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Psychology Major

Earn a bachelor's degree in psychology

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A bachelor's degree in psychology from SBU gives you a scientifically based exploration of the behavioral and mental processes of individuals, preparing you for a variety of career paths. SBU's psych major is people-focused and emphasizes applied, hands-on learning opportunities.

Unique course offerings provide a wide range from which to choose, allowing you to add breadth and depth to your program while choosing courses that best fit your needs and interests. In addition to your psychology major, you also can choose to add a minor in counseling, criminal justice, gerontology, psychology with sports performance, or sociology. A certificate in child care work is also available.

The Psychology bachelor's degree is offered through SBU's College of Arts and Sciences. 

Resources

Major Map (PDF)

Degree Plan

83%
doctoral
faculty

(83% of full-time psychology faculty have a doctorate degree and terminal certification in their field.)

SBU students

The SBU Advantage

  • Learn from faculty with a wide range of first-hand real-world experiences in multiple careers.
  • Small class sizes provide opportunities for personalized instruction and quality relationships.
  • SBU's people-focused approach to psychology equips students with the interpersonal and servant leadership skills that will prepare them for endless career opportunities.
  • Put your learning into action by completing an internship for a local community agency during your junior and/or senior year.

Faith Integration

The intentional integration of Christian faith with the academic discipline distinguishes SBU's psychology school. A Christian perspective of psychology and counseling permeates every course. Faculty are committed to the honest discussion of controversial topics with a fair treatment of multiple points of view, while approaching everything from the lens of a Christian worldview. Students are equipped to become the best professionals they can be in order to be better witnesses for Christ within their chosen professions.

While all courses inherently integrate the Christian faith, the department of behavioral sciences also offers special classes specifically focused on faith integration, such as Psychology of Religion, Sociology of Religion, and Agape Love and Altruism.

The department has adopted 2 Peter 1:5-7 as its department verse: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love."

Internship Opportunities for SBU Psychology Students

  • Working with the developmentally disabled: Arc of the Ozarks, First Serve, Mashburn, Nova Center of the Ozarks
  • Working with kids: Early Intervention Services, high school counselor interns, various camps, therapeutic camps for at-risk kids
  • Working with older adults: Polk County Senior Center, various nursing homes
  • Working in psychoeducation: Polk County Health Department
  • Working with people with mental illness: Polk County Mental Health Court, Cox Hospital inpatient mental health units, Mercy Hospital's Marion Center, Freedom Counseling
  • Working with troubled teens: Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, Lakeland, Regional Girls Shelter
  • Working with people in crisis: Alpha House Pregnancy Resource Center, House of Hope domestic violence shelter, Polk County Drug Court, refugee work in the Middle East

What can you do with a bachelor's degree in psychology?

Careers

Psychology graduates are prepared for a variety of careers including:

  • Clinical and counseling psychology*
  • Group home workers
  • Human resources
  • Industrial-organizational psychology
  • Mental health case workers
  • Ministry and mission work
  • Nonprofit organizational work
  • Physical therapy*
  • Social service workers
  • Sports psychology

*Additional graduate school work required for these careers

Graduate Schools

Many graduates go on to pursue further education at schools such as:

  • SBU's own Doctor of Physical Therapy program
  • Baylor University
  • Biola University
  • Roberts Wesleyan University
  • University of Missouri
  • University of Oklahoma
  • Virginia Commonwealth University

 

Caitlin Gasaway
"SBU provided me with the critical thinking and communications skills that I now use on a daily basis as I work in a multicultural context. SBU encourages holistic development in its students so that they grow intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and relationally."
Caitlin Gasaway '09
Project Specialist at the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging

Clubs and Organizations

Behavioral Sciences Club

As a behavioral sciences student you are encouraged to join SBU's Behavioral Science Club, which unites all students interested in and studying the behavioral sciences, including criminal justice, psychology, social work and sociology. Club members meet regularly to encourage each other and participate in various service projects.

Psi Chi

Join SBU's chapter of Psi Chi, a national honor society for students of psychology who excel in scholarship, display high standards of personal behavior, and seek to advance the science of psychology.

Sociology and Criminal Justice Society (SCJS)

Join SBU's chapter of Sociology and Criminal Justice Society (SCJS), an honor society for behavioral sciences students studying sociology and criminal justice.

Full-Time Faculty

Bill DuVall

Dr. Bill DuVall, Associate Professor
Bill Walkup

Bill Walkup, Assistant Professor
Shelley Kilpatrick

Dr. Shelley Kilpatrick, Division Head
Kevin Schriver

Dr. Kevin Schriver, Professor

Scholarships

Psychology majors have the opportunity to apply for several privately funded scholarships including:

  • Autry and Irene Brown Scholarship
  • Joe B. Shelton Scholarship
  • Parsons Scholarship
  • Rose E. Ray Scholarship
  • Sara McGaha Memorial Scholarship

Psychology Four-Year Plan

Freshman

Fall Semester

ENG 1113 English Composition I 3
PSY 1013 General Psychology 3
BIB 1013 Old Testament History 3
CIS 1103 Computer and Information Management 3
MAT 1243 Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling 3
UNI 1111 University Seminar 1
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

