Many graduate programs in psychology regard a broad undergraduate background in natural, physical, and social sciences as the best preparation for graduate study. For those students interested in pursuing graduate training in physiological psychology, psychobiology, neuropsychology, or animal behavior, or in preparing for professional school while combining an interest in these areas, the department offers a concentration in psychobiology.
To declare the concentration in psychobiology, you must have a transcript that indicates:
- Completion of Introductory Psychology (PSY272 )
- An overall GPA of 2.75 or better and a Math Placement Level (MPL) of 3 or higher.
Note: A maximum of six transfer courses in Psychology and nine transfer courses overall will be counted toward the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Requirement (3 Credits) | ||
| PSY272 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| Methodological Skills Requirement (8 Credits) | ||
| PSY275 | Psychological Statistics 1 | 4 |
| PSY311 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Content Area Studies (18 Credits) | ||
| Physiology, Learning and Cognition: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to the Psychology of Learning | ||
| Psychology of Perception | ||
| Psychology of Memory and Thinking | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Physiological Psychology | ||
| Social, Developmental and History: | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| History and Systems in Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Motivation | ||
| Psychology of Infancy and Childhood | ||
| Psychology of Adolescence and Adulthood | ||
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Personality and Abnormal: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Psychology of Personality | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Clinical and Counseling Psy | ||
| Applied: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Industrial Psychology | ||
| Basics of Organizational Psychology | ||
| Disaster Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Psychological Testing (prerequisite: PSY 275) | ||
| Capstone Experience (3 Credits) | ||
| PSY498 | Seminar in Psychology (prerequisite: PSY 311) | 3 |
| Electives (9 Credits) | ||
| Select three courses from any of the categories listed above or from the following: 2 | 9 | |
| Psychology of Adjustment | ||
| Indep Study Psychology | ||
| Evolutionary Psychology | ||
| Constructivism | ||
| Group Behavior | ||
| Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures | ||
| Crisis Intervention | ||
| Psychological Study of Social Problems | ||
| Selected Topic | ||
| Fieldwork In Psychology | ||
| Independent Study Psychology | ||
| Internship in Psychology | ||
| Research Experience Component (0 Credits) | ||
| Select at least 12 half-hour experiential credits (i.e., 6 hours) completed | ||
| Required Course (3 Credits) | ||
| PSY436 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| Physiology, Learning and Cognition Courses (6 Credits) | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to the Psychology of Learning | ||
| Psychology of Perception | ||
| Evolutionary Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Memory and Thinking | ||
| Psychology of Infancy and Childhood | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Required Biology Courses (15-16 Credits) | ||
| BIO201 & BIO211 | General Biology I and Gen Bio 1 Lab | 4 |
| BIO202 & BIO212 | General Biology II and Gen Bio 2 Lab | 4 |
| BIO320 | Genetics | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Evolutionary Theory | ||
BIO417 | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Electives (9-11 Credits) | ||
| Select three courses from the course lists of the Departments of Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology. A list of potential courses appears below. Other courses might be chosen in agreement with the Psychobiology adviser: | 9-11 | |
| Human Evolution | ||
BIO490 | ||
| Indep Study Biology | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Lab | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | ||
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab | ||
CHE461 | ||
| General Physics 1 and Physics 1 Laboratory | ||
| Fundamental Physics 1 and Physics 1 Laboratory | ||
| Independent Study Psychology | ||
| Seminar in Contemporary Research | ||
| Cognitive Processes | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Total Credits | 74-77 | |
| 1 | See note above regarding transfer equivalencies. |
| 2 | Each of the three may come from either this list OR may be an additional course coming from ANY of the categories above. |
This eight-semester plan (see important details) is intended to guide a first-year student through a four-year undergraduate career, with completion of an academic major and all college-wide degree requirements. The plan is designed as an advising tool – a starting point for careful discussions between a student and his/her academic adviser. In consultation, the student and adviser will adjust the plan to accommodate the student’s prerequisite needs, transferred credits, and other such variables.
