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psychology students walking across campus

Psychology

Get a deeper insight into the thought, emotion and behavior surrounding the human mind.

Psychologists are people-oriented and naturally inquisitive about patterns of behavior and the way the mind works. Through your studies, you will be able to answer questions you have about yourself and others.

Whether you choose to pursue a Bachelor of Art or Bachelor of Science in Psychology, you will gain a deeper insight into the thought, emotion, and behavior while strengthening your interpersonal and analytical skill set.

Top Reasons to choose Psychology at florida southern college

Explore The Human Psyche

Psychology is both an applied and academic field, meaning that you can't uncover all you need to know in a textbook, you'll need to explore for yourself. There are many clinical and counseling organizations in the surrounding area that you can intern with, providing hands-on learning opportunities and the insight and skills needed for further studies or a career in the field.

Learning from Field Experts

The Psychology department consists of a diverse group of research-oriented professionals that have devoted themselves to the mentorship of undergraduates.

Practical Experience

An abundance of hands-on experience will give you a competitive edge over other graduate school applicants. You’ll have 120-160 hours of hands-on learning culminating in either a peer-reviewed project or a portfolio.

Research Opportunities

You’ll have opportunities to take part in every aspect of the research process, including the study of human and non-human behavior.

Employment Outlook

Alumni Occupations

Top Employers

Alumni Job Titles

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Meet our Mocs

Medhini Urs

Medhini Urs

There are a lot of opportunities for independent research in psychology - from courses such as research design and statistics, research practicum, and numerous critical thinking classes. Faculty help you execute your ideas; through their mentorship, you understand the nuances behind a subject area, and how to contribute to the growing body of research.

Alyssa Floresdevalgas

Having a better understanding of psychology and being able to pursue my dream of becoming an athletic trainer with a degree in PT is so rewarding.

Madison Phillips

All of the psychology professors are so passionate about what they teach and what they do. It makes me excited to learn!

Arianna Murdocca

My outstanding professors are by far the greatest part about being a Psychology major at Florida Southern College. The department is full of attentive, accomplished, and detail-oriented professors who prioritize comprehensive instruction and students getting the most from the educational experiences. They are some of the kindest and most dedicated people I have ever encountered!

Allison Johnson

I love the engaged learning aspects and love how the professors know who I am. In Psychology I was able to see a human brain and sheep brain my first semester here. In Business Administration, my professor loves to ask us what’s going on in the news and helps us understand the market and stocks a bit more.

Jack Wilkens

I love the faculty in my major, and how they pay such special attention to each and every one of their students— even allowing us to start participating in research as early as freshman year!

Tabitha Lehmann

My favorite thing about both of my majors is how thoughtful and dedicated the professors are, regardless of the field. Throughout my time as an undergraduate, my professors have helped me navigate the process of presenting at conferences, applying for extensive scholarships, and just being available to talk when I needed advice. I have learned so much from them that I could never gather from a textbook.

Madison Wristen

Florida Southern sold me on their small class sizes and the engaged learning. FSC also offered me the best scholarship and I was able to visualize myself here. The second I stepped on campus during scholar's weekend, I immediately felt at home.

Learn the Hot Topics in the Field

In PSY 3301 Special Topics in Psychology, students have the opportunity to courses that critically explore some “hot topic” in the field of psychology. Although this course changes from semester to semester, some of the following have been special topics courses in recent years: positive psychology, crisis and trauma management, psychology of gender, psychology of leadership, human sexuality, psychology and film, health psychology, narrative psychology, and psychology and law.

View Academic Catalog

A visit is the next step. Online or In‑Person.

Schedule a campus tour or take our video tour of one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses. Participate in our daily online Admission Info Session or a MocTalk webinar to learn more about Florida Southern.

Learn More about visiting our campus

Save Time with a 4+1 Master in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

At the end of the junior year, all Florida Southern College students are eligible to be considered for early admission to the Florida Southern Master in Industrial and Organizational Psychology program.

Learn More about Save Time with a 4+1 Master in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Featured Psychology Faculty

Dr. Patrick Smith
- Psychology Department Chair

Education should be a dynamic and interactive process. One of the most important roles of a professor is to impart professional experience as it applies to effective classroom pedagogy. However, student learning and motivational styles are always changing, so an effective educator must continue to improve one's craft by connecting with his or her students in ways that both sides realize their responsibilities in making classroom learning a collective, engaging experience.

Read More about Dr. Patrick SmithMeet Our Faculty

Marine Mammal Training Opportunities

Marine Animal Training

In addition, many of our psychology majors are interested in marine mammal training, and our location provides numerous opportunities for experience in this area. FSC students have been selected for highly competitive internships at places such as:

  • Sea World
  • MOTE Marine Laboratory
  • The Tampa Aquarium
  • Miami Seaquarium
  • Marineland

Program Details

Available in: 

  • BA
  • BS
  • Minor

First-Years

All freshman applicants to Florida Southern Colleges full-time degree programs must submit the following information:

Transfers

Applying to Florida Southern as a transfer student is easy.

If transferring less than 24 credits, we also need your:

  • Official high school transcript
  • SAT and/or ACT scores

Psychology Program Contact

Office of Admissions

Admissions Counselors
863.680.4131

Dr. Patrick Smith

Psychology Department Chair
863.680.4477

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