Psychology

Courses & Undergraduate Advising

This page is a resource for psychology majors and those thinking about becoming a psychology major. Here you will find helpful links and documents to ensure a successful educational and professional career. If you have any questions, please contact your Faculty Advisor or Elizabeth Jackson, our Undergraduate Academic Advisor, at ejackson@depaul.edu.

   Advising Procedures

Please schedule a time to meet with our Undergraduate Academic Advisor to receive orientation to the department and to be assigned to faculty advisor. Her contact information is listed below.

Elizabeth T. Jackson
Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Byrne Hall, Room 451-B
ejackson@depaul.edu
(773) 325-4789

   Degree Requirements

   Administrative Forms

  1. Credit Evaluation Comprehensive Evening Program
  2. Declaration of Major
  3. Credit Evaluation Update Request
  4. Independent Study*
    *Note: to receive credit for an Independent Study, you must also complete the Goals and Plan of Work Contract.  Both forms must be submitted to the Psychology Department (4th floor of Byrne Hall) to the attention of Elizabeth Jackson, Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

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   Core Requirements

The five core courses are the same for all psychology majors. Students are strongly encouraged to take these courses early in their program if they want to be a psychology major; these courses provide the tools for learning more advanced concepts.
There are two required introductory courses:

  1. 105 - Introductory Psychology I
  2. 106 - Introductory Psychology II

These courses must be taken in the following sequence:

  1. 240 - Statistics I
  2. 241 - Research Methods I
  3. 242 - Research Methods II

At least one introductory course (PSY 105 or 106) is required for most advanced psychology courses and it is recommended students take at least one during their first year. 105 and 106 are listed as Liberal Studies (Self, Society and Modern World) courses and the undecided student can try one introductory course (and perhaps one advanced course) and then decide if he or she wants the course to count toward liberal studies (SSMW) or the psychology major.

LSP 120 Mathematical and Technological Literacy is a prerequisite for PSY 240 students. There is tutoring available for students who need assistance with statistics courses. To set up an appointment with a tutor please go to the Psychology Office in Byrne 420. Psychology 240, 241, and 242 must be taken in sequence.

   Concentration Requirements

Psychology majors must select a concentration area and fulfill its requirements. There are seven concentrations and each requires 8 courses, in addition to the five core courses for a total of 13 psychology courses/52-quarter credit hours. The Liberal Arts degree requires the student to have fulfilled a modern language requirement and the Liberal Science degree has five Allied Field requirements in science and/or math.

  1. Standard Concentration/Bachelor of Arts - This concentration is good preparation for graduate school in psychology with advanced PSY 342 requirement.

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)
    342 - Experimental Psychology 240, 241, 242
    347 - Social Psychology 105 or 106
    351 - Theories of Personality 105 or 106
    377 - Physiological Psychology 105 or 106
    Four psychology electives  

  2. Human Development Concentration/Bachelor of Arts - This is a concentration focusing on child and adolescent behavior. The student can choose classes with electives to build knowledge in areas of interest. Good for students interested in working with children but not able to do an internship because of time restraints. Can use volunteer experience to strengthen graduate school application and also use open psychology electives for advanced research and statistics courses.

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)
    333 - Child Psychology 105 or 106
    334 - Adolescent Psychology 105 or 106
    347 - Social Psychology 105 or 106
    Five psychology electives  

  3. Human Services Concentration/Bachelor of Arts - This concentration includes an internship and provides a good foundation for students planning to work directly with people. Able to work providing human services without advanced degree with job contacts made during the internship. However, if the student wishes to go to graduate school, he or she might want to fill the electives with advanced research and statistics courses to strengthen the application to graduate school.

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)
    333 - Child Psychology 105 or 106
    347 - Social Psychology 105 or 106
    353 - Abnormal Psychology 105 or 106
    357 - Applied Psychology I (Winter Junior Year) Apply by November 1st of junior year for acceptance into internship program - junior year and department approval required
    358 - Applied Psychology II (Spring Junior Year) 357
    The above courses should be completed by the end of junior year.
    395 - Field Work/Internship Senior Year (autumn)
    395 - Field Work/Internship Senior Year (winter)
    395 - Field Work/Internship Senior Year (spring)

  4. Industrial/Organizational Concentration/Bachelor of Arts - Good for students interested in systems of human resources: assessments, surveys, training needs analysis, competency modeling, and performance management.

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)
    380 - Industrial and Organizational 105 or 106
    Two from:
    355 - Small Groups and leadership
    381 - Personnel Selection
    382 - Organizational Behavior
    383 - Engineering Psychology
    384 - Consumer Behavior and Advertising 385 - Training and Development in Organizations     		380 (for 355 need 380, 347, or consent)
    One From:
    343 - Introduction to Psychological Measurements
    340 - Statistics II
    		240, 241, 242 (note: 343 is offered once per year)
    Four psychology electives  

  5. Community Psychology Concentration/Bachelor of Arts - This new concentration educates students about research and community intervention strategies to address real-world problems, such as violence, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, chronic illness, and mental health problems among diverse, at-risk populations. It also provides students with educational and practical skills for scientific and leadership development as community advocates of social justice and empowerment. Finally, a concentration in Community Psychology empowers graduates with skills to work in collaborative ways with community agencies, not-for-profit groups, and grass-roots organizations, and/or prepares them to enter a master's or doctoral program in the field.  Click here to view the application for more information on the Undergraduate Concentration in Community Psychology.

