Psychology

College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology
John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts (JRC) LL56, (651) 962-5030
Hankerson (chair), Amel, Bremner, Buri, Gades, Jessee, Johnson, Prichard, Robinson-Riegler, Scott, Wolfe

Psychology Department Website

The courses and programs offered by the Department of Psychology are meant to be a part of a liberal arts education, teaching the basic principles and theory of psychology, the scientific study of human behavior, mental processes, and emotions. The psychology programs are designed to prepare students with the analytical and technical skills necessary for graduate study in psychology and for careers in human services and other occupations for which a psychology background is valuable. Courses are offered that introduce psychology to non-majors, enabling students to make practical applications of psychology to their own lives.

Students who graduate with a major in psychology will be able to produce a research paper written in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines. They will be trained in those research and statistical skills frequently employed in the field of psychology. They will be able to complete an independent research project, and write a synthesis of the psychological literature in an area of psychological interest.

Students majoring in psychology must successfully complete a minimum of twenty-four credits in psychology at St. Thomas. Students minoring in psychology must successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits in psychology at St. Thomas. All courses counting toward the major or the minor must be graded using the regular (letter) grading system.

The department also offers General Psychology (PSYC 111) for students to fulfill the Social Analysis component of the core curriculum.

Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in psychology, was founded in 1929 for the purpose of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship and advancing the science of psychology. The St. Thomas chapter was established in 1997. Students who have a grade point average of at least 3.00 in psychology, rank in the highest 35 percent of their class, and who have completed at least three semesters of college coursework, including nine hours in psychology, are eligible to apply for membership.

Nu Rho Psi, the national Neuroscience Honor Society encourages professional interest and excellence in scholarship, particularly in neuroscience. The St. Thomas chapter was established in 2007. Students who have a 3.2 or higher overall grade point average and a 3.5 or higher grade point average in specific neuroscience courses are eligible to apply. For more information, visit the Neuroscience program page.

The Department of Psychology also recognizes selected students each year for outstanding research, service, and academic achievements.

Elementary Education with a Specialty in Social Studies (5-8)
Co-major in Social Studies (5-12) and a Co-major in Secondary Education

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• PSYC 111 General Psychology (4 credits)
• PSYC 212 Research Methods in Psychology (4 credits)
• PSYC 422 History and Systems (4 credits) (to be taken during the senior year)

Plus 8 additional courses:

• At least one from each perspective (5 classes)
• The remaining classes may be from the elective list or from the perspective lists
• Four of the eight must be 300/400 level
• Two must be lab courses (PSYC 212 is a pre-requisite for all lab courses)

Perspective-Based Courses:

BIOLOGICAL

• PSYC 206 Brain and Human Behavior
• PSYC 207 Drugs, and Behavior
• PSYC 322 Sensation and Perception
• PSYC 401 Physiological Psychology

COGNITIVE

• PSYC 315 Cognition
• PSYC 323 Psychology of Learning and Memory
• PSYC 400 Seminar in Cognition
• PSYC 415 Research Issues in Cognition

SOCIAL

• PSYC 121 Social Psychology
• PSYC 151 Cross-Cultural Psychology
• PSYC 321 Research Issues in Social Psychology

DEVELOPMENTAL

• PSYC 200 Infancy and Childhood
• PSYC 202 Lifespan Development
• PSYC 203 Psychology of Adolescence
• PSYC 204 Adulthood and Aging
• PSYC 402 Developmental Psychology Research

CLINICAL

• PSYC 301 Psychopathology
• PSYC 302 Personality Theories
• PSYC 313 Psychological Testing
• PSYC 428 Counseling and Psychotherapy

Elective courses:

• PSYC 205 Psychology of Women
• PSYC 250 Positive Psychology
• PSYC 288 Psychology of Marriage and Family
• PSYC 308 Motivation and Emotion
• PSYC 342 Psychology and Work
• PSYC 365 Health Psychology
• JPST 275 Qualitative Methods**
• SOCI 354 Sex in Society**

**Please note that only one elective outside of PSYC can be counted toward the major.

Allied requirements:

All of the following or an adequate substitute approved by the chair:

• BIOL 101 General Biology (4 credits)
  or BIOL 105 Human Biology (4 credits)
  or BIOL 106 Women, Medicine and Biology (4 credits)
  or BIOL 207 Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution (4 credits)
  or CHEM 100 (Chemistry in our World)
  or CHEM 101 (Environmental Chemistry)
  or CHEM 108 (Nursing Chemistry)
  or CHEM 109 (General Chem for ENGR)
  or CHEM 111 (General Chemistry)
  or CHEM 115 (Accelerated General Chemistry)
• *DASC 120 (or DASC 112) Introduction to Computational Statistics (4 credits)

*DASC 120 has prerequisites. Check the course description for current prerequisites.

Students should take the following courses in the following order:

• DASC 120
• PSYC 212

Note: These courses should be taken early in the college career, since they are prerequisites for some required courses in psychology. A student should consult early with her/his department adviser to have her/his plan approved.

• PSYC 111 General Psychology (4 credits)
• Plus 16 credits in PSYC
  • At least 8 credits must be numbered PSYC 300 or above

The following two stipulations apply only to NSCI majors looking to minor in Psychology:

1. No more than two classes may overlap between the PSYC minor and NSCI major. Note: for NSCI majors these will likely be PSYC 111 and PSYC 212
2. NSCI majors may not count PSYC 206 or 207 toward their PSYC minor as there is too much content overlap between these courses and courses available in the NSCI major.