This handbook was written for you, the University of Scranton psychology student, in order to provide information on the department, to clarify curriculum offerings, and to present some of the opportunities in psychology today. As faculty advisors we find that students have many good questions about psychology. Some examples are "What courses should I take?", "What kinds of careers in psychology are there?", "Is research really helpful?", and "How do I get involved?" We hope that this guide will answer such questions and enhance communication between faculty and students.

The ultimate objective of the University of Scranton’s Psychology Handbook and the entire psychology program is to facilitate your learning. That learning should be factual, exciting, and fun. We hope that you and we, as lifetime students of psychology, will actualize the Latin origins of student, which is studere, meaning to be zealous, to aspire, to be eager, to desire. In short, catch the fever of psychology!

We would like to thank the many people who have helped in the preparation of this handbook over the years. Special gratitude is expressed to Dr. Dunstone and Dr. Heatherington, who coordinated the publication of the first edition in 1982. We publicly thank the American Psychological Association, Dr. Joseph Palladino, the National Research Council, National Center for Education Statistics, and Guilford Press for their permission to reproduce previously published material. Last, but not least, we are indebted to the psychology faculty and to the many psychology students who have shared their experiences with us.

We appreciate the contributions of Dr. J. Timothy Cannon and Dr. John Norcross who co-edited and coordinated publication of this Handbook over a period of 10 years up to 1994.  Since 1994, the handbook has been edited and coordinated by the chairperson, Dr. James P. Buchanan.

 Special thanks go to Ms. Betty Nebesky and, more recently, Ms. Donna Rupp, our administrative professionals, for their work in preparing the handbook each year.

.