Learning Outcomes
- Display knowledge of several areas of specialization in psychology (i.e., abnormal, biopsychology, cognitive, developmental, and social psychology).
- Demonstrate skills in scientific reasoning, such as deductive reasoning and critical thinking.
- Demonstrate skills in information gathering, such as the ability to locate empirical information from sources like the library or internet.
- Demonstrate skills in writing well-organized, well-supported papers with correct punctuation, grammar, usage, and spelling. In other words, they should be able to clearly convey their message in writing.
- Demonstrate ability to accurately cite and reference sources using the formatting style of the current Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. In other words, they should be able to use the basic components of the formatting style of our discipline.
- Display knowledge of research methodology, including data analysis and statistics, in Psychology.
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://psychology.uccs.edu/senior-accountability-exam during their senior year.
Honors Program
The Psychology Honors Program offers a unique opportunity for outstanding majors to gain an intense research experience in the sub-area of psychology of their choosing.
Beginning Fall 2022 the Honors Program in the Psychology Department will be a two-semester program.
In semester 1 (Fall semester), students take PSY 3100: Statistical Models in Psychology and PSY 3000: Honors Seminar I.
PSY 3000 - Honors Seminar I
PSY 3100 - Statistical Models in Psychology
In semester 2 (Spring semester), students take PSY 4000: Honors Seminar II.
PSY 4000 - Honors Seminar II
Students also defend their thesis in an oral presentation at the end of this semester.
In addition, the Psychology Department approved the following 5 changes to the program:
1. Students are allowed to use archival data or join an ongoing project in their mentor’s lab. They do not need to create a new project from scratch. But they must analyze the data and write the paper themselves.
2. Students are allowed to write major theoretical/conceptual paper for their honors thesis. It does not need to be empirical. However, it cannot be a “pure” review paper with no novel contributions. It must contain one or more of the following novel elements: the student proposes a new model, theory or argument; the student connects existing literatures in a novel manner; the student writes a grant for submission.
3. Students no longer need to present a formal “defense” with a panel of 3 faculty members. Instead, they must do an oral presentation in PSY 4000 at the end of the semester, graded by the instructor of PSY 4000.
4. Honors students are allowed to work in pairs instead of alone. The pair can work on the same project with the same mentor, similar to the kind of team-research that often takes place in science. Each individual mentor must decide whether or not to allow this for their mentees. Each student, however, must produce an independent paper/analysis.
5. Students who complete the honors program do not need to complete a senior seminar. The honors courses will count as the equivalent of a senior seminar.
To be considered for the program, you must have:
- Junior status
- Declared major in psychology
- Completed PSY 2110
- Sponsorship by a Psychology Department faculty member
- Psychology GPA of 3.5 or above
- Overall GPA of 3.4 or above
- You will also submit a personal statement (see application form for specific details on required content).
Our intent is to model the honors program very closely after the kinds of experiences usually reserved for graduate study. Students who have completed the program typically report that it was an invaluable preparation for their later graduate study; indeed, many report that it was the highlight of their education at UCCS. Through the recommendation of the faculty of the Psychology Department, the successful honor student’s degree diploma will bear the citation “With High Distinction in Psychology.”
For more information, please visit the website at https://psychology.uccs.edu/honors-program.
