Program Overview

The Department of Psychology provides courses in the fundamental areas of study that comprise the science of behavior. The psychology department encourages students to participate in experiential learning opportunities in the form of research seminars, independent study, and internships in addition to traditional coursework. The department recognizes outstanding undergraduate students by presenting annual achievement awards for excellence in academic performance and for significant contributions in experimental and applied psychology.

The undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree program is intended for students planning careers in areas other than psychology or related sciences. A B.A. degree in psychology can be completed as part of many pre-professional programs of study, including pre-business, pre-law and pre-social work. Because human behavior is an essential part of any career a B.A. degree can also complement a student's primary area of study. Students should work with their advisors to assure selection of courses most compatible with their educational and career objectives. Students also are encouraged to take courses in the arts and sciences that improve their verbal, quantitative and critical reasoning abilities.

The program of study leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in psychology is intended for students who anticipate attending graduate school in psychology or related sciences. The course requirements reflect the breadth and rigor necessary to prepare for the Graduate Record Examinations and graduate study.

All Psychology students are encouraged to take courses in the arts and sciences that improve their verbal, quantitative and critical reasoning abilities.

B.S. Degree Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
PSY 001	INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY (with lab)	4
PSY 011	INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS	4
PSY 013	RESEARCH METHODS	3
Select one course, including a lab, from the following:		4
PSY 120 & PSY 121	CONDITIONING AND LEARNING LAB and CONDITIONING AND LEARNING
PSY 123	BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOR
PSY 125	COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 126	COMPARATIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 130	EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 133	PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
PSY 162	APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Upper-Division Courses
Select 16 credits of PSY courses numbered 100 or higher 1		16
Themes
Select at least one course from each of the following areas: 2		12-16
Theme A - Sensation, Perception & Biopsychology:
PSY 024	ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
PSY 028	DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR
PSY 122	SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
PSY 123	BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOR
PSY 124	HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 127	BEHAVIOR GENETICS
PSY 128	HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
Theme B - Learning, Cognition & Memory:
PSY 025	COGNITIVE PROCESSES
PSY 060	PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR
PSY 120 & PSY 121	CONDITIONING AND LEARNING LAB and CONDITIONING AND LEARNING
PSY 125	COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 126	COMPARATIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 162	APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Theme C - Clinical, Personality & Assessment:
PSY 050	PSYCHOLOGY OF CREATIVITY
PSY 070	INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING TECHNIQUES
PSY 076	ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 081	HUMAN SEXUALITY
PSY 132	THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
PSY 133	PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
PSY 137	PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER
PSY 172	TRAUMA AND RECOVERY
PSY 176	ADVANCED PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
PSY 177	FUNDAMENTALS OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Theme D - Developmental, Social & Organizational:
PSY 030	SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 042	CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 044	ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING
PSY 085	ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 130	EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 135	PSYCHOLOGY OF PREJUDICE
PSY 138	MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 142	BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS CHILD DEVELOPMENT
PSY 148	PSYCHOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
PSY 183	INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Bachelor of Science Non-Psychology Natural Sciences Courses
Select an additional 12 credits must be successfully completed in natural science courses outside of the Department of Psychology, including Astronomy, BCMB, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Mathematics 3		12
Capstone
Select one of the following:		.5-3
Designated Capstone Course
PSY 145	APPLIED PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
PSY 151	HISTORY AND SYSTEMS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Research Experience
PSY 190C	INDEPENDENT STUDY CAPSTONE
PSY 191C	INDEPENDENT STUDY CAPSTONE
Internship
PSY 192C	INTERNSHIP CAPSTONE
Research Seminar
PSY 198	RESEARCH SEMINAR 4

¹

These 16 credits of PSY courses numbered 100 or higher.  These 16 credits cannot include non-capstone independent studies, research seminars, or internships.

²

A theme may be filled by a lab course.

³

(MATH 020 PRE-CALCULUS: ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY or higher), Physics, select HSCI courses, Statistics and Neuroscience that is not cross-listed with Psychology.  Eight of the 12 credits must be from courses that include a laboratory component.

⁴

Under faculty guidance, small groups may work together on an original project. All members must contribute equally.

Notes: 

• Students must pass PSY 011 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS and PSY 013 RESEARCH METHODS with a grade of “C” (not “C-“) or better to enroll in some upper-division psychology courses and to complete the psychology major.
• BIO 140 BIOLOGY RESEARCH AND STATISTICAL METHODS, HSCI 060 STATISTICS IN HEALTH SCIENCES, or both STAT 071 STATISTICS I and STAT 072 STATISTICS II may substitute for PSY 011 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS.  Students who choose this option will need to take additional credits in psychology to reach the 39 credits required for the major.
• Students must obtain a minimum 2.0 G.P.A. across all psychology courses to graduate with a B.A. or a B.S. in psychology.
• Of the 39 credits in psychology needed for the major, 18 must be taken at Drake that do not include independent study, research seminars, or internships.  A minimum of 9 of these credits taken at Drake must be upper-division psychology credits.
• A maximum of 6 credits of non-capstone PSY 090 INDEPENDENT STUDY, PSY 091 INDEPENDENT STUDY, PSY 190 INDEPENDENT STUDY, and PSY 191 INDEPENDENT STUDY and/or PSY 192 INTERNSHIP may be counted toward the 39 credits for the major. Non-capstone independent studies and all internships will be awarded CR/NC grades.

In addition to programmatic requirements, students are responsible for satisfying all requirements of the Drake Curriculum, including Areas of Inquiry (AOI)

Student must also satisfy university graduation requirements for all undergraduate students..