Psychology
Get Psyched About Psychology
At Georgian Court University, a B.A. in Psychology offers you opportunities to investigate and understand human behavior. Our expert faculty members are psychology professionals—in the classroom and in private practice—who deliver real life experiences to their students through internships and research projects. Opportunities for psychology majors are endless, and whether you work independently or with faculty on research projects, GCU’s robust psychology curriculum is designed to help you succeed in one of five optional focus areas:
- mental health and human services,
- human development,
- business and industry,
- applied behavior analysis, or
- addiction counseling.
With so many options, you can tailor the psychology program to meet your interests and personal aspirations. Graduates often pursue employment in mental health, business, government, education, health care, or social sciences—all fields in which they can help individuals, organizations, and entire communities.
Psychology Program Highlights
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Program Information
To earn this degree, you must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including your General Education requirements and the major requirements below.
Major Sequence
At a minimum, all psychology majors are required to complete 36 semester hours of credit in psychology. As part of these 36 hours, students must take a series of 30 or 31 credits of core courses.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | 30-31 | |
PS111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
or PS113 | Foundations of Psychology | |
PS214 | Intermediate Issues in Psychology | 3 |
PS223 | Psychopathology | 3 |
or PS245 | Psychology of the Exceptional Child | |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
PS221 | Child & Adolescent Development | |
PS224 | Adult Development | |
PS227 | Lifespan Development | |
PS232 | Intro to Stats for the Beh Sciences | 3 |
PS332 | Psychology of Learning | 3 |
or PS360 | Cognitive Psychology | |
PS334 | Social Psychology | 3 |
PS341 | Biological Psychology | 3 |
PS430 | Rsrch Mthds & Stats for the Beh Sciences | 3 |
Select one of the following capstone courses: | 3-4 | |
PS431 | Experimental Psychology | |
PS450 | Internship in Psychology | |
PS456 | Internship in Psych:Addictions Treatment | |
PS455 | Senior Seminar | |
Psychology Electives | 5-6 |
As preparation for employment, graduate studies, or pursuing areas of interest, Georgian Court psychology majors have the option of selecting one of five areas:
- Mental Health and Human Services
- Human Development
- Business and Industry
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Addictions Counseling
Selection of these course sequences does not affect the courses required for graduation; the four areas have different recommended courses, as described below.
Mental Health & Human Services
This area is recommended for students pursuing employment in a mental health or human services setting. It is also recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in fields such as counseling and clinical psychology. In addition to the core courses listed above, this course sequence recommends:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Recommended Course Sequence | ||
PS235 | Dynamics of the Group I | 3 |
PS270 | Theories of Personality | 3 |
PS331 | Basic Counseling | 3 |
PS425 | Clinical Methods | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged for the Mental Health & Human Services Area | ||
PS333 | Intro to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
PS450 | Internship in Psychology | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged If Intending to Enter Doctoral Programs in Psychology | ||
PS440 | Supervised Research in Psychology | 3 |
or PS460/461 | Research in Psychology I |
Human Development
This area is recommended for students pursuing certification in education or employment involving human growth and development. It is also recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in fields such as developmental psychology and child psychology. In addition to the core courses listed above, this course sequence recommends:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Recommended Course Sequence | ||
PS221 | Child & Adolescent Development | 3 |
PS225 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
PS270 | Theories of Personality | 3 |
PS333 | Intro to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged for the Human Development Area | ||
PS245 | Psychology of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged If Intending to Enter Doctoral Programs in Psychology | ||
PS440 | Supervised Research in Psychology | 3 |
or PS460/461 | Research in Psychology I |
Business & Industry
This area is recommended for students interested in applying psychological principles to the workplace, such as in human resource development. It is also recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in industrial/organizational psychology. In addition to the core courses listed above, this course sequence recommends:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Recommended Course Sequence | ||
PS315 | Intro to Career Psychology | 3 |
PS330 | Industrial Organizational Psychology | 3 |
BU213 | Mgmt Theory & Org. Behavior | 3 |
BU411 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged for the Business & Industry | ||
PS450 | Internship in Psychology | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged If Intending to Enter Doctoral Programs in Psychology | ||
PS440 | Supervised Research in Psychology | 3 |
or PS460/461 | Research in Psychology I |
Applied Behavior Analysis
This area is recommended for students interested in pursuing a career in applied behavior analysis. In addition to the core courses listed above, this course sequence recommends:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Recommended Course Sequence | ||
PS221 | Child & Adolescent Development | 3 |
PS332 | Psychology of Learning | 3 |
PS333 | Intro to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
Addictions Counseling
This area is recommended for students pursuing employment in addictions counseling. It is also recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in fields such as counseling and clinical psychology. In addition to the core courses listed above, this course sequence recommends:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Recommended Course Sequence | ||
PS270 | Theories of Personality | 3 |
PS281 | Introduction to Addictions & Recovery | 3 |
PS282 | Foundations of Addictions Treatment | 3 |
PS331 | Basic Counseling | 3 |
PS380 | Prof Issues of Addiction Counseling | 3 |
PS456 | Internship in Psych:Addictions Treatment | 3 |
Strongly Encouraged If Intending to Enter Doctoral Programs in Psychology | ||
PS440 | Supervised Research in Psychology | 3 |
or PS460/461 | Research in Psychology I |
Students who complete this sequence of courses are eligible to apply for the Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) license once they have completed the requirements for supervised experience required by the Division of Consumer Affairs of New Jersey.
