Department of Psychology— Requirements

Prerequisites

All psychology courses numbered 300 and above have as prerequisites:

PSYCH 100 or 101 and
PSYCH 102

Many of these courses have additional prerequisites; please consult course descriptions.

The Major

A psychology major may choose to pursue either a BA or a BS degree. The BS may be appropriate for those students who wish to do some of their work in the natural sciences.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Major requirements for the BA degree in psychology have changed for students who declare a major after September 1, 2000. The changes are meant to encourage students to develop a broad base of knowledge in all five major areas of psychology, while also specializing in one or two particular area(s). The new requirements for the major leading to the BA in psychology include:

Introductory Courses

Introduction to Psychology (PSYCH 101 or 100)
Research Methods (PSYCH 102)

Intermediate Courses

One 200-level course from each of the five sub-disciplines of psychology, chosen from among the following options:
Personality/Clinical: Personality (PSYCH 200) or Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH 215)
Developmental: Infancy and Child Development (PSYCH 241) or Adolescence (PSYCH 242)
Social: Social Psychology (PSYCH 230)
Psychobiology: Behavioral Neuroscience (PSYCH 260)
Cognitive: Learning and Memory (PSYCH 250) or Perception (PSYCH 255)

Advanced Courses

Any three psychology courses from the 300 or 400 level sequence. (See notes below)

Elective Courses

Any two psychology courses from any level.

Among the following set of “special” courses, at most one course may be applied toward the major requirement of three upper level courses:

Directed Study courses (PSYCH 488, 489)
Internship courses (PSYCH 430, 442)
Apprenticeship (PSYCH 486)
Honors Seminar (PSYCH 496-499)

Although not required for the BA degree, the department recommends that majors take PSYCH Z270 (Statistics) as one of their elective courses. The quantitative thinking skills this course helps develop are crucial to a thorough understanding of psychology, and will help students get the most out of advanced courses. In addition, an understanding of statistics is crucial for many of the job opportunities often pursued by psychology majors, and most graduate schools in psychology require a statistics course. Note that MATH Q114 (formerly Intr-D 114) or its equivalent is a prerequisite for this course.

Students who declared the psychology major before September 1, 2000, may, if they choose, graduate by completing the old requirements, which are listed below. However, the department encourages all students to follow the new requirements in order to acquire a more comprehensive grounding in all areas of psychology.

Introduction to Psychology (either PSYCH 100 or 101) and either PSYCH 102 or PSYCH Z270.
Two 200-level courses dealing with information processing or psychobiology (PSYCH 250, 255, 260)
Two 200-level courses dealing with abnormal, personality, developmental, or social psychology (PSYCH 200, 215, 230, 241)
Three upper-level (300 or 400 level) courses
One elective course from any area at any level.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Students who wish to graduate with a BS degree, and who declare a psychology major after September 1, 1999, must meet all requirements for the bachelor of arts degree plus:

MATH 135 (Survey of Calculus) (This requirement can be waived with an appropriate placement score.)
BIOL 111-112 (General Biology I and II)
Four semester-long courses designed for majors in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science or physics. Courses designed for non-science majors will not fulfill this requirement. Laboratory sections listed as “optional” are not required. Labs are only required if they are a requirement of the course. However, BIOL 207 (Anatomy and Physiology I), a course designed for nursing students, can be accepted as one of the additional four science courses, but not as a substitution for BIOL 111 and 112.
PSYCH Z270 (Statistics)
One of the following experimental methods courses:

PSYCH 409 (Experimental Methods: Personality and abnormal Psychology)

PSYCH 439 (Experimental Methods: Social)

PSYCH 442 (Field Placement in Early Child Development)

PSYCH 469 (Experimental Methods: Physiological Psychology)

PSYCH 475 (Experimental Methods: Learning and Perception)

The following courses cannot be counted toward the BS degree:

BIOL 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 108,109, 202, 203, 209
CHEM 101, 102, 107, 108, 111, 200
PHYSIC 107, 108, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, 132
MATH 105, 110, 120, 124, 125, 130

Department of Psychology

Students who declared a Bachelor of Science in Psychology prior to September 1, 1999 should contact the Department of Psychology.

Majors who intend to apply to graduate departments of psychology are strongly advised to take

PSYCH 380 (History of Psychology) and
one of the research practicum courses, which include

PSYCH 409 (Experimental Methods: Personality and Abnormal Psychology)

PSYCH 439 (Experimental Methods: Social)

PSYCH 442 (Field Placement in Early Child Development)

PSYCH 469 (Experimental Methods: Physiological Psychology)

PSYCH 475 (Experimental Methods: Learning and Perception)

Capstone Experience

Beginning with students who declare a psychology major after Sept. 1, 2003, the department will require majors to complete a capstone course. These courses, designated below, require students to synthesize the various threads of psychology to which they have been exposed during the coursework required for the major. Typically, a student would complete a capstone course during the second-to-last or last semester in residence. A grade of at least a C- is required in order for the student to earn capstone credit.

