Psychology

The discipline of psychology is concerned with the scientific study of cognition, emotion, and behavior.

For General Education

The goals of the psychology department for general education students are:

1. to instill in students an appreciation and respect for studying the behavior and mental processes of God’s creation in all its diversity;
2. to expose students to the varied perspectives, research, theories, and applications in the field of psychology;
3. to promote in students a quality of discernment with respect to the claims about what is known in psychology today;
4. to develop students’ ability to understand the value and importance of utilizing both biblical and empirical methods for understanding human behavior;
5. to provide participatory, hands-on, educational opportunities to enhance the understanding of psychological science.

For the Major Field

For students majoring in psychology, the additional goals of the psychology department are:

1. to help students develop the capabilities needed to understand and conduct research in psychology and related fields;
2. to prepare qualified students for advanced work in psychology;
3. to instill in students life-long values of competence and professionalism when applying principles drawn from psychology;
4. to encourage students’ active involvement in professional activities such as field trips, internships, department colloquia, and on-going faculty research.

These goals are accomplished, in part, through the following sequences of courses:

1. a survey of modern psychology;
2. the methods used by psychologists in the investigation and analysis of behavior;
3. the theories and data of the subfields within psychology;
4. opportunity for application of the information of psychology and the integration of psychology with one’s personal Christian beliefs.

The classification of courses is consistent with the above sequence, namely: 1) survey courses, 2) methods courses, 3) content courses, and 4) application courses. The student should be aware that the application of psychological principles necessarily follows an understanding of the data and methods upon which these principles are based.

The student majoring in psychology may take advantage of experimental equipment for individual research projects, calculator and computer facilities for the analysis of research data, and internship opportunities at various mental health agencies in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The psychology department is committed to an academically responsible concept of the integration process. It provides the opportunity for relating the discipline to a Reformed Christian world and life-view. Students majoring in psychology examine contemporary viewpoints on integration relative to psychology and work toward a personal statement reflecting their efforts.