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The psychology BS degree is a great choice for students interested in research professions. This degree requires additional research methods and evaluation coursework. It also includes specific natural science and quantitative reasoning courses. You’ll learn how it all fits together, conduct important research alongside professors, and master the skills you need to shine academically and professionally.

Requirements & Program Planning

The B.S. program requires 41 semester hours of psychology and is designed for students who intend to pursue graduate study in psychology or a closely related discipline. Students whose strengths lie in the natural sciences and mathematics are encouraged to choose the B.S. program. The B.S. program requires an introductory psychology course, a behavioral neuroscience course, two courses in research methods and data analysis, and lower and upper level courses in psychology. In addition, the B.S. program requires a laboratory course in experimental psychology and senior seminar as well as specified options for satisfying the natural science requirement of the General Education Program. Students entering the B.S. program must also complete at least two courses in advanced mathematics, statistics, or computer science. Consequently, a first year or sophomore student who wishes to defer a decision between the B.A. and B.S. programs should elect courses in natural science and mathematics that will make it possible to choose either major as late as the junior year.

While any student may enter the B.A. program in psychology, admission to the B.S. program is restricted. To be eligible for admission to the B.S. program, students must have completed 30 s.h. of college course work (excluding any credit by exam), and they must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.67 or higher. Eligible students can request admission to the B.S. program by contacting an advisor within the department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. There is no limit to the number of qualified students admitted to the B.S. program.

First-year students and transfer students with fewer than 30 s.h. of course credit who are interested in the B.S. program will be admitted to the psychology B.A. program until they satisfy the admission requirements for the B.S. program. New transfer students who meet the admission requirements for the psychology B.S. program may choose to enter the B.S. program during orientation advisement. Any student in the B.A. program may switch to the B.S. program if they meet the admission requirements at the time of the request. Students may switch from the B.S. to the B.A. program at any time. Once a student is admitted to the B.S. program, their overall grade point average may drop below 2.67 without penalty. However, a student whose grade point average in psychology courses drops significantly below 2.67 will be advised to switch to the B.A. program.

Course Number Course Name S.H
PSY:1001 Elementary Psychology 3
PSY:2811 Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology I 3
Lower Level Courses (complete all six)
Prerequisite: Completion of PSY:1001
PSY:2301 Intro to Clinical Psychology 3
PSY:2401 Intro to Developmental Science 3
PSY:2501 Intro to Social Psychology 3
PSY:2601 Intro to Cognitive Psychology 3
PSY:2701 Intro to Behavioral Neuroscience 4    
PSY:2812 Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology II 3    
Upper Level Electives (select 3 courses)

Note: not all courses are available each semester (or summer session).
Prerequisite: C- or better in PSY:2811 and C- or better in the specified lower-level prerequisite and completion of the Psychology Core.
 

Selected Topics Courses (must complete both)
PSY:4020 Lab in Psychology 4
PSY:4090 Psychology Seminar 3

Mathematics, Statistics or Computer Science

Choose two courses from the list below.

BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics 3
CS:1210 Computer Science I: Fundamentals 4
CS:2110 Programming for Informatics 4
CS:2230 Computer Science II: Data Structures 4
CS:2520 Human-Computer Interaction for Informatics 3
MATH:1350 Quantitative Reasoning for Business 4
MATH:1440 Mathematics for the Biological Sciences 4
MATH:1460 Calculus for the Biological Sciences 4
MATH:1550 Engineering Mathematics I: Single Variable Calculus 4
MATH:1850 Calculus I 4
MATH:1860 Calculus II 4
MATH:2700 Introduction to Linear Algebra 4
STAT:1020/PSQF:1020 Elementary Statistics and Inference 3
STAT:1030 Statistics for Business 4
STAT:2010 Statistical Methods and Computing 3
STAT:3200/IGPI:3200/ISE:3760 Applied Linear Regression 3
STAT:3210 Experimental Design and Analysis 3
STAT:3510/IGPI:3510 Biostatistics 3
STAT:4143/PSQF:4143 Introduction to Statistical Methods 3
    Natural Science
Choose two courses from the list below; must total at least 7 s.h. and include a lab.
BIOL:1140 Human Biology: Nonmajors 4
BIOL:1141 Human Biology: Health Professions 4
BIOL:1251 How the Brain Works (and Why it Doesn't) 3-4
BIOL:1370 Understanding Evolution 3
BIOL:1411 Foundations of Biology 4
BIOL:2120 Good Genes Gone Bad: Genetic Disorders of Notable Celebrities 3
BIOL:2211 Genes, Genomes, and the Human Condition 3
BIOL:2512 Fundamental Genetics 4
CHEM:1070 General Chemistry I 3
CHEM:1080 General Chemistry II 3
CHEM:1090 Supplemental Chemistry Lab 1
CHEM:1110 Principles of Chemistry I 4
CHEM:1120 Principles of Chemistry II 4
CHEM:1160 Principles of Chemistry Lab 2
CSD:2111 Basic Acoustics for Speech and Hearing 3
CSD:3112 Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production 4
CSD:3113 Introduction to Hearing Science 4
CSD:3116/LING:3116 Basic Neuroscience for Speech and Hearing 3
HHP:1100 Human Anatomy 3
HHP:1110 Human Anatomy Laboratory 1
HHP:1300 Fundamentals of Human Physiology 3
HHP:1310 Human Physiology Laboratory 1
HHP:1400 Human Anatomy and Physiology 3
PHYS:1400 Basic Physics 3-4
PHYS:1409 Basic Physics Lab 1
PHYS:1410 Physics of Sound 3-4
PHYS:1511 College Physics I 4
PHYS:1512 College Physics II 4
PHYS:1611 Introductory Physics I 4
PHYS:1612 Introductory Physics II 4
PHYS:1619 Introductory Physics II Lab 1
         

Course Sequence for the B.S. Program

First year students should enroll in Elementary Psychology and General Education courses.  From there, students continue to work on General Education courses Research Methods and Data Analysis courses, and lower level Psychology courses.  Finally, students complete upper-level Psychology electives. 

It is important for students to compete the Psychology Core as early as possible as it is not possible to move on to upper-level major coursework until these courses are completed.

Please note that students must earn a C- or better in Research Methods and Data Analysis I (PSY:2811) and the corresponding lower level elective plus complete the Psychology Core prior to enrolling in more advanced courses.

Students entering the B.S. program can complete their additional course in advanced mathematics, statistics, or computer science any time, subject to course prerequisites.