The psychology department is committed to excellence in education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, emphasizing teaching, advising, scholarship, and service to the university and the larger community. The nature of our discipline is such that it helps students understand the biological, social, and cultural influences on human thought, emotions, and behavior. The department’s approach to these issues emphasizes theoretical foundations, empirical research, innovative curricula and practical hands-on applications of psychological knowledge. At the completion of the baccalaureate program, students should be prepared for graduate education or entry into occupations that utilize knowledge of human behavior. Accordingly, we aim to provide psychology majors with fundamental knowledge of 1) the mental structures and processes that underlie individual human experience and behavior, 2) the scientific foundation by which such a knowledge base is acquired, 3) critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to evaluate scientific and popular claims concerning behavior, 4) communication and presentation skills, 5) information gathering, synthesis skills, and effective written expression, 6) the application of scientific principles to personal and social issues, and for the subgroup of undergraduate majors intending to pursue graduate study, 7) in-depth research experience in our faculty's research labs.

The psychology department’s philosophy of education includes: facilitation of close interaction between students and faculty; the availability of small classes; laboratory experiences; courses taught by full-time faculty; student participation in faculty-directed research and service activities; and a commitment to the use of technology. The department contributes extensively to the liberal studies program, emphasizing competence in both written and oral discourse, critical reasoning, and cultural moderators of psychological processes.

The department integrates research and scholarship with teaching throughout its curriculum. This includes the use of existing research to enhance course content and structure, and also includes student participation in faculty-directed research, student-initiated research, and collaborative faculty-student research. In addition to supporting research and scholarship within the university community, the department participates in the larger discipline of psychology by encouraging faculty and student attendance at professional conferences as well as publication in professional journals.

The department is dedicated to effective individual academic and career advising for majors in order to achieve their goals. Furthermore, the department strongly supports the university mission for cultural diversity by providing appropriate courses and course content reflecting the diversity of human behavior within a multicultural society, opportunities for multi-cultural experiences for students and faculty, and service to the larger community.