Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The program in Psychology is made up of a structured curriculum where students develop a thorough understanding of concepts and principles that attempt to explain human behavior and consciousness. This program leads to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, which prepares students to (1) obtain entrance into graduate programs in any field of Psychology and/or (2) begin work as a non-professional in community mental health centers and agencies, or in various business settings where a liberal arts background plus interpersonal skills are needed.
Students who obtain an advanced degree have a growing range of new opportunities for employment in medical settings, the military, team sports, business, as well as in traditional areas such as community mental health, private practice, and university teaching and research.
The recent changes in medical health insurance are beginning to affect Psychology majors who choose to work in the mental health field. B.A. graduates are finding more job opportunities in mental health settings, and are expected to handle increased independence and responsibility in their positions.
Programs for Majors and Minors in Psychology
Mission
The Psychology program develops majors who will either enter graduate programs in Psychology and related fields, or will enter the work force through providing service in professional settings. In addition, the program will contribute to the liberal arts mission of the university through the core course (PSY 2301) and other electives; and will help educate non-majors who can use their exposure to psychology in applied settings such as education, social work, nursing and other health fields. The program will accomplish this by providing a curriculum that encourages students to develop ways of thinking that include objectivity, an eclectic approach to knowledge, a desire to search for conceptual meaning, an ability to synthesize themes, and an ability to apply their knowledge to problems in daily living; by promoting professional preparation through offering a greater number of field opportunities and involvement with community agencies; and by providing a setting where faculty are encouraged to continue professional development to serve as models of scholarship and professionalism for our students.
Objectives:
- To provide students with a knowledge of concepts, principles and theories of behavior.
- To prepare students for graduate study in psychology.
- To provide students with field experiences in psychological agencies in the community.
- To provide opportunities for those students preparing to enter the business and nursing professions to become more skillful and articulate in dealing with human behavior.
- To strengthen the professional preparation of teachers by providing for the study of the patterns of human growth and development.
Major Program in Psychology
Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology are required to take 46 semester hours in the discipline.
Required Major Courses (22 hours):
PSY 2301 General Psychology
PSY 2302 Advanced General Psychology
PSY 2326 Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
PSY 3317 Research Methods in Psychology,
PSY 4453 Experimental Psychology,
PSY 4339 Senior Seminar in Psychology
PSY 4336 History and Systems in Psychology.
Beyond the required courses, students must choose two courses from each of the following three "Core" areas: Biological and Cognitive Foundations, Social and Developmental Foundations, and Clinical-Counseling Foundations.
Biological and Cognitive Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 3301 Biological Psychology
PSY 3305 Motivation and Emotion)
PSY 3308 Psychology of Cognition)
PSY 3346 Learning and Memory)
PSY 3348 (Sensation and Perception).
Social and Developmental Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 3302 Psychology of Adolescence
PSY 3303 (Psychology of Aging
PSY 3307 Social Psychology,
PSY 3309 Cross Cultural Psychology) ,and
PSY 3336 (Developmental Psychology.
Clinical and Counseling Foundations (6 hours)
PSY 2308 Psychology of Adjustment
PSY 3306 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 3316 Principles of Psychological Testing
PSY 3329 Psychology of Personality
PSY 4331 Counseling Psychology)
Major Electives (6 hours): Two additional electives in psychology must also be taken to complete the minimum 46 hours in the major.
All hours counted toward the 46 hours in Psychology must have a grade of "C" or better.
As part of, and in addition to, the 40-hour General Education Core Curriculum, psychology majors must take three hours of computer science (CSC 1306 or MIS 1385), World Civilization I and II (HIS 1301, HIS 1302), American Government (POS 2311), General Sociology (SOC 2301), Introduction to Philosophy (PHI 2301), and a second literature course beyond ENG 2301 (except for ENG 3346).
Candidates for graduation with a Psychology degree are required to participate in program assessment activities. Psychology majors are required to select a minor from another area.
Minor Program in Psychology
A minimum of 18 semester hours is required for a minor in Psychology. PSY 2301 is usually prerequisite to all other courses in psychology. Minors may not enroll in PSY 2302, PSY 3317, PSY 4453, PSY 4339 (Senior Seminar) or PSY 4336.
Prerequisite:
For those electing courses in psychology as well as those students who are majoring in psychology, there is no prerequisite except PSY 2301 unless otherwise specified.
