Some examples of the many emerging legal specialty areas are urban and international policy, elder law, child advocacy, labor law, marital and family law, and disability law. The goal of the program is to rigorously prepare students at the undergraduate level to excel in these fields. In addition, they will select a major field of study in political science or psychology. Within their major area, they will develop more specialized skills through elective courses, particpation in project-based learning activities, and close interactions with faculty members who are active teachers and researchers in their area of interest. Some examples of faculty interests and expertise in the Department of Political Science and Institute of Psychology include child development and pathology, marital communications, adult mental health and pathology, urban politics, policy, sport psychology, rehabilitation technology, and gerontology.
Students participate in their first interprofessional project during the third semester.
Students serve as psychological consultants to an interdisciplinary team composed of students from a variety of other departments, a faculty mentor, and a mentor from industry or the community. The purpose of the team is to develop and implement a project to solve a real world problem. The goal of the first interprofessional project is to familiarize the student with issues associated with working as a member of an interdisciplinary team in an applied setting. During the sixth semester, the psychology student is required to enroll in Psychology 497, Special Problems. The student will implement the project during the third summer.