Program Overview

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Psychology, BS

The Psychology, BS program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the field of psychology. Psychology majors have a wide range of interests, and anyone preparing for a career that involves contact with other people can benefit from taking classes in psychology.

Overview

Among the common pre-professional concentrations for psychology majors are pre-medical, pre-physical therapy, pre-law, pre-occupational therapy, and pre-physical therapy. Many psychology majors have interests in communication studies, such as advertising and public relations. Others have interests in business and can apply their knowledge of psychology to marketing, management, or organizational behavior.

Admission into the Major

Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students can declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application.

Special Opportunities

The psychology department honors program is designed to afford qualified majors the opportunity to participate in activities to prepare for graduate training in psychology. The two-year program is research-oriented and involves interactions with selected faculty and peers in an enriched and accelerated academic environment.

Requirements

Students earning the bachelor of science (BS) degree with a major in psychology must complete all University, College, and departmental degree requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major requirements, all requirements for an approved minor, and other sufficient credits to total a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.

• Major Courses:
  • PY 101 or PY 105: Intro To Psychology or Honors Intro Psychology
  • PY 211 or PY 212: Elem Statistical Methods or Statistics for Psychology
  • PY 321: Professional Issues
  • PY 355: General Experimental Psych
  • PY 370: History & Systems
  • Select one seminar sequence:
    • PY 379 & PY 491: Junior Honors Seminar and Senior Seminar In Psychology
    • PY 391 & PY 491: Junior Seminar and Senior Seminar In Psychology
• Electives:
  • Select three hours of PY elective 300 or 400 level
• Area Requirement:
  • Select three courses from three content areas
• Ancillary Courses:
  • MATH 125 or MATH 145: Calculus I or Honors Calculus I
  • Select eight hours of the following:
    • BSC 108: Intro Biology Non Maj I
    • BSC 109: Intro Biology Non Maj II
    • BSC 114 & BSC 115: Principles Of Biology I and Laboratory Biology I
    • BSC 116 & BSC 117: Principles Biology II and Laboratory Biology II
    • BSC 118: Honors General Biology I
    • BSC 120: Honors Gen Biology II
    • CH 101: General Chemistry
    • CH 102: General Chemistry
    • CH 104: Introductory Chemistry
    • CH 105: Introductory Org Chem
    • CH 117: Honors General Chemistry
    • CH 118: Honors General Chemistry
    • PH 101: General Physics I
    • PH 102: General Physics II
    • PH 105: General Physics W/Calc I
    • PH 106: General Physics W/Calc II
    • PH 125: Honors Gen Ph W/Calculus
    • PH 126: Honors Gen Ph W/Calculus II

Grade Point Average

A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree.

Upper-level Residency

A minimum of 12 hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.

Required Minor

This major requires the completion of a minor.

Additional Major Requirements

Majors must receive a minimum grade of C- in PY 211 Elem Statistical Methods or PY 212 Statistics for Psychology.

Prerequisites

PY 101 Intro To Psychology or PY 105 Honors Intro Psychology is a prerequisite for all higher-numbered psychology courses.

Area Requirement

Students must complete courses from three of the following content areas for a total of nine hours. At least one course should be at the 400 level.

Developmental

• PY 352: Developmental Psych
• PY 365: Psychology Of Aging
• PY 461: Child Psychology

Learning/Cognition

• PY 361: Psychology Of Learning
• PY 381: Cognitive Neuroscience
• PY 470: Intro Cognitive Psychlgy

Social/Personality

• PY 358: Psychopathology
• PY 368: Intro To Personality
• PY 372: Social Psychology

Biologically Based

• PY 313: Sensation and Perception
• PY 353: Bio Basis of Psych Disorders
• PY 413: Physiological Psych

Types of Jobs Accepted

Psychology majors choose from a wide range of occupations in business, academics, mental health/social services, human resources, human relations, and behavioral/medical research. Many psychology majors apply to a variety of graduate programs, including Ph.D. and masters programs in both clinical and non-clinical aspects of psychology.