Psychology Major/Minor Requirements

Psychology is the science of mind and behavior. The psychology curriculum is well balanced to represent the breadth of the core areas of psychology (clinical, cognitive, developmental, health, biological, industrial/organizational, and social psychology) and provide opportunity for the in-depth study of specific topics (e.g.,  affective neuroscience, learning, group processes, psychopathology, child and adult development, prejudice, emotion). Research, through which psychological theories are developed and tested, is emphasized throughout the curriculum.

Psychology students will learn foundational theories and scientific methods from the field of psychology and its major sub-disciplines and apply that knowledge to ask and answer various questions regarding behavior. They will develop skills in critical thinking, qualitative and quantitative reasoning, scientific literacy, oral and written communication, and ethical and social responsibility that will allow them to contribute meaningfully to a diverse world, self-reflect, and communicate across different perspectives.

The major in psychology requires the following:

1.  PSYC 100: Principles of Psychology

2.  STAT 107: Principles of Statistics†

3.  PSYC 280/281: Research Methods I and II or PSYC 284: Research Methods in Psychology (prior to 2023-2024)

4.  Two courses from each of the following groups:

a.  Group I: PSYC 245: Health Psychology, 250: Psychopathology or 290: Developmental Psychopathology, 260: Developmental Psychology or 265: Developmental Psychology (with laboratory) or 262: Adult Development, 270: Social Psychology or 272: Social Psychology of Prejudice, 273: Industrial-Organizational Psychology

b.  Group II: 322: Memory and Learning, 340: Cognitive Psychology (with laboratory) or 342: Cognitive Psychology or 343: Cognitive Neuroscience (with laboratory), 347: Hormones and Behavior, 348:  Biological Psychology, 350: Psychopharmacology and Behavior, 370: Perception, 420: Clinical and Affective Neuroscience

5.  One course requiring an APA-style literature review, taken before the senior capstone: PSYC 335: Clinical Psychology (with laboratory), 347: Hormones and Behavior, 355: Child Clinical Psychology (with laboratory), 460: Adolescent Psychology, 500: Topics in Psychology, 560: Topics in Gender and Social Development, 570: Topics in Prejudice, or 580: Topics in Neuroscience††

6.  One course must have a lab (viz., PSYC 265, 335, 340, 343, 355, 365, 373). 

7.  One psychology course must have a D or G diversity designation (i.e., PSYC 205: Diversity in Human Sexuality, 220: The Holocaust, 272: Social Psychology of Prejudice, 285: Cross-Cultural Psychology, 300: Diverse Groups and Teams, 305, Women and Girls in Science, 310: Psychology of Gender, 356: Meditation: Psychological and Buddhist Perspectives, 560: Topics in Gender and Social Development, or 570: Topics in Prejudice).

8.  6-units of elective coursework in psychology (may include any class in psychology as well as independent studies, tutorials, or internships).

9.  PSYC 610: Senior Capstone†††

†Enrollment in STAT 107 prior to Research Methods (280/281). STAT 255 may also fulfill this requirement. For students also majoring in anthropology, ANTH 207 may fulfill the statistics requirement. For students also majoring in biology or neuroscience, BIOL 280 may fulfill the statistics requirement.

††If the course is cross-listed with another department and being taught by an instructor outside the psychology department, then check with the instructor prior to taking the course as to whether it would be acceptable to write the literature review using APA style. The literature review must be written in APA style to fulfill this requirement.

†††Students also majoring in NESC may count the NESC senior capstone (NESC 600) in place of PSYC 610 as long as the psychology faculty approve the topic. Contact the PSYC department chair prior to enrollment.

In the psychology department’s senior capstone (PSYC 610), small groups of students meet in independent seminar sections supervised by a faculty mentor. Sections meet to discuss common readings, provide constructive criticism of each other’s work, and to allow students to present work in progress. Discussions, papers, and presentations enhance students’ abilities to conceptualize important questions within the context of the discipline, formulate ways to answer those questions, and present ideas clearly and cogently in both written and oral form. Students pursue their project over the academic term, culminating in a senior thesis and a public senior oral presentation.

The centerpiece of the capstone experience is an original senior project, allowing students to pursue their own interests in depth, encouraging autonomy and creativity. In consultation with the faculty mentor, students will choose one of the following types of papers: a critical review of past theory and research, an original empirical study report, a theory development paper, or a paper that integrates a student’s applied work (e.g., in an internship) with its wider scholarly context. Students pursuing double degrees, double majors, or teacher certification are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisors and relevant department chairs to plan and negotiate their overall Senior Experience as early as possible, especially if they are interested in pursuing an interdisciplinary capstone that integrates their interests in both majors or combines their student teaching with a project in their major. Additionally, students interested in pursuing an original empirical study project will need to meet with a faculty mentor well in advance of enrollment in PSYC 610.

Requirements for the psychology major are structured so that students gain a broad knowledge of psychology while also completing a core course sequence that systematically develops skills relevant to understanding and producing psychological advances.

