The psychology major provides a fundamental understanding of the principles of human cognition, emotion, behavior, social interactions and mind-brain relationships. Our distinguished faculty also teach specialized upper-division courses in behavioral genetics, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, clinical psychology, child development, social psychology, and judgment and decision making.
Requirements
Prerequisites
It is policy to enforce the course prerequisites listed in the course descriptions. If you have not either taken and passed (C- or better) the prerequisites for a course or obtained permission from the instructor to take the course based on equivalent preparatory coursework, you may be administratively dropped from the course.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the requirements for the major, listed below.
A major in psychology requires a minimum of 36 credit hours in psychology courses. At least 20 of these credit hours must be in upper-division PSYC or NRSC coursework that includes a minimum of 10 credit hours at the 4000 level. Students must complete a minimum of 12 upper-division credit hours of psychology coursework on the Boulder campus with a C- or better. Of those 12 credit hours, one laboratory and methods course must be included.
All required major courses and all required ancillary courses must be passed with a C- or better and cannot be taken pass/fail. Students must have a GPA of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate, and no more than 45 credits in PSYC may be applied to overall graduation requirements.
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology Core | ||
| PSYC 1001 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 2111 | Psychological Science I: Statistics | 4 |
| PSYC 3111 | Psychological Science 2: Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Required Courses | ||
| Select 4 out of 5 from the following options: | 12 | |
| Biological Psychology | ||
| Introductory Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Clinical Psychology: Psychological Disorders | ||
| Laboratory and Methods Course | ||
| Select at least one upper-division course from the following: | 4 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | ||
| Advanced Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Research Methods in Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology | ||
| Psychology of Perception | ||
| Research Methods in Social Psychology | ||
| Research Methods in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Upper-Division Major Electives | ||
| Complete 9 credits of applicable electives, including: | 9 | |
3 credits of upper-division elective in PSYC or NRSC (3000 or 4000-level) | ||
3 credits of 4000-level elective in PSYC or NRSC | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ancillary Natural Science sequence (some courses may have required labs): | ||
| Select one of the following natural science sequences: 1 | 6-10 | |
| Environmental Chemistry 1 and Environmental Chemistry 2 | ||
| General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 2 | ||
| Foundations of Chemistry and Foundations of Chemistry 2 | ||
| General Biology 1 and General Biology 2 | ||
| Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Genetics | ||
| Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology and General Biology 2 | ||
| General Physics 1 and General Physics 2 (calculus based) | ||
| General Physics 1 and General Physics 2 (algebra based) | ||
| Ancillary Math requirement: | ||
| Select one of the following courses: 1 | 3-5 | |
| College Algebra | ||
| Precalculus Mathematics | ||
| Data and Models | ||
| Calculus 1 | ||
| 1 | The student is required to pass with a grade of C- or better. |
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The department recommends taking PSYC 1001, PSYC 2111 and three of the four required courses (select from PSYC 2012, PSYC 2145, PSYC 2606, PSYC 3102 and PSYC 3303) by the end of the sophomore year. It is recommend that the math prerequisite for PSYC 2111 be taken by the end of the first year. It is also recommended that the two-part sequence, PSYC 2111 and PSYC 3111 , be taken in consecutive semesters if possible, although completing the two classes over three semesters is also acceptable. It is recommended that PSYC 3111 be completed by the end of the fifth semester.
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Note: Wherever "elective" is listed, students may take coursework that applies to a second major, minor or certificate program instead. Work with an advisor to help plan for additional academic credentials.
Through the required coursework for the major, students will complete at least 7 credits in the Social Sciences area and all 12 credits of the Natural Sciences area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement. This may include the lab component (PSYC 2111 meets the Gen Ed Natural Science lab requirement) as well as the Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Skills (QRMS) component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours | |
| PSYC 1001 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Psychology approved Ancillary Natural Science sequence part 1 (example: EBIO 1210; also partially fulfills Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences) 1 | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills or Distribution course (example: Foreign Language or Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Required Psychology Course 1 of 4 (e.g. PSYC 2012, PSYC 2145, or PSYC 2606) | 3 | |
| MATH Ancillary course (MATH 1212, MATH 1011, MATH 1150, or MATH 1300, also fulfills Gen. Ed. Skills: QRMS) | 3 | |
| Psychology approved Ancillary Natural Science sequence part 2 (example: EBIO 1220; also partially fulfills Gen. Ed.: Natural Sciences) 1 | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills or Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities or lower-division Written Communication) | 3-5 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15-17 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSYC 2111 | Psychological Science I: Statistics | 4 |
| Required Psychology Course 2 of 4 (e.g. PSYC 2012, PSYC 2145, or PSYC 2606) | 3 | |
| Gen Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSYC 3111 | Psychological Science 2: Research Methods in Psychology 2 | 4 |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Arts & Humanities/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Required Psychology Course 3 of 4 (PSYC 2012, PSYC 2145, PSYC 2606, PSYC 3102, or PSYC 3303) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Required Psychology Course 4 of 4 (PSYC 2012, PSYC 2145, PSYC 2606, PSYC 3102, or PSYC 3303) | 3 | |
| PSYC Elective: 3000 level | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSYC Elective: 4000 level (or external elective from approved list) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSYC Approved Laboratory and Methods course (or PSYC Elective: 4000 level) | 4 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Arts & Humanities) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSYC Elective: 4000 level (or PSYC Approved Laboratory and Methods course if not taken in 7th semester) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-122 | |
| 1 | Other choices for PSYC approved Ancillary Natural Science sequence can be found on the Requirements page, but EBIO 1210 and EBIO 1220 are the most common. Recommended to be completed by the end of the sophomore year. |
| 2 | It is recommended that the two-part sequence, PSYC 2111 and PSYC 3111, be taken in consecutive semesters if possible, although completing the two classes over three semesters is also acceptable. It is recommended that PSYC 3111 be completed by the end of the 5th semester. |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the program, students will:
- Achieve a fundamental understanding of the principles of human cognition, emotion, behavior, social interactions and mind-brain relationships; including the scientific basis for this knowledge and methods by which this knowledge is obtained.
- Learn the principles and application of psychological statistical analysis including how to analyze and report experimental results.
- Learn the principles and application of psychological research design.
- Learn how to evaluate and interpret relevant primary literatures.
- Learn how to apply knowledge of psychological principles and the study of human behavior.