The Department of Psychology and Human Development
Welcome to the Department of Psychology and Human Development!
What does the department offer?
The department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and both associate and bachelor's degrees in Human Development. Students pursuing a degree in Human Development may create individualized concentrations in consultation with their faculty mentors.
The Department offers an extensive array of courses to meet the needs of students seeking degrees in both areas. Our courses also serve other students who want to learn more about these fields, either as a general education option or in support of their degree areas, such as Community and Human Services, Educational Studies, Social Sciences, or Business, Management and Economics.
What do our students do with their degrees?
Many students in the department are seeking a degree to learn more about the science and development of behavior and mental processes in order to qualify for higher-level positions in their current work environments. Other students are preparing to pursue advanced degrees and professional careers in areas such as school counseling, social work, mental health counseling, clinical psychology or experimental research.
We encourage you to explore the following career resources:
- APA Classifieds
Classified ads from the APA Monitor in Psychology. - Career Decision Aids
Various resources collected by the Hanover College Psychology Department. Highlights include a career decision tree and planning resources for graduate education in psychology. - Counseling Psychology
Site created by counseling psychology experts about the ins and outs of the potential career in the industry, strict methodology components to Ph.D. rankings based on EPPP test takers and a list of every counseling psychology master's program in North America. - Online Psychology Career Center
A valuable resource for students interested in careers in psychology and the type of work psychologists perform. This resource addresses all stages of careers in psychology, including careers that require undergraduate and graduate degrees. - Pages for Exploring Particular Areas of Psychology
Collected by the Hanover College Psychology Department, this resource provides access to information on several subdisciplines in psychology, including aviation psychology, behavior analysis, and vocational psychology, among others.
How is the Psychology degree structured?
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology is based on curriculum recommendations from the American Psychological Association. The Psychology degree includes introductory courses in Psychology and Human Development, as well as the following courses (or equivalents):
- Statistics for the Social Sciences
- Social Science Research Methods
- Abnormal Psychology
- Biological Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology or Learning and Memory
- Cultural Psychology
- Social Psychology
In addition, students take at least two more advanced level Psychology or Human Development courses based on their own interests and goals. For example, students interested in clinical or counseling psychology may take additional courses such as Theories of Personality, Counseling Theories, Developmental Psychopathology, Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents, Multicultural Counseling, Addiction, and Stress & Coping, among others.
Students interested in developmental psychology may take additional courses such as Infant/Toddler Development, Early Childhood Development, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Adult Development and Aging, and Gerontology, among others.
Students interested in experimental psychology may take additional courses such as Sensation and Perception, Experimental Psychology, and Research Methods in Psychology.
The department also offers a wide array of elective courses and special topics courses.
How is the Human Development degree structured?
Degrees in Human Development must include courses that address six broad categories. We offer multiple courses that fall within each area, so students are able to customize their degrees. A typical degree includes 10 or more courses, so students may also select electives based on their interests.
- Lifespan Development
- Biological Bases of Development
- Cognitive Bases of Development
- Social & Emotional Bases of Development
- Cultural Diversity
- Methodology & Ethics
Nondegree Students
Taking individual courses as a nondegree student is also possible and will offer you the same range and depth of courses and rigorous standards as matriculated undergraduate students. Even if you’re not pursuing a degree, you can take courses to prepare for college-level study, stay current in your field or improve your job skills.