Program Overview

Psychology - B.S.

About This Program

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology program prepares you for graduate study or careers in fields like clinical psychology and other areas of psychology, neuroscience and medicine. Explore topics such as trauma, brain function, child development, mental health and many others while gaining hands-on research experience. Optional concentrations in Child Psychology and Pre-Medicine/Pre-Podiatry allow you to tailor your degree to your goals.

Contact Information

• Debra Penberthy | _ |
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery: In person
• Location: Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries

• Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
  • 3.1% about as fast as the average
  • 171,500 number of jobs
  • $79,820 potential earnings
• Industrial-organizational psychologists
  • 2.5% slower than the average
  • 1,100 number of jobs
  • $96,270 potential earnings
• Psychologists, all other
  • 2.3% slower than the average
  • 19,800 number of jobs
  • $105,780 potential earnings
• Psychology teachers, postsecondary
  • 8.8% much faster than the average
  • 46,800 number of jobs
  • $78,180 potential earnings
• Social science research assistants
  • 5.8% faster than the average
  • 40,100 number of jobs
  • $49,210 potential earnings

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

• First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.
• First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
• International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
• Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.
• Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • PSYC 11762 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3
  • PSYC 21621 | QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY I | 3
  • PSYC 31282 | PERSONALITY | 3
  • or PSYC 31532 | SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • PSYC 31574 | RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY (ELR) | 3
  • PSYC 31684 | QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY II | 3
  • PSYC 40111 | PSYCHOPATHOLOGY | 3
  • PSYC 41363 | BIOPSYCHOLOGY | 3
  • Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
    • UC 10001 | FLASHES 101 | 1
    • Foreign Language (see Foreign Language College Requirement below) | 8
    • Kent Core Composition | 6
    • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) | 9
    • General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) | 4
    • Additional Requirements or Concentrations
      • Choose from the following: | 71
      • Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
      • Child Psychology Concentration
      • Pre-Medicine/Pre-Podiatry Concentration
      • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 120

Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
    • Psychology (PSYC) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) | 12
    • ANTH, BSCI and PSYC Electives, choose from the following: | 6
      • ANTH 48623 | HUMAN VARIATION
      • ANTH 48810 | HUMAN PALEONTOLOGY
      • BSCI 30140 | CELL BIOLOGY
      • BSCI 30156 | ELEMENTS OF GENETICS
      • BSCI 30520 | INTRODUCTION TO NEUROSCIENCE
      • BSCI 40515 | ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
      • Any Psychology (PSYC) Upper-Division course (30000 or 40000 level)
    • Application of Psychological Science Electives, choose from the following: | 3-4
      • HONR 40099 | SENIOR HONORS THESIS/PROJECT (ELR)
      • PSYC 31498 | UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (ELR)
      • PSYC 41492 | INTERNSHIP IN PSYCHOLOGY (ELR)
      • PSYC 41498 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR)
      • PSYC 41573 | LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH: SOCIAL/CLINICAL (WIC)
      • PSYC 41574 | LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH: COGNITIVE/LEARNING (WIC)
      • PSYC 41901 | WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC)
      • or PSYC 41980 | RESEARCH WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC)
      • PSYC 42574 | ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS
    • Cognition/Learning Electives, choose from the following: | 6
      • PSYC 40445 | COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 40446 | COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
      • PSYC 41043 | BASIC LEARNING PROCESSES
    • Developmental Elective, choose from the following: | 3
      • PSYC 20651 | CHILD PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)
      • PSYC 30651 | ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 30656 | PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING
    • Mathematics Elective, choose from the following: | 3-5
      • MATH 11009 | MODELING ALGEBRA (KMCR)
      • MATH 11010 | ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR)
      • MATH 11022 | TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR)
      • MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR)
    • Science Electives, choose from the following (must include one laboratory): | 8
      • BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB)
      • BSCI 10120 | BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB)
      • CHEM 10060 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS)
      • CHEM 10061 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS)
    • Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
      • Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3
      • Kent Core Additional | 6
      • General Electives | 21
      • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 71

