The Psychology Department offers a variety of courses intended to provide the student with an understanding of influences on behavior, both biological and socio-cultural, and of the uniquely individual dimensions of experience.
Psychologists assume that behavior is lawfully determined or caused by prior events.
The task of psychology then is to discern these multiple sources of behavior and to formulate general statements or theory about them and their inter-relationships. Psychological theories that stand up to testing provide useful insights for many areas of human endeavor such as mental health, education, work organization, parenting, law enforcement, technology design and so forth. In addition to a greater appreciation for the diversity of all behavior, human and animal alike, the student can also experience greater self-understanding, awareness and the potential for personal growth. PSY 110 is a prerequisite for all courses in psychology except PSY 141 and PHY 254. For students majoring in Psychology, the department provides training in research philosophy and methodology.