3.2.20.1
Program Overview
The Psychology Department seeks to prepare graduates who are able to use their understanding of psychology as they pursue their careers, contribute to the larger community, and live full and meaningful lives. Its curriculum enables students to develop both breadth and depth of knowledge about psychology, its approaches to understanding human behavior and mental process, and its applications.
The goals of the Psychology Program are the following:
- To help students develop an understanding of the theoretical concepts, methodology, and research-based findings in the foundation areas of psychology.
- To help students understand applications of psychology to personal and societal issues.
- To help students use and respect skeptical inquiry, critical thinking, and the scientific approach to understanding behavior and mental processes.
- To help students express themselves effectively in written and oral communication.
- To help students understand themselves and others in a cultural context and develop interpersonal skills for diverse settings over the lifespan.
Psychology majors may choose one of two degree options--a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. Both options are designed to provide students with breadth of coursework and experience across the diverse areas of psychology: human development across the life span; social, personality, and abnormal psychology; experimental study of processes of learning, cognition, sensation, and perception; and biologically based psychology. Skills of research design, data collection, data analysis, and professional writing and speaking are developed throughout the major coursework. Upper level courses provide additional opportunities for students to pursue areas of particular interest in greater depth. Students choosing the B.A. option are encouraged to pursue advanced research and internship experiences either in conjunction with upper level classes or as independent study. Students choosing the B.S. option are required to conduct an original, independent research project through the Advanced Research series. Students work with their advisors to select those options within the major, as well as in service and work opportunities, that will best prepare them for their postgraduate goals.
Psychology can be combined with other majors and minors (e.g., Art, Business and Economics, Outdoor Leadership, Philosophy, Social Work, Spanish, or Writing) to address specific combinations of interests and applications. The Psychology major prepares students for graduate study in psychology and related fields, or for immediate employment in a wide range of human services settings. When combined with other appropriate coursework and experiences, psychology can also provide excellent preparation for law school or medical school.
3.2.20.2
Major in Psychology
Two options are available--Bachelor of Arts in Psychology or Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
3.2.20.2.1 - B.A. in Psychology
Grades: Students must complete the major with a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
Total Credit Hours: The B.A. in Psychology consists of at least 54 credit hours: 42 in psychology (at least 24 at the 300-400 level), 4 in mathematics, and 8 in related social sciences. The psychology credit hours are distributed as follows to offer breadth and depth in the field:
- Core Requirements:
- MAT 141 Statistics
- PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
- PSY 231 Research Methods in Social Science
- PSY 459 Professional Issues in Psychology
- Breadth/Area requirements within Psychology: Students select at least 18 credit hours distributed across the following four categories as detailed below:
A. At least 2 credit hours from the following courses in developmental psychology:
- PSY 202 Infant Development
- PSY 203 Child Development
- PSY 204 Adolescent Development
- PSY 205 Adult Development and Aging
B. At least 8 credit hours from the following courses in social, personality, and abnormal psychology:
- PSY 311 Theories of Personality
- PSY 312 Abnormal Psychology
- PSY 318 Social Psychology
C. At least 4 credit hours from the following courses in biologically based psychology:
- PSY 310 Biopsychology
- PSY 317 Health Psychology
D. At least 4 credit hours from the following courses in experimental psychology:
- PSY 323 Learning and Conditioning
- PSY 324 Sensation and Perception
- PSY 325 Cognition
- Additional breadth and depth in elective psychology courses (14 credit hours):
- At least 12 credit hours of additional elective coursework in psychology, at least 4 of which must be at the 300-400 level. These may include any of the preceding psychology courses, internships, independent study, regularly offered elective courses, and most Special Topics courses.
- At least 2 additional credit hours of PSY 400-420 or selected PSY 490-498 courses. These courses are designed to be seminar-based classes that emphasize critical discussion of primary sources.
- Breadth courses in related social sciences: At least 8 credit hours of related coursework, selected from Sociology (SOC), Anthropology (ANT), Social Work (SWK), or Gender and Women's Studies (GDS).
