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Psychology Programs

The Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences offers a major and minor in psychology with five focus areas. Those interested in the study of psychology may also look into the following disciplines offered at Baker University’s Baldwin City undergraduate campus:

Biology | Business | Education – Secondary Psychology | Pre-Law | Sociology

Major in Psychology

A minimum of 33 credit hours in psychology is required for the psychology major. Of those, 15 hours must be at the upper-college level. PY499 Independent Study in Psychology can only count for 3 of the 33 credit hours.

All psychology majors must successfully complete these core courses:

  • PY 111 General Psychology
  • PY 251 Research Methods I
  • PY 252 Research Methods II
  • PY 371 Contemporary Issues in Psychology
  • PY 471 History & Systems
  • PY 472 Psychology Portfolio Lab
  • MA 221 Statistics I and MA 321 Statistics II (prior to or concurrent with enrollment in PY 251)

In addition, psychology majors must complete the following coursework:

At least three courses from the following two concentration groups (with at least one course from each group:

Concentration on Research

  • PY 346 Physiological Psychology
  • PY 352 Sensation and Perception
  • PY 358 Cognitive Psychology
  • PY 374 Learning & Behavior

Concentration on Application

  • PY 382 Health Psychology
  • PY 385 Clinical and Counseling Psychology
  • PY 468 Testing and Measurement

At least one of the following research or internship experiences:

Research

The completion of an extensive experimental project under the supervision of a psychology faculty member. This requirement may be met by either successful completion of Research Methods Application (PY 451) or faculty approved Independent Study in Psychology (PY499).

Internship

Successful completion of an approved internship of supervised education. This requirement may be met through completion of Experiential Learning in Psychology (PY387). The requirement may also be met through psychology faculty-approved participation in the Career Involvement Program during the regular semester (CI260 or CI360) or during the interterm (II255 or II355).

Successful completion of one of the following focus groups of supporting course work. Students interested in exploring a related field in some depth may choose to complete the requirements of one of the first three focus groups. Students interested in choosing from a broader group of supporting course work from a variety of departments may choose to meet the requirements of either of the last two focus groups.

Psychology majors may also choose from five focus options.

Focus on Biology

  • BI 132 Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology or BI 133 Introduction to Ecological and Organismal Biology

Plus at least 10 semester hours from the following:

  • BI 245 Human Nutrition
  • BI 246 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
  • BI 375 Evolution
  • BI 380 Animal Behavior
  • BI 382 Comparative Physiology

Focus on Business

  • BS 141 Introduction to Business
  • EC 242 Principles of Economics: Micro

Plus at least 6 semester hours from the following:

  • BS 271 Principles of Marketing
  • BS 353 Fundamentals of Management
  • BS 355 Human Resource Management
  • BS 474 Marketing Research
  • MM 325 Mass Media Advertising

Focus on Special Education

At least 12 semester hours from the following:

  • ED 343 Educational Psychology
  • ED 345 Psychology of the Exceptional Learner
  • ED 413 Methods of Teaching Adaptive Learners
  • ED 414 Characteristics of Adaptive Learners
  • HP 346 Adapted Physical Education

Focus on Cultural Diversity

At least 12 semester hours from the following:

  • ED 345 Psychology of the Exceptional Learner
  • EN 226 Contemporary and Minority Literature
  • HI/PS 335 American Gender and Minority Issues
  • HP 346 Adapted Physical Education
  • MU 320 World Music
  • PH 270 World Philosophies
  • RE 270 Religions of the World
  • SO 112 Anthropology
  • SO 243 Social Inequality
  • SO 338 Sociology of the Life-Course
  • Relevant Selected Topics courses as approved by the chair of the Department of Psychology

Focus on Science, Research & Communication

  • PH 320 History and Philosophy of Science

Plus at least 10 semester hours from among the following:

  • BS 474 Marketing Research
  • CO 245 Advanced Public Speaking
  • CS 154 Relational Databases I
  • CS 155 Relational Databases II
  • EN 365 Advanced Composition
  • MA 385 Probability
  • MA 472 Advanced Applied Statistics
  • PS/SO 274 Methods of Social Research
  • Relevant Selected Topics courses as approved by the chair of the Department of Psychology

B.A. candidates must complete the world language proficiency requirement. B.S. candidates must complete at least one laboratory science course.

In addition to the above coursework, all psychology students must demonstrate their accomplishment in the major with respect to the departmental program objectives through successful completion of the psychology assessment sequence. All students must complete the following components of the sequence:

  • Completion of the Major Field Achievement Test.
  • Submission of a completed psychology major individual portfolio.
  • Completion of the senior oral interview.

Students who do not perform at an acceptable level on these components of the assessment sequence will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their completion of the program objectives through an individualized assessment measure.

Minor in Psychology

Students wishing to minor in psychology may do so by successfully completing a minimum of 15 semester hours of psychology course work at any level.

This program information has been taken from the current College of Arts and Sciences catalog. This information is subject to change and is updated with each academic year.