From the firing of neurons in the human brain to the complex web of personalities and behaviors within a multi-national corporation, psychology is a part of our every move, decision, and thought.

The professional trained in psychology can have an enormous effect - on individuals, families, companies, schools. At Southern, psychology students learn to observe without prejudice, analyze with clarity, and construct a plan of action that solves problems. Along with exploring the insights of past and present practitioners, psychology students also gain the hands-on skills of the research scientist, designing experiments, interpreting complex data, and communicating results.

Careers for psychology graduates are varied and exciting. With a bachelor's or advanced degree, graduates find jobs in clinics, hospitals, and schools, with social service agencies, and in research facilities at universities, government agencies, or in private industry.

Beyond that, psychology graduates are often strong candidates for careers in other fields that require an understanding of human behavior, like management, personnel, public relations, training, market research, product development, law, and journalism. Others continue their studies at the graduate level. Southern's programs offer excellent preparation for success in master's and doctoral programs in psychology and related fields.

Students earning the B.A. gain an understanding of the dynamic factors underlying human personality and behavior along with training in the experimental methods of scientific psychology.

Majors may follow a general program or specialize in either area:

Students earning the B.A. in mental health explore the issues, problems, and resources in the mental health field. Students not only conduct individual research, but also acquire firsthand pre-professional experience through the program's considerable network of supervised fieldwork and internships in clinics, hospitals, and educational facilities.

Students earning the B.S. in research participate in a well-structured series of courses that provides the expertise for careers as psychological research technicians or solid preparation for graduate study. Courses explore basic psychological theories and specific areas like physiological psychology and cognitive psychology. The department boasts strong research resources, in particular a brand new neuropsychology lab funded by the National Science Foundation and a new computer lab where students acquire skill and confidence in running the computer programs critical in current psychological research, testing, and diagnostics.

For more information, contact the Department of Psychology at (203) 392-6868.