Print this page. About the Program
Psychology is a social science concerned with the study of behavior. The Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina is located in Barnwell College, off the historic Horseshoe. We offer two undergraduate degrees, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS). Both provide training in the theories and practices of psychology, combined with a liberal arts background. The department provides a wide range of services to students, the University, and the community. Human research facilities include soundproof rooms for research in clinical, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social psychology. Two-way observation rooms also are available throughout the department for research, teaching, and supervising clinical skill courses. The department has extensive experimental equipment, mechanical and electrical shops, and computer technologies.
Career Opportunities
An undergraduate degree in psychology can lead to a variety of careers such as:
• public opinion analyst
• market research analyst
• occupational analyst
• guidance counselor
• educator
• educational psychologist
• therapist
• personnel management specialist
The baccalaureate curriculum requires 53 to 65 hours of general education requirements, 32 hours of major requirements composed of psychology courses numbered 226 or above, and 12 to 18 hours of cognates from the College of Arts and Sciences. You must also complete arts and sciences electives. If you plan to major in psychology, you should also take basic science credits in biology and chemistry or physics. This is especially important if you are contemplating graduate work.
Of Special Interest
The Journal of School Psychology has ranked the productivity of faculty research in the Department of Psychology as one of the top two nationally. Our facilities include state-of-the-art equipment for research in human and animal behavior. We also have an Undergraduate Student Services Office that is available to all psychology majors. An undergraduate coordinator and peer counselors staff the office. They advise, assist, and provide helpful information to approximately 850 undergraduate psychology majors. Our faculty members are active in psychology research. Their work explores the diversity of the field—from human learning and group processes to the social aspects of aging and behavior modification. Research support is obtained from a number of national agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the National Science Foundation. We also have a chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology majors, as well as a chapter of the Student Psychological Association.
Psychology Department's Web site