Psychology

Psychology is a scientific field concerned primarily with human behavior and related sensory, motor, cognitive, and physiological processes. The subject matter of psychology covers a wide range of topics related to many career objectives. As a major, it can prepare students for graduate study in various areas of psychology, education, or counseling, and for careers in teaching, counseling, research, and administration or supervision in educational or institutional settings. The department provides students with information in the various areas of psychology, which should increase their understanding of themselves and others and enable them to apply scientific methods to the solution of problems. The Department of Psychology at Gallaudet University has existed for more than 60 years, originally teaching aspects of this field to undergraduate students. In 1978, a graduate program in school psychology was established to train psychologists interested in working in educational settings with deaf and hard of hearing students (as well as with hearing students). In 1990, a doctoral program in clinical psychology began to train graduate students in clinical and research skills applicable to hearing and deaf populations, but with a focus on deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The department offers graduate degrees in school psychology and clinical psychology. The clinical psychology program offers a doctoral degree (Ph.D.), which includes a master's degree (M.A.); the school psychology program offers a specialist degree (Psy.S.) in school psychology, which includes a master's degree (M.A.) in developmental psychology. The department currently has 15 full-time faculty plus several adjunct and part-time faculty members. Faculty are active in graduate and undergraduate teaching, research, and various professional and service activities. Students and faculty often engage in collaborative research efforts with other academic departments and with the Gallaudet Research Institute.

Honors in Psychology:

The department offers a special honors program for majors that provides an opportunity for academically qualified students to graduate with distinction in psychology. The program consists of:

At least three Honors Option courses in which the student does a special honors project in a regular course.
A Senior Honors Seminar, and
An independent research project under the supervision of a faculty member.

The honors program is open to students with junior class standing, an overall GPA of at least 3.3, and a GPA of 3.5 in psychology courses.

Psi Chi Honor Society:

Psychology majors and minors are eligible to apply for membership in Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology. A chapter of Psi Chi was established at Gallaudet in 1997. The purpose of Psi Chi is to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. To receive the honor of Psi Chi membership, students must:

Have a GPA of at least 3.0 in psychology courses as well as in their overall cumulative GPA, and be in the upper 35% of their class in general scholarship;
Have completed at least three semesters of the college curriculum;
Have completed nine semester hours of psychology courses;
Have high standards of personal behavior;
Have a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at a regular meeting of the Psi Chi Chapter.

Declaring a Major

Requirements for Admission to a Major in Psychology

Prospective majors must first have an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and complete the following pre-major and GSR courses with a "C" or better:

PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology

Prospective majors then meet with the undergraduate program director to determine if they have satisfied the academic requirements and to complete the form for declaring a major in psychology. During this initial contact, the student receives written information about psychology course requirements for graduation. Additionally, the student may select a major advisor or have an advisor assigned by the program director. To continue in the Psychology major, a student must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 in major courses.

Undergraduate Majors and Minors offered: