Why Psychology at Eckerd?

Don’t just study psychology–do it

At Eckerd you will find a community of individuals who are excited about their participation in contemporary psychology. Students regularly engage in internships, work on faculty research teams, and participate in advocacy and community service with local non-profits. You don’t just study psychology–you do it. The possibilities after you receive your degree are limitless – because your training at Eckerd will give you skills that you need to succeed not only in graduate school, in applied settings, but also in other related careers.

The psychology program at Eckerd College is unique because we offer two degree tracks. Students majoring in psychology have the option of completing either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The B.A. program is intended for students who want a strong background in psychology as preparation for careers in areas like law, public health, and medicine. The B.S. program is intended for students who plan to go to graduate school in some area of psychology. Both programs provide students with a strong foundation of knowledge regarding theoretical approaches, research methodologies, and practical applications of psychology’s many sub-fields. The B.S. program additionally provides extensive hands-on experience with designing, conducting, and analyzing original research projects.

In psychology at Eckerd, research methods and statistics, two required core courses, are taught in a sequence so that they build upon one another, creating a more holistic understanding of psychological science. Then, our students are able to build their own major by choosing which courses they are interested in by selecting courses from our “clusters.” This curriculum enables students to explore all of the sub-areas in their 200- level courses and then select 300-level courses that can help them specialize their knowledge into the part of psychology they are most interested in. Our students are taught how to read and consume research, apply psychological theories, and ultimately perform at the level of graduate students by the time they complete their degree.