Psychology Major 2004-13

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Grading Requirement

A grade of C-minus or better is required for all courses used to fulfill the Major. If a lower grade is received for a required course the course must be repeated. Grades of D, D+, or CR will count toward graduation requirements but NOT toward Major requirements.

(See "Credit and Grades" in the Academic Policies section of CC's Course Catalog.)

Required Courses

A minimum of 13 courses (up to 17 blocks) are required to complete the major - Ten (10) courses from within the Psychology Department and three (3) courses from outside the department. These courses are listed below.

Current course offerings can be found on Course Schedules on the Academics page.

Note: Any substitutions or transfer courses must be approved by the Psychology Faculty. (Submit your requests to the Department Chair).

1. ONE Introduction to Psychology Course:
   
   PY100 Introduction to Psychology: Bases of Behavior OR
   PY101 Introduction to Psychology: Enduring Ideas and Present Principles (2 block FYE) OR
   PY111 Introduction to Psychology: General Laws and Individual Differences (2 block FYE).

2. ONE Methods and Statistics Course:
   
   PY202 Research Design

3. FIVE "Core" Psychology Courses:
   
   Either PY209 Social Psychology* ..........OR.......... PY281 Personality*
   PY299 Neuroscience (2 blocks)*
   Either PY332 Learning and Adaptive Behavior ..........OR.......... PY344 Cognition
   PY362 Abnormal Psychology
   PY374 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
   
   *All Core courses require PY202 Research Design, except where noted by an asterisk.

4. TWO 400-Level Seminar Courses (chosen from the following):
   
   

   PY405-PY408 Topical Seminar(s) (Individually)
   PY409 Social Cognition	PY425 Depression
   PY412 Neuropsychology	PY426 Sport Psychology
   PY413 Developmental Psychopathology	PY427 Moral Reasoning in Context
   PY417 Advanced Neuroscience Seminar	PY430 Adolescence
   PY420 Cognitive Ethology	PY433 Neuropharmacology
   PY421 Perception	PY437 Evolutionary Psychology
   PY422 Emotion	PY441 Remembering
   PY423 Psychology of Morality and Conflict	PY449 History of Psychology

5. ONE Block (at least) of Final Project
   
   PY451 Final Project.
   (PY452 Final Project second block, optional)
   (PY453 Final Project third block, optional)

6. ONE Mathematical Competency Course:
   
   MA126 Calculus
   
   Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit may be used to fulfill the Calculus requirement.

7. TWO Scientific Breadth Courses from the Natural Science Division (outside Psychology)
   
   These two courses must be taken from departments in the Natural Science Division: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, or Sport Science (not including adjunct certification courses).
   
   Some courses in Environmental Science and the Studies in the Natural Sciences may fulfill this requirement. The courses in EV that do not fulfill this requirement include any policy course or course that fulfills a social science credit. The courses in Studies in the NS that do not fulfill this requirement include any course that fulfills Social Science or Humanities requirements.
   
   MA117 (Probability and Statistics) cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
   
   Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit may fulfill one but not both of the two required courses for Natural Science unit credit.

Course Sequencing

The program of study for the Psychology Major is highly structured with most courses requiring the completion of key prerequisites. For this reason it is important to carefully plan your progression through the major and begin completing prerequisite courses early.

First Year:

PY100 Intro. (or PY100 or PY111) is a prerequisite for all required courses in the major.
Recommended: Take an Intro course during the first year.

First or Second Year:

Completing PY100 allows access to required courses: PY202, (PY209 or PY281), PY299.
Recommended: Take these 200-Level courses during the the first or second year.

Second and Third Years:

Completing PY202 allows access to required courses: (PY332 or PY344), PY362, PY374.
Recommended: Complete all five Core courses during the second and third year.

Fourth Year:

400-Level Seminars generally require an Intro course, PY202, and an additional Core course Recommended: Take 400-Level Seminars during the fourth year.

PY451 Final Project requires an Intro and PY202 and is always taken during the fourth year.