The core courses begin with Principles of Psychology (PSYC 100), typically taken in the first year, a broad introduction to psychological science that provides a framework (of key theories, terminology, methods, and findings in the core areas of psychology) on which all later courses build. Majors are encouraged to take Principles of Statistics (STAT 107) and Research Methods in Psychology (PSYC 280 and 281 taken simultaneously) in the sophomore year and certainly no later than the junior year. The methods course teaches students to think like research psychologists, from “What constitutes a worthwhile and testable hypothesis?” to designing, running, analyzing, and reporting an original empirical project. In the junior year, students select an advanced course in which they not only explore a topic in greater depth but also learn how to write a synthetic, integrative, and critical review of a research area. The skills developed throughout the core courses are brought together in Senior Capstone (PSYC 610), in which each student chooses their own topic to explore, culminating in a project that is presented both in a senior thesis and a public oral presentation. The project may involve a critical review of past theory and research, a proposal for an original empirical study, an original empirical study report, a theory development paper, or a paper that integrates a student’s applied work with its wider scholarly context.

Together, the core courses are aimed at systematically developing key skills related to general learning outcomes: analyzing and critiquing scientific literature, including qualitative and quantitative reasoning, appropriate to producing and consuming psychological science, employing ethical standards with interpersonal and intercultural responsiveness to psychological science and its applications, and demonstrating effective science communication skills across diverse academic, professional, and public spheres using appropriate technology. 

To ensure that majors are exposed to the breadth of psychological science and can meet the learning outcome of describing foundational theories and scientific methods within psychology and its major subdisciplines, they must also complete two courses in the cognitive/experimental/biological areas of psychology as well as two courses in the developmental/health/social/I-O/clinical areas of psychology.

Majors are encouraged to complete Research Methods before taking laboratory courses numbered 335 or above or courses numbered 380 or above. STAT 107 (Principles of Statistics) should be taken prior to Research Methods (PSYC 280/281).

Majors complete empirical research projects in Research Methods, but are also encouraged to do so in laboratory and topics courses, and in close collaboration with faculty members in independent study. Students have access to the department’s extensive laboratory facilities for research in child and adult development, cognitive, clinical, social, health, and industrial/organizational psychology. We highly recommend that students who wish to pursue honors projects or empirical projects for PSYC 610 begin them in their junior year. Students who wish to pursue graduate study may want to apply for summer research experiences on or off campus. Applications for these programs are typically due in February.

Several opportunities to receive course credit for work within applied settings (e.g., working in a clinical setting in the community) are regularly available—see PSYC 451: Field Experience in Clinical Psychology and internships in psychology. Other practica that similarly combine academic and applied components may be arranged. This includes various opportunities for placement at non-profit human services programs in the local community. For information on such practica, contact the Center for Career, Life and Community Engagement (920-832-6561) or any psychology faculty member.

Required for the Minor in Psychology

1.  PSYC 100: Principles of Psychology

2.  STAT 107: Principles of Statistics†

3.  One course from each of the following groups:

a.  Group I: PSYC 245: Health Psychology, 250:  Psychopathology or 290: Developmental Psychopathology, 260: Developmental Psychology or 265: Developmental Psychology (with laboratory) or 262: Adult Development, 270: Social Psychology or 272: Social Psychology of Prejudice, 273: Industrial-Organizational Psychology

b.  Group II: PSYC 320: Addiction, 322:  Memory and Learning, 340: Cognitive Psychology (with laboratory) or 342: Cognitive Psychology or 343: Cognitive Neuroscience (with laboratory), 347: Hormones and Behavior, 348: Biological Psychology, 350: Psychopharmacology and Behavior, 370: Perception, 420: Clinical and Affective Neuroscience

3.  Two additional courses in psychology (12 units), one of which (6 units) must be numbered 300 or higher (not including 610).

4.  One course must have a lab (viz., PSYC 265, 280/281††, 284, 335, 340, 343, 355, 365, 373).

† STAT 255 may also count for this requirement. For students also majoring in anthropology, ANTH 207 may fulfill the stats requirement; for students also majoring in biology or neuroscience, BIOL 280 may fulfill this requirement.

††Must complete both terms of PSYC 280/281 to meet this lab requirement.

Psychology majors can seek certification to teach social studies at the secondary level or to teach elementary/middle school (K-9). For certification in social studies, along with the psychology major students must take one course in each of history, economics, government, and anthropology or ethnic studies, and a second course in two of these fields. Students are urged to take courses in both U.S. history and global history. A course in environmental studies (such as ENST 151) is also required. For certification in elementary/middle school, students should review the requirements in the Education section of the catalog. Interested students are encouraged to meet with the director of teacher education, preferably before the end of the sophomore year.

The major program prepares students well for graduate study in psychology or related fields. Students interested in graduate study should consider experiential learning (e.g., conducting research, internships, etc.) and fully utilize the Career Center and alumni who have gone to graduate school. Names and contact information for alumni can be obtained through the alumni and constituency engagement office. For those who pursue other careers, the skills learned by majors are widely applicable. Students who are interested in the major program or curious about what kind of career opportunities exist in the field of psychology are urged to visit the Career Center for more information. Students interested in mental health careers should pay particular attention to the department’s clinical psychology course offerings: PSYC 250, 290, 335, 355, 420, 451, and Internship in Psychology.

The London Centre, Netherlands, and Vienna programs have provided excellent opportunities for psychology majors (see Off-Campus Programs). The major is flexible enough to allow for a variety of off-campus study opportunities.

Students who score 4 or better on the Psychology Advanced Placement Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board are given credit for PSYC 100, which fulfills one of the major requirements. Students who plan to major in psychology and place out of PSYC 100 are advised to take one or two courses in Group I during their first year. A score of 4 or better in AP Statistics can substitute for the Statistics (STAT 107) requirement.