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 freshman 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 Statistics (MATH 117) and the two-term Research Methods in Psychology (PSYC 280 & 281) sequence (preferably in the sophomore year and certainly no later than the junior year). The Methods sequence 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 his or her 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 core skills related to general learning outcomes, including the abilities to: think critically (e.g., construct a thesis, supported by appropriate arguments and evidence), write and communicate effectively, synthesize current knowledge, and test novel hypotheses.
To ensure that majors are also exposed to the breadth of psychological science, they must also complete two courses in the cognitive/experimental/biological areas of psychology as well as two courses in the developmental/health/social/clinical areas of psychology.
Majors should complete Research Methods before taking laboratory courses numbered 335 or above or courses numbered 380 or above. Concurrent enrollment in MATH 117 (with the Psychology Statistics Laboratory) with PSYC 280: Research Methods I is preferred. Alternatively, MATH 207 may be taken prior to Research Methods I.
