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"Teaching a Humanistic Style of Psychology: A Faculty Q&A"

Centered on Humanistic Psychology

Our psychology major offers rigorous study of human science psychology that includes existential, phenomenological, depth psychology, liberation and critical psychology, as well as radical feminist, queer, intersectional and post-structuralist theories.

We encourage critical and holistic thinking in order to respectfully address the diverse and unique lived experiences of children and adults, and foster activist perspectives that enhance the well-being of persons and their communities.

Concentration Options

Students also have the opportunity to choose concentrations of study in the following areas:

  • Child psychology
  • Clinical psychology
  • Community psychology
  • Forensic psychology
  • Psychology of religion and spirituality 
Pictured are psychology undergraduate students at their blanket and coat drive for the homeless.

Courses & Topics

Our courses are designed to prepare students for continued study at the graduate level as clinicians and scholars.

You will receive a well-rounded education through our core curriculum and classes in the psychology major. Courses include:

  • Modern and Postmodern Approaches to Psychology
  • Psychopathology: Critical Perspectives
  • Foundations to Community Psychology
  • LGBTQ Mental Health
  • Zombies & Psychological Life
  • Psychology of Evil and Human Destruction

Faculty bring industry experience and expertise to the classroom

Learn from faculty who have worked in various areas of psychology and had their research published in many scholarly journals.

Meet the faculty
Pictured is Brent Robbins, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Psychology. Photo by John Altdorfer.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Brent Dean Robbins, Ph.D.
  • Recipient of the American Psychological Association's Carmi Harari Early Career Award
  • Published research includes mixed method investigations of emotion, embodiment, and the medicalization of the body
  • Past President and Committee Chair, Society for Humanistic Psychology

Psychology Internships

Students in our psychology major participate in internships and practicums at local agencies (many of which are within walking distance of campus) including:

  • Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
  • Pittsburgh Action Against Rape
  • Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
  • AHEADD Achieving in Higher Education
  • Mercy Behavioral Health
  • Freedom Center
  • Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
  • The Icarus Project
  • Operation Better Block
  • Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh
  • The Project to End Human Trafficking
  • Secret Angel L
  • The Bradley Center

Psychology Alumni in Graduate School

Alumni of our B.A. psychology program have gone on to complete graduate school at a variety of schools such as:

  • Chicago School of Professional Psychology
  • Duquesne University
  • The University of West Georgia
  • Chatham University
  • Seattle University
  • Carlow University

Career Options

With a bachelor's degree in psychology, our students are well-prepared for continued study at the graduate level or to pursue various career opportunities, such as:

  • Advocate
  • Administrator
  • Case Manager
  • Clinician
  • Licensed Counselor
  • Social, Market, or Data Researcher
  • Therapist
  • Therapeutic Support Specialist

News & Features

Faculty Spotlight: Britney Brinkman, Ph.D.
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 Following 15 years of research on young girls' experiences in schools, Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Point Park University, has published "Girls’ Identities and Experiences of Oppression in Schools: Resilience, Resistance, and Transformation," a book that explores "the ways in which girls and adults in school systems hold multiple realities, negotiate tensions, cultivate hope and resilience, resist oppression and envision transformation."
Video: What Makes Point Park University's Approach to Psychology Distinctive?
Monday, March 7, 2022 "Our program brings sophisticated theoretical lenses to problems of mental health so that we can recognize contextual factors. They are easy to miss, because we see people, not their situations. Yet, people never exist outside of a situation. If we miss the social and cultural context, we will too easily stigmatize people."
Mobile Thriving Respite Connects Theory to Practice for Psychology Students
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 "The Mobile Thriving Respite adds immense value to the education I am receiving at Point Park. My involvement allows me to see what I am learning and problematizing in classes represented in real-world scenarios. This extends my education far beyond the classroom and aids in preparing me for the professional world."