2013-2014 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Psychology - Program Description
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of this catalog.
Chair: Hendersen. Professors: Adamopoulos, Burns, Hendersen, D. Henderson-King, Lakey, Matthews, Portko, Smith, Xu; Associate Professors: Bowdle, Bower Russa, Chen, Cornelius, Deaner, Dueker, W. Friedlmeier, Galen, Gross, E. Henderson-King, Lou, Owen-DeSchryver, Paszek, Rodriguez-Charbonier, Rogers, Sá, Shupe, Valdez, Wolfe; Assistant Professors: Campbell, Dean, Dillard, M. Fifi, M. Friedlmeier, Kurby, Maouene, Park, Quamme, Swets, Williams.
Website: www.gvsu.edu/psychology
Students should plan their studies in consultation with an academic advisor early in and throughout their college career. Students major in psychology for various reasons, and different sets of courses are likely to be appropriate for students with different goals. While some psychology courses are offered intermittently as evening courses, these are not sufficient in number or variety for completing the Psychology programs, so students should plan their schedules accordingly.
Psychological scientists specialize in many different areas, such as clinical psychology, counseling psychology, developmental psychology, physiological psychology, neuropsychology, industrial/organizational psychology, educational psychology, experimental psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, and cross-cultural psychology. Because the interests and training of the faculty members in the department cover all of these areas, we offer a wide range of courses in the undergraduate curriculum.
Career Opportunities
Students with undergraduate psychology majors attain an understanding of empirical discoveries, theoretical developments, and methodological approaches in psychological sciences that serves them in a variety of employment settings and graduate programs. Students who major in psychology and then seek employment with a bachelor's degree find jobs in business, industry, and human services settings. The latter include such settings as mental hospitals, residential facilities for developmentally disabled or emotionally disturbed children, alcohol and drug abuse centers, juvenile correctional facilities, and vocational rehabilitation centers.
Many of our graduates pursue graduate studies, in a wide variety of disciplines. Some pursue masters and doctorates in psychology, in specialties that cover the full range of psychological science, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, human factors engineering, developmental psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, school psychology, psycholinguistics, developmental psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. Others pursue professional training in medicine or law, while still others do graduate work in social work, as well as in a broad range of other disciplines, including business, occupational therapy, library science, human resources management, and non-profit administration.
Psychology may be a minor combined with a teachable major leading to secondary certification and the teaching of psychology at the high school level.
The following programs are available: