MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY

[Please consult the University catalog for more complete details about the Psychology major.]

PDF Version of Psychology Major/Minor Record Card checklist

Majors are required to complete 41 credits in psychology and 10 credits in prerequisite courses with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher. No "Pass" grades are accepted for the required 41 credits in psychology (32 credits of required psychology courses and 9 hours of psychology electives). Of the 32 required credits, 14 are to be completed in the core courses by taking PSYC 101 or PSYC 102, PSYC 203 or PSYC 204, PSYC 212, and PSYC 314 (or PSYC 213/313). The remaining 18 required credits are to be completed by taking one course in each of the six topical areas: Human Development, Clinical, Social, Biopsychology, Learning-Cognition, and Diversity. Majors must satisfy the relevant prerequisites for individual psychology courses taken.

 

 

Required Lower-Level Prerequisites (10 credits)

BIOL 110 or 115 Contemporary General Biology or Biological Sciences I (4)

MATH 109 Transitions to Algebra for Applications (3) (or higher, excluding MATH 204)

ENGL 102 Writing for a Liberal-Education (3) OR

ENGL 190 Honors Writing Seminar (3)

 

Core Courses (14 credits)

The following 14 credits are required:

PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology (3) OR

PSYC 102 Honors Introduction to Psychology (3)

PSYC 203Human Development (3) OR

PSYC 204 Honors Human Development (3)

PSYC 212 Behavioral Statistics (4) (prerequisite: MATH 109 or higher, except MATH 204)

PSYC 314 Research Methods in Psychology (4) (formerly Experimental Psychology) (prerequisites: ENGL 102 or ENGL 190; PSYC 101 or PSYC 102; PSYC 212)

• Students also may complete the Behavioral Statistics and Research Methods requirements by completing the PSYC 213-PSYC 313 sequence, which must be taken within the same academic year with the same faculty member.

 

 

Topical Areas (18 credits)

I. Human Development (PSYC 203 is a required prerequisite)

   One of the following is required:

PSYC 403 Infant and Child Development (3)

PSYC 404 Adolescent Psychology (3)

PSYC 405 Psychology of Aging (3)

PSYC 467 Midlife Development (3)

II. Clinical

    One of the following is required:

PSYC 361 Abnormal Psychology * (3)

PSYC 350 Personality (3)

PSYC 411 Tests and Measurements (3) 

III. Social

One of the following is required:

PSYC 325 Social Psychology * (3)

PSYC 327 Industrial Psychology (3)

PSYC 431 Group Dynamics (3)

PSYC 430 Systems and Techniques of Psychotherapy (3)

IV. Biopsychology

One of the following is required:

PSYC 465 Physiological Psychology * (3)

PSYC 309 Psychopharmacology (3)

PSYC 317 Sensation and Perception (3)

PSYC 460 Ethology and Comparative Psychology (3)

V. Learning-Cognition

One of the following is required:

PSYC 461 Cognitive Psychology * (3)

PSYC 305 Psychology of Learning (3)

PSYC 315 Motivation (3) 

VI. Diversity

One of the following is required:

PSYC 432 Cross-Cultural Counseling (3)

PSYC 447 Sex Differences: Psychological Perspectives (3)

PSYC 451 Introduction to the Exceptional Child (3)

PSYC 419 Diverse Perspectives in Psychology

 

*Recommended topic area course

 

Electives (9 credits)

The elective credits may be selected from any 200-, 300-, or 400­level psychology courses with a MINIMUM of 3 credit hours (of the required 9 credits) completed at the 300- or 400-level. Electives include (a) any other course(s) within a given Topic Area beyond the one required to fulfill the Topic Area requirements and (b) any other psychology courses listed in the catalog with the exception of PSYC 211 (Child Psychology).

 

** Transfer Students: The maximum number of Psychology credits/units that can be applied to the MAJOR: 18, MINOR: 10.

 

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Students apply for the following programs in the Fall of their Junior year.        

• Honors Thesis in Psychology Program

• This program gives students the opportunity to learn in-depth about research in Psychology.  Students will take advanced classes in research methods and data analysis over three semesters, as well as complete an honors thesis under supervision of a professor in the Psychology Department. 
• Students must be Junior Psychology Majors with at least a 3.4 Overall GPA and 3.6 GPA in Psychology.  For information on additional requirements and Honors Thesis application, please visit the Psychology Departmental Office in PY 200 or contact Professor Jonathan Mattanah (410-704-2539, jmattanah@towson.edu).

 

• Clinical Specialization Program

• Students accepted into the Clinical Concentration program will gain valuable hands-on clinical experience through small, specialized classes and internship experiences. 
• To be considered for the program, students must be of Junior standing with at least a 3.4 Overall GPA and 3.6 GPA in Psychology.  Students must have completed Introduction to Helping Relationships (PSYC 205) and Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 361).  For information on additional requirements and an application, please visit the Psychology Departmental Office in PY 200.  If you have questions, please contact Dr. Bethany Brand (410-704-3067, bbrand@towson.edu).