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Psychology Major Requirements

Declaration in or after Fall 2025

Last update: March 2025

 

  • Dariusz Skowronski

    Dariusz Skowronski

      • Psychological Studies

        • Associate Professor / Faculty Advisor for the Psychological Studies Major

          Programs

          • Undergraduate

Major Overview

The Psychology major provides a modern curriculum covering a breadth of content, ranging from biological bases of cognition and behavior to sociocultural influences on human interactions and psychological disorders. The curriculum is designed to develop students' critical thinking skills through emphasis of the scientific basis of psychology and through courses in statistics and research methodology. The program also emphasizes the integration and synthesis of information across courses and activities through the step-wise progression of the curriculum from the introductory, foundational and advanced classes up to the final capstone course that is taken in the senior year. 

College of Liberal Arts Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

College of Liberal Arts Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Major Requirements

 44 credits required

 Students must successfully complete the following courses with a grade of C- or higher

Introductory Courses

 Course TitleCredits

Psychology 1001 or 

Psychology 1901

Introduction to Psychology or 

Honors: Introduction to Psychology

3
Psychology 1002Careers in Psychology1
Psychology 1003Statistics for Psychology3
Psychology 1004Critical Thinking in Psychology3

 

 

Psychology Science Requirement

 Course TitleCredits
Select one of the following:4
Biology 1001Human Biology 
Biology 1011General Biology I 
Biology 1012General Biology II 
Biology 1111Introduction to Organismal Biology 
Biology 1112Introduction to Biomolecules, Cells and Genomes 
Botany 1111General Botany 
Chemistry 1021 & 1023Introduction to Chemistry I and Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory I 
Chemistry 1022 & 1024Introduction to Chemistry II and Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory II 
Chemistry 1027Applications of Chemistry 
Chemistry 1031 & 1033General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I 
Chemistry 1032 & 1034General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory II 
EES 2001Physical Geology 
ENST 2002Physical Geography 
KINS 1223Human Anatomy and Physiology I 
KINS 1224Human Anatomy and Physiology II 
Physics 1021Introduction to General Physics I 

 

Developmental/Clinical/Social (DCS) Foundation Courses 

 Course TitleCredits
Select two of the following:6
Psychology 2201Foundations of Psychopathology 
Psychology 2301Foundations of Developmental Psychology 
Psychology 2401Foundations of Social Psychology 
Psychology 2402Foundations of Industrial and Organizational Psychology 
Psychology 2601Foundations of Health Psychology 

Note: Foundation courses are prerequisites for the advanced (3000-level) areas.

 

Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) Foundation Courses

 Course TitleCredits
Select two of the following:6
Psychology 2101Foundations of Cognitive Psychology 
Psychology 2103Foundations of Learning and Behavior Analysis 
Psychology 2104Foundations of Sensation and Perception 
Psychology 2501Foundations of Behavioral Neuroscience 
Psychology 2502Foundations of Cognitive Neuroscience 

Note: Foundation courses are prerequisites for the advanced (3000-level) areas.

 

Required Methods Course

 Course TitleCredits
Psychology 3096Conducting Psychological Research3

 

Advanced Courses

Select three from any of the advanced courses (3000-3620) for which you have completed the prerequisite foundation course. These courses cover specialty areas within particular fields of psychology.

Note: PSY 3096 does not count toward the requirement.

 Course TitleCredits
Select three of the following:6
Psychology 3002Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology 
Psychology 3003Advanced Undergraduate Statistics 
Psychology 3005Affective Neuroscience 
Psychology 3100Topics: Brain, Behavior and Cognition 
Psychology 3151Direct Applications of Behavioral Principles 
Psychology 3172The Science of Sleep 
Psychology 3200Topics: Clinical 
Psychology 3221Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice 
Psychology 3223Child Psychopathology and Treatment 
Psychology 3301Phases of Development: Infancy 
Psychology 3303Psychological Testing: Measuring IQ, Thoughts, Feelings, and Attitudes 
Psychology 3304Personality, Social and Emotional Development 
Psychology 3305Cognitive and Language Development 
Psychology 3306Neuroscience of Development and Aging 
Psychology 3411Social Cognition 
Psychology 3413Psychology of Power, Oppression, and Privilege 
Psychology 3417Personnel Psychology 
Psychology 3418Human Performance Improvement 
Psychology 3561Psychopharmacology 
Psychology 3566Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 
Psychology 3600Advanced Topics in Health Psychology 
Psychology 3601Social Health Psychology 
Psychology 3602Clinical Neuropsychology 
Psychology 3603Clinical Applications of Health Psychology 
Psychology 3615History and Systems of Psychology 
Psychology 3620Topics in Psychology 
CJ 3408Forensic Psychology 

 

Psychology Elective

 Credits
One additional course at the Foundation Level or the Advanced Level (2000-3620)3

 

Capstone Course 

Seniors only - minimum of 90 credits completed and completion of PSY 3096

 Course TitleCredits
Select one of the following:3-4
Psychology 4696Capstone in Psychology 
Psychology 4996Honors Capstone 

 

Individual Study Courses

Permission of the instructor is required to register for these courses. For all Psychology majors and minors.

 Course TitleCredits
Psychology 4182 & Psychology 4282 Independent Study in Cognitive Neuroscience I and Independent Study in Cognitive Neuroscience II6
Select one of the following:1-4
Psychology 3791Collaborative Research I 
Psychology 3891Collaborative Research II 
Psychology 4791Collaborative Research III 
Psychology 4891Collaborative Research IV 
Psychology 3785Psychology Internship3
Psychology 3787Practicum3