Understand the complexity of human behavior through the active study of biological, cognitive, counseling, developmental, personality, and social psychology. Enhance that core knowledge with additional course options in areas such as positive psychology, cross-cultural psychology, neuropsychiatric diseases, psychology of gender, industrial-organizational, and clinical psychology. Gain skills and experience for employment and graduate school through participation in research lab, internships, study abroad, and conference presentations.

Your participation drives your educational experience here. Raise a virtual child, create a public service announcement about mental health, design and conduct original research, connect with psychology alum, gain first-hand experience and knowledge with community-based learning, and more.

Psychology majors can participate in a research lab where you will work with a faculty member and a few other students to design a research study, collect data, analyze results, and prepare for oral presentation at a conference and/or publication.

All Social Sciences Teaching Endorsement

Psychology students seeking certification to teach in secondary education may choose to get an all social sciences endorsement. This covers courses in American history, world history, government, psychology, sociology, geography, and economics.

Graduate School Preparation

Loras undergraduate psychology majors also have the opportunity to continue their education in any one of many related master’ s-level graduate programs, including programs in mental health counseling, coaching leadership, applied psychology, school counseling, biomedical sciences, or applied analytics right here at Loras. For more information on these graduate-level opportunities.

View Sample List

  • Applied Behavioral
  • Analysis (ABA)
  • Child Psychology
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Gerontology
  • Industrial-Organizational Psychology
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Mental Health
  • Counseling
  • Occupational Therapy
  • School Counseling
  • Social Psychology
  • Sport Psychology

Research Projects

You can participate in a research lab where you will work with a faculty member and other students to design a research study, collect data, analyze results, and prepare for oral presentation at a conference and/or publication. Psychology students have been active in starting new clubs on campus, including Active Minds, DuDawgs, and DuBuddies.

Awards & Accolades

Each year, our psychology research students are successful in applying to present at the Midwest Psychological Association conference in Chicago. We host the Tristate Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference every four years.

Explore Internships & Careers

Internship opportunities offer real-world experiences. You can complete internships for academic credit or non-credit. Many students choose to complete both.

Loras psychology students have interned at local schools and after-school programs, at a variety of social service and/or crisis agencies serving aging, domestic violence, homeless, and youth populations, at correctional and athletic facilities, in immigration services, and agencies serving those with physical, emotional, and neuro challenges.

You will be prepared for a variety of interesting careers with your undergraduate education.

  • Alumni Director
  • Corrections Officer
  • Disability Case Manager
  • Diversity Coordinator
  • Fundraising Coordinator
  • Human Resource Manager
  • Loan Officer
  • Police Officer
  • Project Evaluator
  • Research Analyst
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Victims’ Advocate

Course Highlights

Cognitive Psychology

This course will examine the theories, principles, and concepts related to the mental processes of learning, memory, and cognition. Primary topics will include historical foundations of cognitive psychology, basic processes of attention, perception and brain functioning, the complexities of memory, and higher-level thinking processes involved in problem-solving, judgment, and decision making. Students will study how these processes are enabled by the functioning of the brain, how individual differences, emotion, and motivational factors affect them, and how the cognition research can be applied to improve one’s own cognitive processes.

Brain and Behavior

The goal of this course is to give students a comprehensive overview and understanding of the anatomy, physiology and function of the brain. After understanding the basics of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology students will apply that understanding to psychological topics including motivation, emotion, learning, memory movement, sleep, and sensory processes.

Lifespan Development

A study of human development across the lifespan, with emphasis on the factors influencing physical, cognitive, and emotional development.

School of Science & Health

Majors & Minors

Graduate Opportunities

Loras undergraduate psychology majors also have the opportunity to continue your education in any one of many related master-level graduate programs.

You may be interested in mental health counseling, coaching leadership, applied psychology, school counseling, or applied analytics, right here at Loras.

Clubs & Orgs

We have a variety of opportunities for you to get involved from the moment you set foot on campus.

Active Minds
Psi Chi National Honors Society
Civic Leaders
Du-Buddies
DuDawgs

Straight Talk from a Duhawk

The research experience I have received as a psychology major is the part I value the most. I plan on going to grad school after Loras, so I know it’ll be really helpful and better prepare me for that.

— Pablo (’23)

Meet Your Professors

headshot Kenny Loui PhD

Lindsey Bartgis  PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychology

headshot Sarah Cassella, Neuroscience professor smiling

Sarah Cassella  PhD

Associate Professor of Neuroscience

headshot Lisa Grinde PhD

Lisa Grinde  PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology

Loras College Crest graphic

Jake Kurczek  PhD

Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience

photo of Kristin Lauritsen

Kirstin Lauritsen  PhD LP

Assistant Professor of Psychology
Practicum and Internship Coordinator

Loras College Crest graphic

Julia Omarzu  PhD

Professor of Psychology

headshot Steffanie Schilder PhD, LP, LMHC, LPC

Steffanie Schilder  PhD, LP, LMHC, LPC

Associate Professor of Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Director

Psychology News