Psychology
Jane Berry, Chair
Professors Allison, Berry, Lambert
Associate Professors Bukach, Knouse, Kochel
Assistant Professors Lowder, Lundberg, Nonterah
Visting Professor Alperin
The Department of Psychology offers a rigorous, graduated curriculum that combines high aspirations for achievement in an environment rich in opportunities for intellectual stimulation and growth. Our primary mission is to provide an inclusive and welcoming academic setting for students to become knowledgeable, skilled, reflective, and highly accomplished, preparing them to excel in graduate and professional schools and careers. We prepare students to lead productive lives characterized by an inquiring attitude, engagement in the life of mind, and immersion in the larger community. Our faculty are dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship, and seek to cultivate in students a love of learning and involvement in their academic community by providing multifaceted mentoring opportunities. We strive to encourage and empower students as they work towards reaching their potential.
The psychology faculty believe that education is as much an activity as it is a body of knowledge. As professors, we embrace pedagogical approaches that emphasize diversity and inclusivity; transparency in the use of scientific methods; curiosity about the world and its phenomena; intellectual challenge and complexity; familiarity with primary source materials; interactive and collaborative learning; critical and analytical thinking; mastery in oral and written expression and communication; and the historical, philosophical, and current cornerstones of psychological science. We value psychology's connections to the arts, humanities, and natural sciences; we embrace diverse perspectives and individual differences; we promote student involvement in local and international culture, community, and society; and we teach the ethics of conducting and applying psychological science. These curricular emphases reflect our educational goals and aspirations. They represent directions for fostering, challenging, and strengthening our students' intellectual and interpersonal experiences, and they pervade all levels of our curriculum, from the introductory to the most advanced. Collaborative research pursuits between faculty and students are the centerpiece of the psychology major.
Related Fields
Study Abroad
Psychology majors are encouraged to study abroad. Students should plan to take their 300-level laboratory courses at UR and use their time abroad to take electives for the major, as well as other courses outside of the major that they need for graduation. The key to successful integration of a study abroad experience with a psychology major is early and careful planning with the student's advisor and department chair.