Psychology, B.S.

The Undergraduate Psychology program at the University of West Georgia affirms and builds upon the liberal arts and science goals of the University Core Curriculum and provides discipline-specific training designed to achieve the following program learning goals and outcomes:

Knowledge Base in Psychology - Student will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. Specifically, students will

• Identify and explain the primary objectives of psychology
• Compare and contrast the assumptions and methods of psychology with those of other disciplines
• Articulate and employ the major perspectives of psychology including biological/neuroscientific, behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, critical, humanistic, and transpersonal
• Compare, contrast and describe advantages and limitations of these perspectives.

Scientific Inquiry-Students will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

Specifically, students will:

• Formulate a researchable topic that can be supported by database search strategies
• Locate and choose relevant sources from appropriate media
• Read and accurately summarize professional literature in psychology
• Design and conduct a research project to address psychological questions using appropriate research methods.

Critical & Creative Thinking-Students will employ critical and creative thinking to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.

Specifically, students will:

• Identify and evaluate the source, context, and credibility of information
• Demonstrate an attitude of critical thinking that includes persistence, open-mindedness, tolerance for ambiguity, and intellectual engagement
• Make linkages between diverse facts, theories, and observations
• Intentionally pursue unusual approaches to problems
• Recognize and encourage creative thinking and behaviors in others

Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World-Students will become familiar with the formal regulations that govern professional ethics in psychology and begin to embrace the values that will contribute to positive outcomes in work settings and building a society responsive to multicultural and global concerns.

Specifically, students will:

• Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice
• Adopt values that build community at local, national, and global levels

Communication-Students will communicate effectively in a variety of formats.

Specifically, students will:

• Demonstrate effective writing skills in various formats (e.g., essays, correspondence, technical papers)
• Demonstrate professional writing conventions (e.g., grammar, audience awareness, formality) appropriate to purpose and context
• Use APA style effectively in research reports, literature reviews, and theoretical papers

Personal and Professional Development-Students will gain knowledge about their identity, values, aspirations, emotions, strengths and weaknesses.

Specifically, students will:

• Identify their personal and professional values
• Demonstrate insight into, and awareness of, their emotions, motives, and attitudes using psychological ideas and principles.
• Describe preferred career paths in conjunction with their advisor and on the basis of an accurate self-assessment of abilities, achievement, motivation, and work hab-its.
• Apply knowledge of psychology (e.g., decision strategies, life-span processes, psychological assessment, and types of psychological careers) to the formulation of career choices.