ENG 2213 English Composition II 3
SOC 1003 Introduction to Sociology 3
BIB 1023 New Testament History 3
FAR 10_3 Intro. to Art, Fine Arts, Music or Theatre 3
HIS 2213/2223 U.S. History I or II 3
UNI 1121 Critical Thinking 1
Total hours 16
 

Sophomore

Fall Semester

PSY 2063 Systems of Psychology 3
BEH 2001 Writing for the Behavioral Sciences 1
COM 1103 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 3
BIO 1004 Principles of Biology 4
KIN 1162 Foundations of Physical Fitness/Wellness 2
POL 1113 American Government and Politics 3
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

PHS 1004 Physical Science or Earth Science 4
PSY 3063 Human Growth and Development 3
ECO 2003 LIFE Economics 3
BEH 2233 Introduction to Research 3
SPF 2012 Introduction to Spiritual Formation 2
General elective 3
Total hours 15
 

Junior

Fall Semester

SOC 2012 Human Diversity 2
PSY 3033 Abnormal Psychology 3
  Upper Level Research Core 3
  Upper Level Developmental Core 3
  Upper Level Psychology Core 3
  General Electives 3
Total hours 17

Spring Semester

BEH 3243 Elementary Statistics 3
BEH 3001 Career Exploration and Preparation 1
  Upper Level Applied Core 3
  Upper Psychology Electives 3
  Electives in minor 6
Total hours 16
 

Senior

Fall Semester

BEH 4001 Professional Ethics in Behavioral Sciences 1
  Electives in minor 6
  General Electives 9
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

  Internship (Elective) 6
  Electives in minor 3
  General Electives 6-9
Total hours 15-18

This is a proposed guideline. Please check the catalog and see your advisor for your final degree requirements. Southwest Baptist University reserves the right to make changes to degree plans without advanced notice or obligation. The student is responsible for understanding and completing all general education, degree, departmental and graduation requirements.

The B.A. degree in Psychology requires: (1) Two semesters of a foreign language (6-8 hours), and (2) Thirty-six hours in Psychology. The B.S. degree in Psychology requires the completion of 36 hours in Psychology and completion of one of the following three options: (1) 8-9 hours of upper level sociology, or 8-9 hours of upper level natural science; OR (2) Complete the requirements for a minor within the department OR (3) Complete the requirements for a second major as listed in the catalog. Note: The approved second major from this department would be either Social Work or Criminal Justice.

Download in PDF format:
Psychology plan (PDF)

Psychology Pre-Physical Therapy Four-Year Plan

Freshman

Fall Semester

BIB 1013 Old Testament History 3
UNI 1111 University Seminar 1
BIO 1004 Principles of Biology 4
ENG 1113 English Composition I 3
PSY 1013 General Psychology 3
  Cultural Studies Elective 2
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

UNI 1121 Introduction to Critical Thinking 1
ENG 2213 English Composition II 3
MAT 1243 Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling 3
BIB 1023 New Testament History 3
KIN 1162 Foundations of Physical Fitness/Wellness 2
PSY 2063 Systems of Psychology 3
BEH 2001 Writing for the Behavioral Sciences 1
Total hours 16
 

Sophomore

Fall Semester

CIS 1103 Computer & Information Management 3
BIO 2204 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4
CHE 1115 General Chemistry I 5
SPF 2012 Introduction to Spiritual Formation 2
PSY 3033 Abnormal Psychology 3
Total hours 17

Spring Semester

BIO 3304 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4
CHE 1125 General Chemistry II 5
HIS 2213/2223 U.S. History I or II 3
PSY 3063 Human Growth and Development 3
Total hours 15
 

Junior

Fall Semester

PHY 1115 General Physics I 5
FAR 10_3 Intro. to Art, Fine Arts, Music or Theatre 3
COM 1103 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 3
BEH 3001 Career Exploration and Preparation 1
BEH 2233 Introduction to Research 3
Total hours 15

Spring Semester

BEH 3243 Elementary Statistics 3
PHY 1125 General Physics II 5
BIO 4404 Pathophysiology 4
PTH 1153 Introduction to Physical Therapy 3
Total hours 15
 

Senior

Fall Semester

POL 1113 American Government and Politics 3
PSY ___3 Psychology Developmental Core 3
PSY ___3 Psychology General Research Core 3
PSY ___3 Psychology Elective 3
PSY ___3 Psychology Applied/Counseling Core 3
  Elective 3
Total hours 15=8

Spring Semester

ECO 2003 LIFE Economics 3
BEH 4001 Professional Ethics 1
PSY ___3 Psychology Elective 3
KIN 3073 Exercise Physiology 3
  Electives 6
Total hours 16

NOTE: This plan assumes an ACT math score high enough to meet the College Algebra requirement and high school completion of ENG 1113, English Composition, and CIS 1103, Computer and Information Management.

Download in PDF format:
Psychology Pre-Physical Therapy Plan (PDF)