Psychology Major Requirements

The Psychology Major

For course descriptions, click here.

The psychology major was designed around the Mission Statements for the college and the Psychology Department. It is designed to give students a wide range of options, to provide a solid foundation and breadth in psychology, and to emphasize psychology as a research-oriented discipline. This view of psychology as an empirical science is emphasized in all of the classes in the major, and students are encouraged to get involved in conducting their own research and/or help a professor with his or her research. Opportunities for internships are also available for juniors and seniors with the proper qualifications. Highly motivated students may also apply to the Senior Thesis Program.

In total, psychology majors take at least 10 psychology courses. Many students take more than 10 by the time they graduate. A minor in psychology is not offered, but students from other majors across the college are welcome to take any psychology course for which they have the pre-requisites. Students are required to take:

PSY101 (Introductory Psychology)
PSY103 (Psychological Statistics; and its math pre-req)
PSY104 (Research Methods in Psychology)
Three core courses (one from each area-- see below)
Two Advances Courses and Seminars (EDU 201 may count as an Advanced course for Education students)
One Advanced Research & Design course
One additional psychology course chosen as an elective by the student (EDU 102/103 may be counted as an elective for Education students.)
See the table below for a SUMMARY:

All students take:

PSY101: Introductory Psychology, PSY103: Psychological Statistics,
PSY104: Research Methods, one elective course

and...

CORE COURSES

(3 total: 1 FROM EACH AREA)

ADVANCED COURSES & SEMINARS

(AT LEAST 2)

Fundamental Processes

PSY201: Learning and Behavior
PSY207: Sensation and Perception

PSY208: Biological Psychology

Social and Personality Courses

PSY202: Social Psychology
PSY203: Personality Psychology

PSY211: Multicultural Psychology

Clinical and Developmental Courses

PSY204: Child Psychology
PSY205: Psychology of Adolescence

PSY213: Abnormal Psychology

PSY301: Cognitive Processes

PSY302: History of Psychology

PSY304: Psychotherapy & Counseling

PSY309: Psychological Assessment
PSY314: Psychology of Women
PSY316: Child Psychopathology

PSY318: Psychopharmacology

PSY4XX: Seminar on Special Topics

PSY420-429: Perspectives in Psychology

Additional Choices:

BUS360, 361: Organizational Behavior (for Psychology students, the business and finance pre-requisites are waived but PSY 101 is a pre-requisite)

EDU201: Exceptional Learner (for Education students only)

ADVANCED RESEARCH & DESIGN

(AT LEAST 1)

PSY401: Advanced Lab in Conditioning
PSY402: Advanced Lab in Social & Personality
PSY403: Advanced Lab in Perception and Cognition
PSY404: Advanced Lab in Clinical Research

Also consider:

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION

PSY270: Research Apprenticeship (credit does not count toward major)
PSY960: Psychology Internship (only 1 credit counts toward elective in major)

PSY970: Independent Study/Research (only 1 credit counts toward elective in major)

PSY975/976: Senior Thesis (only 1 credit counts toward elective in major)

*For detailed course descriptions, click here*