Academic Catalog

2024-2025

Psychology

http://www.odu.edu/psychology

George Noell, Chair
Suzanne Morrow, Chief Departmental Advisor
Krystall Dunaway, Undergraduate Program Director

The BS in Psychology is designed to provide a knowledge base of current methods, content areas, and theories. It seeks to facilitate the development of intellectual skills and characteristics that enhance the student's lifelong personal and career success. The program begins with a general psychology course and includes courses in quantitative methods and experimental design. Additional coursework is selected from a broad range of available courses. Students are encouraged to pursue breadth across the areas of psychology, particularly when planning for advanced study in psychology. The department does, however, identify sets of courses particularly relevant for students interested in health, clinical, industrial/organizational, or human factors (engineering) psychology.

Psychology Awards

The Alan L. Chaikin Psychology Honors Thesis Award is given each year to a student in the Department of Psychology for the outstanding honors thesis.

The Elizabeth C. Guy Outstanding Psychology Service Award is given each year to the student selected by the faculty who has contributed significant service to the department or field of psychology. Service is primarily defined as participation in departmental, University, community, or professional organizations. However, other qualifications, such as research activity, may be considered. Eligible students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 and 18 credits in psychology at Old Dominion University.

The Elizabeth C. Guy Outstanding Psychology Academic Award is given each year to the graduating senior with the highest overall grade point average. To be eligible, a student will have completed a minimum of 60 hours at Old Dominion University by graduation. Further, the student will have completed a minimum of 18 psychology credits at Old Dominion University. In the case where two or more students meet the criteria and have identical GPAs, the student with the highest number of credit hours earned at Old Dominion University will receive the award.

The Michael Greenspan/ODU Psychology Study Abroad Award is given each year to a selected psychology major to study psychology at one of ODU's partner institutions in the United Kingdom. Students interested in this opportunity should contact the ODU Office of Study Abroad.

Advanced Placement

The Department of Psychology offers course credit for PSYC 201S and PSYC 203S through testing procedures or a qualifying score on AP and IB subject examinations.  See the equivalency charts on the ODU website at https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/score-analysis/ap-ib. Students may also earn credit for some courses via prior learning assessment options. Interested students should visit the Undergraduate Program office MGB 246 for more information or refer to the section on Prior Learning Assessment Credit Options at the Undergraduate Level in this Catalog.