Bachelor in Psychology

The Psychology major teaches students to employ empirical methods to learn about behavior and the variables that affect it, in preparation for graduate programs, professional and medical schools, and/or careers in psychology or related fields.

Coursework includes, but is not limited to, Experimental, Social and Abnormal Psychology; Physiological Psychology; Sensation and Perception; Drugs and Behavior; and numerous laboratory research courses. Students have the option to complete an emphasis in Human Resource Management and Neuroscience.

Additionally, the Child Development and Education major is offered by the Department of Psychology in cooperation with the Department of Education. Students majoring in Child Development and Education may seek teacher certification in Early Childhood (PreK-4) or Upper Elementary (4-8).

The Psychology major is associated with the Department of Psychology. A major requires eight courses, including an advanced laboratory, and a minor requires six.

About Washington & Jefferson College (W&J)

Washington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located 30 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our dedicated, experienced professors are passionate about teaching and work closely with our students to ensure that they receive a quality, comprehensive education. Our entire community is focused on student success. To that end, we offer an On-Time Graduation Guarantee, opportunities to study all over the world through our Magellan Project and a committed staff of career counseling experts.

For more than 200 years, our alumni have been influencing change in business, politics, the arts and sciences as CEOs, lawyers, state representatives, doctors, researchers, writers and teachers, and in many other equally worthy professions.

Mission Statement

The mission of Washington & Jefferson College is to graduate people of uncommon integrity, competence, and maturity who are effective lifelong learners and responsible citizens, and who are prepared to contribute substantially to the world in which they live.

To this end, the College promotes the development of skills, knowledge, personal qualities and a worldview that characterizes a well-educated person. All components of the living and learning environment at W&J are designed and intended to support this mission.

Why W&J?

Vision Statement

Washington & Jefferson College is recognized nationally as a highly selective, residential, student-centered liberal arts college with an exceptional record of producing future leaders, whose graduates are prepared for a breadth of life opportunities and professional success. Toward that end, W&J asserts its place as Pittsburgh’s premier liberal arts institution, a role it has played for more than 230 years. More broadly, it is known as a robust community of engaged and intellectually curious faculty, staff, and students.

Outside the Classroom

W&J highly values educational experiences that take our students outside of the classroom, such as internships, experiential and service learning, and student-faculty collaborative research that often leads to conference presentations and publications. In addition to activities directly linked to the academic programs Washington and Jefferson College is known for the Magellan Project that provides students with the support and funding necessary to pursue their own self designed summer research projects and the Washington Fellows Program, a selective program for exceptional students who want to challenge themselves in distinctive ways during their years at the College.

Strong Alumni Support

A key strength and resource of the College are its alumni; in addition to financial support, W&J alumni serve as active mentors and networkers for students. For more than 200 years, W&J’s distinguished alumni have been influencing change in business, politics, and the arts and sciences as CEOs, lawyers, state representatives, doctors, researchers, writer and teachers, and in many other equally worthy professions. They are the best examples of an advertisement for the positive trajectories our current students wish to pursue, and they and the members of the Board of Trustees give generously of themselves to help current students.