Psychology, BA, BS

Degree Requirements

Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major

Major Requirements: 11 courses, 44 credits

Core Requirements (4 courses, 16 credits)

PSYCH-114	General Psychology	4
PSYCH-215	Behavioral Statistics	4
PSYCH-216	Research Methods and Design	4
PSYCH-240	Professional Development in the Science And Practice of Psychology	4

Area Requirements (3 courses, 12 credits)

Choose one course from Social or Cultural Bases:

PSYCH-226	Theories of Personality	4
PSYCH-241	Social Psychology	4
PSYCH-324	Psychology of Identity and the Self	4
PSYCH-341	Sociocultural Perspectives on Behavior and Experience	4

Choose one course from Neurological and Biological Bases:

PSYCH-311	Social Neuroscience	4
PSYCH-312	Cognitive Neuroscience	4
PSYCH-313	Physiological Psychology	4
PSYCH-325	Health Psychology	4

Choose one course from Developmental Bases:

PSYCH-233	Child Development	4
PSYCH-249	Introduction to Lifespan Development	4
PSYCH-333	Adult Development & Aging	4
PSYCH-334	Adolescent Development	4

Electives (2 courses, 8 credits)

Choose two of the following:

PSYCH-219	SL-Psychology of Trauma	4
PSYCH-222	Human Sexuality	4
PSYCH-243	Organizational Psychology	4
PSYCH-247	Asian Perspectives on Health and Work	4
PSYCH-280	Sports Psychology	4
PSYCH-314	Learning & Reinforcement	4
PSYCH-317	Psychology of Addictions	4
PSYCH-321	Introduction to Counseling Skills	4
PSYCH-326	Abnormal Psychology	4
PSYCH-336	Developmental Psychopathology	4
PSYCH-348	Introduction to Forensic Psychology	4

Note: Psychology Area Requirement courses not used to fulfill the Area Requirement may be completed as electives.

Experiential Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)

Choose one of the following:

PSYCH-346	SL-Community Psychology	4
PSYCH-350	Psychology Internship	4

Students who intend to complete PSYCH-350 must secure their own internship position prior to the start of the semester.

Senior Capstone Requirement (1 course, 4 credits)

The capstone requirement should be completed during the senior year by taking one of the following courses:

PSYCH-428	Senior Seminar in Psychology	4
PSYCH-H428	Honors Senior Seminar in Psychology	4

Notes:

• PSYCH-H428 is by invitation only
• Advanced Placement Credit-Students who scored a 4 or 5 in A.P. Psychology may count these towards the PSYCH-114 requirement

Residency Requirement Policy

In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's in Mental Health Counseling Degree

Degree Requirements

1. Students admitted to this dual degree program must meet all the requirements of the undergraduate Psychology degree program.
2. Students must also meet all requirements for the Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling.
3. The two graduate courses taken during the senior year will count toward BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Credit hours will be awarded based on the graduate course description.
4. Before enrolling in a particular graduate course during the senior year, a student must obtain permission from the MHC graduate program director.
5. Students are subject to the usual standards for academic standing, i.e., undergraduate standards for undergraduate courses and graduate standards for graduate courses.

Upon successful completion of all of the degree requirements, a student will receive a dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The exact degree (BA/BS and Master’s) will be awarded based on the specific undergraduate program the student completes. A student may permanently exit the dual degree program and opt to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree if all the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree have been met. In this case, the graduate courses taken in the senior year will be counted as 4-credit courses applied toward the undergraduate degree requirements.

Honors

To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:

1. Graduate with a major GPA of 3.75 or higher
2. Complete PSYCH-H555 with a passing grade and a thesis approved by thesis advisor
   1. Note: In order to qualify to enroll in PSYCH-H555, a student must:
      1. Apply to the department before the start of the senior year
      2. Have a major GPA of 3.75 or higher
      3. Have completed PSYCH-215 and PSYCH-216 with a minimum grade of B+ in each course
3. CAS Honors Program students only: Present work from the senior honors experience at the Honors Symposium or Pecha Kucha event

To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:

1. Have a major GPA of 3.75 or higher
2. Complete PSYCH-215 and PSYCH-216 with a minimum grade of B+
3. Receive an invitation from the honors coordinator in the spring of their junior year
4. Submit the Intent to Complete a Thesis form to the honors coordinator by the last day of the second semester of junior year

Psychology Major Learning Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.

Learning Goals	Learning Objectives
Students will...	Students will be able to...
Increase knowledge base in psychology	- Describe key concepts, principles and overarching themes in psychology - Demonstrate a working knowledge of psychology's major content domains (social or cultural bases, neurological and biological bases, developmental bases) - Describe how the mind and body interact to influence psychological and physical health - Articulate how psychological principles can be used to explain social issues, address pressing societal needs, and inform public policy
Increase skill in scientific inquiry and critical thinking	- Read and summarize complex ideas accurately, including future directions, from psychological sources and research - Describe the characteristics and relative value of different information sources (e.g., primary vs. secondary, peer reviewed vs. nonreviewed, empirical vs. non-empirical) - Locate relevant scholarship (e.g., databases, credible journals) to address psychological questions - Interpret, design and conduct basic psychological research - Apply knowledge of research skills necessary to be an informed consumer of research or critic regarding unsupported claims about behavior - Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem solving - Recognize the systemic influences of sociocultural, theoretical, and personal biases on the research enterprise and evaluate the effectiveness with which researchers address those influences in psychological research
Increase knowledge and understanding of ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world	- Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice - Identify dimensions of cultural identity - Recognize potential for discrimination and prejudice in self and others and consider psychology-based strategies for diminishing discriminatory practices - Exhibit sensitivity to issues of power, privilege and discrimination
Refine communication skills	- Employ APA writing style and demonstrate effective scientific, persuasive, descriptive, and argumentative writing - Exhibit effective scientific, persuasive, descriptive and argumentative presentation skills - Tailor length and development of ideas in formats that fit the purpose - Interact sensitively and respectfully with people of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and cultural perspectives
Develop professional knowledge and skills	- Describe career options available to psychology majors and understand steps needed to pursue a range of careers - Evaluate personal strengths and characteristics of potential work settings or graduate school programs to optimize career direction and satisfaction - Engage in ongoing reflective practice - Demonstrate self-efficacy and self-regulation in professional settings (i.e., internship or community psychology service) - Pursue and respond appropriately to feedback from educators, mentors, supervisors, and experts to improve performance - Actively develop alternative strategies, including conflict management, to contend with potential problems - Plan, implement, and manage projects