Earn a Psychology degree at NC Wesleyan University and gain a deep understanding of how humans and animals think, feel, learn, and behave.
A degree in Psychology from NC Wesleyan University explores how humans and animals think, feel, learn, and behave. Our program equips you with the knowledge and skills for careers in Human Services, Health Sciences, and STEM fields, while encouraging exploration of human development, personality, cultural diversity, and ethical decision-making.
What You’ll Learn
The Psychology program focuses on the development of writing, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills. Students learn key concepts and theories in cognitive, emotional, developmental and social processes along with research methods and strategies for psychological assessment. You’ll examine the developmental processes of childhood, adolescence and more. Study the topics of the structure and function of the nervous system and the physiological basis of perception, motivation, memory and selected psychopathological disorders.
The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a variety of employment settings and further graduate study.
Psychology Program Overview
The psychology major emphasizes the development of writing, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills by providing the student with exposure to the basic areas of the discipline, including research design and analysis, human development, personality and psychopathology, social behavior, learning and cognition and neuroscience. Many courses in the curriculum encourage students to think about and discuss cultural diversity and ethical decision-making. The curriculum is also designed to prepare the student for further training in either graduate school or an applied setting such as social service.
Here are some highlighted courses included in the Psychology Major:
PSY 201 – Psychological Development in Childhood
An examination of the developmental processes of childhood. The topics include the maturation of perceptual and motor process, the development of social attachments and the emergence of cognitive functions such as memory and language.
PSY 202 – Psychological Development in Adolescence
An examination of the developmental processes of adolescence. The topics include the maturational changes of puberty, the shift in social attachment to peers and the emergence of the adult personality.
PSY 304 – Theories of Personality
A critical survey of various theoretical approaches to the study of human personality, including psychoanalytic, dispositional, cognitive, phenomenological and social learning perspectives.
PSY 226 – Research Design and Analysis I
This course is designed to introduce the student to research methods in psychology. Topics include: experimental and correlational research designs, library research techniques, the calculation and interpretation of descriptive statistics and ethical considerations in research. Students will write research reports based on experiments which are supervised by the professor.
PSY 319 – Physiological Psychology
A detailed review of the neural structures and physiological processes underlying human behavior. Topics include the structure and function of the nervous system and the physiological basis of perception, motivation, memory and selected psychopathological disorders.
PSY 322 – Conditioning and Learning
A detailed review of procedures and data related to the experimental analysis of behavior. The focus of the course is on identifying the variables that explain the origins and changes of behavior. Topics include classical and operant conditioning, constraints on learning, stimulus control and the learning and retention of verbal material.
What are the courses like in Psychology Major at NCWU?
Check out our latest university catalog for learning goals, course descriptions and suggested plans of study for NC Wesleyan University’s Psychology Program.
How does this degree prepare students for a career?
Education in Psychology studies the way humans and animals act, feel, think, and learn. The set of skills learned can help prepare you for a variety of different careers. Psychology jobs often fall under the Human Services, Health Science, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics career areas.
Career Options
- Professional counselors or psychologists (with graduate training)
- Public agencies that coordinate services for people or families.
- Social and mental health agencies
- Companies/agencies that provide child development services
- Helpful Career Exploration Tools:
Wesleyan is dedicated to assisting students in their professional development offering resources and guidance for hands-on learning experiences through internships, assignments within the courses and job search resources. Let us help you focus on your education and career at the same time!
Wondering what you can do with a degree from NCWU’s Psychology major? Check out these resources from NCWU Career Development & Leadership and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).
Dr. Jonathan Golding, Professor of Psychology at the University Of Kentucky, visited NCWU to give a presentation to Psychology majors about career options after graduation.
“Each of my professors offered great advice and went out of their way to support me in any way possible. Wesleyan encouraged me to pursue higher education, helped me to develop a passion for helping others, and exposed me to different routes that are available through graduate programs and future careers.”
Jordan Fransee ’23
BA in Psychology and BA in Criminal Justice
“North Carolina Wesleyan had such a huge impact on my life. The connections I made were pivotal in preparing me for my future. The small class sizes allowed a more personal feel in the classroom, giving students the space to ask questions. I am thankful for the faculty and staff, as they were extremely helpful and provided me with the resources I needed to be successful in each of the opportunities I sought out. I am truly grateful to be a part of the Wesleyan community.”
Rebecca Mitchell ’22
BA in Psychology and BA in Biology
Outside of the Classroom
Get Research Experience
The psychology major emphasizes the development of writing, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills by providing the student with exposure to the basic areas of the discipline, including research design and analysis, human development, personality and psychopathology, social behavior, learning and cognition and neuroscience. Many courses in the curriculum encourage students to think about and discuss cultural diversity and ethical decision-making. The curriculum is also designed to prepare the student for further training in either graduate school or an applied setting such as social service.
Courtney Garfaolo presents her research at North Carolina Psychological Association Conference.
Diamond Allen presents her research at the Carolinas Psychology Conference
Psychology Internships at NCWU
The NC Wesleyan University Psychology Program offers Interships to students who are interested in enhancing their resume, gaining real-world experience in Psychology, and building their network on and off campus.
If interested, contact Dr. Greg Preuss at gpreuss@ncwu.edu.
NCWU’s Psychology Club
The Psychology Club at NCWU is a student-led organization dedicated to fostering intellectual exploration of the mind and brain. Through structured discussions, interactive activities, and curated film viewings, the club provides opportunities for academic engagement and community building. Open to students of all majors, it serves as a collaborative environment for individuals an interest in psychology. The organization is jointly advised by Dr. Sandborn and Dr. Hiskes.
Trip to the Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, NC.
Trip to the Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, NC.
24/7 Tutoring Services. Free & Easy.
North Carolina Wesleyan University is partnered with Brainfuse, a complimentary online tutoring service, provided to all Wesleyan students. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and features live tutoring in the subjects of writing, reading, math, computer and technology, science and business.
Student Organizations
Be engaged at NCWU!
Choose from 30+ student-led clubs and organizations to connect with other students who share your academic interests or… create your own.
Transfer Articulation Agreements
To simplify the transfer process, NC Wesleyan University has a number of partnerships with other community colleges, universities and institutions that allow students to enroll at NCWU with simple pathways. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to NCWU. Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.
Faculty & Staff
Email any of our advisors with any questions you have about completing this program.
Benjamin “Ben” Hiskes
Kim Martin, Ph.D.
Greg Preuss, Ph.D.
Jay Quinan, Ph.D.
Fred Sanborn, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology/Assistant Director of the Taylor-Crockers Honor's Program/Program Coordinator, Psychology
