MISSION STATEMENT FOR
THE DEPARTMENT:
The Department of Psychology,
Sociology, and Counseling seeks to provide excellence in education
through teaching, research, and community involvement. Our primary
goal is to provide a balanced approach emphasizing theory, research,
and application so that our students are prepared for a diversity
of opportunities.
Through coursework,
research experience, and internship opportunities, the Department
provides a curriculum that is intended to:
- provide students
with an overview of the disciplines of Psychology, Sociology,
and Anthropology and to broaden the understanding of individual
and group behavior for students in all academic majors;
- prepare students
for a wide range of careers in fields that value a liberal arts
education with an emphasis on the behavioral and/or social sciences;
- prepare students
for professional or graduate study
KQIs for the Psychology
major
KQI 1: Critical thinking
competencies
[critical success factors are taken from Ennis
and Norris, (1989)]
- Students will develop
the ability to critically analyze theories and research for
application in professional settings. Students should be able
to…
- identify a problem
and focus on the relevant issues.
- recognize and defend
against common thinking fallacies.
- ask and answer
questions that clarify and challenge existing theories, methodologies,
and applications of primary areas in psychology.
- assess the credibility
of a source.
- ask and answer
questions that clarify and challenge personal values and belief
systems.
- identify and analyze
key assumptions about behavioral science.
- Students will transfer
the aforementioned critical thinking skills to personal, social,
and ethical domains. Students should
- have solid reasoning
skills.
- recognize the value
of psychology in understanding and suggesting solutions for
real-world problems.
- develop an appreciation
the value of psychological science in society.
KQI 2: Communications
competencies
- Students should
demonstrate competency in written and oral communication abilities.
Students must demonstrate
- competency in their
ability to independently produce written work following guidelines
mandated by the American Psychological Association.
- competency in their
ability to make an effective oral presentation.
- an understanding
of themselves and others in a cultural context and develop interpersonal
skills for diverse settings.
KQI 3: Competency in
the scientific study of behavior
- Students must demonstrate
the ability to apply principles of the scientific method to
the study of behavior. Students will
- demonstrate competency
in designing research.
- participate in
all phases of research projects.
- present their research
in a variety of formats.
- Students must demonstrate
competency in using and interpreting quantitative methods. Students
will demonstrate
- declarative knowledge
of statistical concepts.
- an ability to complete
statistical procedures.
- conditional knowledge
of quantitative methods.
KQI 4: Professional
technological competencies
- Students should
show competency in using current technology relevant to the
study of psychology. Students should
- be able to use
computers to analyze data.
- be able to use
computers to locate and obtain information.
- be able to use
electronically-enhanced learning aids.
KQI 5: Demonstrate ethical
and professional behavior
- Students will be
introduced to the ethical principles of the American Psychological
Association and the American Counseling Association. Students
must demonstrate ethical behavior in
- professional relationships.
- scholarly work.
- research and independent
studies.
- internships and
field placements.
KQI 6: Demonstrate sensitivity
to individual differences
- Students will be
introduced to information that will broaden their definition
of diversity. Students must demonstrate
- an appreciation
of their broadened definition of diversity into their coursework,
into their classroom behavior, and into their interpretation
of psychological theories and principles.
- an understanding
of how diversity issues affect and/or are related to psychological
functioning.
- an understanding
of how diversity issues affect and/or are related to social
issues and/or problems
|
