Psychology is the major to consider if studying the area of science that explores how people and animals think, feel and act is of interest. Psychology majors complete course work that explores behavior, emotions, cognitive processes and the factors that influence them from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists study behavior at both a cellular (e.g. examining the role of the brain and the nervous system) and at a more global level (e.g. examining the influences of culture). As general psychology majors students will enhance their problem-solving, critical thinking, writing and oral expression skills as they learn to use the tools available to behavioral scientists.

Students choose to major in general psychology for many reasons. Psychology can be students' primary area of interest within a liberal arts education that will lead to many professional opportunities that require a bachelor's degree, or it can be a pre-professional program leading to advanced study in graduate school. Popular types of graduate programs pursued by graduates of our program have been counseling, school psychology, education, clinical psychology, psychological science, social work, forensic psychology/criminal justice, industrial/organizational psychology, behavior analysis, law school and college administration.

Each year hundreds of psychology students participate in research and service learning projects. Each year approximately 40 complete field placements and five complete honors thesis projects. Many of our students take their scholarship to a high level, participating as co-authors with faculty on professional conference presentations. See http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/studentachievements.html for examples of student accomplishments

General psychology is the major to consider if studying the area of science that explores how people and animals think, feel and act is of interest. General psychology majors complete course work that explores behavior, emotions, cognitive processes and the factors that influence them from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists study behavior at both a cellular (e.g. examining the role of the brain and the nervous system) and at a more global level (e.g. examining the influences of culture). As general psychology majors students will enhance their problem-solving, critical thinking, writing and oral expression skills as they learn to use the tools available to behavioral scientists.

Students choose to major in general psychology for many reasons. Psychology can be students' primary area of interest within a liberal arts education that will lead to many professional opportunities that require a bachelor's degree, or it can be a pre-professional program leading to advanced study in graduate school. Popular types of graduate programs pursued by graduates of our program have been counseling, school psychology, education, clinical psychology, psychological science, social work, forensic psychology/criminal justice, industrial/organizational psychology, behavior analysis, law school and college administration.

Each year hundreds of psychology students participate in research and service learning projects. Each year approximately 40 complete field placements and five complete honors thesis projects. Many of our students take their scholarship to a high level, participating as co-authors with faculty on professional conference presentations. See http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/studentachievements.html for examples of student accomplishments

Purpose: This program prepares students to communicate proficiently in American Sign Language, including both expressive and receptive skills. The ASL Career Studies Certificate will improve the students' marketability in a wide range of positions where it is necessary to possess effective communication between hearing and Deaf persons. These fields include careers such as teaching, health and social service occupations, and public safety positions. Many people already holding positions in these areas would enhance their ability to perform their current jobs by expanding the range of people with whom they can communicate. The ASL Career Studies Certificate also fulfils all of the prerequisite requirements for our other programs of study. Many students complete the ASL CSC and then go on to enroll in either the Interpreting A.A.S. or Deaf Studies A.S. curriculum.

Purpose: This program is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in criminal justice, criminology, or related fields.

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for those who seek employment in the field of Cybersecurity (information assurance), for those who are presently in IT or a security field and who desire to increase their knowledge and update their skills, and for those who must augment their abilities in other fields with knowledge and skills in information security. The curriculum is mapped to the NSA/DHS Knowledge Units necessary for NOVA's designation as a Center of Academic Excellence.

Purpose: This program is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in technology companies and related industries that require technicians/technologists trained in engineering technology, mechatronics, automation, electronics and robotics. Coursework will prepare students to earn the BICSI Installer 2 (Fiber Optic) and OSHA 10 industry credentials.

Recommended prerequisites: There are no required prerequisites for this certificate. It is recommended that the student possess a proficiency in high school English, high school algebra and geometry, and possess the ability to utilize hand tools and instrumentation.

Purpose: The curriculum is designed for persons who seek entry-level employment as clinical data coding specialists in healthcare organizations by providing them with knowledge in anatomy and medical terminology, skill development in ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT coding classification systems, database management, and clinical data abstracting processes, prospective payment systems, and reimbursement strategies. Clinical data coding specialists are in demand across the spectrum of healthcare organizations including hospitals, physician offices, insurance companies, managed care organizations, contracting groups, and accounting firms. Graduates of the certificate program are eligible to take one of two national certifying examinations administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), or Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Office setting (CCS-P).

Purpose: This curriculum is designed for persons who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in information technology.

