Psychology Major
- About FSU
- Accessibility
- Administration & Finance
- Board of Trustees
- Enrollment and Student Development
- Facilities and Capital Planning
- Human Resources
- Institutional Effectiveness
- News & Events
- Office of Institutional Assessment
- Office of Institutional Research
- Office of the President
- Transportation Services
- Administrative Offices
- Marketing and Communications
- Business Office
- Office of Grants & Sponsored Programs
- Academics
- Colleges
- Academic Affairs
- Catalogs
- The Advising Center
- Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA)
- Continuing Education
- Browse Courses
- Continuing Education Degree Programs
- Undergraduate Certificates
- Non-Credit Courses
- Lifelong Learning Programs
- Continuing Professional Education
- English Language Programs
- Course Information and Cost
- Register for Our Programs
- ELP Parking/Map
- ELP Calendar 2021/2022
- International Student Information
- Meet our Faculty
- Meet our Staff
- Individualized Study Plans and Specialized Tutoring
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Refund Policy
- Campus Housing for English Language Students
- Academic Calendar
- Tuition and Fees
- Continuing Education Admissions
- Undergraduate Coordinators and Advisors
- Contact Our Staff
- Explore Programs
- Graduate Studies
- Henry Whittemore Library
- Office of the University Registrar
- Honors Program
- Commencement
- The FSU Difference
- Career Services and Employer Relations
- Centers & Institutes
- Center for Climate Change Education
- Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, Scholarship and Service
- Centers for Early Childhood Education
- Center for Global Education
- Center for Inclusive Excellence
- Center for Social Research
- Chris Walsh Center for Educators and Families of MetroWest
- Civic Engagement and Service Learning Center
- Entrepreneur Innovation Center
- Mancuso Humanities Workforce Preparation Center
- Inclusive Excellence
- Planetarium
- Study Abroad
- Arts & Ideas
- New Student and Family Programs
- FSU Environmentalism
- Meet Our Students and Faculty
- Modern Spaces
- Admissions & Aid
- Student Life
- Campus Events
- Clubs
- Counseling Center
- Health Center
- Information Technology Services
- Residence Life and Housing
- Dining
- Commuter Services
- Sexual Harassment & Assault Prevention & Education
- Student Development
- Student Services Center
- Wellness
- Student Involvement and Leadership Development (SILD)
- University Police
- Veteran Services
- Office of Community Standards
- Health & Wellness
- Alumni
- Search
- Roles
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences – Department of Psychology and Philosophy
The General Education Requirement
All students must satisfy a general education requirement consisting of ten (10) courses outside of the major department. The General Education Domain III-B (Perspectives on the Contemporary World) requirement is satisfied through the completion of the Psychology major.
Course Prerequisites
Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or appropriate placement test scores. PSYC 101 General Psychology or PSYC 200 Psychology of Development is a prerequisite for all other psychology courses except where otherwise noted. Students should refer to course descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.
Grade Recommendations
The Psychology Department requires that all Psychology majors achieve a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in PSYC 101 General Psychology before enrolling in PSYC 291 Research I: Descriptive and Correlational Methods. The Department also requires that all Psychology majors achieve a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in the mathematics requirement (MATH 117 Introduction to Statistics) before enrolling in PSYC 291 Research I: Descriptive and Correlational Methods.
Majors must also achieve a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in PSYC 291 Research I: Descriptive and Correlational Methods before being permitted to enroll in PSYC 391 Research II: Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Research Methods. The two sequential courses provide the essential foundation for subsequent psychology courses, and a basic grasp of the concepts introduced in these courses is critical.
Finally, a minimum grade of C- (1.7) is required in each of the two (2) capstone courses that the student selects from PSYC 450 Empirical Research Thesis in Psychology, PSYC 460 History and Systems of Psychology, PSYC 480 Psychology Seminar, PSYC 495 Internship in Psychology.
Requirements for Major in Psychology
Core Department Courses (5):
- PSYC 101 General Psychology
- PSYC 291 Research I: Descriptive and Correlational Research Methods
- PSYC 391 Research II: Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Research Methods
Two (2) of the following four (4) 400-level Capstone courses:
- PSYC 450 Empirical Research Thesis in Psychology
- PSYC 460 History and Systems in Psychology
- PSYC 480 Psychology Seminar
- PSYC 495 Internship in Psychology
Required Major-related core courses (3):
- BIOL 142 Introduction to Human Biology with Lab or
- CHEM 131 Science - Environment and Health with Lab
- PHIL 102 Introduction to Ethics: Why Be Moral? or
- PHIL 105 Introduction to Political and Social Philosophy
- PHIL 118 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
- STAT 117 Introduction to Statistics
Each of these major-related core courses also may be used to meet general education requirements.
Concentration in General Psychology (UPSG)
Seven (7) Psychology Courses:
Domain Courses (4):
All Psychology majors are required to complete one (1) course in each of the following four (4) domains of psychological knowledge:
Biological Domain
Choose one (1) of the following:
- NEUR 225 Biopsychology
- PSYC 245 Health Psychology
- PSYC 280 Sensation and Perception
Developmental Domain
Choose one (1) of the following:
- PSYC 200 Psychology of Development
- PSYC 201 Child Development
- PSYC 212 Adolescent Development
- PSYC 231 Adult Development
Learning and Cognition Domain
Choose one (1) of the following:
- PSYC 236 Psychology of Learning
- PSYC 263 Cognitive Psychology
- PSYC 271 Applied Behavior Analysis
Sociocultural Domain
Choose one (1) of the following:
- PSYC 215 Personality Psychology
- PSYC 224 Social Psychology
- PSYC 259 Cultural Psychology
- PSYC 286 Psychology of Women
Upper-Level Electives (3):
- All majors will complete three (3) additional upper-level Psychology courses (i.e., 300- and/or 400-level). The choice of upper-level courses is up to the student. It is recommended that students consult with their advisors in the selection of upper-level course options.
Effective as of the 2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog