Reflection

Shayleigh Gulvas

Seton Hill University

How the psychology major and Seton Hill’s Liberal Arts curriculum worked together toward the

accomplishment of both sets of objectives.

The liberal arts curriculum alongside the psychology major undergraduate work hand in

hand to help a student get the most out of their education. Having a major helps a student focus

deeply on a certain path that sparks their interest and helps prepare them for a career. The Liberal

Arts curriculum is what makes Seton Hill University unique. This specific curriculum and

education helps a student use critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, express creativity,

and can even help them discover a path that they love and enjoy. Psychology provides students

with specialized education that can help them understand others, themselves, and assist with their

future. The Liberal Arts curriculum is more of a broad education that can also help students with

their future discipline.

When looking at how these two complement each other, it’s very easy to see. As a

psychology major, I was able to see how taking classes such as philosophy, biology-based

classes, and statistics (SPSS helped me with Research and Applications of Psychology) assisted

me in my understanding of human behavior and the mind! It was really interesting to gain

different perspectives on psychology. For example, in the LA Core-General Science category, I

took Biological Psychology. In this class, I learned about brain biology, behavior, mental

illnesses, and physical illnesses (Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS). These interdisciplinary

classes thoroughly allowed me to apply various psychological theories, concepts, and

perspectives to many problems. In addition, I was able to use these various classes to contribute

to my personal understanding of psychology. For example, sometimes I was able to make deeper

connections in psychology because of my Liberal Arts classes. Learning about brain function in

Biological Psychology helped me to better understand different perspectives of the brain when I

took Motivation and Emotion!

Seton Hill University’s Liberal Arts curriculum focuses on the importance of critical

thinking and communication (Seton Hill University learning objective I). These are perhaps two

of the most important skills to have when majoring in psychology. As you read through my

Capstone, you will see how I emphasized critical thinking and communication. I learned how to

critically analyze and think about psychology through Oliver Sacks’ book, The Man Who

Mistook His Wife For A Hat, and communication through multimedia presentations, debates,

counseling sessions, and more. Psychology majors are to discuss research, findings, and facts.

When conducting research, we are to analyze, interpret, and communicate our findings whether it

be through paper, discussions, or presentations. Because the Liberal Arts curriculum focuses on

critical thinking and effective communication, I was able to transfer them over into my

psychology education and build upon my strengths!

Seton Hill University’s Liberal Arts curriculum emphasizes the importance of diversity

and social justice. Throughout my psychology career, we discussed the importance of having a

range of perspectives, data, and ideas of people from various backgrounds and cultures. For

example, History and Systems of Psychology was a class centered on various ideas, values, and

theories that shaped psychology's understanding of the human mind and behavior. It looked at a

different side of psychology that isn't typically studied such as discrimination, racism,
stereotypes, and cultural changes. We learned about the horrible challenges that African

Americans and other minorities faced in regard to psychology. In addition, we discussed the

importance of having diversity in research. It is difficult to draw conclusions and generalize them

based on a certain population (e.g.: a study focusing on the mental health effects of COVID-19

and only collecting data from the United States). A wide range of cultures, ethnicities,

backgrounds, and ages are needed to draw accurate conclusions in research. Because of classes

such as Western Cultural Traditions and Elementary Spanish Language and Culture, I am able to

learn about various cultures, religions, and traditions that can assist me with my psychology

career. I gained a deeper respect for these people and treating them with dignity and respect is

what is extremely important to me. If I conduct any professional research in the future, I will

keep in mind the importance of including people from various cultures and backgrounds as their

experiences are just as important as anyone else’s.

Overall, it is true that the Liberal Arts curriculum and the psychology curriculum work

together to create a broad-based and knowledgeable education for all students. There are so

many ways that these two complement each other. Gaining various perspectives, ideas, and

understandings can only help a student discover their true calling and build upon their success.

Since Seton Hill University focuses on critical thinking, problem-solving, communication,

striving for diversity, inclusion and social justice, and assisting students with finding what is a

good fit for them, students are able to graduate with a comprehensive understanding of their field

that helps them be successful in the future.