The Department of Psychology, in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Carolina, is located in Barnwell College, just off the historic horseshoe. The University of South Carolina is the state's flagship institution and is a comprehensive research university. The main campus, located in Columbia, with seven regional campuses located throughout the state, has 21,000 undergraduate students and 7800 students in graduate and professional programs.

The Department of Psychology offers two undergraduate degrees, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS). Both provide training in the theories and practices of psychology, combined with a liberal arts background. Currently, there are approximately 1050 undergraduate psychology majors, about 13.5% of all of the College's undergraduate majors. The Undergraduate Student Services Office is staffed by an undergraduate coordinator and peer counselors to advise, assist and provide timely information to its majors.

The graduate psychology programs offer both the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in experimental psychology, clinical-community psychology and school psychology. In addition to the three graduate degree programs, the Department of Psychology has developed research focus areas in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Prevention Science (youth, family, school and community domains), and Reading and Related Processes. Students in any of the graduate degree programs can interface with any of the research areas.

Located in Columbia, the state capital with a metropolitan population of nearly 500,000, the University and its community provide numerous social and cultural benefits which enhance the overall quality of life. These include numerous theaters offering live productions; SEC sports; minor league baseball; ice hockey; one of the nation's top zoos and botanical gardens; many museums; award winning Richland County library; Fort Jackson and its on-base school district, one of the Army's largest training facilities and a site used for research and assessment training of students; and affordable off-campus housing and services.