Psychology (BA)

The undergraduate Psychology Department at Dominican University of California is committed to providing a comprehensive, human-centered, and culturally sensitive foundation in the psychological sciences, inclusive of theory, research, and practice, in an atmosphere that models mutual respect and encourages individual challenge.

The undergraduate Psychology Department offers courses in several basic areas within the field: clinical psychology and counseling, human development, health and sports psychology, communication, social psychology, business/organizational psychology, cognition, and biological psychology.

Classes take the form of seminars, lectures, experiential exercises and simulations, demonstrations, guided research, and independent study, all of which are intended to stimulate active student participation in learning. The undergraduate program provides a wide variety of fieldwork placements, as well as specific research opportunities through the senior research requirement. Students are also encouraged to attend professional psychological conventions and seminars, and undergraduate research conferences, and to develop research projects with faculty. The program’s size allows for one-on-one interaction with the department’s well-qualified faculty, which includes practicing psychologists, acclaimed teachers, and researchers.

The undergraduate Psychology Department encourages active student involvement in departmental issues through a number of student-faculty activities. The Psychology Club sponsors topic/discussion sessions with speakers from the community, field trips, movies, social gatherings, and an ongoing support group. Academic, career, and graduate school advising are available through specified courses, workshops, peer advising, and appointments with faculty.

Psi Chi

The Dominican Chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, sponsors guest speakers, research, and social events for undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. The Psi Chi Book Award is presented at the annual awards banquet to the student who has contributed most in the way of service to the department or to the field of psychology. Students are eligible after completion of 12 upper division units. A high standard of scholarship is required for admission to Psi Chi. (3.3 GPA in Psychology coursework and 3.0 GPA overall).

Curriculum

The undergraduate psychology curriculum is based on a model which integrates theory, research and practice. In addition to the fundamental core curriculum, there are two components which make the Dominican psychology curriculum distinctive: first-hand experience in the field and the selection of a personal focus. The senior thesis research project stands as a culminating experience to students’ education at Dominican. The senior thesis (PSY 4997 and PSY 4998) requires students to design and conduct, under faculty supervision, their own research on a topic of their choice. By integrating their research topic with a field placement in the same content area, students obtain additional specialized knowledge of and first-hand experience in their own area of interest.