About psychology at St. Norbert College
The psychology program emphasizes breadth, active or experiential learning and an empirical or scientific approach to questions about human thought, feeling and action.

• A broad education in psychology is ensured by completing courses from six different specialty areas within the field.
• A solid foundation in the science of psychology is assured by completing a statistics course, a research methods course and a minimum of two additional laboratory courses in psychology.
• Opportunities for active learning are provided by laboratory courses, independent research projects and supervised internships in various local mental health agencies, social service agencies or business settings.

Students planning to study psychology at St. Norbert College should have a strong high school background in science and mathematics along with courses in English, history, social studies and a foreign language.

Psychology students at St. Norbert College
At any one time, between 125 and 150 St. Norbert College students identify themselves as a psychology major or minor. About 25 students graduate each year with a major in psychology.

Psychology students:

• Develop a solid understanding of the discipline. They score significantly above the average on a national measure of knowledge of psychology when they graduate.
• Are active researchers. They regularly present the results of their research at the Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference, convened each fall, and at the Psi Chi Undergraduate Psychology Research Symposium, convened each spring at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
• Gain practical experience. They have completed internships at centers providing services to abused women and children, at private and public psychiatric hospitals, in the retail marketing department of a large food company, and in the human resources office of a credit union.
• Are active on campus. They are active on their residence hall governing boards, in theater and musical productions, in inter-collegiate and intramural athletics and as leaders of student organizations.
  

Why study psychology?
“From the most ancient subject we shall produce the newest science.” Hermann Ebbinghaus, 1885.

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. It shares with the natural sciences an orientation toward objective observation, experimentation and quantitative analysis, but it also has humanistic concerns about the total human experience and the dignity of each individual person.

The study of psychology makes an important contribution to a liberal arts education. It addresses questions that have long been central to our thinking about human experience. For example:

• What is the relationship between mind (that which is immaterial) and body (that which is material)?
• How do nature (inherited characteristics) and nurture (personal experience) shape the characteristics of the individual?
  
• What is the relationship between the individual and the group?

By expanding and enriching our understanding of how people think, feel and behave, the study of psychology stimulates our intellectual growth. Personal growth comes through the self-understanding that develops by applying our understanding of people in general to our own thoughts, feelings and actions. The study of psychology also fosters moral awareness and growth. Psychology challenges students to safeguard the welfare and rights of others; establish relationships of trust; promote accuracy, honesty and truthfulness; and respect the dignity and worth of all people.

Mission statement
The psychology discipline at St. Norbert College is committed to:

• increasing and broadening students' scientific knowledge of behavior and mental processes,
• increasing and broadening students understanding of themselves and others, and
• encouraging students to apply this knowledge and understanding appropriately to improve the condition of individuals, organizations and society.

We pursue this mission within the context of the College's commitment to providing an educational environment that fosters intellectual, spiritual and personal development.