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Psychology

Bauder Hall

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Suggested 4-year Program

The following is a general outline around which either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree program in psychology may be organized. Programs for individual students may vary, however, so students should consult with their academic advisers regularly to plan or modify their programs. Students must also fulfill the General Education requirements listed in the catalog and should consult with their adviser about how these can best be met.

First Year
General Psychology (PSY 001) should be taken during the first year because it is a prerequisite for all other psychology courses. In addition, if the student is well-prepared mathematically, Introduction to Statistics (MA 005) may also be taken. These two courses may be taken either semester. The remainder of one's courses taken during the first year should fulfill the General Education requirements. Note that the Natural Science requirements (courses in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Physics) for the B.S. degree will also fulfill the Natural Science General Education requirement.

Sophomore Year
Because Introduction to Statistics (MA 005) is a prerequisite for Experimental Psychology (PSY 013), Statistics should be taken by the end of the Fall semester of the Sophomore year, so the student is prepared to take Experimental Psychology which is only offered in the Spring. Under unusual circumstances, concurrent enrollment in these two courses may be permitted, but only if the student agrees in writing to drop Experimental Psychology rather than Statistics, should both courses prove too difficult to complete successfully in the same semester. These two courses are fundamental to many upper division courses and, if taken by the end of the Sophomore year, allow the greatest flexibility in the student's program.

Child Development (PSY 115), Psychology of Learning, (PSY 121), Social Psychology (PSY 122), Sensation & Perception (PSY 124), and Abnormal Psychology (PSY 131) are upper division courses which may be taken concurrently with Experimental Psychology and Statistics.

Students who are working on a B.S. degree may also complete some of the requirements from other disciplines like Computer Programming (CS 010), a Mathematics course (from those listed in the B.S. Requirements), or Natural Science courses (from those listed in the B.S. Requirements).

In addition to taking some of the above courses, most of the remainder of the General Education requirements should be completed.

Junior Year
During this year, the remainder of the core courses in psychology should be completed, especially by students who are planning graduate study in psychology. There are three advantages of completing these courses by the end of the Junior year:

1. If students are applying to graduate programs that require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), this test should be taken before November of the Senior year so that scores will be available to graduate admission committees in time for admission for the next Fall. This means that students typically take the GREs by the end of the Fall of the Senior year. The more core courses students have completed by this time, the better their chances of performing well on the GRE.

2. Students are better prepared for their capstone experience which is accomplished by taking the Practicum, Seminar, or Research courses in the Senior year.

3. A semester of the Senior year is then free for the student to explore other areas of academic interest; to participate in an off-campus learning program; to pursue and complete an independent research project (or tutorial).

These core courses may include History & Systems (PSY 111), Cognitive Psychology (PSY 120), Physiological Psychology (PSY 125), Psychological Testing (PSY 135), Theories of Personality (PSY 140), Fundamentals of Clinical and Counseling Psychology (PSY 141), and Psychology of Religion (PSY 175).

Practicum (PSY 190) or Research (PSY 198) may be taken during the second semester of a student's Junior year, provided that Experimental Psychology, Statistics, and the appropriate upper division courses have been completed. Practicum may not be taken prior to the second semester of the Junior year except in unusual circumstances, and then only upon submission and approval of a petition to the department.

Senior Year
If a student has planned well, few courses other than Practicum (PSY 196) or Research (PSY 197/198) remain as requirements during the Senior year. Students are encouraged to broaden their education by taking courses in other academic areas (tutorials, etc.), by doing research, or by participating in off-campus programs like Europe Semester or the Urban Program.