Psychology (Minor)
Program Description
Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. The major in Psychology introduces students to the main concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in the field. Students gain the ability to think scientifically, creatively, and critically about human behavior and mental processes; to acquire the basic skills for conducting research in these areas; and to develop a general understanding of psychology as both a natural science and a social science.
Students grapple with overarching themes and persistent questions in psychology, such as the interaction of heredity and environment, variability and continuity of behavior and mental processes within and across species, free will versus determinism, the relation between mind and body, and applicability of general theories and measures to specific societal and cultural contexts. Topics of inquiry include cognition, sensation and perception, language and memory, child development and education, personality and individual differences, social interaction and group dynamics, intergroup relations, and the connection between the individual and society.