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Providence Christian College in Pasadena has added a Concentration in Psychology to its Christian liberal arts education beginning this fall. Providence now offers over a dozen career concentrations for students including: Biblical Languages, Biblical and Theological Studies, Business, Communication Arts, Fine Arts, English, Education, History, Humanities, Social Science, Music, Psychology and Visual and Performing Arts. At Providence, students have the opportunity to pursue two career concentrations in a single, accredited liberal arts degree.

According to Providence psychology professor Tom Paulus, psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate majors because students get a chance through psychological science to ask important questions about themselves, their families, and their relationships.

Paulus says psychology from a theological perspective provides the opportunity not only to critique psychology but to sharpen the students’ understanding of what has been revealed through Scripture and tradition about human nature. The result is a fruitful dialogue that deepens and enriches our knowledge of both God and humanity, he adds.

“Here at Providence we are able to question implicit assumptions of psychological theory while also allowing these same theories to challenge and fill-in our understanding of issues in Christian anthropology such as imago Dei, sin and body-soul relations,” explains Paulus. “Faith-guided learning allows us to grow in the knowledge of God and the knowledge of self, while recognizing that these two things are not wholly separable.”

The Psychology Concentration at Providence includes courses in introduction to psychology, social science research methods, and statistics. In addition to field experience, upper classmen can augment their concentration from a choice of electives including psychology and lifespan development, educational psychology, abnormal psychology, socialpsychology, theories of personality, and neuroscience and behavior.

According to Vice President of Academic Affairs John Milton, the psychology program assists students in developing the theoretical insight and professional skills that enable them to enter graduate study and to serve in a variety of psychology-related careers and professions.

“The purpose of the program is to develop students equipped with psychological insight informed by a biblically-based Christian perspective,” adds Milton.

For more information, visit www.providencecc.edu/academics/psychologyconcentration