Psychology Major

PSYCHOLOGY
BACHELOR OF ARTS

Think about it.

Whether you’re interested in why people behave and think the way they do, how social cues influence interactions, or how to effectively treat depression, autism and a range of other disorders—it’s all psychology. Mercyhurst University’s Department of Psychology will prepare you to delve into the neurobiological, sociocultural and emotional processes underlying human behavior. As a psychology major, you’ll build a strong foundation in the traditional areas of psychological theory and experimentation, as well as the specialized areas within the field that address human development, behavior, thinking, motivation, learning, emotion and social interaction. Coursework allows you to explore the mind, behavior and the links between them as you learn to understand and solve human problems—excellent preparation for careers both within and beyond the field of psychology.

Fast Facts

The Psychology Department is housed in Briggs Hall, which features 6,000 square feet devoted to psychological science, including a computer lab, lab areas for research, and the Laboratory for Addictive and Impulsive Behavior
Psych majors regularly present at professional conferences, such as the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (San Diego), the Eastern Psychological Association (New York City), and the Association for Psychological Science (Boston)
In the Spring, our graduating seniors took a nationally-normed exam for psychology (Area Concentration Achievement Test) and scored in the 91st percentile (better than 91% of other students taking the test, nation-wide)
Our "Majoring in Psychology" course provides students with the opportunity to learn about the variety of ways you can use a psychology degree in the workplace
Psychology majors choose one of three tracks—the general track, the applied track and the research track—to specialize their study based on career and educational goals
Get involved at the professional level. Our majors frequently collaborate in research and lab work, as well as attend professional conferences

Concentrations
Minors

Neuroscience

Students enrolled in the pre-medical concentration offered through Mercyhurst University's Sports Medicine program will focus and learn evaluation, hands-on skills to prevent, manage and recognize sports-related injuries. This Mercyhurst Sports Medicine concentration will prepare students for medical school or chiropractic school, as well as help them to work toward a special emphasis in the field, especially orthopedic medicine.

Sports Medicine students enrolled in the pre-medical concentration will meet regularly with the university's pre-health advisory committee and the Sports Medicine department to arrange for MCAT preparation, shadowing and the pre-med advisory board interview. Mercyhurst students in this Sports Medicine program are required to complete at least 100 hours of work, service or observation in an appropriate health or medical setting. Opportunities are available for st

The neuroscience concentration is an interdisciplinary program administered by the Biology and Psychology Departments. Neuroscience is the study of the structure, organization, and function of the nervous system. Only in recent decades has neuroscience become a recognized discipline. It is now a unified field that integrates biology, chemistry, and physics with studies of structure, physiology, and behavior, including human emotional and cognitive functions. This is an exciting field of study with great potential for new discoveries and rewarding careers.

The concentration requires 10 total course, with 5 core and 5 electives.

Core Courses

PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 252 Biopsychology
BIO 140/141 Cell Biology
BIO 144/145 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
BIO 450 Neurobiology

Choose five of the following:

PSYC 211 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 236 Learning and Motivation
PSYC 237 Memory and Cognition
PSYC 253 Drugs and Human Behavior
PSYC 352 Topics in Neuroscience
BIO 310/311 Genetics
BIO 320/321 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIO 330/331 Immunology
BIO 344/345 Human Physiology
BIO 370/371 Cellular Biology
BIO 430 Molecular Biology

Psychology

Psychology affects everything we think, feel, say and do. So whether it's business, education, or political science, a psychology minor is a valuable addition to almost any degree program. Through the coursework, students gain a better understanding of human behavior and relationships, giving them better communication skills and a broader range of knowledge.

Seven courses are required for a minor in psychology including three CORE courses:

PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 291 Research Design and Statistical Analysis I (and lab)
Four electives in psychology

Gender Studies

Housed in the Departments of Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology, this minor provides students with the opportunity to learn about the subject of gender through a multidisciplinary encounter, which complements the BA or BS degree in Anthropology/Archaeology. Interested students should contact Dr. Mary Ann Owocfor further information.

To discuss this minor, contact:
Dr. Mary Ann Owoc (Anthropology)
Dr. Marilyn Livosky (Psychology)
Dr. Laura Lewis (Sociology)

Required Courses

ANTH/SOC 125 Introduction to Gender Studies 3 credits
PSYC 265 Psychology of Gender 3 credits

Elective Courses - Students must complete 5

ANTH 346 Anthropology of Gender
CRJS 295 Seminar: Women and Crime
ENGL 381 Women and Literature
ENGL 382 Contemporary Literature: Women of Color
HDFR 175 Human Sexuality and Gender Development
HIST 254 Women in the Ancient and Medieval World
POLI 210 Seminar: Power and Exploitation- Feminist Politics
PSYC 232 Psychology of Prejudice
RLST 270 Women and Scripture
RLST 255 Religious Perspectives on Marriage and Family
RLST 176 Feminist Theologies
SOC 225 Women: Images and Realities
SPAN 305: Seminar in Culture/Literature: Women in Hispanic Civilization

Psychology of Crime and Justice

The Departments of Psychology and Criminal Justice have developed a sequence of study to provide students with an interdisciplinary focus in the psychology of crime and justice. The minor is designed to complement undergraduate degrees in psychology, criminal justice, and other social and behavioral sciences. This unique course of study gives students a competitive advantage and broadens their knowledge and skills in the intersection of psychology and criminal justice. In addition to the course requirements for a Criminal Justice degree, Criminal Justice majors who seek to qualify for the Interdisciplinary Minor in the Psychology of Crime & Justice must complete these additional courses and maintain a 2.5 GPA:

PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 201 Personality (3 credits)
PSYC 211 Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 231 Social Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC/CRJS 350 Antecedents of Aggression (3 credits)
CRJS 361/PSYC 240 Psychology and the Law (3 credits)
PSYC 253 Drugs and Human Behavior (3 credits)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Our students regularly work alongside faculty on running studies, analyzing data, and presenting the results. Check out past student research below!

CAREER OUTCOMES

Our grads have pursued graduate study in psychology, law, medicine, business and many other fields, as well as careers in politics, counseling, autism support, education and public health.

INTERNSHIPS

Psychology majors have completed internships with the Buffalo Bills, VA medical centers, local school districts and residential facilities for people with disabilities.