Child Psychology Concentration Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
    • PSYC 20651 | CHILD PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3
    • Psychology (PSYC) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) | 12
    • Application of Psychological Science Electives, choose from the following: | 3-4
      • HONR 40099 | SENIOR HONORS THESIS/PROJECT (ELR)
      • PSYC 31498 | UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (ELR)
      • PSYC 41492 | INTERNSHIP IN PSYCHOLOGY (ELR)
      • PSYC 41498 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION (ELR)
      • PSYC 41573 | LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH: SOCIAL/CLINICAL (WIC)
      • PSYC 41574 | LABORATORY EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH: COGNITIVE/LEARNING (WIC)
      • PSYC 41901 | WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC)
      • or PSYC 41980 | RESEARCH WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC)
      • PSYC 42574 | ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS
    • Child Psychology Concentration Electives, choose from the following: | 12
      • PSYC 30651 | ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 30652 | SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
      • PSYC 30655 | CHILDREN'S THINKING
      • PSYC 40112 | PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
      • PSYC 40382 | PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 41395 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
    • Cognition/Learning Electives, choose from the following: | 6
      • PSYC 40445 | COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 40446 | COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
      • PSYC 41043 | BASIC LEARNING PROCESSES
    • Mathematics Elective, choose from the following: | 3-5
      • MATH 11009 | MODELING ALGEBRA (KMCR)
      • MATH 11010 | ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR)
      • MATH 11022 | TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR)
      • MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR)
    • Science Electives, choose from the following (must include one laboratory): | 8
      • BSCI 10110 | BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB)
      • BSCI 10120 | BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB)
      • CHEM 10060 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS)
      • CHEM 10061 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS)
    • Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
      • Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) | 3
      • Kent Core Additional | 3
      • General Electives | 18
      • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 71

Pre-Medicine/Pre-Podiatry Concentration Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
  • Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
    • BSCI 10120 | BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS (ELR) (KBS) (KLAB) | 4
    • BSCI 30130 | HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY | 3
    • or BSCI 40430 | ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
    • BSCI 30140 | CELL BIOLOGY | 4
    • BSCI 30156 | ELEMENTS OF GENETICS | 3
    • BSCI 30171 | GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY | 4
    • CHEM 10060 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I (KBS) | 4
    • CHEM 10061 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II (KBS) | 4
    • CHEM 10062 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
    • CHEM 10063 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
    • CHEM 30284 | INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY | 4
    • or CHEM 40245 | BIOCHEMICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MEDICINE
    • CHEM 30475 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I (ELR) | 1
    • CHEM 30476 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II | 1
    • MATH 12002 | ANALYTIC GEOMETRY AND CALCULUS I (KMCR) | 5
    • PHY 13001 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) | 4
    • PHY 13002 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS II (KBS) | 4
    • PHY 13021 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
    • PHY 13022 | GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY II (KBS) (KLAB) | 1
    • PSYC 41901 | WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC) | 1
    • or PSYC 41980 | RESEARCH WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY (WIC)
    • SOC 12050 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS) | 3
    • Psychology (PSYC) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level) | 6
    • Cognition/Learning Elective, choose from the following: | 3
      • PSYC 40445 | COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 40446 | COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
      • PSYC 41043 | BASIC LEARNING PROCESSES
    • Developmental Elective, choose from the following: | 3
      • PSYC 20651 | CHILD PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)
      • PSYC 30651 | ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
      • PSYC 30656 | PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING
    • Organic Chemistry courses, choose one of the following: | 6
      • CHEM 20481 & CHEM 20482 | BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I & BASIC ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
      • CHEM 30481 & CHEM 30482 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I & ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
    • Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 71

Graduation Requirements

• Graduation Requirements Summary
  • Minimum Major GPA: 2.500
  • Minimum Overall GPA: 2.000

University Requirements

• All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.
• NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

• Bachelor's Requirements Requirement | Credits/Courses
  • Kent Core Composition (KCMP) | 6
  • Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR) | 3
  • Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA) (min one course each) | 9
  • Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS) (must be from two disciplines) | 6
  • Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB) (must include one laboratory) | 6-7
  • Kent Core Additional (KADL) | 6
  • Total Credit Hours: | 36-37

Program Learning Outcomes

• Graduates of this program will be able to:
  1. Describe the basic theoretical perspectives, principles, concepts, empirical findings and historical trends in psychology.
  2. Understand and use fundamental data analysis techniques.
  3. Understand and apply basic research methods/tools in psychology and evaluate the adequacy of research designs.
  4. Write effectively in the discipline.
  5. Recognize, understand and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.

Program Policies

Foreign Language Requirements

• In general, students may elect any foreign language taught through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies. However, certain majors, concentrations and minors require specific languages or limit the languages from which students may choose. In addition, students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular languages for that study. In such cases, students should seek the advice of the appropriate department before selecting a language.

Mandatory Outcomes Assessment

• In addition to the other General Requirements of the college, candidates for an undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences are required, as a condition of graduation, to participate in an outcomes assessment. These outcomes assessments are conducted by each undergraduate degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Full Description

• The Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology is designed to prepare students for graduate study in psychology and related fields. Topics include stress and trauma, neural basis of learning and memory, social and biological influences on mental and physical health, growth and development of children and diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Students evaluate and interpret data and gain hands-on experience conducting research. Elective courses may be used to specialize in a number of areas of psychology and related fields such as neuroscience. The degree prepares students for graduate study and employment in a range of fields, including clinical psychology, research and experimental areas of psychology such as cognitive science and behavioral neuroscience and related fields such as medicine and neuroscience.

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