Students are responsible for reviewing their Progress Reports each semester to track their own progress toward degree requirements.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| PSY272 | Introductory Psychology ( (SSCI)) 1 | 3 |
| Gen Ed: The Arts (ART) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Composition (COMP) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Foreign Languages (FLNG) | 3 | |
| BIO201 | General Biology I ( (NSCI)) | 3 |
| BIO211 | Gen Bio 1 Lab | 1 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIO202 | General Biology II ( (NSCI)) | 3 |
| BIO212 | Gen Bio 2 Lab | 1 |
| PSY275 | Psychological Statistics | 4 |
| Gen Ed: Composition (COMP) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Foreign Languages (FLNG) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Diversity (DIVR) | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSY311 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Content Area Studies (LIST 1-4) 4 | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: United States Studies (USST) | 3 | |
| Major Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Concentration Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Content Area Studies 4 | 3 | |
| Content Area Studies 4 | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Western Civilization (WEST) | 3 | |
| Concentration Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: Humanities (HUM) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Content Area Studies (LIST 1-4) 4 | 3 | |
| Gen Ed: World Civilizations and Cultures (WRLD) | 3 | |
| BIO320 | Genetics | 4 |
| PSY436 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Content Area Studies 4 | 3 | |
| Content Area Studies 4 | 3 | |
| Choose one Biology course 2 | 3-4 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSY498 | Seminar in Psychology ( (WI)) | 3 |
| Upper-division Major Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Major Elective | 6 | |
| Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 122-123 | |
| 1 | PSY272 Introductory Psychology must be completed before major is declared. |
| 2 | Choose one of the following Biology courses: BIO412 Evolutionary Theory, BIO417 Animal Physiology, BIO418 Animal Behavior. |
| 3 | Major Electives - Choose three courses. Each of the three may come from either this list OR may be an additional course coming from ANY of the content area categories. PSY273 Psychology of Adjustment, PSY293 Psychology Select Topic, PSY295 Indep Study Psychology, PSY307 Evolutionary Psychology, PSY309 Constructivism, PSY318 Group Behavior, PSY320 Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures, PSY330 Crisis Intervention, PSY442 Psychological Study of Social Problems, PSY493 Selected Topic, PSY494 Fieldwork In Psychology, PSY495 Independent Study Psychology, PSY497 Internship in Psychology. |
| 4 | Content Area Studies List 1 Physiology, Learning & Cognition (Select 2 of the following): PSY303 Introduction to the Psychology of Learning, PSY305 Psychology of Perception, PSY307 Evolutionary Psychology, PSY310 Psychology of Memory and Thinking, PSY343 Psychology of Infancy and Childhood, PSY402 Psychology of Language, PSY403 Health Psychology. Content Area Studies List 2 Social, Developmental & History (Select 2 of the following): PSY302 History and Systems in Psychology, PSY306 Social Psychology, PSY308 Psychology of Motivation, PSY343 Psychology of Infancy and Childhood, PSY344 Psychology of Adolescence and Adulthood, PSY350 Psychology of Women. Content Area Studies List 3 Personality & Abnormal (Select 1 of the following):PSY313 Psychology of Personality, PSY412 Abnormal Psychology, PSY440 Clinical and Counseling Psy. Content Area Studies List 4 Applied (Select 1 of the following):PSY304 Industrial Psychology, PSY315 Basics of Organizational Psychology, PSY456 Disaster Psychology, PSY458 Introduction to Psychological Testing. |
| 5 | Psychobiology Concentration Electives - Choose three (3) electives from the course lists of the departments of Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology. A list of potential courses appears here. Other courses might be chosen in agreement with the Psychobiology advisor. ANT301 Human Evolution (NSCI), BIO490 Seminar in Biology, BIO495 Indep Study Biology, CHE201 General Chemistry I (NSCI), CHE202 General Chemistry II (NSCI), CHE211 General Chemistry I Lab, CHE212 General Chemistry II Lab, CHE306 Organic Chemistry I Lab, CHE309 Organic Chemistry II Lab, CHE318 Organic Chemistry I, CHE319 Organic Chemistry II, PHY201 General Physics 1 (NSCI), PHY211 Physics 1 Laboratory, PHY221 Fundamental Physics 1 (NSCI), PSY495 Independent Study Psychology, PSY558 Seminar in Contemporary Research, PSY560 Cognitive Processes, PSY570 Cognitive Neuroscience. |
