Department Head Welcome
Welcome from our Department Head, Dr. Brian O'Leary
On behalf of our outstanding faculty and staff, I would like to welcome you to the UTC Department of Psychology. Let me leave no doubt - there isn’t a better department on campus! Our faculty members are dedicated teachers and researchers who are committed to your academic development and success. Our friendly staff members are dedicated to ensuring that the process of getting your education is as smooth as possible. Our curriculum spans the breadth of the psychological discipline which enables you to explore your interests within this exciting and important field of study. Despite the size of the major, we remain student-focused and work with you as individuals to ensure that your academic journey aligns with your life goals, whatever they may be.
Undergraduate Degree
Our Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is among the most popular on campus, providing our majors with a solid foundation in Psychology. The B.S. degree provides a sophisticated grounding in the processes and discoveries of the scientific method as it is used in contemporary Psychology. Most of our graduates move directly into business or public service, benefitting from the enhanced opportunities for success associated with the critical thinking skills developed through a strong liberal arts education. Other of our graduates enter Masters, PsyD and PhD programs in Psychology, including Industrial-Organizational, Clinical, and School Psychology. And an undergraduate degree in Psychology does not limit you to pursuing an advanced degree in Psychology. Our graduates have gone on to get degrees in law, medicine, social work and other disciplines.
Graduate Degrees
We offer two Master's level programs, one in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology and the other a masters in Psychological Science. Our I-O program provides students with classroom and real-world experiences that allow them to graduate and fulfill important roles in work organizations. Students in our Research Master's program work closely with a faculty mentor and take courses that teach them to use scientific methods to explore a wide range of issues. Research Master's students, for example, have studied Psychology and the Law, Cognitive Psychology, the Psychology of Religion, Personality and Social Psychology, and Health Psychology, to mention only a few of the more prominent examples. Many of our Masters program graduates go on to pursue PsyD and PhDs at other universities.
Learning
Our faculty members enhance the learning experience of students in a variety of ways. As dedicated researchers, we work hard to transfer that enthusiasm for research into the classroom. Our faculty maintain active research programs in which both undergraduate and graduate students collaborate. It is not unusual for students and faculty to coauthor papers that are subsequently published in academic journals. Our students often have their research funded via competitive, campus-wide research support programs. They also frequently present research at professional conferences. Our students publish a journal of undergraduate research, Modern Psychological Studies, which is reviewed and edited by our more advanced undergraduates as part of a 3-hour, repeatable elective course. Other students take advantage of psychology-related practicum experiences in the wider community. We also honor our very best students through the Psi Chi Honorary Society. In all of these activities and more, the goal is to present students with a broad and enriching a learning experience.
Come by and see us in the 3rd floor of the Chattanooga State Office Building at 540 McCallie Ave. We’d love to talk to you about your future! Also, check back in this section of our website and its subpages from time to time for important updates and information that apply to the overall department and our undergraduate and graduate programs.
Dr. O