Psychology

Degree: B.A.

Why Study This Program?

Millersville University's Department of Psychology provides excellence in teaching, advisement and mentoring towards developing competent and responsible citizens who apply psychological principles in their workplaces, in their studies, in their communities and in their lives. The undergraduate program exposes students to both the humanistic and the more traditional experimental approaches to the study of behavior. Curriculum flexibility allows psychology majors to prepare for graduate training in psychology and related fields, or for employment in a variety of human service or business and industrial areas. Through learning experiences in and out of the classroom, our undergraduate program prepares students who are well-versed in psychological theories and scientific methodologies and who demonstrate cultural sensitivity and embrace a variety of points of view.

The faculty is committed to preparing students to make informed choices among options that include entering the workplace in human service, business, or industrial settings as well as pursuing graduate study. Approximately half of our graduates attend graduate school and most of those obtain advanced degrees in the many fields of psychology as well as complementary fields, including business, English, law, medicine, philosophy, political science, mental health, general healthcare, human resources in business and government, advertising and marketing, and animal behavior.

What Will You Learn?

The undergraduate program in psychology exposes students to both the humanistic and the more traditional experimental approaches to the study of behavior. Curriculum flexibility allows psychology majors to prepare for graduate training in psychology and related fields or for employment in a variety of human service or business and industrial areas. With a 120 credit Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, students take classes in subjects regarding statistical, cognitive, sensation, perception, learning and motivational psychology. In addition, students take 18 psychology elective courses of their choosing.Students also have access to computer facilities, an animal laboratory, a clinic, a neurophysiology laboratory and a wide variety of experimental apparatuses.

Most graduate programs in psychology emphasize the importance of undergraduate research when describing the ideal applicant. Millersville’s psychology students have the opportunity to work with the guidance of faculty mentors on a wide variety of investigative projects. Undergraduate research can be conducted as part of the normal course load, and interested students of all academic standings are encouraged to participate. The Departmental Honors Program provides the most rigorous research opportunity for superior and highly motivated students to intensively and independently pursue a specialized area of interest.

In addition, junior and senior psychology majors may enroll in a special Directed Projects course, which provides a supervised field experience. Students may choose from a variety of areas related to psychology, including human services, mental health, education, human resources and other related fields. Sophomores through seniors may also complete Internship and Co-op for credit through Millersville’s Experiential Learning and Career Management Center.