3.2.20.2.2 - B.S. in Psychology
Grades: Students must complete the major with a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
Total Credit Hours: The B.S. option in Psychology consists of 54 credits: 34 in Psychology (at least 24 of which must be at the 300-400 level), 4 in Mathematics, and 16 in related natural sciences and mathematics. The credit hours are distributed as follows:
- Core Requirements:
- MAT 141 Statistics
- PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
- PSY 231 Research Methods in Social Science
- PSY 310 Biopsychology
- PSY 459 Professional Issues in Psychology
- PSY 481 Advanced Research I
- PSY 482 Advanced Research II
- Breadth Requirements within Psychology: Students select at least 8 credit hours distributed across the following two categories as detailed below:
A. At least 4 credit hours from the following courses in social, personality, abnormal and health psychology:
- PSY 311 Theories of Personality
- PSY 312 Abnormal Psychology
- PSY 317 Health Psychology
- PSY 318 Social Psychology
B. At least 4 credit hours from the following courses in experimental psychology:
- PSY 323 Learning and Conditioning
- PSY 324 Sensation and Perception
- PSY 325 Cognition
- Additional breadth and depth in elective psychology courses:
- At least 6 additional credit hours of elective coursework in psychology, at least 4 of which must be at the 300-400 level. These may include any of the preceding psychology courses, internships, independent study, regularly offered elective courses, and most Special Topics courses.
- At least 2 additional credit hours of PSY 400-420 or selected PSY 490-498 courses. These courses are designed to be seminar-based classes that emphasize critical discussion of primary sources.
- Breadth courses in related natural sciences and mathematics: At least 16 credit hours of related coursework, selected from Biology (BIO), Chemistry (CHM), Mathematics (MAT), and Physics (PHY). These courses should be distributed so that at least 8 credit hours are earned from two of the following four areas. At least one of these breadth courses must be a lab course. Advanced Placement credit hours may count toward the major as outlined below for each discipline.
A. Biology
- BIO 116 General Biology
- BIO 208 Cell Biology
- BIO 322 Genetics
- BIO 345 Developmental Biology
- BIO 347 Microbiology
- BIO 348 Animal Behavior
- BIO 351 Mammalian Physiology
- BIO 377 Evolutionary Biology
- CHM 407 Biochemistry I
- BIO 435 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
- And selected Special Topics courses in Biology
- A score of 3.0 or higher on the Biology AP exam results in placement out of BIO 116. Those 4 credit hours may count toward the major.
B. Chemistry
- CHM 116 General Chemistry I
- CHM 117 General Chemistry II
- CHM 225 Organic Chemistry I
- CHM 226 Organic Chemistry II
- CHM 321 Analytical Chemistry
- Placement out of CHM 116/CHM 117 either through the AP exam or the Chemistry Department's placement test would result in 5 credit hours that may count toward the major.
C. Mathematics
- MAT 201 Computer Science I
- MAT 202 Computer Science II
- MAT 241 Calculus I
- MAT 242 Calculus II
- A score of 3.0 or higher on the Calculus AB AP exam results in placement out of MAT 241 and 4 credit hours that may count toward the major. A score of 3.0 or higher on the Calculus BC AP exam results in placement out of MAT 241 and MAT 242 and 8 credit hours that may count towards the major.
D. Physics
- PHY 251 Physics I
- PHY 252 Physics II
- A score of 4.0 or higher on the Physics B AP exam or a score of 3.0 or higher on the Physics C AP exam results in placement out of PHY 251 and 4 credit hours that may count toward the major.
3.2.20.3
Minor in Psychology
Grades: Students must complete the major with a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
Total Credit Hours: The following 24 credit hours of coursework, including at least 12 credit hours at the 300-400 level.
Requirements:
- PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
- At least 14 credit hours from the breadth areas within psychology (developmental; biologically based; social, personality, abnormal; and experimental) selected to represent at least 2 credit hours in each of three of the four breadth areas.
- Six (6) additional elective credit hours in psychology.