Psychology Department

Assistant Professor Kelly, Chair

Professor Williford

The department of psychology seeks to introduce all students to the study of human behavior and mental processes within a Christian context. The major is designed to provide a foundation of knowledge in the major subfields of psychology and to prepare students for future study in the field of psychology. Emphasis is placed on developing the students’ abilities to understand and to apply psychology in their everyday lives. An important goal in all psychology courses is to help students in their ability to appropriately interrelate their study of psychology and the Christian faith. This major requires students to gain the core knowledge of scientific psychology along with learning about the sub-fields in psychology that apply this knowledge.

The B.S. in psychology degree is designed to prepare students to meet the typical requirements for acceptance into graduate study and/or for working with a bachelor’s degree. For students coming to Belhaven with a passion and gifting in a particular art form, we have developed a unique track B.A. in Psychology major with a Creative Arts Therapy Concentration that will help students to utilize their artistic passion in the service of helping others. Students will take 12 hours in their chosen art form (creative writing, dance, music, theater ministry or visual arts) as well as courses in creative arts therapies. This concentration is designed for students who might wish to use the arts to help others in careers such as Child Life Specialist, Recreation or Activities Directors, cross cultural mission work or to prepare for graduate school in an area such as Dance/Movement Therapy, Art Therapy, Creative Writing Therapy or Music Therapy. The B.S. in Global Psychology is for students coming to Belhaven with a desire and goal to use psychology for international service or in a cross-cultural context, we have developed a unique track that emphasizes the role of culture in understanding people and applying psychology’s insights in diverse cultural contexts.