BA IN PSYCHOLOGY

Online | Deerfield, IL

HEALING THE WHOLE PERSON

Relationships are an essential part of life, but they don’t come without challenges. As a Psychology major, not only will you learn conceptual theories and research methods, but you will also develop skills in relating to others, communicating in a more effective manner, and flourishing into a more competent person.

PERSONAL. PRACTICAL. BIBLICAL.

At Trinity, you’ll be equipped to think critically and biblically in every area of life as you are challenged to apply your faith to your coursework and classroom conversations. And instead of approaching general education as a checklist of courses to be completed, Trinity’s distinctive educational approach gives you the freedom to choose courses that are most interesting and relevant to you. Working closely with your faculty advisor, you can select from electives to enhance your major, apply toward a minor, create a double major, or simply experience something new. The choices are yours! All along the way, you’ll be cared for and supported, ensuring that you make the most of your college experience.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO EARN MY DEGREE?

Most students finish their Psychology major in 3-4 years. Requirements total 48 hours. This includes 27 from required Psychology courses and 21 hours of Psychology electives. Up to 7 of the required hours may be used to meet general education requirements. The Organizational Leadership Emphasis (OLE) requires 18 of the 21 elective hours to be taken in the emphasis.

DID YOU KNOW?

TEDS, our world-renowned divinity school and Trinity Graduate School both offer master’s level programs in Mental Health Counseling and Counseling Ministries, which many of our students choose to pursue after completing their bachelor in psychology.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

The Psychology major is designed to provide an understanding and perspective of professional psychology as well as the challenges and problems of living. The major is a foundational study for graduate school and for everyday life. Besides your psychology courses, you will also round out your education with courses in research methods, human development, integration of psychology and the Christian faith, interpersonal skills training and theories of learning. The Psychology major also offers several emphases to choose from.

COURSEWORK:

Requirements total 48 hours. This includes 27 from required Psychology courses and 21 hours of Psychology electives. Up to 7 of the required hours may be used to meet general education requirements. The Organizational Leadership Emphasis (OLE) requires 18 of the 21 elective hours to be taken in the emphasis. You’ll take interesting courses like:

Personality Theories
Group Dynamics
Integration of Psychology and Christian Faith

Emphases:

Counseling Psychology
Health Psychology
Organizational Leadership

SEE REQUIRED COURSES

PSYCHOLOGY

REQUIRED COURSES
Course	Title	Credits
PSY 140	Introduction to Psychology	3 hours
PSY 141	Psychology Seminar	1 hour
PSY 285X	Statistics	4 hours
PSY 346X	Research Methods and Design	3 hours
PSY 441	Psychology Senior Seminar*	1 hour
Developmental Psychology Course
Select one of the following:		3 hours
PSY 335	Child Development
PSY 337	Psychology of Adolescence
PSY 339	Adult Development
Theory Courses
Select two of the following:		6 hours
PSY 300	Personality Theories
PSY 320	Theories of Learning
PSY 350X	Social Psychology
Application Course
Select one course corresponding to one of the chosen theory courses above:		3 hours
PSY 355	Group Dynamics (taken after PSY 350)
PSY 372	Cognitive Behavioral Psychology (taken after PSY 320)
PSY 400	Therapeutic Psychology (taken after PSY 300)
Integrative Course
PSY 430 OR PSY 440	Psychology of Religion OR Integration of Psychology and Christian Faith	3 hours

ELECTIVE COURSES
Each student must complete at least one hour of professional experience (experiential education). An internship is required for students majoring in Psychology unless the professional experience requirement is completed in another way (e.g., in another major). See footnote #3 below.
Course	Title	Credits
Select 21 credits of the following:		21 hours
PSY 170X	Leadership Dynamics
PSY 210	Life Planning
PSY 220	Interpersonal Skills Training
PSY 228X	Sport and Wellness Psychology
PSY 230	Crisis Intervention
PSY 240	Human Sexuality
PSY 250	Contemporary Issues Psychology
PSY 251	Topics in Counseling Psychology
PSY 255	Psychology of Addiction
PSY 260X	Educational Psychology/Human Development
PSY 300	Personality Theories^
PSY 305	Organizational Psychology
PSY 310	Abnormal Psychology
PSY 320	Theories of Learning^
PSY 335	Child Development†
PSY 337	Psychology of Adolescence†
PSY 339	Adult Development†
PSY 345	Internship I‡
PSY 350X	Social Psychology^
PSY 355	Group Dynamics**
PSY 356	Conflict Management
PSY 360X	Introduction to Social Work
PSY 372	Cognitive Behavioral Psychology**
PSY 374	Physiological Psychology
PSY 400	Therapeutic Psychology**
PSY 420X	Advanced Interpersonal Skills Training
PSY 430	Psychology of Religion
PSY 440	Integration of Psychology and the Christian Faith‡
PSY 445	Internship II‡
PSY 450	Independent Study
PSY 460	Thesis
PSY 470X	Leadership Dynamics Practicum‡
Total Hours		48 hours
NOTES: ^May be used to fulfill the one of the two theory requirements.
†May be used to fulfill the development requirement.
‡May be used to fulfill the professional experience requirement
**May be used to fulfill the one application course requirement, provided that the chosen theory course with which it corresponds is also taken. The student is strongly advised to take the corresponding application course after the chosen theory course, but it is not required; however, in the case of PSY 400, PSY 300 is a prerequisite.
*May be used to fulfill the integrative requirement.

COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY EMPHASIS
Course selections must include 18 hours in Psychology as part of the 48-hour requirement for the Psychology Major. The Counseling Psychology Emphasis (CPE) has been created for Psychology Majors who wish to focus their course selections to those that will prepare them for further training in the people helping professions. Note: PSY 140 is a prerequisite for all 300-level PSY courses.
Course	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PSY 300	Personality Theories	3 hours
PSY 310	Abnormal Psychology	3 hours
Select one of the following:		3 hours
PSY 220	Interpersonal Skills Training
PSY 230	Crisis Intervention
PSY 240	Human Sexuality
PSY 251	Topics in Counseling Psychology
PSY 255	Psychology of Addiction
Select two of the following:		6 hours
PSY 345/445/470X	Internship I (counseling related only)
PSY 355	Group Dynamics
PSY 356	Conflict Management
PSY 372	Cognitive Behavioral Psychology
PSY 374	Physiological Psychology
PSY 420X	Advanced Interpersonal Skills Training
Select one of the following:		3 hours
PSY 360x	Introduction to Social Work
PSY 400	Therapeutic Psychology
Total Hours		18 hours

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY EMPHASIS
Course selections must include 26 hours from the Psychology required courses, and the following 25-29 required hours of the emphasis. The Health Psychology Emphasis (HPE) has been created for Psychology majors who wish to gain foundational knowledge and skills to utilize psychological principles in the assistance of a variety of persons to enhance their health as well as their compliance with strategies for healthier life choices.
Course	Title	Credits
Required Courses
HPW 180	Introduction to Health and Wellness	3 hours
PSY 140	Introduction to Psychology	3 hours
PSY 372	Cognitive Behavioral Psychology	3 hours
PSY 374	Physiological Psychology	3 hours
Select one:		4-8 hours
BIO 140	Survey of Human Anatomy and Physiology
BIO 340 AND BIO 341	Human Anatomy and Physiology I AND Human Anatomy and Physiology II
Select one:		3 hours
HS 201	Physiology of Exercise
HS 202	Nutrition
Select two of the following:		6 hours
HPW 228X	Sport and Wellness Psychology
PSY 240	Human Sexuality
PSY 250	Contemporary Issues Psychology
PSY 255	Psychology of Addiction
Suggested Courses
PSY 320	Theories of Learning
PSY 345/445/470	Internship I (Health Psychology)
PSY 350X	Social Psychology
Total Hours		25-29 hours

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP EMPHASIS
Course selections must include 26 hours from the Psychology required courses, and the following 18 required hours of the emphasis. The Organizational Leadership Emphasis (OLE) is an emphasis within the Psychology Major that has been created for qualified students who seek to grow in the servant leadership of others across broad contexts. With a dual emphasis on both theory and practice the OLE gives students an opportunity to develop and refine their philosophy of leadership as well as test it in the real world. Students are prepared for an organizational leadership practicum by gaining exposure to a variety of courses that systematically prepare them to be successful as Servant Leaders. The Leadership Minor (LM – 24 hours) is open to any student who wishes to go beyond the Organizational Leadership Emphasis (OLE) and must choose either the OLE in the Psychology major or choose the Leadership Minor (see details in the catalog), but not both.
Course	Title	Credits
Introduction to Leadership (choose one option):		3 hours
LR 170X OR LR 173 AND LR 174	Leadership Dynamics OR Emerging Leadership I AND Emerging Leadership II
Required Courses
PSY 220	Interpersonal Skills Training	3 hours
PSY 378X	Servant Leadership	3 hours
PSY 420X	Advanced Interpersonal Skills Training	3 hours
Elective (choose one):		3 hours
BUS 346 OR PSY 305	Organizational Behavior OR Organizational Psychology
BUS 353	Management of Change
COM 334	Group and Organizational Communication
PSY 305	Organizational Psychology
PSY 356	Conflict Management
Leadership Practicum (choose one):		3 hours
LR 470X OR Combination of LR 220, LR 420, LR 440	Leadership Dynamics Practicum
Total Hours		18 hours

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CAREER OUTCOMES:
Vocational Counselor	Genetics Counselor
School Psychologist	Organizational Psychologist
Forensic Psychologist	Professor
Counselor	Community Psychologist
Sports Psychologist	Trauma Counselor