Program Overview

Introduction to the Psychology Program

The psychology department at Wake Forest University aims to provide a rigorous and stimulating undergraduate education in both content and methods of psychology. The program emphasizes research over applied work, with research being a central component of many courses. This approach provides the best preparation for applied graduate work as well as a strong foundation for a wide array of jobs.

Program Details

• The psychology major provides broad exposure to basic areas of psychology, along with an in-depth understanding of the methods by which psychological research is conducted.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher in psychology courses is required to graduate with a major or minor in psychology.
• PSY 151 is a prerequisite to all courses of a higher number.
• Courses numbered below 151 do not count toward Division IV requirements or toward the major in psychology.

Courses

• PSY 100: Learning to Learn: A course designed for first and second-year students who wish to improve their academic performance through the application of learning, study, memory, and time management strategies.
• PSY 151: Introductory Psychology: A systematic survey of psychology as the scientific study of behavior.
• PSY 241: Developmental Psychology: Surveys physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development in humans from conception to death.
• PSY 243: Biopsychology: An introduction to the biological substrates and processes that govern behavior.
• PSY 245: Survey of Abnormal Behavior: Study of problem behaviors such as depression, alcoholism, antisocial personality, the schizophrenias, and pathogenic personality patterns.
• PSY 248: Cognitive Psychology: Surveys theory and research on cognitive processes.
• PSY 255: Personality: Survey of theory and research on the structure and function of human personality.
• PSY 260: Social Psychology: A survey of the field, including theories of social behavior, interpersonal attraction, attitudes and attitude change, and group behavior.
• PSY 265: Human Sexuality: Explores the psychological and physiological aspects of human sexuality.
• PSY 267: Stress and Coping: A cross-disciplinary survey of theory and research on the social, biological, cognitive, and developmental mechanisms underlying stress and coping with stress.
• PSY 268: Industrial/Organization Psychology: Psychological principles and methods applied to problems commonly encountered in business and industry.
• PSY 275: Internship in Psychology: Field work in pre-approved settings under the supervision of qualified professionals.
• PSY 280: Directed Study: Student research performed under faculty supervision.
• PSY 310: Methods in Psychological Research: Introduces statistics and research design for students minoring in psychology.
• PSY 311: Research Methods I: Design and statistical analysis of correlational research.
• PSY 312: Research Methods II: Design and statistical analysis of experimental methods.
• PSY 313: History and Systems of Psychology: The development of psychological thought and research from ancient Greece to the present.
• PSY 320: Physiological Psychology: Provides an in-depth examination of the nervous system and the physiological processes that underlie sensation, motor control, thinking, and emotion.
• PSY 322: Psychopharmacology: A survey of the influences of a wide range of psychoactive drugs on human physiology, cognition, and behavior.
• PSY 323: Animal Behavior: A survey of laboratory and field research on animal behavior.
• PSY 326: Learning Theory and Research: Theory and current research in learning, with emphasis on applications of learning principles for behavior modification.
• PSY 329: Perception: Survey of theory and research findings on various sensory systems.
• PSY 331: Research in Cognitive Psychology: In-depth examination of research in a selected area of cognitive psychology.
• PSY 338: Emotion: Survey of theory, methods, and research in the area of emotion.
• PSY 341: Research in Developmental Psychology: Methodological issues and selected research in developmental psychology.
• PSY 345: Positive Psychology: The Science of Well-Being: A cross- and inter-disciplinary survey of theory and research on the conceptualization and measurement of well-being.
• PSY 351: Personality Research: The application of a variety of research procedures to the study of human personality.
• PSY 355: Research in Social Psychology: Methodological issues and selected research in the study of the human as a social animal.
• PSY 357: Cross-Cultural Psychology: An examination of differences in psychological processes associated with cultural variation.
• PSY 359: Psychology of Gender: An exploration of the psychological similarities and differences between human males and females.
• PSY 362: Psychological Testing: An overview of the nature of psychological assessment, emphasizing the construction and evaluation of psychological tests.
• PSY 364: Stereotyping and Prejudice: Theoretical and empirical examination of the processes underlying prejudice, discrimination, and racism.
• PSY 367: Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships: Surveys characteristics and issues of parenting and parent-child relationships.
• PSY 374: Research in Judgment and Decision Making: A theoretical and empirical examination of how people make decisions and judgments.
• PSY 381: Honors Seminar: Seminar on selected problems in psychology.
• PSY 383: Honors Research: Seminar in selected issues in research design, followed by independent empirical research.
• PSY 392: Contemporary Issues in Psychology: Seminar treatment of current theory and research in several areas of psychology.

Faculty

• Chair: Christy M. Buchanan
• Professors: Terry D. Blumenthal, Christy M. Buchanan, Dale Dagenbach, William W. Fleeson, R. Michael Furr, Eranda Jayawickreme, Lisa Kiang, John V. Petrocelli, Wayne E. Pratt, Eric R. Stone, Christian E. Waugh
• Research Professors: Deborah L. Best, Catherine E. Seta
• Associate Professors: Janine M. Jennings, Lara K. Kammrath, E.J. Masicampo
• Assistant Professors: Shannon T. Brady, Veronica T. Cole, S. Mason Garrison, Anthony W. Sali, Katherine E. Scott
• Associate Teaching Professors: Heath L. Greene, Melissa L. Maffeo
• Adjunct Associate Professor: Alan S. Cameron
• Adjunct Assistant Professors: Kate R. Allman, Phillip G. Batten, M. Patrick Gallagher
• Visiting Assistant Professors: Kathleen Bettencourt, Sara E. Mendonça, Leigh D. Watson
• Teacher-Scholar Postdoctoral Fellow: Emily Oor

Degree Options

• Psychology, B.A.: The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology provides a comprehensive education in psychology, preparing students for a variety of careers or graduate studies.
• Psychology, Minor: The minor in psychology offers students the opportunity to explore the field of psychology in conjunction with their major area of study.