Mission Statement
Department of Psychology
Samford University
The mission of the Department of Psychology is to educate people in the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Students are instilled with an appreciation of all of the influences, both internal and external, which direct thought and behavior. They learn the principles of psychological research--the assumptions, methods, and reasoning used to understand thought and behavior--and the usefulness and limitations of such research. The Department teaches psychology in a liberal arts context, which makes clear the interconnections between psychology and other disciplines, promotes critical reasoning skills and, consistent with the Christian mission of Samford, emphasizes the ethical and moral dimensions of psychology and psychological research. Finally, the student is trained to apply psychological knowledge to real world situations in an appropriate manner, and to be a discriminating consumer of social and behavioral research.
For our majors, the success of the Psychology program can be measured using these seven outcomes. A psychology major will:
1) have a solid foundation of psychological knowledge in terms of both breadth and depth which will form the basis for advanced study in psychology and/or promote personal and professional growth and achievement in whatever endeavors the student might choose.
2) be able to understand and analyze behavior from multiple perspectives.
3) understand and appreciate the complexity of causation which underlies thought and behavior.
4) understand the distinction between popular and scientific explanations of behavior.
5) be able to identify a problem in psychology, to design and conduct research to address that problem, to make the appropriate conclusions based on the research, and to communicate the findings in a professional manner in both written and oral form.
6) be able to evaluate social and behavioral research in a critical and sophisticated manner, including the moral and ethical dimensions of the research and its implications.
7) use and apply psychological knowledge appropriately to real world situations for the betterment of the human condition.