Psychology, BS

The undergraduate psychology major introduces students to a breadth of psychological topics, including the biological, social, and environmental influences on human behavior. As a department in the natural sciences, it also focuses on developing strong research and analytical skills. The department encourages students to complement their coursework with experiential learning opportunities, such as research and internships, to prepare themselves for a variety of career and graduate school paths.

Required courses for the Psychology major

The psychology major requires the completion of 33 to 34 credits in psychology, four credits in statistics, and nine to 10 credits of co-requirements distributed as follows.

Foundation courses

• PSY 0010 Introduction to Psychology
• STAT 0200 Basic Applied Statistics or
  • STAT 1000 Applied Statistical Methods or
  • STAT 1100 Statistics & Probability for Business Management

  Note: The required STAT course should be taken as early as possible because the content is important to many other PSY courses. The STAT course must be taken prior to taking PSY 0036 because it is a prerequisite.

  Core courses

  Four of the following

  • PSY 0105 Introduction to Social Psychology
  • PSY 0205 Psychopathology
  • PSY 0310 Developmental Psychology
  • PSY 0422 Cognitive Psychology
  • PSY 0505 Introduction to Biopsychology or
  • NROSCI 1000 Introduction to Neuroscience

  Upper-level courses

  Two 1000-level courses, not to include any of the following

  • PSY 1900 Supervised Field Placement
  • PSY 1902 Directed Reading
  • PSY 1903 Directed Research
  • PSY 1907 Directed Individual Research
  • PSY 1950 Psychology Senior Seminar
  • PSY 1970 Undergraduate Teaching Experience
  • PSY 1973 Honors Directed Research
  • PSY 1975 Honors Thesis

  Elective course

  Any 3-credit PSY course that is not being used to fulfill another major requirement with the following exceptions.

  • The elective course cannot overlap with any other PSY course used to fulfill another PSY requirement.
  • Experiential learning courses – PSY 1900, PSY 1902, PSY 1903, and PSY 1907 may be used to fulfill this requirement if enrolled in three credits. PSY 0011, PSY 1950, PSY 1970, PSY 1973, and PSY 1975 may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

  Laboratory methods course; choose one

  • PSY 0423 Cognitive Psychology Lab
  • PSY 1025 Tests and Measurements *
  • PSY 1059 Topics in Advanced Research Methods **
  • PSY 1064 Advanced Directed Research
  • PSY 1112 Psychological Aspects of Human Sexuality: Research Writing Practicum
  • PSY 1145 Social Research Advanced Lab
  • PSY 1213 Psychopathology Advanced Lab
  • PSY 1305 Experimental Child Psychology
  • PSY 1471 Mapping Brain Connectivity
  • PSY 1472 Neuropsychology Brain Injury
  • PSY 1975 Honors Thesis

  * Offered infrequently ** Topics vary

  Co-requirement courses

  Students must take one approved course listed later in this document in each of the following areas: mathematics; biological science; social science. Co-requirement courses may be taken S/NC or be passed with a D- or better.

  Grade requirements

  All foundation, core, upper level, PSY elective, PSY lab, and statistics courses used to fulfill the major requirements must be completed with a grade of C or better. A minimum GPA of 2.0 in departmental courses is required for graduation.

  Satisfactory/No Credit option

  All PSY and STAT courses used to fulfill requirements for the major must be taken for a letter grade.

  Writing (W) requirement

  Students must complete at least one W-course in the major. PSY 0037 Research Methods Lab meets this requirement.

  Declaring the major

  To declare the psychology major, students must have completed PSY 0010 and the required statistics course with a C or better and be enrolled in PSY 0036.

  Honors major requirements

  Honors in psychology is granted if in addition to fulfilling all requirements for the major, the student:

  • maintains a GPA of 3.5 or above in PSY courses;
  • maintains an overall GPA of 3.25 or above;
  • completes three credits in both PSY 1973 and PSY 1975; and
  • successfully completes an honors research project, thesis, and oral defense.

  Students planning to pursue the honors major should select a faculty advisor early in their junior year. PSY 1903 Directed Research should be taken prior to pursuing the honors major. Students planning to complete an honors project must meet with the director of psychology advising before registering.

  New major orientation: New majors must complete an online orientation prior to scheduling an appointment with their assigned psychology advisors. Students will receive an e-mail with instructions and dates approximately the fourth week of each fall and spring term.

  Advising

  Psychology Advising Office
  PsyAdvis@Pitt.edu
  SENSQ 3117
  412-624-4540