The Psychology Department emphasizes an empirical approach to psychology - one based on observation and experience that, in turn, builds the skills needed to think through the challenges of the field.

• Coursework includes psychology classes, advanced laboratories, independent research, opportunities for internships and service learning, fieldwork, seminars, and exploration of special projects.
• Courses, lab work, and other activities promote knowledge of the causes of behavior and mental processes . . . while helping develop a scientific attitude and an appreciation for the complexity of human personality.

• Through the study of psychology, students gain direct experience with the major methods, instruments, and theoretical frameworks of the discipline.

The breadth of experiences in the Psychology Department are a major reason why graduates are routinely accepted to the nation's leading graduate programs - in fact, more than half of the department's graduates go on to graduate school. 

As a whole, students of psychology at Gettysburg College aren't simply "given the answers" - rather, they are given the tools that enable them to ask the questions.