Psychology Major Degree Requirements

After completing the undergraduate major, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of major concepts and principles of psychology.

2. Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of quantitative and empirical methods of psychology.

3. Integrate empirical literature and write scientific literature reviews.

4. Design and conduct empirical studies.

5. Analyze behavioral data, interpret statistical results, and communicate statistical results to others.

6. Report empirical research and/or reviews of empirical research in the field of psychology, including the preparation of reports in the publication format of the American Psychological Association, preparation and presentation of research posters, and/or oral presentations of research.

The degree requirements below represent the 2021-2022 Catalog Year. Degree requirements can vary slightly from year to year. Be sure to consult the appropriate Undergraduate Catalog for degree requirements for other Catalog Years.

All requirements for psychology majors are outlined below.

PSYC 121. Introductory Psychology (3 hrs - General Education Course, REAL Area A)

PSYC 222. Orientation to the Psychology Major (1 hr)

PSYC 301. Analysis of Psychological Data (3 hrs - REAL Area R)
    Prerequisites/Co-Requisite: STAT 200
PSYC 302. Research Methods in Psychology (3 hrs - REAL Area R)
    Prerequisites: PSYC 301
PSYC 491. Topical Research in Psychology. (3 hrs - Writing Intensive)
    Prerequisites: PSYC 302

Developmental Core:
PSYC 230. Lifespan Developmental Psychology. (3 hrs - General Education Course, REAL Area A)
PSYC 317. Child Psychology. (3 hrs - General Education Course, REAL Area A)

Biological Core:
PSYC 377. Introduction to Sensation and Perception. (3 hrs)
PSYC 378. Brain and Behavior. (3 hrs)
PSYC 410. Psychopharmacology. (3 hrs)

Social/Cultural Core Core:
PSYC 343. Social Psychology. (3 hrs - REAL Area A)
PSYC 361. Psychology of Personality. (3 hrs - REAL Area A)

Cognition/Learning Core:
PSYC 320. Introduction to Cognitive Psychology. (3 hrs)
PSYC 333. Principles of Learning. (3 hrs)

PSYC 470. History and Systems of Psychology. (3 hrs)

Any course with a PSYC prefix not used to meet other major requirements (i.e., requirements listed above) will count as a Psychology Elective, including independent studies and internships taken for a letter grade (A-F). Courses taken Pass/Fail will not meet major requirements.

(Total hours does not include STAT 200, which is a required course for the major and will count toward B.S. requirements.)

The Psychology major fulfills  REAL areas R (Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning) and A (Cultural or Behavioral Analysis). Students will need to complete additional degree programs (major(s) or minor(s)) to complete the E (Humanistic or Artistic Expression) and L (Applied Learning) REAL Areas. Students are encourage to complete ENGL 112 as one of their Writing Intensive (WI) REAL Cornerstone Requirements. PSYC 491 will fulfill the second WI requirement. The Personal and Professional Development Cornerstone Requirement can be met through any course designated as PPD. Students will need to ensure that they have completed as least 30 hrs of courses designated as General Education (GE). Suggestions for Psychology Majors on completing the REAL General Education Curriculum Requirements can be found HERE. Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisers to ensure they are completing all REAL Curriculum requirements.

Students should consult with their academic advisers in selecting elective courses to complete the 120 semester hours required for graduation.

Total Credits Needed for Degree: 120

The Bachelor of Arts degree requires completion of a minimum of two semesters of one language in a foreign/sign language program. Students will be placed in the appropriate level of their chosen language depending on their previous foreign language experience and on the placement examination results as determined by the Foreign Language department. 

The Bachelor of Science degree requires an additional six to eight semester hours to be selected from courses in the following departments: Mathematics and statistics, computer science, biology, chemistry and physics, geology, physical science and from the physical science (PS) division of geography (e.g., GEOG 130). MATH 325 will not meet these requirements. Students are advised to count Statistics 200 toward the BS Requirements.

To graduate with a major in Psychology, a student must earn a grade of “C-” or better in PSYC 301 and PSYC 302, and have a grade point average of 2.25 or higher for all courses taken with a PSYC prefix.