Department of Psychology

Department of Psychology Mission Statement 

The WSU Department of Psychology provides undergraduate and graduate students with knowledge of human behavior, cognition, and the brain along with skills for critical thinking and communication, skills needed to best prepare them for successful careers in fields ranging from human resources, human factors, biomedical research, and mental health to hospitality, management, and sales. We accomplish this by educating students about the science and practice of psychology in inclusive and supportive environments in the classroom and research labs and through hands-on experience in applied settings.

Degree Programs

Undergraduate Degrees

Wright State’s undergraduate degree in psychology offers you a solid foundation in theory, research methodology, statistics, and scientific writing. There are also many opportunities for you to get involved in scientific research with our distinguished faculty members in our state-of-the-art research facilities.  An undergraduate psychology degree at Wright State is not in liberal arts but in Wright State’s College of Science and Mathematics, placing it alongside other scientific disciplines (physics, biological sciences, chemistry, etc.)

The Psychology department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.)  or Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) as well as a minor in Psychology. If interested in the B.S., you may also choose among four concentrations: clinical psychologyindustrial/organizational psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and cognition and perception.

Graduate Degrees

You can pursue graduate work in Human Factors and Industrial Organizational Psychology.  We offer a non-thesis Master of Science that is course-based and can be completed in one year.  This program is identified as the Human Performance and Effectiveness concentration.  We also offer a traditional Master of Science that includes a thesis as well as a doctorate (Ph.D) that follows the thesis-based M.S.  You can choose to major in Industrial Organizational Psychology or Human Factors though you take courses in both areas.

Success Stories

Zara Qureshi

“I am majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. I love learning about the human mind and have had a great academic experience at Wright State. I am passionate about helping others and plan to attend graduate school to earn a master’s degree in an area of psychology.”
 

Jasmine Spradley

“As far back as I can remember in elementary school, I was told that Wright State would be a great college for me because of its accessibility, price, and location. Because of the convenience of the tunnels and the university’s dedication to students with disabilities, I knew that adapting to the campus would be easy.”

Department News

Wright State’s nursing program rises in U.S. News rankings

Wright State was also ranked in the newest U.S. News category for undergraduate psychology programs.
Wright State’s undergraduate nursing program continues to rise in the ranks as among the best in the nation for 2024, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Wright State psychologist receives $500,000 grant for eye research

Scott N J Watamaniuk, a professor of psychology at Wright State, received a $500,000 grant to investigate how the brain coordinates the movements of the two eyes.

Service etiquette

2022 Wright State graduate Anjali Edwards publishes book on how to interact with service dogs
Wright State psychology graduate Anjali Edwards was inspired to publish a book on service animals while working on a research project in the Applying Scientific Knowledge (ASK) program.

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