Fairmont State University’s Behavioral Science programs prepare students to apply their knowledge and skills to real‐world needs of communities:
- Community Health Promotion provides students with the knowledge and skills to work in community-based programs. The focus of the degree is to prepare health professionals who can assess needs, plan and implement programs, conduct research, communicate health information, and serve as a health resource person. Graduates work in non-profits, universities, hospitals, government, and public health.
- Psychology is the science that deals with the study of behavior. The Psychology Program provides a strong foundation of applied and theoretical knowledge for students anticipating either future graduate training or immediate employment. The psychology curricula are ideal for students anticipating graduate work in various areas of psychology, social work, counseling, law, and medicine.
- Sociology is the systematic study of society and human activity, studying various forms of social and cultural interaction. With an emphasis on both sociological and anthropological theory and research, the program is also useful when preparing for graduate school. Graduates work in public administration, advertising, business, social service agencies, health services, community planning and teaching.
- The department also offers a minor in Geographic Information Science. Considered a bridge discipline, the minor offers students in all fields the opportunity to add a competitive big data minor to their current area of study with the addition of geospatial analysis, spatial literacy communication, and cartographic mapping skills to their current area of study.
Many of the courses in these programs are offered through HyFlex formats. The HyFlex format allows students to choose how to participate in the class, attending in a physical classroom, virtually through the computer, or asynchronously, depending on the specific course. Further, the Community Health Promotion program offers all of the major courses (with the prefix CHEP) in the HyFlex format. This allows students to remain in their home community while completing a degree through Fairmont State University.
