Why study Psychology?

In 2013, then president of the Association for Psychological Science, Dr. Joseph Steinmetz put it this way, and we really couldn’t say it any better ourselves: 

“..our field captures the very basis of what it means to be human. Psychology in many ways is the ultimate liberal arts degree — our students are exposed to the social, behavioral, natural, physical, and computational sciences and, often, the humanities and the arts while earning their degrees; few other fields offer the breadth and exposure that our field does. And, psychology provides the basic so-called “soft” skills necessary to launch a variety of successful careers in law, medicine, business, and social work, just to mention a few."

-Joseph Steinmetz, Ph.D.

Graduates with a B.A. in Psychological Science will be able to:

1. Read, understand, and critique the classic and contemporary research literature.
2. Design, conduct, analyze, interpret, and successfully present scientific research.
3. Speak and write effectively in the discourse of the discipline.
4. Evaluate their own unique interests, abilities, career, and life goals.

 The Psychological Science Major At-a-glance:

• Low number of required courses (32 credits) allows students to explore all that Castleton has to offer (double-major, sports, etc.)
• Four concentrations are offered for students who wish to specialize:
• Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Agency
• All students complete an independent psychology research study
• Honors Program for students interested in pursuing advanced research under the close supervision of a faculty member. 
• All Psychology courses must be completed at the 2.0 level or better.

“The most unique thing about the psychology department at Castleton is the faculty; it is hard to find a program with professors who are so willing to go above and beyond to help students… [T]he psych department became my home away from home. The psych department at Castleton is like a really big family with both teachers and students willing to help out!”

-Samantha McNeil, ‘15

Beyond the Classroom

Community Engagement

Psychology majors will find many opportunities to connect the science of human behavior with helping others in our communities.

• Community Engagement courses
• Service Learning opportunities
• Internship & volunteer opportunities in the community

Student Research

In addition to completing a research project as part of the major, students may complete additional independent studies, collaborate with faculty, and/or complete an honors thesis.

• Psychology students have presented their research at regional, national, and international academic conferences
• Psychology students regularly receive funding for research projects through the faculty-student research fund at Castleton.