Compared to other department buildings on campus, such as the vibrant geoscience complex, the Psychology department holds a long, narrow and uninspiring hallway of offices. But beyond the lack of décor, LSU’s Psychology department is facing much deeper issues.

As most majors require specific courses for graduation, many students have been unable to enroll in the courses needed for multiple semesters due to max capacity.
Students like Kaleb Dobbins have voiced their frustration over the limited resources, fearing the impact on their ability to graduate on time.

“My freshman year I was in the College of UCFY and then when I stopped being classified as a freshman and I came to the College of HSS, there were not as many advisors as when I was in UCFY. It was very hard to make a plan, like I want to graduate in the time given and if I tried to follow the audit I was met with waitlist, waitlist, waitlist,” Dobbins said.

Required courses like PSYC 2016 and 2017 are recommended for students to take their sophomore year. However, many students have struggled to secure a spot, even as juniors or seniors.

According to students, advisors have provided little assistance with these issues, as some feel misled or even find themselves repeatedly seeking guidance without any resolution.

“While there were multiple times where I contacted advisors and I was given some guidance it was a process and I feel like I had to hound and harass them to get help, but for the most part no I kind of just sat there and waited it out,” he continues.

Beyond coursework, research opportunities are also limited. With professors being highly selective, many qualified students proceed to go unnoticed. When addressed, the Psychology department acknowledged its challenges, citing a dramatic increase in majors. They assured students that they are working diligently to address the situation. Students are being encouraged to contact the PSYC advising email at [email protected] to schedule advising meetings for further assistance with any concerns.