College of Arts and Sciences
BA in Psychology
If you are interested in studying psychology and are planning a career in business, industry, education, health services, personnel work, or in any field involving human relations, the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program is for you. It’s also the first step if you are interested in becoming a psychologist, which requires graduate training after you complete the undergraduate major.
About the Major

All courses in the undergraduate curriculum incorporate the most up to date American Psychological Association learning goals for the undergraduate psychology major. These goals include: (1) Knowledge Base in Psychology, (2) Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking, (3) Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World, (4) Communication, and (5) Professional Development.
Degree Requirements
A total of 38 credits is required which includes a combination of core courses, electives, and courses from five domain areas; Developmental, Biological, Cognition and Learning, Personality and Individual Differences, and Social and Cultural.
Required Courses
You must complete 14 credits of core courses in the following sequence:
- Introduction to Psychology
- Statistics for Psychology
- Research Methods for Psychology
- History and Systems in Psychology
For more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
Additional Requirements
You must complete an additional 15 credits by taking one course from each from five domain areas. Examples include:
Developmental:
- Lifespan Development
- Infant and Child Development
Biological:
- Physiological Psychology
- Brain and Behavior
Cognition and Learning
- Behavior and Behavior Change
- Thinking, Memory, and Problem Solving
Personality and Individual Differences
- Personality Psychology
- Psychology of Adjustment
Social and Cultural
- Social Psychology 3
- Multicultural Issues in Psychology
For more information, and to see a complete list of additional degree requirements, visit the Course Catalog.
Electives
Three additional psychology courses are required. They may be completed from any of the Five Domain areas above or in the Applied Psychology or Advanced Studies in Psychology categories. Examples include:
Applied Psychology:
- Career Development
- Psychological Aspects of Death and Dying
- Psychology of Gender
Advanced Studies in Psychology
- Special Topics in Psychology
- Contemporary Studies in Psychology
- Student Internship-Junior Year
For more information, and to see a complete list of electives, visit the Course Catalog.
Minor Requirements
We offer a minor in psychology that complements our health or natural sciences programs, as well as degrees in art, business, education, engineering, and music. A total of 18 credits is required which includes one core course:
- Introduction to Psychology
You also must complete 9 credits of Domain area requirements with courses such as:
- Adolescent and Adult Development
- Studies in Developmental Psychology
- Studies in Biological Psychology
- Studies in Cognitive Psychology
- Studies in Social and Cultural Psychology
Take an additional six credits of psychology coursework that is completed from any of the Five Domain areas or the courses such as:
- Research Methods for Psychology
- History and Systems in Psychology
- Psychology of Gender
- Psychology Applied to the Workplace
For more information about minor requirements, see the Course Catalog.
Learning Outcomes
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology students will:
- Identify, describe, and compare the major systems and movements in psychology.
- Demonstrate an understanding of psychology's historical roots, major figures, and their contributions.
- Demonstrate the ability to access psychological literature, identify the sections of a psychological research journal article, and summarize and evaluate the information therein.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method especially as it applies to psychological research.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply ethical standards in the treatment of participants within psychological research.
- Demonstrate the ability to posit research hypotheses and to design empirical studies to assess the validity of hypotheses by choosing an appropriate research design and analytical procedures.
- Demonstrate skills in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.
- Demonstrate the ability to report the findings of their studies in accord with the American Psychological Association’s (APA) style guidelines.
- Demonstrate the ability to write papers and/or communicate orally reflecting the application of psychology to a range of issues.
- Demonstrate the ability to break down complex and ambiguous problems into their component parts and to use empirical information to evaluate a knowledge claim.
- Demonstrate awareness, interest in, and respect for all groups.
- Demonstrate increased understanding for a variety of groups based on at least one of the following: gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, age, or mental status.
Kicha Pinthiere
Psychology, '23
I was able to shadow a school psychologist which strengthened my decision in the career path I wanted to take.
Caitlin Cabral
Psychology, '20
Upon graduation, Caitlin Cabral was hired as a project research assistant for Optum, a pharmacy benefit management company that is part of UnitedHealth Group. As part of a research assistantship with Psychology Professor Leonard Milling, Cabral investigated personality variables and their relationship with other factors. On a more day-to-day scale, she helped with directing research participants, distributing and collecting materials, scoring data, and onboarding new research team members.
In all honesty, the Psychology Department as a whole impacted me greatly. Even when I was most overwhelmed by my workload—or just life in general—I still felt immensely supported by a team of individuals who wanted me to succeed. My professors weren’t just people I saw in class a few times a week, but mentors who I felt community and connection with.
Meet the BA in Psychology Faculty
Psychology
Administration