Psychology, BA

Learning Outcomes

• Display knowledge of several areas of specialization in Psychology (i.e., abnormal, biopsychology, cognitive, developmental, measurement, methodology, social).
• Demonstrate competence in scientific reasoning, information gathering, and writing skills. Following the American Psychological Association guidelines, students will utilize their scientific reasoning skills to write a research article based on a literature search using information-gathering skills (e.g., library, Internet, etc.).
• Psychology majors will find their course of study to be useful in obtaining employment or pursuing an advanced degree.

General Requirements

• At least 36 credit hours and not more than 54 credit hours of psychology courses, 18 of which must be upper-division (3000+ level).
• A grade of at least C- in the four required foundation courses, the four core content courses, and the one Advanced Seminar.
• Accountability examination: All graduating psychology majors will take an “Accountability Examination.” The examination samples the student’s understanding of the core content areas. Students can sign up to take the exam at https://www.uccs.edu/psych/undergraduate/senior_accountability_exam.html during their senior year. The exam is given several times during each semester.

Honors Program

The Psychology Department’s Honors Program offers a unique opportunity for outstanding majors to gain an intense research experience in the sub-area of psychology of their choosing. In collaboration with a faculty sponsor, honors students design an empirical research project, collect data for their research, analyze the data, and write a thesis presenting their findings. Students also participate in an oral defense of their completed thesis before a three-member faculty committee.

As part of the honors program, students take part in a three-semester sequence of courses:

• PSY 3000 Honors Seminar I
    
• PSY 3100 Statistical Models in Psychology
    
• PSY 4000 Honors Seminar II
    

Students typically begin the program (both coursework and research) during the spring semester of their junior year, and continue through their senior year. The oral thesis defense occurs in the spring semester of the senior year. Successful completion of all aspects of the program earns the student High Distinction in Psychology.

For more information, please visit the website at https://www.uccs.edu/psych/undergraduate/psychology-honors.html, and/or contact Dr. Edie Greene, Director of Undergraduate Honors Program (egreene@uccs.edu).