Psychology Department Mission

The Psychology Department at Lebanon Valley College seeks to foster an understanding of human behavior that is built on a scientific foundation and is applied to real-world phenomena and problems.  The curriculums within our programs are student-oriented, liberal arts endeavors that prepare students, following graduation, for applied entry positions in the workforce, or for graduate studies in a range of areas such as psychology, neuroscience, biology, social work, medicine/health professions, business, education, and law. The programs allow our students to become psychology- and neuroscience-literate individuals who can (a) learn independently, (b) clearly articulate their knowledge, (c) utilize their intellectual skills to investigate novel topics, (d) attain significant professional accomplishments within their chosen field, and (e) apply their knowledge towards understanding and shaping behavior-related public policies, critically analyzing media-based coverage of psychological/neuroscience topics, and enhancing various elements of their own and others’ lives.  This approach is consistent with the mission of the College, which is to “develop students who think critically and creatively across boundaries; who solve complex problems; who communicate effectively; and who value differences among human beings. Our graduates are empowered to pursue a life of learning, citizenship, and success.”

The Department offers students the benefits of a strong classroom-based traditional background in the core subdisciplines of psychology and neuroscience, along with providing opportunities to become involved in their field in an applied manner. Many majors gain practical knowledge through (a) participation in independent and collaborative research projects under the guidance and supervision of individual faculty members, as well as (b) our extensive internship program, which allows students to receive college credit for work experience relevant to their particular interests within psychology or neuroscience. Overall, the Department of Psychology at Lebanon Valley College offers the ‘best of both worlds’: experiences and facilities usually associated only with larger universities, along with individualized instruction and advisement characteristics of small liberal arts institutions. The experiences offered by the Department are valuable not only in terms of making students’ learning activities engaging while on campus, but also set them up for productive careers.  This conclusion is supported by a 2014 survey from the Gallup organization, where it was found that students were significantly more likely to be thriving in their careers when their undergraduate work involved professors who cared about their success and challenged them through intensive projects such as research, internships, and extracurricular practices.  These are hallmark features of what occurs here at the College, and the long-term outcomes of our graduates (presented later in this document) attest to the validity of this conclusion.

 

Psychology Department Goals and Objectives

1. Acquisition
   • Students will demonstrate effective reading comprehension skills.
   • Students will demonstrate effective information literacy skills.
      
2. Assembly
   • Students will articulate the relationship between theory and data. 
   • Students will synthesize information from different sources when developing conclusions.
     
     
3. Analysis
   • Students will analyze and interpret data appropriately. 
   • Students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of methods, theories, and/or evidence.
     
     
4. Application
   • Students will use scientific principles to solve problems.
   • Students will be prepared to create an appropriate application for post-graduate placement aligned with personal interests.
     
     
5. Articulation
   • Students will communicate effectively in written form.
   • Students will communicate effectively in oral form.