Student Info

Declaring a Major

You may want to begin your exploration of psychology by taking a 200-level course focused on a particular topic. You should also take Psychology 202, the methods course, to prepare you for more advanced courses. Psychology 101, which is not required for the major, is intended as an overview of the field for those who do not expect to concentrate in Psychology. It can, however, be counted toward either the major or the minor. Students with scores of 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology test will be credited for Psychology 101.

If you are interested in becoming a psychology major you should print a course planning worksheet available on the Course Catalog and complete the major declaration form and meet with the department chair in the Fall (by October 15th) or Spring (by March 1st) of your sophomore year. The chair will assign to you a psychology advisor. Your advisor will help you find courses inside and outside of the psychology major that match your interests, find faculty who share you academic focus, and assist you in setting and making progress on your postgraduate goals.

Declaring a Minor

The psychology minor requires 5 courses. Students must take PSY 202, Quantitative Research Methods, and at least one course at the 300-level or higher.

You can print out a Psychology Minor Worksheet on the Course Catalog to help plan your minor.

Independent Study

Normally your work in psychology will take place within the curriculum of courses listed in the catalog. However, in exceptional circumstances, you can take an independent study (Psychology 199 or 299 or 399) to study a topic not covered in our courses, or to do a research project, or to study a specialized topic in depth. Speak to your advisor to find out more. Normally, not more than one independent study can be counted toward your psychology major.

Writing in APA Style

Psychology students write papers using APA format. The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue University has an excellent resource on APA format.