Department of Psychology

Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Xavier South 500 - (504) 520-7400 - http://www.xula.edu/psychology

The mission of the Department of Psychology is to prepare students to critically apply the science of psychology to understand themselves and others in a diverse and dynamic world.

The Psychology Program strives to provide its students with a thorough foundation in the methodology of contemporary psychology. Students successfully completing the program are awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science and are prepared both for graduate study in psychology and related fields, and for career opportunities in psychology and other areas at the bachelor’s degree level. The Program offers two tracks-General Psychology, for students pursuing graduate school or careers applying their degree, and Psychology Premedical, for students pursuing medical school or graduate training in health and neuroscience fields, or careers in related areas at the bachelor’s level.

In addition to satisfying the goals of the core curriculum, the program of study in psychology is designed to:

1. prepare students majoring in psychology for either professional employment or further graduate training; and
2. offer courses to students from other disciplines whose curriculum requires them to take courses in psychology.

Students majoring in psychology are offered a well-balanced program that has a central core, plus a sufficient degree of flexibility to allow them to explore their interests and to enter a variety of graduate programs and careers at a competitive level. The rigorous preparation of students majoring in psychology is consistent with the American Psychological Association’s Model Curriculum and with the overall University philosophy of academic excellence. The major in psychology consists of a minimum of 42 semester hours of psychology coursework (33 hours for Psychology Premedical students) with a “C” or better in each course.

It is suggested that all majors take the subject (psychology) portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) during the semester BEFORE the one in which they expect to graduate. Majors who score better than 560 on the advanced GRE are exempt from taking the Departmental Senior Comprehensives, which consist of intensive examinations across all subject areas in psychology.

Students in the Psychology Program are expected to acquire and exhibit the following academic and professional characteristics:

1. Mastery of subject matter across the field of psychology,
2. Competence in written and oral communication skills,
3. Research design and quantitative reasoning skills,
4. Proficiency in critical thinking about mental and behavioral processes, and
5. Poise, self-confidence, and a commitment to ethics in science.

Psychology Premedical Program

The discipline of psychology, in conjunction with the Premedical program at Xavier University, offers its students an alternative route to careers via medical school or the health professions: the Psychology Premedical Program. This program is recommended for those students who want to major in psychology, but then attend medical school, perhaps in pursuit of a psychiatric degree, or who are interested in graduate programs in Biological Psychology or Neuroscience. The program is similar to the general psychology curriculum but more heavily emphasizes the natural sciences. It also requires nine (9) fewer hours of psychology than does the general program.

Programs

• Psychology (General), B.S.
• Psychology (Premedical), B.S.

• Psychology Minor