Psychology Scholars Program
In the PSP, students who enter as first-year students complete the regular requirements for the psychology major and complete the following:
- Take the four University Honors Program courses that are offered in the first two years (EN221 Honors Argument: Rhetoric & Research, EN226 HNR American Literature & Culture, and other honors-level General Education courses)
- Take honors-designated sections of the following required courses for psychology majors:
Course List Code Title Credits PS113 Foundations of Psychology 3 PS223 Psychopathology 3 PS332 Psychology of Learning 3 PS360 Cognitive Psychology 3 PS334 Social Psychology 3 PS341 Biological Psychology 3 PS430 Rsrch Mthds & Stats for the Beh Sciences 3 PS431 Experimental Psychology 4 PS455 Senior Seminar 3 - In addition, complete either
- An internship course
- PS440 Supervised Research in Psychology or
- PS460 Research in Psychology I
Students who are simultaneously enrolled in the PSP and the University Honors program must also complete three courses in the University Honors Program:
- EN221 Honors Argument: Rhetoric & Research
- GEN199 WI:Discovering Self in the Universe
- GEN400 WI:Visioning a Future
Students who transfer into the PSP or enter after the first year:
- Complete the regular requirements for the psychology major;
- Take any of the honors-designated PS courses for which they have not already taken an equivalent; if they are unable to take at least five honors-designated PS courses, they are not eligible for the program. Transfer students do not typically take PS113 Foundations of Psychology, but a student who transfers in with very few psychology credits may be advised to do so.
- Complete the internship or research course requirement for the PSP.
Students may substitute a 300- or 400-level psychology course as honors by contract for a regularly offered PSP course by permission of the program director.
Continuation in the program requires maintenance of honors standing in the PSP. In order to maintain membership in the PSP, students must maintain a GPA of 3.2 or obtain the permission of the program director.
Students who successfully complete the PSP are guaranteed admission to their choice of the GCU Psychology and Counseling M.A. programs, pending an application and a successful interview. In order to retain the automatic admission to the graduate program (conditional upon interview), the student must complete the following:
- Graduation overall GPA 3.5, Psychology GPA 3.6
- No semester GPA below 3.0
- No more than two course grades below B-
Transfer Regulations for all Psychology Majors
Students must complete a minimum of 21 credits in the Psychology program at Georgian Court including one of the capstone courses (PS431 Experimental Psychology or PS450 Internship in Psychology or PS456 Internship in Psych:Addictions Treatment or PS455 Senior Seminar).
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Gain a deeper understanding of human behavior and develop skills in counseling, intervention, and critical thinking with a minor in psychology from GCU.
Minor Sequence
Eighteen credits must be completed in psychology, including
- either PS111 Introduction to Psychology or PS113 Foundations of Psychology and
- PS214 Intermediate Issues in Psychology
At least 9 credits must be completed at Georgian Court, and at least 6 credits must be earned in courses at the 300 or 400 level. Psychology minors can also participate in the Advanced Admission to the M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis program.
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Christopher T. Trigani, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (111)
ctrigani@georgian.edu
732-987-2637
Heather Tacovsky, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
htacovsky@georgian.edu
Joseph M. Springer, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (115)
jspringer@georgian.edu
732-987-2640
Karen J. Kelly, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology and Counseling
School of Arts & Sciences
Mercedes Hall (200)
kkelly@georgian.edu
732-987-2618
Lori Nixon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center, 110
lnixon@georgian.edu
732-987-2655
Lynn M. DeCapua, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center 104
ldecapua@georgian.edu
732-987-2709
Marni Elson-Victor, M.S.
Field Placement Coordinator and Instructor
Psychology and Counseling Department
School of Arts & Sciences
Mercedes Hall (104)
melson-victor@georgian.edu
732-987-2619
Nicola A. Meade, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center
nmeade@georgian.edu
Sherritta Hughes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (306)
shughes@georgian.edu
732-987-2125
Stephanie Rahill, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (109)
srahill@georgian.edu
732-987-2420
Susan E.O. Field, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (112)
sfield@georgian.edu
732-987-2643
Theresa J. Brown, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center (108)
tbrown@georgian.edu
732-987-2642
First-Year Students
Submit:
- Completed application.
- Official high school transcript.
- Required two letters of recommendation.
- Required essay.
Please apply via the Common App.
Transfer Students
Submit:
- Completed application.
- Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities.
- Students with fewer than 24 credits must also submit their high school transcript and SAT or ACT scores.
Please apply via the Common App.