Updated 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog | 20245

Psychology, B.A. major

The Psychology major at BSU provides students with unique opportunities to prepare for work in applied psychology and the human services at the Bachelor’s level. The major also offers unique opportunities for students to prepare for graduate programs leading to Master’s and Doctoral degrees in various fields of psychological practice and science. Many students choose the major to complete a general liberal arts degree or to prepare for work in fields other than psychology.

Required Credits: 49
Required GPA: 2.25

I REQUIRED COURSES

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING COURSES:

• PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)
• PSY 2217 Abnormal Psychology (4 credits)
• PSY 2227 Learning and Cognition (4 credits)
• PSY 3237 Lifespan Development (4 credits)
• PSY 3401 Basic Statistics for Research (4 credits)
• PSY 3402 Research Methods (4 credits)
• PSY 4588 Multicultural Psychology (4 credits)

II REQUIRED ELECTIVES

Students should choose electives in the major that best match their interests and career goals. In consultation with their advisor, students should select 21 credits of elective courses as follows.

GROUP 1: ELECTIVES
Select a minimum of 12 additional credits of Psychology
courses at any level.

These credits may include Pre-Intership Seminar
(PSY 4870) and up to 6 credits of Internship in
Psychology (PSY 4970). Internships require senior
standing, completion of all relevant coursework and
consent of an advisor.

Additional credits from Research Lab may also be
included. An overall maximum of 6 credits from
Research Lab can be used to fulfill the 21 elective
requirement of the major (Group 1 and Group 2).

General Elective credits may also include a course from
outside the department of Psychology. In consultation
with their advisor, students may include up to 4
credits from one of the following courses from
outside the department.

• BIOL 1110 Human Biology (4 credits)
• BIOL 1400 Cellular Principles (4 credits)
• BIOL 3150 Animal Behavior (3 credits)
• CRJS 4487 Principles of Criminal Justice Supervision (3 credits)
• HLTH 3500 Community Health (3 credits)
• INST 1107 Introduction to Turtle Island (3 credits)
• INST 2202 Survivance Since Contact (3 credits)
• JUST 3307 Victimological Theory and Practice (3 credits)
• PHIL 2220 Ethics (3 credits)
• PHIL 2230 Logic (3 credits)
• PHIL 3330 Nineteenth Century Philosophy (3 credits)
• SOWK 2030 Introduction to Addictions (3 credits)
• SOWK 3201 Family: Dynamics and Intervention (3 credits)
• SOC 2230 Race and Ethnic Relations (3 credits)

 

• PSY 4447 Research Laboratory (1-4 credits)

• PSY 4970 Psychology Senior Internship (6-12 credits)

 

GROUP 2: 4000 - LEVEL ELECTIVES
Select a minimum of 9 credits of Psychology courses at
the 4000 level. These credits may include a maximum of
3 credits from Research Lab (PSY 4447). Credits from
Pre-Internship Seminar (PSY 4870), Teaching
Assistantships (PSY 4917) and Internship in
Psychology (PSY 4970) may not be included.

 

Program Learning Outcomes | Psychology, B.A. 

1. Knowledge Base in Psychology: Psychology majors will:

    1.1. describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology

    1.2. develop a working knowledge of psychology's content domains

    1.3 Describe applications of psychology.

2. Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Psychology majors will:

    2.1 Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena.

    2.2. Demonstrate psychology information literacy.

    2.3 Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem-solving.

    2.4 Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological research.

    2.5. Incorporate socio-cultural factors in scientific inquiry.

3. Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World: Psychology majors will:

    3.1 Apply ethical standards to evaluation psychological science and practice.

    3.2 Build and enhance interpersonal relationships 

    3.3 Adopt values that build community at local, national, and global levels.

4. Communication: Psychology majors will:

    4.1 Demonstrate effective writing for different purposes

    4.2 Exhibit effective presentation skills for different purposes

    4.3 Interact effectively with others.

5. Professional Development: Psychology majors will:

    5.1 Apply psychological content and skills to career goals.

    5.2 Exhibit self-efficacy and self-regulation

    5.3 Refine project-management skills.

    5.4 Enhance teamwork capacity

    5.5. Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation.

6. Knowledge of Social Psychology: Psychology majors will demonstrate basic knowledge of the theories, research and applications in the area of social psychology.

7. Professional Ethics: Students will demonstrate the ability to understand and apply ethical principles critical to professional work in the human services.

8. Research Ethics: Students will demonstrate understanding and the ability to apply the ethical principles pertaining to human subject research described in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA 2010).

9. Writing in the Major: Students will write papers that clearly express substantive, well supported ideas, that are clearly organized, free from grammar, punctuation and spelling errors, and that conform to APA style and other format requirements that may apply.

10. Sociocultural Diversity Awareness and Appreciation: Students will recognize, understand, and appreciate the complexity of sociocultural diversity on human thought, behavior and affect.

11. Readiness for Careers in the Human Services: Students will demonstrate professional conduct and the appropriate and effective use of supervision in human service settings.

12. DEI+ Course Survey: To assess the ways in which diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism (DEIA+) is addressed at a programmatic level, we gathered data on if and how DEIA+ content was covered in each course offered in the curriculum during the academic year. We developed a survey that faculty completed for each of their courses. Findings are summarized.

13. Department Climate: To understand the experience in the psychology department, we administered the Psychology Department Climate Survey to students in psychology classes during the 2021-2022 academic year. The survey was administered previously in Spring 2019. Findings are summarized and compared between the two administrations.