Psychology Department

Psychology Home

Psychology FAQs:

Do I have to take statistics?

Yes. Statistics are one of the basic tools that psychologists use to conduct research. Even if you "only" want to help people, most of the techniques you will use to help people are based on research conducted by psychologists. If you want to critically evaluate that research, or if you want to do research on people yourself, a knowledge of statistics is essential. A lot of students don't look forward to statistics, but end up loving it! Ideally, students interested in psychology will have taken PSY 103 by the beginning of their sophomore year. Note that MATH 104,119, or 121 is a pre-requisite for PSY 103 (and, those math courses satisfy the college's G perspective).

Do I have to take PSY 104 - Research Methods?

All students entering Muhlenberg as the classof 2008 or after do have to take PSY 104. As stated above, even students who only want to "help people" need to have the critical thinking skills and expertise to understand and generate empirical research. We recommend you try to take this course no later than your sophomore year if possible. Note that PSY 103 is a pre-requisite for PSY 104. That means that you should try to get started on the sequence (Math Pre-Req, then 103, then 104) as soon as possible.

I took a psychology course at another college. Can it count for my major here?

The person to talk to is the Chair of the Psychology Department. If you plan to take a course at another college, get the course approved before you take the course.

Can I minor in psychology?

No, you can't minor in psychology at Muhlenberg. But many students combine the psychology major with Theatre, English, Biology, Sociology...there are endless possibilities! Also, you can develop your own concentration of psych courses that complement your major.