College of Arts and Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Program Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills that they will need in order to identify and solve issues related to human behavior. By encompassing a broad spectrum of knowledge related to human behavior, the program provides students with foundational knowledge and skills that they can apply to a variety of situations.

Program Description
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology program provides students with a strong foundation in general psychology. Students will gain insight into the cognitive and affective processes that underlie the individual human experience through an analysis of a variety of theoretical approaches related to human development and behavior. The courses in this program do not have a clinical emphasis and do not lead to professional licensure. Instead, courses are designed to provide supervisors, managers and other professionals with greater skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration and information utilization through the enhanced understanding of human psychology.

• Students will be able to apply their knowledge base of psychology to effectively solve problems and address issues related to human behavior.
• Students will be able to conceptualize and critically evaluate psychology theory by creating and constructing relevant research, while utilizing scientifically reliable and valid research methods.
• Students will be able to effectively engage in critical thinking to analyze and communicate personal, workplace and social situations in conjunction with how they relate to perspectives in psychological theory and past research findings.
• Students will be able to recognize connections between psychological theory and their own personal thoughts and experiences. These insights will be defined, clarified, scientifically calculated and interpreted utilizing the proper scientific research methods and successfully communicated to others through a multitude of informational avenues.
• Students will recognize the necessity of adhering to ethical principles, respect human diversity and accept the limitations of their psychological knowledge and skills and exemplify these in their daily actions.
• Students will possess a basic knowledge of computer technology in order to access information on the Internet, cite those references appropriately and utilize software that is important to the field of psychology.
• Students will be able to effectively communicate in a variety of formats by articulating psychological principles to formulate ideas and clarify relationships encountered and observed in their personal, social and workplace experiences.
• Students will demonstrate an awareness of the existence and value of socio-cultural diversity on a local and global level by analyzing and communicating how the philosophical underpinnings and ethical values of the psychology discipline are reflected in various psychological theories.
• Students will use psychological knowledge for self-improvement and skill development. They will also demonstrate understanding of the importance of continued learning through professional development.

Faculty Overview
College of Arts and Sciences faculty members have a common purpose: to help students develop analytical and communication skills, creative abilities and a sense of civic responsibility. All of these are needed in our increasingly complex society.

Student Perspectives
Find out what students have to say about pursuing their degrees through the College of Arts and Sciences. Click to read student perspectives.

For additional insight, discover what up-and-coming star Kate Voegele thinks about working toward her Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree at University of Phoenix while on tour. Learn more about Kate Voegele, her music, her education and her life on the road.