Psychology

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OVERVIEW OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Minimum number of credits required to graduate: 120

Minimum Cumulative GPA required to graduate: 2.0

Minimum Grade requirements for courses to count toward major: A “C-” or better is required in all Psychology (PSY) Foundations classes.

Other GPA requirements to graduate: Minimum grade point average of 2.0 in Psychology (PSY) classes.

Required Course(s) for fulfilling Capstone Experience: PSY 491 or 3 credits of PSY 494 with a C- or better

Contact Information: Michael A. Robbins, Chair, Department of Psychology, 301 Little Hall, (207) 581-2033

The Department of Psychology offers students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the many diverse and fascinating aspects of human behavior through instruction that is designed to acquaint students with psychology as science. Students majoring in psychology learn how behavior develops in childhood and in adolescence, how individuals perceive the world around them, how we think and remember, and how we interact with other people.

In terms of curriculum, the department offers courses that introduce the student to psychological theory, methodology, research findings, and applications of psychological principles. A complete selection of traditional course offerings are provided, as well as a number of original courses such as Infancy: Neurobehavioral Development, Health Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Foundations of Clinical Psychology. Through our Child Study Laboratory courses at the child study center, students observe and interact with preschool age children in a natural environment and then relate these observations to material discussed in course texts and articles. The broad curriculum is designed to give majors exposure to the diverse areas of the field. In addition to the classroom courses, students can take Problems in Psychology, an individualized study course, where they work closely with faculty on research projects in areas such as depression, anxiety, risk-taking, children’s peer relationships, aging and creativity. Students may also take Field Experience in Psychology, where they earn credit for on-the-job experience in the community, working in mental health, social services, and other settings involved in activities related to professional psychology.

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

A minimum of 35 credits in psychology courses (Note: 48 credits in psychology is the maximum number of credit hours that will count toward the 120 credits needed to graduate, if psychology is the primary major.)
A “C-” or better is required in all Psychology (PSY) foundation classes.
Majors must accumulate a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in PSY courses.
No more than six credits of PSY 492: Problems in Psychology, may count toward the 35 credits required.
No more than three credits of PSY 493: Field Experience may count toward the 35 credits required.
Students who transfer from other institutions must take a minimum of 18 credits within the department and the department must approve all transfer courses applied to the major.
All psychology majors must declare one of the following three concentrations: Abnormal/Social, Biological/Cognitive, or Developmental.
Psychology majors planning on attending graduate school in psychology are encouraged to consider the Research Intensive Track within the major. In addition to the regular major requirements, students in the Research Intensive Track are required to take the following courses:

6 Credits of PSY 492 - Problems in Psychology. These credits should normally be taken with a single instructor and should be completed by the end of the junior year.
PSY 494 - Senior Research Project
At least one course not used to fulfill the 400 level course for the concentration from the following list of advanced courses: PSY 401- Health Psychology; PSY 412 - Foundations of Clinical Psychology; PSY 424 - Abnormal Child Psychology; PSY 425 - Social Issues in Developmental Psychology; PSY 427 - Emotional Development; PSY 465 - Hormones, Brain and Behavior; PSY 490 - Seminar in Issues in Contemporary Psychology; and PSY 491 - Senior Seminar in Psychology; or any 500-level course.

Courses numbered 500-599 are graduate courses that are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Junior and/or senior psychology majors considering graduate study in psychology are encouraged to enroll in one or more of these courses. Undergraduates require permission of the instructor to register for 500-level courses.

The requirements listed on this page are specific to this particular major. Students are also responsible for meeting any graduation requirements set out by their college. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) should make sure to review those requirements as stated on the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences page of the catalog.

A. Foundations

Students must pass each of the following foundation courses with a grade of C- or higher.

PSY 100 - General Psychology Credits: 3
(Prerequisite for all other psychology courses)
PSY 241 - Statistics in Psychology Credits: 4
(Prerequisite for PSY 245)
PSY 245 - Principles of Psychological Research Credits: 4
(Prerequisite for all 300 and 400 level Psychology courses)

B. Core Areas

Students must pass each of the following core area courses:

PSY 212 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3
PSY 223 - Psychology of Childhood Credits: 3
or
PSY 224 - Psychology of Adolescence Credits: 3
PSY 230 - Social Psychology Credits: 3
PSY 350 - Cognition Credits: 3
PSY 365 - Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Credits: 3

C. Concentration

Students must declare a concentration in one of the following 3 areas: 1) Abnormal/Social, 2) Developmental, or 3) Biological/ Cognitive by the beginning of their junior year. To fulfill the concentration, a student must pass 3 courses in their chosen area of concentration (see below). At least one of these courses must be at the 400 level.

Note that some of these concentration courses also satisfy some of the core area requirements listed in Section B. A Declaration of Concentration Form should be completed and submitted to the Department of Psychology.

D. Affiliated Science

Students must pass one of the following affiliated science courses:

BIO 100 - Basic Biology Credits: 4
or
BIO 222 - Biology: The Living Science Credits: 3
Note that BIO 100 is a prerequisite for all additional biology courses while BIO 222 is intended for individuals who will not be taking additional biology courses. Although recommended, BIO 223 (the lab that accompanies BIO 222) is not required for the psychology major.

E. Capstone Experience and Writing-Intensive Course in the Major

Students must pass with a C- or higher:

PSY 491 - Senior Seminar in Psychology Credits: 3
or
PSY 494 - Senior Research Project Credits: 1-3 ¹ (minimum of 3 credit hours)
or
HON 499 - Honors Thesis Credits: 3 ²
¹PSY 494 must be a minimum of 3 credit hours

²HON 499 must be a topic in Psychology and the thesis advisor must be from the Psychology Department. In such cases, 3 of the required 35 credit hours in Psychology will be waived.

Note:

The specific requirements above are for the Psychology major itself. The baccalaureate degree granted will be that associated with the primary major as declared by the student The student is required to satisfy all of the requirements imposed by the university and the college of the primary major. Students are reminded that if Psychology is their primary major, they must take at least 72 hours of non-psychology coursework and must declare and complete a minor or double major to graduate. No more than 6 credits of PSY 492 (Problems in Psychology) and no more than 3 credits of PSY 493 (Field Experience) may count toward the 35 credit hours in psychology requirement.