42 semester hours in Psychology as follows:
1. 21 semester hours of required core courses:
2. Completion of a concentration:
Option A: General Psychology (12 hours)
In addition to completion of the PSYC core,
students will select courses from each of the following groups: Human Development (3 credits), Social Influences (3 credits), and 4000-level Courses in Psychology (6 credits). Students will also complete PSYC elective courses, and a minor or another major. Meet with adviser to determine best courses for your goals.
Human Development (3 credits): select at least one (but no more than two will count for the Psychology major)
Social Influences (3 credits): select at least one
Additional 4000-level courses in Psychology (at least 6 credits)
These courses require reading from primary resources in addition to or instead of textbooks—select at least TWO from the following list or other 4000-level psychology classes when offered (i.e., 4399 special topics or research continuation). Please attend to course prerequisites, as they vary by course.
Additional 3 Psychology electives (9 credits)
An additional 3 psychology electives (9 credits) for a total of at least 42 credit hours in psychology. In addition to the many PSYC electives available (refer to the list of course descriptions at the end of the catalog), additional course(s) completed from the Development (limit to one additional course), Social Influences, or 4000-level courses can serve as an elective. Please note that no more than two development classes (6 credits) at the 2000-level will count toward the major (with one (3 credits) meeting the human development requirement and one (3 credits) serving as an elective.
Minor
A minor (i.e., courses in another discipline) or an additional major.
Total: At least 42 credit hours
Option B: Addiction Prevention Specialist/Community Psychology (21 hours)
This option leads to eligibility for certification as a "certified prevention specialist" in Texas. In addition to the Psychology core for the major, these courses are required:
Completion of 18 hours in Psychology
PSYC 4490/CRJU 4490, Drug Use Prevention and Criminal Justice Internship (Service Learning; must be taken twice for 8 hours credit)
Human Development (3 credits)
Completion of one of these courses
One of the following courses
Option C: Interdisciplinary Concentration in Neuroscience (19 hours)
The interdisciplinary nature of the discipline will provide students pursuing this concentration a variety of academic perspectives within the neurosciences, through integrative learning, critical thinking, and creative problem solving within a continuously growing field. Innovations in neuroscience are rapidly expanding our understanding of how the brain functions and providing new insights into diseases and mental health conditions. Beyond the medical implications of neuroscience research, new discoveries and technological advancement are already affecting the broader society in a wide range of contexts, thus discussions taking place within the course structure offered to the students participating in this interdisciplinary concentration will prepare them for this unique work-force. The Neuroscience Concentration will require a total of 19 hrs.
1. All of the following courses:
- PSYC 1301 Introduction to Psychology
- BIOL 1401 General Biology I (for Biology Majors) and Laboratory or BIOL 1402 Diversity of Life and Laboratory
- PSYC 2380 Biology and Behavior
- BIOL 4320 Neurobiology
2. Any one of the following seven:
- PSYC 3305 Animal Behavior and Cognition
- PSYC 3325 Drugs and Crime in Modern Society
- PSYC 4327 Sensation and Perception
- PSYC 4335 Learning and Behavior
- PSYC 4376 Cognitive Psychology
- PSYC 4340 Physiological Psychology
- PSYC 4399 Selected Topics: Research Continuation
3. And 3 credits from the following:
- BIOL 3202 Research Methods in Molecular Genetics
- BIOL 3430 Animal Physiology
- BIOL 4192 Journal Club in Biology
- BIOL 4340 Sensory Neurobiology
- BIOL 4420 Vertebrate Zoology
- BIOL 4430 Animal Behavior and Laboratory
- BIOL 4399 Selected Topics: Research in Neuroscience or course related to Neuroscience
No more than 6 credit hours can count toward both the Neuroscience Concentration and Major in Psychology.
Students wanting to apply to graduate school in Neuroscience are highly encouraged to take BIOL 4399: Selected Topics: Research in Neuroscience course or PSYC 4399: Selected Topics: Research Continuation or Selected Topics course related to Neuroscience with either Psychology or Biology faculty.