The Department of Psychology and Sociology is committed to the goals of a liberal education emphasizing human growth and intellectual development through an understanding of individual behavior, social interaction and cultural awareness. The various programs in the department are geared specifically toward the professional preparation of social scientists and practitioners in the areas of human development, gender and minority relations, families and children, Mexican American culture and folklore, U.S.-Mexico borderlands studies, abnormal and deviant behavior, counseling and criminology. Opportunities for undergraduate research and service learning are provided. The department promotes critical analyses and creative approaches surrounding the well-being of South Texas. It provides a comprehensive level of quality instruction, research and community involvement. By doing so it supports the academic, research and service goals of the College of Arts and Sciences and the mission of the University.