Home Directory
Course Listings

Psychology Major and Minor

Faculty

Psychology

Psychology Major and Minor Requirements


Courses in psychology provide a background for a better understanding of the modern world, other academic fields, and one's self.  Classes can be taken as courses for a major or minor concentration in psychology, as supporting courses for other majors, or because of general interest.

The major concentration in psychology is designed to encourage an understanding of human behavior from a broad perspective, to prepare students for graduate study in psychology, for employment in a psychology-related field, or for further education or career training in a variety of other fields.

Psychology Major (48 credits): 
Four courses are required of all psychology majors: Introduction to Psychology 150, Social Science Behavioral Research Statistics 233, Experimental Psychology 290, and Thesis Development 370.

In addition, majors are required to take at least four breadth courses from the following five breadth courses: Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience 210, Social Psychology 220, Cognition 230, Abnormal Psychology 245, and Child and Adolescent Development 285.

Majors also are required to take three depth courses after they have met the prerequisites for the respective depth course. These depth courses include: Sensation and Perception 315, Tests and Measurements 335, Contemporary Issues in Sex and Gender 345, Childhood Psychopathology 365, Personality 375, Adult Development and Aging 385,  Neuroscience II 395 and any Topics 471.

Finally, students may take one or more electives from the following: any 271 Topics Course, 400 Senior Seminar, and 470 Field Work.  All majors are required to complete a thesis. Thesis projects are begun in the course titled Thesis Development 370.

Psychology Minor ( 24 credits):
Introduction to Psychology 150, Experimental Psychology 290, Social Science Behavioral Research Statistics 233, and any three additional courses from the listing of the department.

Independent Study and Field Work Students desiring to enroll in Independent Study or Field Work in psychology must consult the chair of the department of psychology regarding deadlines and other procedural details. 

Students involved in an overseas language experience should consult with the chair of the psychology department about the completion of their Senior Thesis in Senior Seminar 400.

Students with a broad field Social Science major with a concentration in psychology should complete a minor in Psychology and a Senior Thesis in psychology; they should be enrolled in Thesis Development 370 or Senior Seminar 400 as one of their three additional courses.

Honors in the Major
Please see department chair for details.  Basic requirements are listed under All College Programs in the catalog.