Department of Psychology
As a psychology student at Otterbein, you will be treated as an individual. You will have numerous opportunities for personal and professional development, working side-by-side with your professors. This is an excellent program for students who want to be involved and engaged in the classroom and beyond.
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B.A.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The B. A. in Psychology is a broad-based curriculum designed to develop your knowledge base in psychology, enhance your scientific reasoning skills, build your sense of ethically and socially responsible behavior, and strengthen your communication skills to help you gain the academic and practical preparation for a fulfilling career or graduate study.
B.S.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The B.S. in Psychology enhances the B.A. degree by incorporating additional seminar, capstone, and research courses to better prepare you for graduate coursework in Master’s and Doctoral level Psychology programs.
Student, Faculty, & Alumni Spotlights
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
It is important to maximize your opportunities to make connections and get engaged. Otterbein provides a good environment for that.
Logan Nelson ’23
Psychology
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Otterbein students are almost twice as likely to be admitted to graduate school compared to the national average.
Otterbein Psychology graduates go on to successful careers in fields like Counseling, Education, Forensic Psychology, Business, and Sport Psychology.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
At Otterbein, I was deeply engaged with research across several labs, which ultimately confirmed my passion for research. I worked closely with amazing faculty who pushed and encouraged me. In fact, I even co-authored two research publications!
Amanda Dakermanji ’14
Psychology Major
User Experience Analyst at Epic Games
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Due to smaller class sizes (at Otterbein), there was more individualized attention and it allowed for a richer discussion and more thorough understanding of class material. I benefited from this more personalized experience.
Drew Markley ’14
Psychology Major
Addiction Specialist on Medication Assisted Treatment team at MetroHealth
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Even though none of the faculty had a particular expertise in sport psychology, the flexibility and encouragement of the faculty to create interdisciplinary opportunities is the foundation for how I view the field of psychology … I was able to collaborate with other departments to create a unique experience that matched with my own career goals.
Liz Sanborn ’11
Psychology Major
Psy.D. in Combined-Integrated Clinical and School Psychology at James Madison University
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
The research experience I received at Otterbein University was simply amazing. … I took a research practicum class, participated in the Honors Program (in which one must conduct an experiment and write a thesis with the help of an advisor), and had a funded research assistantship, which is almost unheard of for undergraduate students.
Michelle Wang ’15
Psychology Major
Research Assistant at Applied Decision Science
| If you’re interested in… | …try a class in: |
| How the mind works > | Cognitive Psychology |
| How to promote mental health > | Psychotherapy |
| How people relate to each other > | Social Psychology |
| How infants and children develop > | Child and Adolescent Development |
| How to conduct psychological tests > | Psychological Assessment |
Department Features & Student Opportunities
Careers & Graduate Studies
Our graduates have had excellent success finding appropriate positions immediately following graduation.
Student Involvement & Awards
We view our students as part of a scholarly community.
Psychology Facilities
Our facilities are designed to drive your personal and professional development and to help you work side-by-side with your professors.
Psychology Department News
Fast Track Innovation Fund Lets Community Shape Otterbein’s Growth
News - July 31, 2023
Otterbein University is using an innovative approach to grow enrollment and revenue by “crowd sourcing” ideas from its own community and investing in the best ideas with $1 million approved by the Board of Trustees. Under the Fast Track Innovation Fund initiative, seven projects proposed by Otterbein faculty and staff in May have been funded and are already being implemented on campus. “This investment in Otterbein’s future demonstrates our trustees’ commitment to allowing every member of our community to be heard…
Art Student Creates Game to Educate Players on Food Waste and Sustainability
News - December 16, 2022
By Kailey Mishler ’24 When the students enrolled in Art 1150: Design 3D were challenged to create a board game based on social issues and problems, Rachel Malek, a freshman art and psychology major, was immediately drawn to the environmental effects of food production. For her project, she created a game focused on food waste. “I’ve always been interested in sustainability and recycling. I was inspired to make this game because being zero waste is really hard, but I think…
Work is Fun and Games for Wordle Senior Researcher and Otterbein Alumna Amanda Dakermanji ’14
News - May 27, 2022
By Payton Kaufman ’24 Wordle, the daily game from The New York Times, has amassed hundreds of thousands of loyal players. Those players can thank Otterbein alumna Amanda Dakermanji ’14 for her role in the word-puzzle game’s production. As a senior researcher at The New York Times Games, Dakermanji said her job is “to make games more fun.” “My goal is to make sure players are getting the experience they want to out of a game; that the experience is…
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30 South Grove St
Westerville, OH 43081
Administrative Assistant
Kelly Miller
614-823-1615
kmiller@otterbein.edu
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