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: major: A “C-” or better is required in all Psychology (PSY) Foundations classes (100, 241, and 245) and in the Capstone Experience (PSY 491 or PSY 494, or HON 499).

Other GPA requirements to graduate: Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in the courses in the major field that are credited toward the major.

Required Course(s) for fulfilling Capstone Experience and Writing Intensive Requirement within the Major: PSY 491 or 3 credits of PSY 494 with a C- or better or (HON 498 and HON 499) on a topic in psychology and advised by an appropriate psychology faculty member will be accepted as a capstone experience for all students in Psychology. The thesis proposal form must be signed by the chair of the Department of Psychology.

Residency Requirement: A minimum of 18 credits must be taken in the Psychology Department at the University of Maine

Contact Information: Thane Fremouw, Chair, Department of Psychology, 301 Williams Hall, thane.fremouw@maine.edu (207) 581-2033 or Benjamin Guenther, Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Psychology, 356 Williams Hall, benjamin.guenther@maine.edu (207) 581-2025

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.

For more information about our undergraduate and graduate programs, program learning outcomes, internships, and special resources and programs see our web site at https://umaine.edu/psychology/.

Information about the Psychology major

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 addition to the classroom courses, students can take Problems in Psychology (PSY 492), an individualized research experience, 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 (PSY 493) 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.

General requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

A minimum of 35 credits in psychology courses (Note: 60 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(100, 241, and 245) and in the Capstone Experience (PSY 491 or PSY 494, or Hon 499).
Majors must accumulate a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in PSY courses that are credited toward completion of the major.
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 :

A. 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.

B. PSY 494 - Senior Research Project

C. 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 in Clinical Psychology; PSY 424 - Abnormal Child Psychology; PSY 425 - Social Issues in Developmental Psychology; PSY 430 - Current Topics in Social Psychology; PSY 466 Cognitive Neuroscience; PSY 490 - Seminar in Issues in Contemporary Psychology; or any 500-level course

Note: Courses numbered 500-599 are graduate courses that are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Junior and/or senior psychology majors may enroll in one or more of these courses with permission from the instructor.

A. Foundations (11 credits)

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 (15 credits)

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 122 - Biology: The Living Science Credits: 3
Note that BIO 100 is a prerequisite for all additional biology courses while BIO122 is intended for individuals who will not be taking additional biology courses. Although recommended, BIO 123 (the lab that accompanies BIO 122) 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.