Major Degree Requirements
The major in psychology requires a minimum of 60 credits in the field. Students must complete the required courses in statistics before taking any 400-level course or any course with statistics as a prerequisite.
All psychology majors are strongly encouraged to participate in the advising process, which includes a Group Orientation session, peer mentoring, and faculty advising.
All courses taken to satisfy the requirements for a major in psychology, including the mandatory statistics courses, must be passed with a grade of C- or above. Courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling departmental major requirements.
In addition to meeting the general University degree requirements, the student must meet the following requirements for major:
| Courses |
Notes |
Credits Required |
|---|
| NB Stat 243 or SOC 396 - Social Statistics |
In order to understand psychological research methods, an applied understanding of statistics is necessary. |
4 |
| NB Stat 244 or PSY 320 - Social Science Research Methods II |
In order to understand psychological research methods, an applied understanding of statistics is necessary. |
4 |
| PSY 200 |
PSY 200 is psychology as a natural science -- what’s going on in the brain and a little bit of physiology and anatomy of the brain. |
4 |
| PSY 204 |
PSY 204 is psychology as a social science and focuses on how we interact with others, and our behaviors and attitudes as a result of being a social being. |
4 |
| PSY 321 |
|
4 |
| PSY Elective 200+ |
|
4 |
| PSY Elective 410-498 |
Choose among different Pathways Through Psychology that focus your studies on specific areas and applications of psychology, |
16 |
| PSY Elective 300/400 |
Additional upper-division elective credits (300- and 400-level), excluding courses numbered 399 to 409 |
16 |
| PSY Human Diversity Elective |
See below |
4 |
| Total |
|
60 |
Human Diversity Elective
Majors are required to take a course in human diversity. To fulfill this requirement, students can choose to take any 300- or 400-level class in the following subjects: Black Studies, Chicano/Latino Studies, Indigenous Nations Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, or any of the following classes:
- ANTH 318U: Asian American Experience
- ANTH 426: Transnationalism and Migration
- ANTH 432: Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- COMM 415: Problems of Intercultural Communication
- CR 312: Intercultural Conflict Resolution
- PSY 310U: Psychology of Women
- PSY 410: Cross-cultural Psychology
- PSY 410: Native American Psychological Healing
- PSY 425: Psychology of Black Manhood in America
- PSY 426: Psychology of Stigma & Social Inequality
- PSY 428: Diversity, Prejudice and Intergroup Relations
- PSY 429: The Psychology of Race & Gender in Sport
- PSY 431U: Psychology of Men and Masculinities
- PSY 458: Development & Education of African-Diaspora Children & Youth
- PSY 469: Psychology of Human Sexuality
- PSY 470: Diversity in the Workplace
- SOC 337U: Prejudice, Privilege and Power
- SOC 344U: Gender and Sexualities
- SOC 423: Stratification
- SOC 427: Gender and Work
- SOC 430: Hate Crimes
- SOC 444: Race, Ethnicity and Nationality
- SOC 446: Immigrants in America
- SOC 452: Education and Equality: Comparing the US, Asia, Europe
- SOC 463: Global Inequalities and Health
The list above is not comprehensive; students can also use courses not included here with advisor approval.
Minor Degree Requirements
To earn a minor in psychology, a student must complete 28 credits (8 credits of which must be taken in residence at PSU), to include the following:
| Courses |
Notes |
Credits Required |
|---|
| PSY 200 |
PSY 200 is psychology as a natural science -- what’s going on in the brain and a little bit of physiology and anatomy of the brain.
|
4 |
| PSY 204 |
PSY 204 is psychology as a social science and focuses on how we interact with others, and our behaviors and attitudes as a result of being a social being. |
4 |
| PSY Electives 300/400 |
Upper-division psychology courses (300- or 400-level), excluding 401 to 409 |
20 |
| Total |
|
28 |
All courses submitted to satisfy the requirements for a minor in psychology must be passed with a grade of C- or above. Courses taken under the undifferentiated grading option (pass/no pass) will not be accepted toward fulfilling department minor requirements.