Psychology University of West Georgia

Overview

The Psychology program of University of West Georgia has Themes such as the meaning of genuine community, sociality, understanding oneself and others, and the myriad ways through which we grow and develop are central to our academic learning environment.

Objectives

Theoretical Dexterity—Graduates of the psychology program will have developed a deep understanding of the dominant themes, conflicts, and perspectives within the discipline, as well as the ability to employ, critically evaluate, and shift among various perspectives when required. Specifically, they will

• Articulate and employ the major perspectives of psychology including biological/neuroscientific, behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, critical, humanistic, and transpersonal psychology.

• Compare, contrast and describe advantages and limitations of these perspectives.

• Discuss overarching themes, persistent questions, or enduring conflicts in psychology such as the interaction of heredity and environment, or the interaction of mind and body.

Application of Learning—Graduates of the psychology program will be able to effectively and judiciously apply psychological concepts and perspectives to the major domains of life outside the classroom. Specifically, they will

• Identify and evaluate the source, context, and credibility of information.

• Articulate how psychological principles can be used to explain social issues and inform public policy.

• Critically evaluate popular media reports of psychological research.

Historical-Cultural Context—Graduates of the psychology program will demonstrate a keen awareness of the ways that culture and history have shaped the discipline and affect its practitioners. Specifically, they will

• Recognize how sociocultural contexts influence the application of psychological ideas.

• Narrate the history of psychology, including the evolution of methods, the theoretical conflicts, and the sociocultural contexts of the field.

• Understand how privilege, power, and oppression may affect prejudice, discrimination, and inequity.

Personal Development—Graduates of the psychology program will gain knowledge about their identity, values, aspirations, emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, they will

• Identify their personal and professional values.

• Demonstrate insight into, and awareness of, their emotions, motives, and attitudes using psychological ideas and principles.

Career Discernment and Preparation—Through close collaboration with faculty, graduates of the psychology program will have an understanding of the major career areas in psychology and an intimate knowledge of their own inclinations and vocations toward a particular area of work. Specifically, they will

• Describe preferred career paths in conjunction with their advisor and on the basis of an accurate self-assessment of abilities, achievement, motivation, and work habits.

• Apply knowledge of psychology (e.g., decision strategies, life-span processes, psychological assessment, types of psychological careers) to the formulation of career choices.