PurposeThis curriculum is designed for students who plan to transfer to a college or university for a BS or B.A. degree in psychology.

Criminology explores social structure and social processes in relation to crime, criminality, and punishment. The Criminology major provides students with an understanding of crime from both a structural and individual perspective. Students will develop skills to critically analyze both lived experiences and social factors associated with crime. Students will deconstruct their knowledge of crime from how we define crime to understanding the experiences of various groups within the criminal justice system. Students will study how human behavior is regulated and the societal responses to law violations with a particular eye to power relations. They will study criminological theories and the empirical evidence used to support and critique them.

Students will gain conceptual and research skills and be able to apply them to specific social institutions such as policing, courts, and corrections. The criminology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied fields. The major provides a liberal arts background for careers in law enforcement (local and federal), courts, corrections, victim advocacy, case management, juvenile correctional and diversion programs, data analysis, and graduate school.

Liberally educated students should achieve an understanding of self and of others that enables them to function effectively in diverse intellectual, occupational, and interpersonal pursuits. Psychology, which focuses on the nature and causes of action, experience, and mental activity, can play a central role in achieving this educational aim. The psychology curriculum provides intensive instruction in psychological theory and methodology and exposes students to important applications of psychological knowledge. With its emphasis on critical reading and thinking, communication, and active learning, the required course work prepares students for graduate study in the social sciences, and is also well suited to students who plan to enter the world of work following graduation.

The content courses in the curriculum provide detailed coverage of fundamental processes in cognition, psychobiology, development, social interaction, and clinical applications. The courses in these areas share the same goal: they are designed to teach basic and advanced principles and methods and to promote analytical skills so that students may deal with complex phenomena, theoretical or applied, with an appropriate level of theoretical sophistication and critical evaluation.

The curriculum also includes extensive instruction and experience in research design and the scientific method; in addition to the required Research Methods course, all students are required to take one Advanced Research Projects course. This course will follow a specific prerequisite content course and give students an opportunity to evaluate the empirical and theoretical literature in an area and design and implement an original research project. Students considering graduate study in psychology are strongly encouraged to take an additional As course and do further collaborative or independent research under faculty supervision. To support the research activities of students, the psychology department has well-equipped, modern laboratories.

For students with an existing interest in a specific area of psychology, we offer the following emphases within the psychology major: Cognitive Science; Psychobiology; Developmental Psychology; Social Psychology; and Clinical Applications. To obtain such an emphasis, a student must take three courses from a certain category. For example, students interested in a Developmental emphasis could take PSYC 330, PSYC 339, and PSYC 332. Although the emphasis is not an official designation on the diploma, it is recognized within the department and can be mentioned in letters of application or recommendation for graduate education or employment opportunities following graduation.

The department offers many other opportunities for interested students to become involved in research and practice outside of the classroom. Each external site is chosen for its relevance to the student's interests, abilities, and goals. Sites often selected include hospitals, centers for emotionally disturbed children, businesses, schools, law-enforcement agencies, and community mental health centers. The field study and internship programs encourage students to relate theory to observation and provide experiences that help students to choose occupational and educational goals wisely. Both are highly recommended for students planning to do graduate work in applied areas such as clinical, counseling, or industrial/organizational psychology. Students may complete up to six hours in internships, field studies, or a combination of the two; however, only three hours will count toward the fulfillment of the major. In addition to internships and field studies, experiential opportunities are available in travel courses and various course and department-related service projects.

Any PSYC 100-level course partially fulfills the Area of Knowledge requirement in the Social Sciences, as does PSYC 200.

PSYC 200 is a prerequisite for all psychology courses above the 100 level. Students considering a major in psychology are encouraged to take this course as soon as possible. Students planning to major in psychology must obtain departmental approval and must earn a grade of C- or better in PSYC 200 before they can take the remaining PSYC courses. Successful completion of PSYC 201 with a C- or better is the prerequisite for 300-level courses in psychology. PSYC 433 is open to all seniors who have successfully completed PSYC 200, PSYC 201, and two 300-level courses.

Majors are encouraged to fulfill collegiate requirements in the natural sciences by taking at least one course in biology. Students with weaker preparation in mathematics are advised to take MATH 105 prior to taking PSYC 201. Students who are considering graduate school should enroll in MATH 113 (or MATH 111) and are encouraged to include among their electives an additional Advanced Research Projects course and a senior project in which students spend their senior year working on an original research project with a faculty member.

