Psychology
Bachelor of Arts Major & Minor
Changing the world starts with understanding ourselves. Whether you want to explore how we interact or you’re just curious about your own experiences, Psychology will equip you to ask the right questions to dive deeper into the mysterious inner workings of the mind.
Through your classes, projects, and out-of-class experiences, you will get a broad background in the basics of Psychology, learn to apply a scientific approach to understanding behavior and mental processes, and practice collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.
A deeper understanding of human nature and its complex interactions of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is relevant in almost any career field. There are clinical and research jobs, many of which require graduate school, as well as jobs in non-psychology fields that use this skill set. You can take this degree just about anywhere you want to go — its value lies in how you decide to shape it.
Why study Psychology at Warren Wilson?
FacultyFamily: Our small class sizes give you more one on one time to develop meaningful and collaborative relationships with faculty mentors.- Community Engaged: We provide ongoing and developmental engagement with community partners and research opportunities, along with diverse internship opportinities.
- Unrivaled Support: We support you to follow your curiosity, challenge your assumptions, and develop your abilities for understanding and helping others.
Every student will complete community-engaged coursework, an internship and original research as part of their major
A Sample of Our Partnerships
- Hinds’ Feet Farm
- Our VOICE
- YMCA / YWCA
- Transformation Village
- Buncombe County Schools
- WNC Nature Center
- FollowTheMoney.org
- Bounty & Soul
See how Psychology students put our education into action
Internship
For their practicum and thesis, Nora Weathers worked to improve education and access for sexual assault prevention advocacy with Options Victim’s Assistance of Buncombe County.
Community Engaged Course
In our introductory neuroscience course, Biopsychology, you’ll explore the biological bases of thought and behavior as you work alongside patients with our community partner Hinds’ Feet Farm, a day program for adults with brain injuries.
Work
You can work on any crew as a student but many Psychology majors choose to be on crews such as:
- Wellness
- Student Activities
- Social Sciences
- Garden
- Athletics
Senior Capstone
Kenia Romero collected both qualitative and quantitative data with patients seeking accessible care through Vecinos, a community organization that supports migrant farmworkers. Her data underscored the interconnections between the long- and short-term stressors of the immigrant experience, mental wellbeing, and physical health concerns
Study Abroad
In Comparative Psychology and Cultural-Historical Studies in Belize, students visited both a remote island research station and the mainland. They participated in comparative psychology and marine biology studies, including documenting dolphin and manatee behavior and assessing coral health. In addition to their research, students engaged with local communities, working with schoolchildren in Spanish-speaking areas.
They also explored Belize’s rich cultural and ecological heritage — hiking through Mayan caves and ruins, birdwatching, paddling a river vital to Belize’s ecosystem, and learning traditional cooking and craft-making techniques from local artisans.
Popular Courses
Sport Psychology
Curious about the relationship between mind and body in sports? In this course, you’ill explore the mental resilience, confidence, and focus needed to excel in sports and other aspects of life. You’ll also investigate the science behind peak performance and discover practical techniques to effectively manage stress, overcome challenges, and set achievable goals.
Ecopsychology
Ecopsychology examines relationships between people and the rest of nature. As a collection of theoretical perspectives, ecopsychology asserts that people have essential, unconscious connections with the rest of nature and that detachment from this relationship has dire psychological and environmental consequences. Through writing, direct experiences, and close reading of primary sources, you’ll critically examine ecopsychology’s theoretical roots and practical implications.
Social Neuroscience
Social neuroscience integrates theories and methods of social psychology and cognitive neuroscience in order to explain social and emotional behavior at three levels of analysis: social, cognitive, and neural. You’ll use key concepts and methods from social neuroscience to analyze findings in core areas of social psychology, including emotional appraisal, person perception, emotion regulation, stereotyping, attitudes and beliefs, social decision making, cooperation, personality, and individual differences.
Jen Mozolic, Ph.D.
Research Interests
- Self-regulation, cognitive control, mindset, motivational framework
- Brain development, brain health
- Environments, experiences, interventions that support learning & well-being
“I love teaching at Warren Wilson because the students are so interesting and engaging. I’m incredibly lucky that I have a job where I get to come to work every day and learn something new or think about the world in a different way.”
Robert Swoap, Ph.D.
Research Interests
- Music and Movement
- Health Psychology
- Sport and Exercise Psychology
“I am committed to co-creating a rich and meaningful experience for students. Whether in the classroom, on a field course, or on the dance floor, I love to help students learn, grow, connect, and thrive.”
April Bandy-Taylor, Ph.D.
Research Interests
- Eating disorders among gender minorities
- Minority stress and LGBTQ+ health
- Food security within the sexual/gender minority community
“At Wilson, students discover their voice and pursue their passions in a truly magical environment. Guiding them to translate that passion into real-world impact is a privilege and a constant source of inspiration.”
“My studies at WWC allowed me to gain the knowledge and experience to have a strong foundation as a clinician in my current role. The support from the social work, psychology department, and my Spanish crew supervisor were crucial as through them I was able to land competitive internships, gain knowledge, and engage in research while studying. All this prepared me to go to one of the best graduate schools of social work in the country and get the skills I needed to become the professional I am today. WWC opened lots of doors and allowed me to grow as a person and a professional.”
Andrés Escobar
(he/him)
Outpatient Bilingual Mental Health Therapist at Clinica Family Health & Wellness
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Psychology and Social Work Double Major
- Crew: Spanish crew
“My coursework in Psychology completely altered the way I perceive and interact with other humans. Experts taught me about the complexities of human nature in such diverse and compelling ways, from deep-dives into studies on mindfulness, to learning brain anatomy from lessons with a real human brain, to volunteering with folks who have experienced traumatic brain injuries. I came away with a huge collection of people skills and a solid understanding of how to train my own brain, something that has helped me to excel as I manage complex projects and interact with a wide variety of people through my work.”
Marley Fischer
(she/her)
Alumni Relations Manager at Warren Wilson College
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Psychology Major
- Education Minor
- Crews: Yearbook, Wellness, Resident Life
David Chester
(he/him)
Associate Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Major, Minor, Concentration, Crews
- Psychology Major
- Crews: Landscaping
What is your favorite memory from Warren Wilson?
“‘Planting’ my senior boulder outside of Schafer with the Landscaping Crew.”
Where Our Psychology Graduates Go
- Loyola University Chicago
- UNC Chapel Hill
- University of Alabama
- Seattle University
- Appalachian State University
- Western Carolina University
- Peace Corps
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools
- Opening their own Private Practices
