Psychology, BA

Psychology is a science that studies behavior from psychological, biological, and social perspectives. Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience - from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. In every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental healthcare services, “the understanding of behavior” is the enterprise of psychologists.

General Information

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology requires the following:

• A minimum of 36 credit hours of PSY course work. At least 18 of those hours must be upper division (courses numbered 3000 or higher).
• A grade of C- or better in courses applied to the major.
• A minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained in all PSY course work.
• No more than 60 credit hours of PSY course work may apply to the bachelor’s degree.
• Completion of the Psychology Senior Accountability Exam during the final semester before graduation.

Additional course work is required to complete the Psychology, BA degree. Please see the advising guide on the Academic Advising website for more information.

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.

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.

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 UCSS. 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.”

Visit the Psychology department’s website for more information.