Liberally educated students should achieve an understanding of self and of others that enables them to function effectively in diverse intellectual, occupational, and interpersonal pursuits. Psychology, which focuses on the nature and causes of action, experience, and mental activity, can play a central role in achieving this educational aim. The psychology curriculum provides intensive instruction in psychological theory and methodology and exposes students to important applications of psychological knowledge. With its emphasis on critical reading and thinking, communication, and active learning, the required course work prepares students for graduate study in the social sciences, and is also well suited to students who plan to enter the world of work following graduation.

The content courses in the curriculum provide detailed coverage of fundamental processes in cognition, psychobiology, development, social interaction, and clinical applications. The courses in these areas share the same goal: they are designed to teach basic and advanced principles and methods and to promote analytical skills so that students may deal with complex phenomena, theoretical or applied, with an appropriate level of theoretical sophistication and critical evaluation.

The curriculum also includes extensive instruction and experience in research design and the scientific method; in addition to the required Research Methods course, all students are required to take one Advanced Research Projects course. This course will follow a specific prerequisite content course and give students an opportunity to evaluate the empirical and theoretical literature in an area and design and implement an original research project. Students considering graduate study in psychology are strongly encouraged to take an additional As course and do further collaborative or independent research under faculty supervision. To support the research activities of students, the psychology department has well-equipped, modern laboratories.

For students with an existing interest in a specific area of psychology, we offer the following emphases within the psychology major: Cognitive Science; Psychobiology; Developmental Psychology; Social Psychology; and Clinical Applications. To obtain such an emphasis, a student must take three courses from a certain category. For example, students interested in a Developmental emphasis could take PSYC 330, PSYC 339, and PSYC 332. Although the emphasis is not an official designation on the diploma, it is recognized within the department and can be mentioned in letters of application or recommendation for graduate education or employment opportunities following graduation.

The department offers many other opportunities for interested students to become involved in research and practice outside of the classroom. Each external site is chosen for its relevance to the student's interests, abilities, and goals. Sites often selected include hospitals, centers for emotionally disturbed children, businesses, schools, law-enforcement agencies, and community mental health centers. The field study and internship programs encourage students to relate theory to observation and provide experiences that help students to choose occupational and educational goals wisely. Both are highly recommended for students planning to do graduate work in applied areas such as clinical, counseling, or industrial/organizational psychology. Students may complete up to six hours in internships, field studies, or a combination of the two; however, only three hours will count toward the fulfillment of the major. In addition to internships and field studies, experiential opportunities are available in travel courses and various course and department-related service projects.

Any PSYC 100-level course partially fulfills the Area of Knowledge requirement in the Social Sciences, as does PSYC 200.

PSYC 200 is a prerequisite for all psychology courses above the 100 level. Students considering a major in psychology are encouraged to take this course as soon as possible. Students planning to major in psychology must obtain departmental approval and must earn a grade of C- or better in PSYC 200 before they can take the remaining PSYC courses. Successful completion of PSYC 201 with a C- or better is the prerequisite for 300-level courses in psychology. PSYC 433 is open to all seniors who have successfully completed PSYC 200, PSYC 201, and two 300-level courses.

Majors are encouraged to fulfill collegiate requirements in the natural sciences by taking at least one course in biology. Students with weaker preparation in mathematics are advised to take MATH 105 prior to taking PSYC 201. Students who are considering graduate school should enroll in MATH 113 (or MATH 111) and are encouraged to include among their electives an additional Advanced Research Projects course and a senior project in which students spend their senior year working on an original research project with a faculty member.

Criminology explores social structure and social processes in relation to crime, criminality, and punishment. The Criminology major provides students with an understanding of crime from both a structural and individual perspective. Students will develop skills to critically analyze both lived experiences and social factors associated with crime. Students will deconstruct their knowledge of crime from how we define crime to understanding the experiences of various groups within the criminal justice system. Students will study how human behavior is regulated and the societal responses to law violations with a particular eye to power relations. They will study criminological theories and the empirical evidence used to support and critique them.

Students will gain conceptual and research skills and be able to apply them to specific social institutions such as policing, courts, and corrections. The criminology curriculum prepares the student for both academic and applied fields. The major provides a liberal arts background for careers in law enforcement (local and federal), courts, corrections, victim advocacy, case management, juvenile correctional and diversion programs, data analysis, and graduate school.