B.S. Curriculum
Students must earn an overall grade point average of 3.00 or better on 60 hours of coursework and be sponsored by a member of the psychology faculty to be formally accepted by the department as a candidate for this degree program. The Bachelor of Science curriculum includes more science course requirements. It also involves a two-semester research project that culminates in a thesis. A faculty sponsor is sought out to supervise the student’s research and thesis. Thesis research is typically conducted in the student’s senior year; five – six credit hours of supervised research and thesis are completed over two semesters. Students considering the BS degree should begin thinking their junior year about seeking a faculty sponsor. Sponsors should be chosen based on their research content area (of interest to the student) as well as their availability to sponsor the student in thesis research. For information about our faculty and their research programs, please see the People/Faculty link on the left side of this website. Applications for the BS Degree program are handled through the Undergraduate Academic Advisor.
In addition to the General Education requirements of the University and College, the B.S. in Psychology consists of the following:
- Four Courses (13 hours):
PSY 1113, Elements of Psychology
PSY 2113, Research Methods I: Statistics
PSY 3114, Research Methods II: Applications and Experimental Design
PSY 4913, Bachelor of Science Thesis - Two Courses (6 hours) from:
PSY 2403, Introduction to Personality
PSY 2603, Developmental Psychology
PSY 3703, Social Psychology - Four Courses (9 hours) from:
PSY 2213, Information Processing/Perception
PSY 3003, Advanced Undergraduate Statistics
PSY 3083, Animal Behavior
PSY 3203, Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3803, Physiological Psychology
PSY 4023, Tests & Measurements
PSY 4263, Psy and Law
PSY 4453, Abnormal Psychology
PSY 4753, Industrial Psychology
PSY 4973, Theories & Systems - Three-four courses (9-12 hours) of upper-division psychology electives
- Five hours of supervised Independent Study
- One Senior Capstone Course (3 hours) from:
PSY 4113, Capstone Survey of Major Fields in Psychology
PSY 4143, Capstone Practicum
PSY 4153, Capstone History of Psychology
Major Support Requirements
- Computer Science (3 hours) from:
PSY 2503, Computing for the Behavioral Science
MIS 2003, Introduction to Business Computing
CS 1313, Computer Programming
CS 1323, Fundamentals of Programming - Mathematics (3 hours) from:
MATH 1743, Calculus I for Business, Life & Social Sciences
MATH 1823, Calculus and Analytic Geometry I - Biological Science (5 hours):
ZOO 1114, Introduction to Zoology
ZOO 1121, Introductory Zoology Laboratory - Physical Science (8-10 hours) from:
CHEM 1315, General Chemistry and CHEM 1415, General Chemistry Continued
PHYS 2414, Physics for Life Science Majors, and PHYS 2424, Physics for Life Science Majors Continued - Additional science (6-8 hours, including at least three upper division hours) from:
CS 2413, Data Structures
CHEM 1415, General Chemistry Continued
CHEM 3012, Organic Chemistry Lab
CHEM 3013, Organic Chemistry
CHEM 3453, Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
CHEM 3653, Introduction to Biochemistry
CHEM 3753, Introduction to Biochemistry Methods
MATH 2123, Calculus II
MATH 3333, Linear Algebra I
MATH 4723, Abstract Linear Algebra
MATH 4733, Mathematical Theory of Probability
MATH 4753, Applied Statistical Methods
MBIO 4843, Introduction to Molecular Biology
PHYS 2424, Physics for Life Sciences Continued
ZOO 2204, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
ZOO 2343, Human Heredity
ZOO 3013, Evolution
ZOO 3103, Principles of Physiology
ZOO 3333, Genetics - Upper Division Electives: It takes 48 upper-division hours to earn a bachelor's degree. All required courses that are upper division (Western Civilization, Psychology requirements such as 3114, Group C classes, etc.) count toward the 48 required upper division hours. However, required courses will not bring a student up to the 48 required hours. The difference will be made up in electives, courses at the 3000 or 4000 level in any subject the student chooses. For most psychology majors pursuing a B.A., it takes 20-23 hours of upper division electives to reach the requisite 48 upper division hours for graduation.
