Department of Psychology
| Department Chair: |
John I. Bechtold |
| Administrative Assistant: |
Donna Zack |
| Professors: |
J. Bechtold, H. Danso, C. Jantzi |
| Associate Professors: |
J. Thomson, V. Lemmon |
| Senior Lecturer: |
D. Brockman |
Majors and Minors
The Department of Psychology offers the following majors:
Biopsychology (B.S.) (see Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors)
Psychology (B.A.) with optional concentration in Clinical Psychology (B.S.)
Psychology (B.S.)
Psychology (B.S.) with Pre-Occupational Therapy/Occupational Therapy MOT
The Department of Psychology offers the following minors:
Pre-counseling and Therapy (Details in Interdisciplinary section)
Psychology
Psychology
Each of the degrees in Psychology help students develop a more sophisticated understanding of the person. Psychology students will examine such mental phenomena as consciousness, perception, learning, memory, intelligence, interpersonal relations, motivation, and development in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Students who want more flexibility in their degree may choose to pursue a B.A. degree. Students who wish to earn a degree that is more directly related to science may choose to pursue a B.S. degree. Students who may wish to become counselors or seek an entry-level position in counseling-related field may choose to pursue the B.A. with a clinical concentration. Some graduate schools prefer applicants who have a B.S. degree while other schools do not have a preference between the B.A. or the B.S. Students are encouraged to talk with their advisor at Messiah so that he or she can help them make the best decision about which degree to choose.
The Department of Psychology offers both clinically oriented courses such as personality, counseling theories, psychological testing, and counseling skills, and experimentally oriented courses such as biological basis of behavior, sensation and perception, cognition, and social psychology. In addition, courses in statistics, research methods, and experimental psychology provide students with the experiences and knowledge necessary to either continue their study in graduate school or seek employment immediately following graduation.
Psychology Majors can choose from a variety of minors such as Bible, business, communication, early childhood education, Christian ministries, gerontology, human development and family science, sociology, criminal justice, or anthropology. Students in our majors are encouraged to spend a semester studying abroad and/or participate in a practicum or internship off campus. Opportunities are available for professionally supervised participation in community mental health centers, retirement facilities, hospitals, prisons, crisis intervention centers, drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, and other service agencies in the area.