Kent State University Catalog 2010 - 2011

Psychology - B.A.

COLLEGE:	College of Arts and Sciences
DEPARTMENT:	Department of Psychology 144 Kent Hall Tel: 330-672-2166 Fax: 330-672-3786 Web: http://www.kent.edu/cas/Psychology/index.cfm

Resources:

DESCRIPTION:	Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology apply the science of understanding and explaining thoughts, emotions and behavior to solving real-world problems. Topics include stress, biological influences on behavior, growth and development of children and diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Students conduct science and evaluate and interpret data. Elective courses may be used to specialize in a number of areas of psychology and to gain hands-on experience in research labs. The degree prepares students for graduate school and employment in a range of fields, including clinical, applied and experimental areas of psychology and related fields such as education, law, human resources and health care.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:	There are many career options for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with most employed in careers in social service and business settings. In business settings, psychology majors work in areas such as personnel, human resources, and marketing. In social services settings, psychology majors work as case workers, residential youth counselors, probation/parole officers, group home coordinators, and other related fields. With a liberal arts degree, psychology majors also are qualified to work in many other fields as well, such as working at colleges and universities in alumni relations, admissions, and other areas. Students who choose to pursue a graduate degree have many options open to them. School Psychologists and Industrial Psychologists hold at least a master’s degree. With a doctoral degree, students can pursue numerous careers in psychology, including clinical or counseling psychology, health psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, and others. Many doctoral level psychologists are employed in research and/or teaching at educational institutions. However, about 21 percent are employed in healthcare, primarily in offices of mental health practitioners, hospitals, physicians' offices, and outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers. After several years of experience, some psychologists—usually those with doctoral degrees—enter private practice or set up private research or consulting firms. Many graduates also pursue graduate training in related fields such as community/mental health counseling and school counseling, which require a master’s degree. For more information about career options for psychology majors, you can visit the Department of Psychology website.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:	General Admissions for New Freshman:Students most likely to be admitted and succeed at the Kent Campus are those who have graduated with at least 16 units of the recommended college preparatory curriculum in high school, who have achieved a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and whose composite ACT score is 21 or better (980 combined critical reading and math SAT score). For more information on admissions, visit the Admissions website for new freshmen. General Admissions for Transfer Students:Generally, a transfer applicant who has taken 12 or more semester hours with a college cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale may be admitted. An applicant who has taken fewer than 12 semester hours will be evaluated on both collegiate and high school records. For more information on admissions, visit the Admissions website for transfer students.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:	Minimum 121 total credit hours and 42 upper-division hours for graduation. Minimum 2.00 GPA overall and 2.00 GPA in major required for graduation.
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:	Yes
STUDY ABROAD/AWAY OPPORTUNITIES:	There are many study abroad/away opportunities, for more information contact the Office of International Affairs.
PROGRAM FEE:	None
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS:	Department of Psychology Multicultural and Diversity Committee; Psi Chi; Psychology Club
GRADUATE PROGRAMS:	Ed.S. in Counseling M.A. and M.Ed. in Community Counseling M.A. and M.Ed. in Educational Psychology M.A. and M.Ed. in School Counseling M.Ed. and Ed.S. in School Psychology Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology