Bachelor of Science, Major in Psychology with Emphasis in Psychology, Developmental Disabilities

at Pittsburg State University USA

Located within the Kansas Technology Center, the Department of Automotive Technology is recognized by industry as offering one of the best academic programs in the nation. Our professors are accomplished professionals with industry experience and our laboratories offer students access to the latest technology. Learn more about our department and discover why you belong at Pittsburg State University.

Collision Repair and Insurance Management - Emphasis
This program is the perfect choice for students whose career plans are to work in insurance or collision repair positions. An emphasis area within our 4-year Automotive Technology program, the Collision Repair and Insurance Management program focuses on this 10 billion/year sector of the automotive industry.

This is an interdisciplinary liberal arts degree with a foundation in social science inquiry. With an emphasis on law and the social sciences, this unique contemporary degree represents the current state-of-the-art setting for studying justice and provides a comprehensive degree. Students develop an understanding of the nature of justice and analyze controversial justice issues through critical inquiry and social science investigation. While primary focus is placed on theories of justice, legal studies, social and economic justice, students may elect a Criminal Justice emphasis that will allow them to pursue their interests in law enforcement, corrections, and other legal careers.

Social studies programs are part of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences department. The programs provide high-quality instruction to students in ways that emphasize active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through transformative experiences.

Criminal Justice - Emphasis
The Criminal Justice emphasis allows students who are more interested in law enforcement, corrections, and other law related careers to pursue their interests within the Criminal Justice major. Our Criminal Justice emphasis gives students a substantive base of criminal justice experience such as interviewing and interrogation while building on critical thinking skills, the ability to handle statistical data, and student understanding of the broader meanings and practice of justice. This emphasis is not designed to be the equivalent of police academy training, rather it will allow students whose career interests are oriented toward law related careers to pursue their goal within a broad liberal arts approach to justice.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree, with a variety of emphasis areas, including performance, conducting, and music education. Within the area of conducting, students may select an instrumental (wind or orchestral) emphasis. This degree is designed to prepare individuals for professional advancement or for entry into further study at the doctoral level.

Awards for full-time graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Recipients of these positions will take active leadership roles in the department's ensembles, teaching and accompanying private lessons, and/or serving as an assistant to the ensemble director.

We have undergraduate programs covering the range of modern biology including: pre-health (pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-vet, pre-optometry, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant), medical technology, cell and molecular biology, wildlife biology, fisheries and aquatic sciences, botany, ecology, and secondary education.

There are almost 400 students in the undergraduate program and about 20 in the graduate division. The Department of Biology has 13 full-time faculty with a wide range of interests. The faculty are dedicated and committed to Pittsburg State University and the department, but most importantly, to students. Most faculty are actively engaged in research activities, national professional organizations, and professional service.

Wildlife Ecology and Conservation - Emphasis
Environmental sustainability and conservation has never been more important than it is today. Students in the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation emphasis program will develop knowledge and skills to help protect Earth and all of its inhabitants.

Combining biology, chemistry, ecology, and other natural sciences, this emphasis features a focus on the conservation, protection, and management of wildlife and their natural habitats. Students will benefit from an integrated curriculum that allows them to learn about wildlife from all angles.

The B.S.T. in Graphic Communications is a 120-credit Graphic Communications Degree that can be completed in four years of full-time study. Students are asked to declare one of the following areas of emphasis: Digital Media, Graphic Design, Graphics Management, Print Media, Packaging Graphics, or Web/Interactive Media.

All six areas of emphasis within the Graphic Communications program share a core curriculum, classes necessary for the field of graphic communications. In addition to these classes, each of the six distinct areas have specific emphasis and support courses, to round out the major, as well as elective graphics classes, allowing students to customize their degree.

The curriculum offered by the GIT department is under constant review and is always updated to ensure students get exposure to contemporary changes in this dynamic field.

Graphic Design - Emphasis
The Graphic Design emphasis blends the artistic and creative side with the technical aspects of graphics production while also including the study and application of design fundamentals.

The core curriculum within the Department of Graphics and Imaging Technologies (GIT) includes courses common among all of our six emphasis areas. These courses are primarily introductory classes that provide students with the basic information needed to succeed in the graphics industry. Within the core curriculum, there are also two upper-division classes, an internship and a capstone class.
Graphic Design Emphasis Courses:

• Web Graphics Software
• Intro to Packaging Technology
• Photography
• Web and Motion Graphics
• Print File Preparation and Preflighting
• Printing Technologies
• Portfolio Management
• Color Reproduction

The Department of Art at Pittsburg State University provides students who have an interest in art with a strong foundation in creative critical thinking and design. We offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree with four emphasis areas: 2D Studio Art, 3D Studio Art, Illustration and Visual Storytelling, and Art Education. The BFA degree prepares students for a multitude of professional careers in studio, applied arts, and art education, and is also considered fundamental preparation for graduate degrees in the studio arts and art history.

The Department of Art faculty members are all active exhibiting artists and/or research scholars in their own respective art fields. Faculty provide students with insight and guidance as they prepare for their own careers. The student to faculty ratio in the Department of Art is approximately 15 to 1.

All art majors take a series of introductory art courses in a wide range of media, as well as art history courses, and upper level courses in their emphasis area. Additionally, students pursuing a studio art emphasis take a series of professional practice courses that introduce them to the business aspects of being working artists and developing creative careers. Those pursuing the art education emphasis receive a comprehensive art education curriculum. Students also have opportunities to participate in internships in the areas of museum studies and gallery practice or studio and creative industry.

Art 3D Studio - Emphasis
This professional degree program provides the foundational knowledge and skills required for entry into art-related career fields or graduate programs in the arts. All art majors take a series of introductory art courses in a wide range of media, as well as art history courses, and upper level courses in their emphasis area. Additionally, students pursuing a studio art emphasis take a series of professional practices courses that introduce them to the business aspects of being working artists and developing creative careers.

Pittsburg State University’s Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences consists of those specialties that have emerged as so desirable in the 21st century labor force. Students use the tools from Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Sociology and Social Work programs and coursework to examine issues and to find sustainable solutions to complex problems affecting individuals, families, and society.

The mission of the History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department’s programs is to provide high quality instruction to students in ways that emphasize active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through transformative experiences. Through our efforts, we aim to increase everyone’s awareness of how the ethnic, cultural, and other forms of diversity affect society. We invite you to visit the individual program areas to learn more about each field of study.

Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to collaboration, respect, understanding for all students, staff, and faculty. The programs of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department at Pittsburg State University embraces a commitment to diversity as a community of individuals and programs which seek to reduce prejudice, disparities, discrimination and build a supportive environment for all. 

The Department of Technology and Workforce Learning includes several undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Programs of study include two-year associate and certificate programs as well as several undergraduate degree programs in the Workforce Development, Vocational Teacher Education, Technology and Engineering Education, and Wood Technology.  Graduate programs in Career and Technical Education, Technology, and Human Resource Development are also available.  In addition, one post-graduate program in Workforce Development and Education (Ed.S) is also available.

The Department of Communication offers a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, and Master of Arts degrees within a collaborative and collegial environment. Our top-ranked faculty are highly active in their professions and emphasize the importance of fusing theory with applied skill. We have more than 250 majors across the five emphasis areas of human communication, media production, multimedia journalism, strategic communication, and theatre. The department stresses an integrated and active approach to learning. Please explore our website and let us know if you have any questions.

Theatre  - Emphasis
Theatre prepares the individual for work in the arts and entertainment industry across a broad spectrum of areas such as performance, technical production, design, and/or management. Individuals graduating in this emphasis area also work in many tangential industries such as hotel/restaurant management, event planning, and facilities management. At PSU, the theatre program, stresses a liberal arts approach that trains each student across the entire discipline in state-of-the-art production facilities. Participation, collaboration, and service are integral components of the program.

We have undergraduate programs covering the range of modern biology including: pre-health (pre-med, pre-dentistry, pre-vet, pre-optometry, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant), medical technology, cell and molecular biology, wildlife biology, fisheries and aquatic sciences, botany, ecology, and secondary education.

There are almost 400 students in the undergraduate program and about 20 in the graduate division. The Department of Biology has 13 full-time faculty with a wide range of interests. The faculty are dedicated and committed to Pittsburg State University and the department, but most importantly, to students. Most faculty are actively engaged in research activities, national professional organizations, and professional service.

Botany - Emphasis
How do plants grow and develop? What role do plants play in biodiversity? How do plants impact our physical environment? Students in the Botany emphasis will answer these questions and many more. Aimed at expanding current knowledge of plants and their importance in our world, the botany track helps students and graduates address major issues in the fields of agriculture, ecology, and horticulture.

The Botany emphasis is grounded in the basic sciences (general biology, chemistry, math, and physics) needed to understand the latest research in plant biology.