Program Overview

School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences

The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences offers a comprehensive program in Psychology, providing students with a solid foundation in the principles of psychology and preparing them for a wide range of career opportunities.

Psychology (BS)

The Psychology program at UT Dallas approaches the field from a scientific perspective, applying behavioral science research methods to the study of the human mind and behavior. Students will have laboratory experiences in addition to lectures, reading, and demonstrations. The program provides students with knowledge about human behavior and methods of research and data analysis that is valuable in business, helping fields, and many other occupations.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree requires 120 semester credit hours.

Degree Requirements

• Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours
  • Communication: 6 semester credit hours
    • COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
    • COMM 1315 Public Speaking
    • RHET 1302 Rhetoric
  • Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
    • Choose one course from the following:
      • MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist
      • MATH 1314 College Algebra
      • MATH 2417 Calculus I
  • Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
    • Select 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences core courses
  • Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
    • Select 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture core courses
  • Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
    • Select 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts core courses
  • American History: 6 semester credit hours
    • Select 6 semester credit hours from American History core courses
  • Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
    • Select 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science core courses
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
    • PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology
  • Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making
    • or STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences
    • AND one of the following:
      • PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
      • PSY 2364 Animal Communication
      • CGS 2301 Cognitive Science
• Major Requirements: 36 upper-division semester credit hours
  • Major Preparatory Courses: 6 semester credit hours
    • PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making
    • or STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences
  • Major Core Courses: 24 upper-division semester credit hours
    • NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
    • PSY 3360 Historical Perspectives on Psychology: Mind and Machines since 1600
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • or PSY 4359 Cognitive Neuroscience
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
    • PSY 3393 Experimental Projects in Psychology
    • PSY 3331 Social Psychology
    • PSY 3310 Child Development
    • PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
  • Major Related Courses: 12 upper-division semester credit hours
    • Guided Electives; 3 semester credit hours of one of the following:
      • BBSU 3310 Community-Based Service Learning
      • PSY 4390 Directed Research and Writing
      • PSY 4391 Individual Study and Writing
      • PSY 4394 Internship in Psychology
      • PSY 4395 Co-op Fieldwork
      • PSY 4V96 Teaching Internship
      • PSY 4397 Thesis Research
      • PSY 4V98 Directed Research
      • PSY 4V99 Individual Study
    • Plus any 9 semester credit hours of courses with PSY or CGS or CLDP or NSC prefixes or the following courses:
      • SPAU 3301, SPAU 3303, SPAU 3304, SPAU 3340, SPAU 3343, SPAU 3344, SPAU 3345 or SPAU 4308
• Elective Requirements: 42 semester credit hours
  • Free Electives: 42 semester credit hours
    • Electives are selected by students to explore areas of concentration in Psychology as well as explore interests outside the field

Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees

UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records who intend to pursue a master's degree in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders or in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience at UT Dallas may consider an accelerated undergraduate-graduate plan of study.

Minor in Psychology

Students who are not majoring in Psychology may minor in Psychology by taking 18 semester credit hours of Psychology courses.

Minor Requirements

• Psychology Major Core courses: 9 semester credit hours
  • Choose three courses from the following:
    • PSY 3310 Child Development
    • PSY 3331 Social Psychology
    • PSY 3360 Historical Perspectives on Psychology: Mind and Machines since 1600
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
    • PSY 3393 Experimental Projects in Psychology
    • PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
    • PSY 4359 Cognitive Neuroscience
    • NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
• Upper-Division Courses: 9 semester credit hours from one of the career tracks
  • Business Careers
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 4331 Personality
    • PSY 3331 Social Psychology
    • PSY 4332 Psychology in the Workplace
    • PSY 4370 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
    • PSY 4333 Human Relations
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
  • Education Careers
    • PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
    • PSY 3310 Child Development
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 3339 Educational Psychology
    • PSY 3362 Cognitive Development
    • PSY 3342 Exceptional Children
    • PSY 3332 Social and Personality Development
    • PSY 3338 Adolescence
    • PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
  • Law and Crime and Justice Careers
    • PSY 4372 Forensic Psychology
    • PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 4374 Judgment and Decision Making
    • PSY 4331 Personality
    • PSY 3331 Social Psychology
    • PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
    • PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
  • Medical Careers
    • PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
    • NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
    • PSY 4328 Health Psychology
    • PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 3338 Adolescence
    • PSY 3333 Approaches to Clinical Psychology
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
  • Careers in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, or Social Work
    • PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
    • NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
    • PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY 4331 Personality
    • PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
    • PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
    • PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis

Other Courses of Interest

• PSY 3333 Approaches to Clinical Psychology
• PSY 3350 Psychology of Communication
• PSY 4333 Human Relations
• PSY 4328 Health Psychology
• PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
• PSY 4344 Child Psychopathology
• PSY 4345 Violence in the Family