Psychology Major & Joint
Requirements
Psychology is a basic science of human behavior and mental processes. The goals of the Psychology Department are:
- to contribute to the understanding of humanity through scientific inquiry into the behavior of living organisms by means of a range of research methods
- to provide fundamental training for mental health practitioners or professionals and researchers in the field of human behavior and development
Students who complete the psychology program will be able to:
- define and use appropriately the important concepts of contemporary psychology;
- identify the major historical and contemporary theories of psychology;
Major Requirements
Requirements for the major, in addition to the University degree requirements outlined within this Bulletin, are:
Courses in Psychology (32 cr.)
Distributed as indicated below among the five groupings of courses within the department:
Group I (all the following courses are required 12 credits):
| Course Number | Course Name |
|---|---|
| PSY 180 | General Psychology |
| PSY 316 | Experimental & Quasi-Experimental Research |
| PSY 481 | Senior Seminar |
Group II (one course required – 4 credits):
Group III (one course required – 4 credits):
Group IV (one course required – 4 credits):
| Course Number | Course Name |
|---|---|
| PSY 205 | Child & Adolescent Development |
| PSY 221 | Introduction to Personality |
| PSY 217 | Biological Psychology |
| PSY 262 | Learning & Cognition |
| PSY 341 | Social Psychology |
| PSY 348 | Abnormal Psychology |
Group V (Psychology electives – 8 credits)
Students select any two psychology courses not taken above as well as additional psychology courses that are offered by the department.
Specific choices within Groups II-IV, as well as the choice of departmental and general electives, should be made with care so as to maximize preparation for post-baccalaureate activities. Students should consult with their assigned departmental faculty advisors to combine program options that provide basic training in psychology and are also of maximum usefulness for specific career objectives.
Required cognates (4 credits)
| Course Number | Course Name |
|---|---|
| SSCI 280 | Methods & Statistics for Social Research |
Joint Requirements
Joint majors combining psychology and another discipline may be arranged according to the usual University regulations. The student who chooses to pursue a joint major in psychology and another discipline is required to complete 24 credits in psychology courses, meeting requirements as specified in Groups I-IV above. The cognate required for the major (SSCI 280, Methods & Statistics for Social Research) must also be completed. A faculty member from the Psychology Department will be assigned to cooperate with the student's other major advisor in the construction and execution of an appropriate study plan.