence in psychology; 4) To understand basic issues in psychology, such as the nature-nurture issue; 5) To understand the major concepts and findings in psychology; 6) To understand the importance of interactions among biological, environmental and personal/cognitive factors in determining behavior; 7) To understand the importance of individual and cultural differences in psychology; 8) To understand in depth at least one area of psychology; 9) To understand the philosophical and historical background of psychology; and 10) To engage in opportunities for practical professional experiences and career exploration.
Standards for Admission and Graduation: To be eligible for acceptance into any psychology major, the student must have earned a “C” or better in PC 201 and one upper-level psychology course, and must have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better. Transfer students must meet with a department advisor before declaring the major. While all courses in psychology require basic computer competencies, competencies specific to the discipline will be addressed in PC 307 and PC 410. Students must have a “C” or better in all of their PC courses to graduate with a degree in psychology. For the majors or the minors, the preponderance of the credit hours must be taken at Belmont Abbey College.
Study Abroad: Psychology majors are encouraged to study abroad. Interested students should consult with a departmental advisor and with the College’s Director of International Studies.
B. A. in Psychology (Traditional Students):
In addition to the other Core Curriculum requirements, the following are specific core requirements:
- PC 201- Introductory Psychology
- MA 135 or higher (prerequisite for SS 300)
Major requirements:
At least three (3) of the following:
- PC 301 - Developmental Psychology
- PC 306 - Cognitive Psychology
- PC 308 - Theories of Personality
- PC 360 - Social and Cultural Psychology
Each of the following:
- PC 307 - Research Methods for Psychology (spring of Jr. year)
- PC 313 - Abnormal Psychology
- PC 400 - History and Systems of Psychology
- PC 407 - Testing and Assessment
- PC 410 - Senior Thesis (fall of senior year)
- PC upper-level electives
- SS 300 - Fundamental Statistics for Social Science (fall of Jr. year)
Other Courses :
- Nine (9) hours of courses from departments others than Psychology
- Internship is encouraged
- General elective hours (taking a minor is encouraged)
It is the student’s responsibility to see that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
B. S. in Psychology (Traditional Students only):
In addition to the other Core Curriculum requirements, the following are specific core requirements:
- PC 201- Introductory Psychology
- MA 135 or higher (prerequisite for SS 300)
Major requirements:
At least two (2) of the following:
- PC 301 - Developmental Psychology
- PC 306 - Cognitive Psychology
- PC 308 - Theories of Personality
- PC 360 - Social and Cultural Psychology
Each of the following:
- PC 305 - Neuropsychology
- PC 307 - Research Methods for Psychology (spring of Jr. year)
- PC 313 - Abnormal Psychology
- PC 400 - History and Systems of Psychology
- PC 407 - Testing and Assessment
- PC 410 - Senior Thesis (fall of senior year)
- PC upper-level electives
- SS 300 - Fundamental Statistics for Social Science (fall of Jr. year)
Other Courses :
- BI, EV, CH, or MA courses beyond core requirements
- Internship is encouraged
- General elective hours (taking a minor is encouraged)
It is the student’s responsibility to see that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Minor in Psychology (Traditional Students only)
- PC 201 Introductory Psychology
- PC upper-level electives
The preponderance of the courses for the minor must be taken at Belmont Abbey College.
It is the student’s responsibility to see that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Notes: To be eligible for the senior capstone course (PC 410, PC 411), students must have earned a “C-” or better in SS 300 and in PC 307. Please see course description for other prerequisites.
Although an internship is not required, it is strongly recommended for (and counts as) a PC upper-level elective for the B. A. in Psychology, B. S. in Psychology and the minor in Applied Psychology. Under certain circumstances, the internship may count as a PC upper-level elective for the B. A. in Applied Psychology and the minor in Psychology; please consult with department advisor.
SS 300 is a prerequisite for PC 307 (taken in the spring of the junior year) and for PC 407. PC 307 is a prerequisite for PC 410 (taken senior year), And, PC 407 is a prerequisite for PC 411, which is taken in the fall semester of the senior year.)
Faculty:
Dr. Ann Calhoun-Sauls - Associate Professor of Psychology
B.A., University of North Carolina-Charlotte
M.A., University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Dr. Nathalie Coté - Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology
B.A., Furman University
M.S., Vanderbilt University
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Dr. Diana Elliott - Associate Professor of Psychology
B.S., University of New Hampshire
M.Ed., University of Houston
M.A., Biola University
Ph.D., Biola University
Tracy Manning - Lecturer in Psychology
A.A., Grossmont Community College
B.A., San Diego State University
M.A., San Diego State University
