Department of

Psychology and Neuroscience

This is a vibrant and busy department, with approximately 800 undergraduate majors, 60 doctoral students, 24 full-time faculty, and four full-time staff members. We offer a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. We offer doctoral degrees in Psychology (Ph.D.), with tracks in Behavioral Neuroscience, Social Psychology, and General Experimental Psychology, and an APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.).

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Undergraduate Programs

Psychology and neuroscience are comprehensive and versatile majors, providing educational foundation for advanced study in any field.

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. It seeks to understand the origins and processes of thought and emotion by drawing from biological, social, and cultural aspects of the human experience.

Neuroscience

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system with a special focus on the brain. As a multidisciplinary field, neuroscience draws from biology, psychology, chemistry and other areas to develop a thorough understanding of the nervous system and related disorders. From molecules and genes to behavior and motor skills, neuroscience spans the full range of the nervous system.

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Graduate Programs

The department offers two doctoral degrees: Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology.

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

The Psy.D. degree prepares students as scholar practitioners in clinical psychology. The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. Formal course work is integrated with practicum and research experiences to produce highly qualified scholar-practitioners in this area of specialization.

Ph.D. In Psychology

The Ph.D. program in psychology prepares students for university teaching/research, and applied positions in universities, hospitals, industry, or government. The program has three training tracks: Behavioral Neuroscience, Social Psychology, and General Experimental Psychology.

Psychology Clinic

The Baylor Psychology Clinic is a teaching clinic that provides assessment and therapy services to Waco and the surrounding areas.

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Psychology & Neuroscience News
Baylor Senior Neuroscience Major Selected for Fulbright to the United Kingdom May. 8, 2018 WACO, Texas (May 8, 2018) – Alexa Larsen, a senior neuroscience major at Baylor University, has been selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to the United Kingdom in global health. Larsen is among five Fulbright recipients at Baylor this spring and the University’s 56th Fulbright recipient since 2001. Baylor Undergraduates and Faculty Mentors Honored for Outstanding Research Projects Presented During URSA Scholars Week May. 3, 2018 WACO, Texas (May 3, 2018) – More than 100 Baylor University students were honored recently for their outstanding research presented in March during the 10th annual Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) program’s Scholars Week. The undergraduate researchers, along with their faculty mentors and program leaders, received awards for outstanding platform and poster presentations and for significant contributions to URSA and Scholars Week at a reception April 19 on the Baylor campus. Baylor psychology prof honored for his skill teaching underwater, too Mar. 27, 2018 Dr. Hugh Riley, MA ’01, PhD ’04, has an impressive resume. After earning his bachelor’s in philosophy from UT in 1977, he spent two decades in the Air Force, retiring as a major. He then went back to school, earning his master’s and doctorate in neuroscience from Baylor, and he has taught psychology and neuroscience … Hallucinations, Full Moons and Coffee? Baylor Sleep Expert Debunks Common Sleep Myths that Might Just Help You Catch Some More Zzz’s Tonight Mar. 2, 2018 WACO, Texas (March 2, 2018) – On average, you will spend about a third of your life sleeping or attempting to sleep. For many, this means more than 25 years of your life will be spent in bed. Given this startling proportion, wouldn’t you like to know more about what helps, hinders and happens while you are asleep?
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Upcoming Events
Jul
2
2018
End of Summer Session 1; final examinations for Summer Session 1.
Jul
5
2018
Grades for Summer Session 1 due at 5 pm.
Jul
5
2018
Late registration begins for Summer Session II.
Jul
9
2018
Last day to register or add courses for Summer Session II. More Events

Alumni Profiles

“Dr. Tom Carpenter completed his doctorate at Baylor in 2015 and immediately moved into a professorship at Seattle Pacific University. Tom credits the hard work of Baylor faculty in shaping his growth and success. 'Baylor is an unusual place. On one hand, most faculty are student centered, investing more time and care into their students than they might get at other institutions. On the other hand, faculty produce high-quality research at high rates. It's an impressive combination that provides a phenomenal opportunity to students.'”
Dr. Tom Carpenter
Dr. Tom Carpenter
Psychology, Ph.D. Program
“I graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Currently, I am the head of Biorepository at the START Cancer Center in San Antonio, TX. I have been involved in several projects that led to co-authorships, including research on various types of cancers, from breast cancer to chordoma, in a preclinical setting using Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) models. My time at Baylor has not only expanded my knowledge in Neuroscience, but has also encouraged me to apply my education in a dynamic way. I'm thankful and proud to call Baylor home!”
Melissa Rundle
Melissa Rundle
Neuroscience, Undergraduate Program
“I majored in neuroscience at Baylor (class of 1997) and from the first course I took, was hooked! I'm now an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and spend my time trying to understand the relationships between brain and behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, particularly with respect to sensory processing differences in autism. To do this, my lab uses tools like psychophysics, behavioral testing, fMRI, and EEG. To learn more about Dr. Cascio's research, visit www.casciolab.com.”
Dr. Carissa Cascio
Dr. Carissa Cascio
Neuroscience, Undergraduate Program


Would you like to be featured on Alumni Profiles? Please email Psychology_Neuroscience@baylor.edu for more information.