Completion of any of the following courses with a grade of C- or above will complete the capstone requirement:

Psychology Honors	PSYCH 496 – 499
Internship or Field Placement	PSYCH 430 or 442
Directed Study	PSYCH 488, 489
Any Experimental Methods course	PSYCH 409, 439, 469, or 475
The Brain and Behavior	PSYCH 361
Substance Abuse	PSYCH 363
Evolution and Behavior	PSYCH 365

The Minor

Students majoring in another discipline in the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Science and Mathematics, or Management, but with a strong interest in psychology, are encouraged to declare a minor in psychology. The requirements are

PSYCH 100 or 101 AND either PSYCH 102 or Z270.
Two of the following courses: PSYCH 200, 215, 230, 241, 242, 250, 255, 260.
Two 300-400 level courses (advanced) (except 488, 489, 496, 497, 498, 499).

Honors

The department offers an extensive honors program for students interested in going on to do graduate work in psychology. The honors program is designed to give outstanding students an opportunity to carry out a year-long program of study and research in an area of their interest under the supervision of a faculty advisor. In addition, honors students participate in a seminar which focuses on general issues in the philosophy of science, research methods, ethics, and other areas, as these relate to the particular problems that arise as they carry out their research.

The Pass/Fail Option

Students majoring in psychology are discouraged from exercising the pass/fail option for any course counted toward the major. One such course may be taken pass/fail, however; the student may also use the pass/fail option for any departmental courses taken as electives beyond the required number of major credits. This does not require specific faculty permission. Non-majors may take any departmental course on a pass/fail basis.

Internship Opportunities

The department offers two internship course opportunities to qualified juniors or seniors: PSYCH 430 (Internship in Psychology) and PSYCH 442 (Field Course in Early Child Development). The former focuses on clinical settings while the latter requires research with young children in nurseries and day care centers.

The Joint Major in and Sociology

The Psychology and Sociology Departments offer a joint major emphasizing the theories, methods, and applications of social psychology, and the nature of social psychology as a subfield of both departments and a bridge between them. Students who elect this joint major complete a complementary sequence of psychology and sociology courses, and also have access to advising and counseling from both departments.

The course sequence for the joint major in psychology and sociology includes a minimum of 12 courses as follows:

PSYCH 100 or 101 (Introductory Psychology)
SOCIOL 101 (Introduction to Sociology)
PSYCH 230 (Social Psychology) or SOCIOL 281 (Society and the Individual)
SOCIOL 341 (Sociological Theory)
SOCIOL 351 (Research Methods)
PSYCH 102 or PSYCH Z270 or SOCIOL 270 (formerly SOCIOL 350) (Statistics)
One course from the following list:

PSYCH 250 (Learning and Memory)
PSYCH 255 (Perception)
PSYCH 260 (Behavioral Neuroscience)

One course from the following list:

PSYCH 200 (Personality)
PSYCH 215 (Abnormal Psychology)
PSYCH 241 (Infancy and Child Development)

Two from the directed list of psychology courses:

PSYCH 315 (Psychological Trauma)
PSYCH 333 (Group Dynamics)
PSYCH 334 (Social Perception)
PSYCH 335 (Social Attitudes and Public Opinion)
PSYCH 336 (Culture, Values, Religiosity and Chronic Mental Illness)
PSYCH 337 (Communication and Society)
PSYCH 338 (Community Psychology)
PSYCH 339 (The Psychology of Law)
PSYCH 341 (Family and Child Development)
PSYCH 430 (Internship in Psychology)
PSYCH 439 (Experimental Methods: Social)

Two from the directed list of sociology courses:

SOCIOL 300 (Communication and Opinion)
SOCIOL 310 (Socialization)
SOCIOL 316 (Family Violence in America)
SOCIOL 342 (Aging and Society)
SOCIOL 362 (Juvenile Delinquency)
SOCIOL 382 (Sociology of Gender)
SOCIOL 384 (Medical Sociology)
SOCIOL 386 (Sociology of Mental Health and Illness)
SOCIOL 427 (Minority Role Behaviors)
SOCIOL 460 (Internship in Urban Social Service)

Note: Either PSYCH 430 or SOCIOL 460, but not both, may be applied to the joint major.

Students are required to declare the joint major in psychology and sociology no later than the start of their junior year. Waiving or modifying any joint major requirement must be approved by both departments. Joint majors are assigned a faculty advisor from each department, and they are urged to make contact with their advisors as soon as possible. They must see an advisor in either department in order to register for courses.

Capstone Experience

Beginning with students who declare a psych/soc major after Sept. 1, 2003, majors will be required to complete a capstone course. These courses, designated below, require students to synthesize the various threads of psychology and sociology to which they have been exposed during the coursework required for the major. Typically, a student would complete a capstone course during the second-to-last or last semester in residence. A grade of at least a C- is required in order for the student to earn capstone credit.

Completion of any of the following courses with a grade of C- or above will complete the capstone requirement:

Any course in the Psychology directed list or the Sociology directed list numbering 400 or above, including:

Internship in Psychology (PSYCH 430)

Experimental Methods in Social Psych (PSYCH 439)

Minority Role Behavior (SOCIOL 427)

Internship in Urban Social Service (SOCIOL 460)

Any of the following courses, provided that the department offering the course approves it as fulfilling the Joint Major Capstone Requirement. Each student must ascertain that the course fulfills the capstone requirement and that this is noted in his or her record.

Honors in Psychology (PSYCH 498, 499) or Sociology

Directed Study in Psychology (PSYCH 488, 489)

Directed Study in Sociology (SOCIOL 478, 479)

Special Topics in Psychology (PSYCH 490) or Sociology (SOCIOL 480)

A psychology or sociology course numbering 500 or above.