Bachelor of Science Psychology (BS)
A student who intends to major in psychology must attend a Major Declaration Session in the Department of Psychology. Freshmen with 0-30 Earned Hours need to meet with an advisor from the College of Sciences advising team for pre-registration advising for their first academic year. Once students have earned 30 hours with an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher and a psychology GPA of 2.0 or higher, and completed MATH 102M or MATH 103M (or a higher math), PSYC 201S, and both composition courses, earning a C or better in each, they will need to attend a Major Declaration Session.
For further information about the major and advising schedules, visit/call MGB 246 (757 683-4441), refer to the bulletin board across from MGB 246, email psychadvising@odu.edu, or visit the Psychology Department advising web page at http://www.odu.edu/psychology/advising.
Goals for the Psychology Major
- Students will be able to define, interpret, and apply major concepts, theories, and findings in psychology.
- Students will be able to compute, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative psychological data.
- Students will be able to recognize, analyze, and design experimental and non-experimental research in psychology.
- Students will be able to interpret and produce scientific writing in psychology using standard APA format.
- Students will be able to identify, recognize, and apply principles of ethics and respect for individual, social, and cultural differences.
- Students will be able to apply discipline information to decisions about careers in psychology and related fields.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
A grade of C (2.0) or better is required in all courses meeting the Written Communication requirement.
Mathematics: MATH 102M/MATH 103M or higher with a grade of C (2.0) or better is required.
Human Behavior: PSYC 201S and PSYC 203S may not be used to satisfy this requirement.
Upper-Division General Education
- Option A: Approved Disciplinary Minor (a minimum of 12 hours determined by the department) or second degree or second major.
- Option B: Interdisciplinary Minor (specifically 12 hours, 3 of which may be in the major)
- Option C: An approved Certification Program such as teaching licensure
- Option D: Two Upper-Division Courses from outside the College of Sciences and not required by the major (6 hours)
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include the following:
- Minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
- Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
- Completion of Senior Assessment.
Psychology Major
A grade of C (2.0) or better is required in all psychology courses. Students must achieve an overall grade point average of 2.0, including all psychology courses. No 200-level psychology courses outside PSYC 201S can count toward the major in psychology.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 41-47 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements (minimum of 6 credit hours) | 6 | |
| Psychology | ||
| PSYC 201S | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 317 | Quantitative Methods | 4 |
| PSYC 318W | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Areas | ||
| Students must select one course from each of the following four Areas: | ||
| Area 1: Biological Bases and Cognition | 3 | |
| Human Cognition | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Physiological Psychology | ||
| Area 2: Personality and Social Processes | 3 | |
| Social Psychology | ||
| Theories of Personality | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||
| Area 3: Developmental Changes | 3 | |
| The Psychology of Adolescence | ||
| Child Psychology | ||
| The Psychology of Adulthood and Aging | ||
| Area 4: Applied Psychology | 3 | |
| Industrial/Organizational Psychology | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Human Factors | ||
| Psychopathology | ||
| PSYC electives (may include additional Area courses) | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 85-91 | |
Elective Credit
General elective credit will be needed to meet the minimum requirement of 120 credit hours. No 200-level psychology courses outside of PSYC 201S can count toward the major in psychology. Students with 200-level psychology courses can use these hours as general elective credit.
Additional Requirements and Information
Psychology Assessment
The Psychology Assessment is sent to students via email during their graduating semester approximately one month prior to graduation. Students must complete the assessment in the time frame (typically two weeks) provided in the email. Students must have applied for graduation in order to receive the assessment. The department will make all reasonable efforts to assure that students have ample opportunity to complete the assessment. However, any student who applies for graduation after the deadline set by the Office of the Registrar must email psychadvising@odu.edu to request the link to complete the assessment within an indicated time frame.
Honors Program in Psychology
Qualified undergraduate psychology majors have the opportunity to participate in the Honors Program in Psychology (program chair: Dr. Mary Still). Students who complete the program and also meet the University's standards for graduation with honors (see description in this Catalog) may earn the designation of departmental honors on their diplomas. This program is a two- to three-course sequence that involves working on a research project under the supervision of a psychology faculty member.
Interested students should discuss their interests with a psychology faculty member who agrees to serve as the research supervisor for PSYC 497. In PSYC 497 (see prerequisites under course listing), the potential Honors student gains research experience and develops an Honors Project proposal. At the end of PSYC 497, the student submits the proposal and application for admission to the Honors Program in Psychology and, pending approval of the program chair, enrolls in PSYC 487.
In this course, the student finalizes the proposal, presents it to the Psychology Honors Program committee, secures research ethics approval, begins the thesis research, and, if the research and thesis paper are completed, may present to the Psychology Honors Program committee for approval.
Students whose projects require more than one semester to complete may enroll in PSYC 488.
Eligibility for the Honors Program in Psychology includes:
- Completion of PSYC 317 and PSYC 318W
- At least 23 hours earned in psychology
- A 3.50 GPA in the psychology major (with no grades of "Incomplete")
- A 3.25 cumulative GPA
-
Completion of PSYC 497 with an Honors Project Proposal ready for submission to the Honors Program chair
Students can enroll in PSYC 487 when the submitted application and project proposal have been approved by the Honors Committee chair.
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
This sample schedule assumes that the Language and Culture requirements have been met by high school language courses (see Lower-Division General Education Requirements – Language and Culture section of this Catalog). If not, then language credits must be taken as electives.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| PSYC 201S | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (Grade of C or better required) | 3 |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Elective or Language and Culture I (May be waived) | 3 | |
| MATH 102M | College Algebra (or MATH 103M) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Literature | 3 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Writing, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
| Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics | ||
| Elective or Language and Culture II (May be waived) | 3 | |
| PSYC Elective * | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 317 | Quantitative Methods | 4 |
| PSYC (Area 1 course) | 3 | |
| Nature of Science I | 4 | |
| PSYC Elective * | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSYC 318W | Research Methods in Psychology (C or better required) | 4 |
| PSYC (Area 2 course) | 3 | |
| Nature of Science II | 4 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC (Area 3 course) | 3 | |
| Human Behavior (PSYC 201S and PSYC 203S may not be used to satisfy this requirement) | 3 | |
| PSYC Elective * | 3 | |
| PSYC Elective * | 3 | |
| Upper-Division General Education or Minor ** | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSYC (Area 4 course) | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| PSYC Elective * | 3 | |
| Upper-Division General Education or Minor ** | 3 | |
| Minor** or Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Minor** or Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Electives | 14 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- *
PSYC electives (may include additional Area Courses).
- **
A minor is recommended for completion of upper-division general education but is not required.
BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study. The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree. Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study. Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.
BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.