Psychology

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Department Chair: Stephen Worchel, Ph.D. (worchel@hawaii.edu)
Social Sciences Division Office: University Classroom Building 247, (808) 933-3315
Web Sites: www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/psychology/ AND www.uhh.hawaii.edu/~psych/

Professors:
Susan G. Brown, Ph.D.
Paul W. Dixon, Ph.D.
B. Chris Frueh, Ph.D.
Vladimir Skorikov, Ph.D.
Stephen Worchel, Ph.D.

Associate Professors:
Bryan S.K. Kim, Ph.D.
Errol B. Yudko, Ph. D.

Assistant Professors:
Dawna Coutant, Ph.D.
Steve Herman, Ph.D.
Charmaine Higa-McMillan, Ph.D.
Adam Pack, Ph.D.
Cheryl Mae Ramos, Ph.D.

Instructor:
Becky J. Thurston, M.A.

As the study of behavior and experience, psychology offers many benefits to you, the student. It can satisfy your curiosity about yourself, others, and animals; it offers psychological insights into personal and societal issues; it enables more control over your own life; it promotes critical thinking and an objective attitude; and it fosters respect for human diversity.

The academic major is rigorous in the requirement of core methodological courses, yet flexible in the freedom to choose from among a variety of substantive courses. The program also provides opportunities for practicum experiences in the community agencies or campus programs, and for research experiences in many areas of psychology. The student Psychology Club arranges for educational activities, sponsors social events, and provides mutual support for its members. In short, the student experience in psychology can be intellectually exciting and personally satisfying because, in the final analysis, psychology is about you!

Goals for Student Learning in the Major

1. Upon completion of the major, students will have a basic understanding of the major theoretical orientations in psychology along with the major empirical findings.
2. Psychology majors will be expected to study, review, and reflect on the role of evidence in supporting claims. They will be familiar with quantitative and qualitative research methods in psychology and be able to understand published research.
3. Psychology majors will be expected to develop analytical and critical thinking skills and apply them to the field of psychology.

Contributions to the UH Hilo General Education Program

Survey of Psychology is the only course the Psychology Department offers in the General Education program. If you choose to take this course, you will learn about individual and group behavior, mechanisms of development, and various psychological processes, such as cognition, learning, emotion, motivation, etc. You also will be exposed to various applied areas of psychology, including clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and industrial/organizational psychology.

Prospects for Psychology Graduates

Students choose psychology as an academic major to prepare for graduate school where they are educated to become professional psychologists, researchers, and professors; to train for working in related fields, such as counseling, education, management, or social work; or to gain skills useful for work in many other occupations. In general, psychology is useful for any career that involves working with or relating to people and that means nearly every job in our society.

Special Aspects of the Program

Psychology students have the opportunity to take a practicum course in which they are placed in supervised experience in human service, mental health, or other community agencies. Additionally, psychology has many active research projects that include undergraduate researchers, such as studies in adolescent development, mental health, women’s health, and psychology of religion.