Bachelor in Psychology

Psychology is defined as “the science of behavior and mental processes, and the application of research findings to the solution of problems.” This definition encompasses an enormous number of specialty areas, and psychologists are the most diverse group of people in our society to share the same title. The core goals of the Psychology Department are:

• Knowledge Base:  to acquire a degree of mastery of fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings in psychology and how psychological principles apply to behavior.
• Critical Thinking:  to become habitually inquisitive, trustful of reason, and honest in facing personal biases; to actively evaluate knowledge and ideas.
• Scientific Inquiry:  to develop an understanding of scientific methodology; to develop skills in using scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena; to develop skills in conducting psychological research with appropriate research methods.
• Communication:  to become competent and confident in the oral and written skills needed to speak and write with facility and sophistication about psychological issues and research.
• Psychology and Responsible, Ethical Citizenship: to become aware of how psychological inquiry informs one’s personal and professional conduct and of the relevance of psychology in developing effective social institutions; to understand how the results of psychological inquiry can inform one’s actions as an ethical, responsible citizen in a diverse world in order to enhance human flourishing.

Advanced Placement Credit

Students who earned a score of 4 or above on the Psychology Advanced Placement exam or 6 or above on the Psychology International Baccalaureate Higher Level exam may earn credit for PSY-101 Introduction to Psychology by taking any 200-level Psychology course and completing it with a grade of B- or better. The department recommends against taking PSY-201 Research Methods & Stats I as a first course in Psychology; students wishing to earn this credit should consult the chair of the Psychology Department for assistance in selecting an appropriate course.  Such PSY-101 Introduction to Psychology credit does not count toward a major or minor in Psychology.

Off-Campus Study

Psychology majors and minors considering taking courses at other campuses, or abroad, should be aware that it is difficult to meet our PSY-201 Research Methods & Statistics I and PSY-202 Research Methods & Statistics II requirements at other schools.

Because both courses combine research methods and statistics, most off-campus statistics courses do not substitute for either requirement. This means you should plan to take PSY-201 Research Methods & Statistics I and PSY-202 Research Methods & Statistics II at Wabash. Permission to spend the junior year abroad requires completion of PSY-201 Research Methods & Statistics I and PSY-202 Research Methods & Statistics II prior to going off-campus.

Mission Statement

“Wabash College educates men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely.”

Founded in 1832, Wabash College is an independent, liberal arts college for men with an enrollment of approximately 900 students. Its mission is excellence in teaching and learning within a community built on close and caring relationships among students, faculty, and staff.

Wabash offers qualified young men a superior education, fostering, in particular, independent intellectual inquiry, critical thought, and clear written and oral expression. The College educates its students broadly in the traditional curriculum of the liberal arts, while also requiring them to pursue concentrated study in one or more disciplines. Wabash emphasizes our manifold but shared cultural heritage. Our students come from diverse economic, social, and cultural backgrounds; the College helps these students engage these differences and live humanely with them. Wabash also challenges its students to appreciate the changing nature of the global society and prepares them for the responsibilities of leadership and service in it.

The College carries out its mission in a residential setting in which students take personal and group responsibility for their actions. Wabash provides for its students an unusually informal, egalitarian, and participatory environment which encourages young men to adopt a life of intellectual and creative growth, self-awareness, and physical activity. The College seeks to cultivate qualities of character and leadership in students by developing not only their analytic skills, but also sensitivity to values, and judgment and compassion required of citizens living in a difficult and uncertain world. We expect a Wabash education to bring joy in the life of the mind, to reveal the pleasures in the details of common experience, and to affirm the necessity for and rewards in helping others.

Our Core Values

A rigorous liberal arts education that fosters

• An appreciation for the intellectual and physical aspects of a good life

• An understanding of and appreciation for other cultures

A personal context to teaching and learning that encourages

• Candid, respectful, face-to-face conversations

• Freedom of thought

• A local scholarly community that creates lifelong relationships

Individual responsibility and trust that are

• Based on moral and ethical awareness

• Expressed in the Gentleman’s Rule

• Required for leadership and teamwork

A socially, economically, and ethnically diverse student body characterized by

• A dedication to the serious pursuit of learning

• A culture of competition without malice

• A few years of residence, a lifetime of loyalty

A tradition and philosophy of independence that

• Keeps the College from external control

• Allows the Wabash community to shape significantly its own destiny

• Promotes independence and self-reliance in its students and graduates.