Undergraduate Degree in Psychology
The Psychology program of the Hamilton Holt School provides an overview of the diverse field of psychology along with opportunities for application and demonstration of important principles.
prepare for grad school or a career in psychology
The Psychology program of the Hamilton Holt School provides an overview of the diverse field of psychology along with opportunities for application and demonstration of important principles. The curriculum aligns with best practices outlined by the American Psychological Association and provides all students with a broad understanding of psychological content.
The Psychology program also allows students to select from one of three concentration areas, referred to as domains. Students may select from one of the domains listed below:
- General Psychology - provides general education across the discipline.
- Clinical & Counseling - prepares students for graduate school in these specific areas, as well as roles that have direct interaction with patients.
- Industrial & Organizational Psychology - prepares students to help companies improve productivity by understanding human behavior in the workplace.
Career Outcomes
The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics expects occupations for psychologists to grow 14 percent by 2028 with an average median salary over $80,000. Employment of clinical, counseling, and school psychologists is projected to grow because of greater demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and social service agencies. Demand for clinical and counseling psychologists will increase as people continue to turn to psychologists.
Program Spotlight
An unexpected internship leads to a unique position at AdventHealth. Alexis Meeks ’16, a psychology major used cross disciplinary and problem solving skills learned at Rollins to land her an opportunity at Project Fulcrum. Read her full story here.
curriculum
The requirements for the Psychology program at the Hamilton Holt School includes general education courses, major courses, and general elective courses designed to prepare students for the selected career path and fosters critical thinking across various areas of content knowledge.
General Education Courses
The Hamilton Holt School general education requirements includes completion of 10 courses that are divided into two categories.
General Education Distribution Courses
Students select one (1) course in each of the following areas:
- Expressive Arts
- Literature
- Scientific Perspective
- Quantitative Thinking
- Written Communication
Students select three (3) courses from the following areas:
- Global Citizenship
- Responsible Leadership and Civic Knowledge
NOTE: Students who have earned an associates of arts (AA) degree are exempt from taking these courses.
General Education Hamilton Holt Courses
- ENGW 280 Writing in the Liberal Arts
- INT 200 Introduction to Liberal Studies
Major Courses
The Psychology major requires the completion of 13 courses divided into two categories – Major Required courses and Major Elective courses as outlined below:
Major Required Courses
- PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
- PSY 252 Research Methods & Statistics I
- PSY 257 Research Methods & Statistics II
- PSY 480 Research Seminar OR PSY 397 Internship in Psychology
Major Elective Courses
Students will select a total of nine major elective courses, at least two of which will be from the individual context domain and two from the thought and behavior domain, all must be at the 300-level.
General Elective Courses
Students in the Psychology program will select 12 elective courses or a minor to complete their degree. Elective courses are offered across a broad range of topics designed to help students gain greater knowledge and varied perspectives.
Additional information about specific courses, course descriptions and academic policies can be found in the Rollins College – Hamilton Holt Academic Catalog.
Minor Courses
The Psychology minor requires the completion of eight (8) courses, as outlined below:
- PSY 101, PSY 301, PSY 304
- One 200-level major option course
- Two 300-level major option courses
- Two Psychology electives (one of which must be at the 300/400 level)
psychology mission
The Rollins College Psychology Department uses the methods and content of psychological science so that you will (1) understand the reasons behind your own and others’ behavior; (2) become competent and critical decision makers; (3) respect human diversity; and (4) fulfill your social responsibilities.
Global Citizenship
Psychology is diverse, so you will be exposed to a variety of fields and perspectives within the discipline to gain a broad-based knowledge and appreciation of how psychologists seek to understand the world.
Responsible Leadership
Psychology is practice, so you will gain experience in applying psychological principles and methods for understanding and solving “real world” problems.
Psychology is collaborative, so you will work with the faculty and your peers inside and outside the classroom in order to draw on the expertise of others, share individual areas of expertise with others, and create a supportive learning community.
Productive Careers
Psychology is science, so you will learn the philosophy and principles of science and be well versed in theory, methods, and statistics (i.e., the foundations of scientific inquiry).
Psychology is challenging, so you should expect a curriculum that requires you to question your preconceptions, to practice skeptical inquiry, to engage in analytic and synthetic thinking, to show tolerance for views that you may not share, and to struggle with work that is difficult but often rewarding.
Meaningful Lives
Psychology is honorable, so you will learn the values deemed important in psychology and strive to comply with accepted ethical principles in research and practice.
Psychology is empowering, so although the faculty and curriculum offer guidance to you in your courses and endeavors, you ultimately will be responsible for shaping your own educational experience.