Psychology is the scientific study of behavior, mind, and brain. We seek to understand how people think and act, both as individuals and in groups. The department has 18 faculty providing expertise in six subareas of study: cognitive, cultural, developmental, social, psychopathology, and neuroscience. Features of the major include foundational courses, training in statistics and research methods, a cultural immersion experience, small advanced seminars, and opportunities to conduct original research.
Students wishing to declare a major in psychology should prepare as early as possible because declaration must be done during sophomore year. Psychology does not admit students to the major after the end of the sophomore year. Junior transfer students have until the end of the first week of the junior year and must meet all admission requirements, as listed below, at their previous institution.
At the time of application, a student must demonstrate that he or she (1) has taken two full-credit courses in the field of psychology at Wesleyan and received a B or higher in each course; (2) has completed the introductory psychology (or a replacement breadth course that allows an AP or IB credit in place of introductory psychology), research methods, and statistics requirements for the major (these same courses may be used to fulfill the first requirement as well); and (3) has fulfilled the University's stage I General Education Expectations. If a student is enrolled in courses needed to complete these requirements during the second term of the sophomore year, the student should still declare the major; we just will not formally admit the student until the end of the term upon successful completion of these courses. Students with outstanding requirements to complete are required by the Dean's Office to either declare a second major or submit a major deferral form to their class dean in the event they are unable to successfully complete the admission requirements for psychology. Transfer students must receive a B or higher in each of two psychology courses from their previous institution.