Psychology (PSY)

411 William R. Murchie Science Building
(810) 762-3424
FAX (810) 762-3426
Website: http://www.umflint.edu/psychology/

Chair: Dr. Thomas A. Wrobel

Principal Secretary: Sharon Mittan

Professors Thomas A. Wrobel, Eric Freedman; Associate Professors Susan Gano-Phillips, Marianne P. McGrath; Assistant

Professors Terrence Horgan, Michael Jarvinen, Jeannette Whitmore; Lecturers Allen Bellamy, Harriett Nordstrom.

Professors Emeriti: Paul M. Bronstein, Harry Frank, Donald M. Pollie, Alfred C. Raphelson, Ronald E. Silverman, Harriet M. Wall.

Psychology is the branch of knowledge concerned with the study of behavior and mental processes. Modern psychology is rooted in a variety of traditions including philosophy, medicine, and biology, and therefore covers a wide area of study and involves a great diversity of activities. It is an academic discipline with a long and productive tradition of scholarship and scientific research. It also is a profession that conducts and applies the products of research in the arena of human services. In addition, fields such as education, law, medicine, social services, management, advertising, industrial engineering, environmental design, and public administration draw upon psychological principles. Psychology examines behavior and mental processes at a variety of levels from the molecular (e.g., the role of particular chemicals in brain function) to the global (e.g., the role of cultural factors in promoting achievement motivation). Students of psychology have the opportunity to learn how people sense and perceive their environment, process and remember information, experience emotions, and cope with the difficulties they encounter. In addition, they learn how all of these processes vary from person to person, from age to age, and from one social context to another. Through an understanding of basic mental processes, a deeper understanding of people’s problems and procedures for dealing with these problems can be gained.

Department Mission and Program Assessment

The Psychology Department offers degree programs that serve a variety of constituencies, including students with a broad general interest in human behavior, students who are preparing for graduate programs in academic or professional psychology, students preparing for pre-professional employment in human services, and students who wish to teach psychology in secondary schools. The Department participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://www.umflint.edu/assessment/.

Programs in Psychology

Seven concentration programs are offered: the General Program in Psychology (Bachelor of Arts) , the Program in Research Psychology (Bachelor of Science) , the Clinical/Community Program in Psychology (Bachelor of Science) , the Honors Program in Psychology (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) , the Joint Program in Social Sciences with an Emphasis on Psychology (see “Social Sciences, Joint Program”) , the Joint Program in Philosophy and Psychology (see “Philosophy”) , and the Teacher’s Certificate Program (Bachelor of Arts) . Also offered is a Joint BS/MPA program. (See the “Graduate Study ” section of this Catalog.) A Minor in Psychology and a Teacher’s Certificate Minor in Psychology are also available.