Psychology

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Psychology Overview

Chatham University’s psychology program will give you a valuable opportunity to explore contemporary theory and research in psychology while teaching you to think scientifically about behavior and mental processes and to appreciate and to respect others and their differences. Students are equipped with knowledge of the fundamentals of psychology as well as with critical and creative thinking, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. Our faculty takes pride in teaching and strives to make courses rigorous, challenging, interesting, and innovative while shaping you into a well-rounded, world-ready graduate.
Degrees Offered
  • BA
Program School

What I like best about the psychology department is the cohesion of the department as a whole; the willingness to find answers to questions and the ability to use each other’s strengths to solve conflicts. The professors’ involvement in creating a positive and welcoming environment is greatly appreciated, as is their willingness to help students and encourage them.

— CHATHAM PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT

Close-up photo of a hand holding an iPhone while typing on an emoji keyboard.

An Emoji Is Worth...What, Exactly?

Dr. Riordan studies computer-mediated communication (such as texts, instant messaging, and emails), and she recently published a study in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology about emojis.

Explore the Psychology Degree:

  • Co-author scholarly papers and present your work at professional conferences.
  • Psychology faculty members have been featured on the Today show explaining their research on emojis, and named to Nerdscholar’s 40 Under 40: Professors Who Inspire list.
  • Seniors in good standing can take up to two classes from the graduate counseling program.

Foundations of Behavioral Research
This course examines the scientific method employed by social scientists. Topics include types of variables, validity and reliability, research ethics, experimentation, and field research. Students will conduct research and write scientific papers in areas of social science.  

Social Psychology
An examination of human social behavior with an emphasis on social influences that people have upon the beliefs or behaviors of others. The course covers methods of inquiry as well as the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another. Representative topics include conformity, persuasion, social cognition, prejudice, aggression, and interpersonal relationships.

Addiction
This course will provide a broad dimensional perspective about how the brain and behavior are affected by drugs and other addictive behaviors. Neuroscientific theories of addiction, treatment considerations, biological and personality factors affecting vulnerability to addiction, and prevention strategies will be discussed.

View Full Curriculum

Our Faculty

If one word could best sum up Chatham's faculty, it would be engaged. Professors bring experiences to relate the course lessons to real-world situations.

Full Faculty
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Present Research at Conferences

Students and faculty from Chatham’s psychology program have presented research at conferences locally, nationally, and internationally, including the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference which has been supported by the University for more than 35 years.

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Program Satisfaction

Psychology is one of the largest majors at Chatham, with over 20% of the seniors being enrolled in the program. Over the last ten years, more than 95% of our students report they are glad they majored in psychology and would recommend psychology to entering students.

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Honor Society

Chatham University has been a chartered member of the National Honor Society of Psychology Studies, known as Psi Chi, since 1991. At the national level, the benefits of membership include grants and awards for scholarship, and attendance at conferences. At Chatham, Psi Chi members meet to further their interest in the study of Psychology, as well as to plan service activities to enhance well-being both on campus and in the broader community.

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Real-World Applications

Students in the integrative capstone course have worked on research with direct impact on the Chatham campus community, including an evaluation of gendered language in University policy/documents; design and implementation of data collection strategies for a campus climate survey; and design of a campus survey on gender and sexual violence prevalence.

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Successful Careers

Graduates from our program have gone on to careers in academia, mental health, medicine, law, occupational and physical therapy, and business.

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The American Sociological Association Conference

Aubrey Shombert ‘18 and Liz Peace ‘17, attended the 2018 American Sociological Association (ASA) conference in Philadelphia with Dr. Nichole Bayliss to present their paper, “Race-Based Threat Identification: Expressions of Fragility, Privilege, and Guilt in White Participants.”

Do you have questions?

We make it easy to get in touch:

Call Us

800-837-1290

Text Us

412-419-3772 (standard text/SMS rates will apply)

Email Us

undergraduate@chatham.edu

Request Information

Complete our Request for Information form

Or, answer a few questions and we will be glad to help.

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