The Psychology Major

The mission of the Psychology major (associate degree) at Dean is to introduce students to a practical understanding of and a theoretical foundation in the discipline of psychology. The major is designed to prepare a student for the pursuit of a baccalaureate degree in developmental, clinical, educational, or social psychology.

Through the course of study in the Associate Degree in Psychology, students will be provided an opportunity to learn how to:

• understand the academic discipline of psychology as a social science.
• understand contemporary perspectives in the discipline of psychology, including the biological, behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, humanistic and cross-cultural models.
• apply contemporary perspectives in the discipline of psychology to the study of: abnormal behavior (including a familiarity with the current version of the DSM); the biological, cognitive, behavioral and psychosocial domains of child or adolescent development; the teaching and learning process; and the cross-cultural diversity of human behavior.
• understand the historical and social trends in psychopathology, child or adolescent development, educational psychology and cross-cultural psychology.
• understand the diversity of human behavior and the psychosocial factors contributing to that diversity.

Since psychology is the study of how people process their experiences and how they behave, a Psychology major is a good preparation for any career that involves interactions with people, including positions in teaching, sales, management, law, social work, or religion. According to the American Psychological Association, specific career paths with a Psychology degree include school, community, health or consumer psychology; industrial/organizational psychology; counseling psychology; human relations; teaching and research. In short, a Psychology major can prepare you for a wide range of careers and for lifelong learning.