Psychology
The Central College psychology program has been launching students into successful careers in psychology, medicine, law, education, ministry, the corporate world, private ownership and other areas for over 50 years.
A major in psychology at Central College provides students with the following:
- Scientifically-grounded knowledge about human behavior
- Useful problem-solving skills
- Ability to communicate clearly
- Strong human relations skills
- Emotional intelligence skills
With this background, our graduates are highly qualified and sought after for career positions that involve working with people and/or organizations, and they often report that they are better prepared for graduate school than the majority of their first-year colleagues from other colleges and universities.
- Graduates from the last 10 years have been accepted into 59 different graduate programs at 37 universities in 16 states, the District of Columbia, England and Wales.
- Over 60 percent of our graduates have earned or are currently working on a master’s degree, compared to 15 percent nationally.
- Fifteen percent have earned or are working on doctoral degrees, compared to 1 percent nationally.
Faculty
- Peggy Fitch, Ph.D., professor of psychology, fitchp@central.edu,
areas of interest include issues in developmental psychology, intercultural awareness and intellectual development in college students, service-learning
- Keith Jones, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, joneskt@central.edu,
areas of interest include life-span developmental psychology (in humans and primates), social cognition, (e.g. aging stereotypes), practical applications of research and statistical analyses
- Soo Yun Uhm, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, uhms@central.edu,areas of interest include multicultural and cross-cultural psychology, counseling, the impact of racism and discrimination on health
- Edmond Willis, Ph.D., professor of psychology, willise@central.edu,
areas of interest include social psychology, health psychology, relationships and personal growth, and faith and psychology
Successful Careers
- Program coordinator, Kalona Group Home of REM Developmental Services, Coralville, Iowa
- Admission coordinator, Des Moines University
- Vocational rehabilitation specialist, Bass & Babb Companies, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Assistant professor of criminal justice, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Doctoral student in counseling psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo
- Senior manager — Northeast region, Progressive Insurance, Wappingers Falls, N.Y .
- Production operations manager, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Staff psychologist, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, Mo.
- Doctoral student in counseling psychology and research assistant, The University of Iowa
- Attorney, Hills Bank and Trust Company, North Liberty, Iowa
- Senior analyst, Mercer Health and Benefits, Washington, D.C.
- Occupational therapist, Saint Luke’s Hospital/Surrey Place, Chesterfield, Mo.
- Neurohealth and pulmonary pharmaceutical sales, GlaxoSmithKline
Internships
- Department of Human Services in Knoxville — assist with family evaluations
- MECCA in Iowa City and Des Moines — learn to work effectively with people struggling with alcohol and other drug dependencies
- Orchard Place in Des Moines — work in child psychology
- Crisis Intervention Services in Knoxville and Oskaloosa — work with domestic violence cases
- Christian Opportunity Center in Pella — work with mentally and physically challenged people
- Homestead Inc. in Pleasant Hill — work with people with autism
Internships are also available to students who study in Yucatan, London and Wales program. Learn more.
Learn more about internships at Central.
Courses
- General psychology
- Psychological investigations
- Theories of personality
- Psychopathology
- The brain and behavior
- Health psychology
- A Christian worldview and psychological science
- Multicultural issues in psychology
- Social psychology
- Fundamentals of statistics
- SPSS for psychological research
- Cognitive psychology
- Experimental psychology
- Child and adolescent development
- Adult development and aging
- Principles of counseling
- History and systems of psychology
- Advanced research in psychology
Sample Schedule
Freshman year
- General psychology
- Core courses and/or electives
Sophomore year
- Psychological investigations
- Psychology electives (especially 200 level courses)
- Core courses and/or electives
Junior year
- Fundamentals of statistics
- Experimental psychology
- SPSS for psychological research
- Advanced research in psychology
- Psychology electives (300 and 400 level courses)
- Core courses and/or electives
Senior year
- Psychology electives, including internship
- Core courses and/or electives
Get more details from the course catalog! (Note: this is a PDF file)
Facilities
Central College is one of the most beautiful college campuses you will find. A perfect mix of old and new, our buildings reflect our history and our future. Central's distinctive library is spacious and a popular haven with more then 230,000 volumes, computer stations, a multimedia collection and an extensive online computerized catalog. In fall 2009 the psychology department will move to the newly constructed Education and Psychology building located on the southwest side of campus, across from the Vermeer Science Center. This platinum-rated LEED-certified building contains state-of-the-art classrooms, technology resources and research labs, all designed to provide students with a cutting-edge education in psychology to prepare them for success in graduate/professional school and/or in a wide range of work environments.
Organizations
No matter what your interests are, Central has a student group or organization that you’ll want to join! Pscyhology students might be interested in joining Central’s Psychology Club or Psi Chi (national honor society of the American Psychological Association).
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to study abroad with one of Central’s eight international programs to enhance their development as global citizens, or with Central’s Chicago program and the Washington, D.C., program. Learn more about Central’s study abroad programs.
Internships are available to students who study in Yucatan, London and Wales, or on the Chicago Metropolitan Center program including::
Yucatán, México
- Public schools, Mérida businesses, or village schools.
- ProNatura (peninsula-wide environmental organization)
London, England
- Amnesty International
- The Bayswater Family Centre
- Family Planning Association (sexual health agency for the U.K.)
- Field Land Homeless Family Centre
- Riverside Mental Health Centre
- Shelter, National Campaign for the Homeless
Bangor, Wales
- Sarah’s
- Bangor Dyslexia Unit, University of Wales, Bangor
Leiden, the Netherlands
- Care of the Mentally Handicapped
- De Krullevaar (nursery school)
Service-Learning
Service-learning is a teaching strategy that engages students as volunteers at local agencies and organizations and having them reflect on their experiences in ways that enhance their learning of course material. Examples include:
- General Psychology — volunteer for Central Service Day each spring to work alongside faculty, staff and other students on one-day projects.
- Child and Adolescent Development — volunteer weekly to assist with after-school programs, day care, reading with children, tutoring, community art center activities and mentoring.
- Adult Development and Aging — volunteer weekly to spend time with residents in assisted living and long-term care facilities and adult day care programs by reading, visiting, playing games, leading activities and helping with activities of daily living.
- Fundamentals of Statistics — volunteer in teams to analyze and interpret program evaluation data and write research reports for community partners that do not have the expertise or time to do this on their own.
- Independent Study Modules — volunteer to help community partners who have needs for assistance on special projects such as organizing fundraising events, surveying junior-high and high school students about use of tutoring programs, entering and analyzing data from a statewide school climate survey, and interviewing children about program services.
Professional Presentations by Students
- All psychology majors present the results of their advanced research in psychology projects at the Central College Psychology Symposium, held in the spring of each year.
- During the first weekend in May the psychology faculty and a group of 15-20 psychology students attend the Midwestern Psychological Association convention in Chicago, where Central College students make poster session presentations based on the advanced research in psychology projects or on research done in other classes.
