Department of Psychology
The Psychology Department at Concordia University is home to the Psychology major.
Program Distinctions
The psychology degree at Concordia University is solidly grounded in the Christian liberal arts tradition. The primary mission of the psychology faculty is to present students with a wide range of courses which will broaden their understanding of human behavior while also encouraging the development of students' ability to think critically about complex interpersonal and societal issues.
Academic rigor and a balanced emphasis between the science and practice of the discipline of psychology reside at the core of the undergraduate degree in psychology. Students are also regularly challenged to consider the importance of bringing psychology science to bear on the personal and group challenges reflected in society.
A recent 2009 survey of social science graduates (from the last 10 years) showed that 87% of our students were accepted into their desired graduate school programs after graduation. Our graduates also rated the department very highly in teaching the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings in psychology and very highly in the application of psychological science to real-world concerns. Lastly, our alumni in psychology reported that what they most enjoyed about their time in the department included the variety of courses offered, the development of their writing and presentation skills, and ample opportunities for peer collaboration in- and outside of the classroom.
For their last year in the major in psychology, psychology students complete "the capstone experience" which is comprised of either the undergraduate internship or the senior thesis, an independent research project undertaken in close collaboration with a faculty member in the department. Internship sites have typically included community mental health agencies, public elementary schools, university counseling centers, and public social service agencies. Senior thesis topics range widely including research questions pertaining to the formation of eating disorders, attachment and the influence of parenting, the construction of gender in sport psychology, and factors predicting interpersonal attraction, among many others.
As noted earlier, Concordia psychology majors are regularly accepted for admission to highly competitive graduate school programs in professional and applied psychology and they remain highly sought-after as employees in educational settings and in mental health and social service agencies, often before they even graduate college.
Psychology continues to be a highly engaging and popular field of study. We hope that you will contact us with any questions you might have about studying the science of psychology at Concordia University!