Psychology

Overview

Psychology at SUA is committed to applying the methods of science to understanding the mind, brain, and behavior. Whether you are interested in mental health, happiness, love, or in psychology’s unique answers to the enduring questions, such as Who am I?, the courses we offer introduce students to basic and applied research in clinical, social, and developmental psychology.

SUA faculty in psychology have varied research interests—from the study of forgiveness, adolescent social relationships, and the practice of mindfulness.

Course offerings

Catalog: View Psychology Courses

Our faculty

Esther S. Chang, PhD

Professor of Psychology

Esther Chang came to Soka University in 2007 after earning a PhD in Psychology and Social Behavior from UCI. Her dissertation study developed a theoretical framework for understanding cross-cultu...

echang@soka.edu

949-480-4240

Personal Website

Seiji Takaku, PhD

Professor of Psychology

Seiji Takaku joined Soka University of America in 2002 as a professor of psychology. Before joining the faculty at SUA, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Minnesota State...

stakaku@soka.edu

949-480-4058

Alumni Perspectives

Studying psychology often prepares you for other academic and professional programs (e.g. law school, medical school, business school, etc.).

Jianmin Shao '17

Graduate Student in the Department of Psychological Science at University of California-Irvine

"Social and Behavioral Sciences has given me the capability to engage with the world critically and reflexively and to bend rather than break when challenged by tough projects in graduate school. Diverse coursework offered by Social and Behavioral Sciences and encouragement from many professors to think across disciplines have provided me with the foundation to move across multiple areas of inquiries and to constantly dance between the urge to find a solution to a problem while being open to unexpected encounters."

Minami Hattori '13

Capstone Project: "What is Global Citizenship?: Scale Development Using Psychological Research Methods" (with Dr. Esther S. Chang)

"After graduating, I obtained an MA at Claremont Graduate University with co-concentrations in positive developmental psychology and evaluation. I started a doctoral study in quantitative psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Training in SBS at Soka provided the fundamental skills and habits required for an intellectual profession like mine. Skills in writing, facilitation, presentation, and research are just a small portion of what we learned at Soka."

Justin Harding '12

Graduated with a Degree in Physical Therapy

“The diverse classes offered in my Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration allowed me the opportunity to further understand the complexities of the human mind and has prepared me to critically reflect on how my attitudes and behaviors influence the people around me. For my specific field of physical therapy, it is important to understand not only the underlying pathology a patient may have, but also the psychological component that may be contributing to their overall dysfunction."