Academics: New Psychology Degree Expands SMC’s Four-Year Offerings

Jeremy Handel
Staff Writer

The study of the human mind is increasingly more popular with a generation of students who are more focused on mental health than any in history. SMC is meeting that need with its new Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree.

The new four-year degree expands on the popularity of the College’s current psychology concentration in its interdisciplinary degree program and gives students a degree more specifically focused on psychology.

“Psychology is a very diverse field of study that provides opportunities in a wide array of career paths,” said Mary Jane Farmer, Ph.D., Chair of the Psychology and Sociology Department at SMC. “We’re excited to provide our students with this new degree program and expand their opportunities.”

While reviewing potential new degree programs, Dr. Farmer and her team noted that the number of students taking the psychology concentration had nearly tripled since it was introduced in 2020. That popularity led them to propose the new psychology-specific degree. The field is increasingly popular nationwide, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 6 to 8 percent growth in job openings in the field by the end of the decade.

“I am very excited about the new degree being added to the curriculum,” said Madison McCall, an SMC sophomore from Spartanburg. “Being able to get a degree in psychology from SMC is great because I can pursue the education I want at a place that I love so much.”

Dr. Farmer said the psychology degree provides the tools and learning needed for a career in psychology, but it also provides concepts that can be used in any field.

The program provides students a more in-depth psychology program. Students will complete 36 hours – or 12 classes – specifically focused on psychology courses for the new degree.

The new psychology degree will include SMC’s unique professional development curriculum, the Camak Core. The Camak Core is a required set of courses that focuses on teaching students professional skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and professional communication.

With the psychology degree and the Camak Core skills, students will be better prepared to enter the workforce in a number of professions, including therapy, human resources, education, management, and more.

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology is the third individual bachelor’s degree added since SMC began offering four-year degrees in 2019. It will also be offered in the College’s SMC Online program.