Department of Behavioral Sciences

Faculty

KENT OLNEY (1995)
	Professor of Sociology; Chair, Department of Behavioral Sciences
B.A., 1977, Asbury College M.Div., 1979, Asbury Theological Seminary M.A., 1985, Gallaudet University M.S., 1995, University of Oregon Ph.D., 1999, University of Oregon

ELIZABETH GASSIN (1995)
	Professor of Psychology
B.S., 1988, University of California M.S., 1990, Purdue University Ph.D., 1995, University of Wisconsin M.A., 2009, Governors State University

CHARLES PERABEAU (2005)
	Professor of Sociology
B.A., 1994, Olivet Nazarene University M.A., 1998, Loyola University M.Phil., 2001 Drew University Ph.D., 2011, Drew University

KRISTIAN VEIT (2007)
	Professor of Psychology
B.A., 1998, University of Nebraska M.A., 2003, Northern Illinois University Ph.D., 2006, Northern Illinois University

DALE SMITH (2008)
	Professor of Psychology
B.S., 2001, Olivet Nazarene University M.S., 2006, Auburn University Ph.D., 2008, Auburn University M.S., 2017, University of Chicago

ALISON YOUNG REUSSER (2014)
	Assistant Professor of Psychology
B.A., 2007, Houghton College M.A., 2010, The Ohio State University Ph.D., 2014, The Ohio State University

The Department of Behavioral Sciences offers programs of study in psychology and sociology. Students may choose to major or minor in either of these disciplines. The Department’s mission is to instruct students, by both word and example, so that they might become competent behavioral scientists or consumers of behavioral science, critical thinkers, and compassionate servants of Jesus Christ. The behavioral sciences seek to broaden one’s understanding of human behavior and then interpret that behavior to both the individual and society. Department faculty operate from the Christian perspective that God has created human beings and is intimately interested in their development and patterns of behavior.

Psychology offers the option of a B.A. or B.S. degree. The B.A. degree in psychology consists of 32 credit hours; whereas the B.S. degree is expanded to 44 credit hours in psychology. Students who major in psychology will learn about human development, interpersonal relationships, abnormal behaviors, and common research methods. While all majors take a defined set of core courses, they also have the opportunity to select from several optional courses. A psychology major will equip students for graduate work in any area of psychology, as well as provide a solid background for entry-level positions in a variety of human service vocations.

Sociology offers a B.A. degree consisting of 35 credit hours. Emphasis is placed on understanding the classical and historical foundations of sociology, including the major topics and methods used by sociologists. Patterns of social behavior, community life, and traditional social institutions - such as family and religion - are core elements of the sociology program. The major allows considerable flexibility in the choice of courses and culminates with a senior research project. Graduates with a degree in sociology are typically prepared to enter graduate school (pursuing advanced degrees in a variety of related social science disciplines) or to seek entry-level employment in a number of social, community, and business settings.

Both programs of study within the Department of Behavioral Sciences–psychology and sociology–share the same purposes: (1) to enhance student awareness and understanding of human behavior, including its causes and consequences; (2) to increase knowledge of the scientific methods used by behavioral scientists when measuring human behavior and obtaining and analyzing data; and (3) to encourage application of Christian principles when studying and serving humans in our world.

Programs

Bachelor

Minor