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)
    354 - Community Psychology 105 or 106
    One course from:
    325 - Psychology of Women 105 or 106
    326 - Psychology of Men 105 or 106
    345 - Cultural Issues in Psychology 105 or 106
    346 - Psychology of African-American Child 105 or 106
    One course from:
    347 - Social Psychology 105 or 106
    380 - Industrial and Organizational Psychology 105 or 106
    One course from:
    333 - Child Psychology 105 or 106
    334 - Adolescent Psychology 105 or 106
    One course from:
    351 - Theories of Personality 105 or 106
    353 - Abnormal Psychology 105 or 106
    Juniors must apply and be approved for:
    356 - Field Research and Action Junior Year (spring)
    359 - Fieldwork Senior Year (autumn)
    359 - Fieldwork Senior Year (winter)

  6. Comprehensive Evening Program/Bachelor of Arts

    Required Courses -
    5 core plus 8 courses    		 Prerequisites (at least one intro course needed for most of these)

    Two from:
    355 - Small Groups and Leadership
    380 - Industrial and Organizational Psychology
    381 - Personnel Psychology
    382 - Organizational Behavior
    385 - Training and Development in Organizations

    		 380 required for most (To enroll in 355 need 380, 347, or consent
    Two from:
    302 - Personal Adjustment and Mental Health
    351 - Theories of Personality
    353 - Abnormal Psychology
    		105 or 106
    Two from:
    303 - Human Development
    347 - Social Psychology
    360 - Theories of Learning and Cognition     		105 or 106
    Two Psychology electives from remaining  

  7. Bachelor of Science - Foundation for students with interest in psychology as a scientific endeavor. Allied field requirements will benefit the biopsych or pre-med student.
    Required - 5 core plus 8 psychology courses & 5 allied field Prerequisites
    340 - Statistics II 240, 241, 242
    342 - Experimental Psychology II all core classes
    343 - Intro to Psychological Measurement offered once per year
    360 - Learning and Cognition  
    377 - Physiological Psychology  
    Three Psychology Electives  
    Five Allied Field - Biology and/or Math See below for restrictions

    Bachelor of Science:

    Biology Allied Field Courses:
    1. Biology 101 is only offered in the autumn quarter. Biology 101 and 102 are prerequisites for most advanced courses. 103 is required for some.
    2. 101, 102, and 103 are introductory courses that may be counted toward allied field requirements. Students may count toward allied and liberal studies scientific inquiry courses. If a student selects this option, then general open electives are increased by 3.
    3. Biology courses identified in the Bulletin as liberal studies courses may not be counted toward major requirement without permission of department chair.

    Math Allied Field Courses:
    1. 101, 130, 131 Elementary Math courses are not applicable to allied field requirement.
    2. All Math Foundation and advanced courses may be counted for allied fields.
    3. Math courses identified in the Bulletin as liberal studies courses may not be counted toward major requirement without permission of department chair.

   Psychology Electives

Students might want to build strengths in more than one psychology concentration area with open psychology electives. Psychology courses that are also listed as Self, Society, and Modern World courses may not be counted toward major requirement, but WILL count toward general electives.

These courses may not be applied to major:

  • 210 - Psychology of Business
  • 213 - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Psychology
  • 215 - Human Sexuality
  • 216 - Mental Health Problems
  • 218 - Psychological Problems
  • 220 - Latina/o Psychology
  • 221 - Asian American Psychology
  • 302 - Personal Adjustment and Mental Health
    (may be used for Comprehensive Evening Students)
  • 303 - Human Development (may be used for Comprehensive Evening Students)
  • 305 - Psychology and Social Justice
  • 306 - Service Learning (Junior Year Experiential Learning)
  • Exceptions are: 105, 106, and 317 - Psychology of Interpersonal Relationships.

   Psychology Minor

For students who are majoring in another department, the Psychology Department offers a minor in psychology. To earn a minor in psychology, 6 courses must be taken including PSY 105 and 106, two in concentration, plus two PSY electives (Students are encouraged to take all major level courses, however Self, Society and Modern World courses will count toward the PSY electives for minors).

Experimental
[PSY: 360, 361, 362, 373, 375, 377, 378 ]		 I/O
[PSY: 355, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385]		 Applied
[PSY: 317, 345, 347, 348, 351, 353-359, 363, 364, 366, 392, 393]
105 105 105
106 106 106
Concentration 380 Concentration
Concentration Concentration Concentration
Psy Elective Psy Elective Psy Elective
Psy Elective Psy Elective Psy Elective

   Course Scheduling

Some psychology courses are offered once a year or less frequently. Please check scheduling and plan to meet your requirements. The following courses are offered autumn, winter, and spring quarters:

  • 105-Intro to Psychology I
  • 106-Intro to Psychology II
  • 240-Statistics I (prerequisites: Math 101 and ISP 120)
  • 241-Methods of Psychological Inquiry
  • 242-Experimental Psychology
  • 305-Psychology and Social Justice
  • 333-Child Psychology
  • 334-Adolescent Psychology
  • 347-Social Psychology
  • 353-Abnormal Psychology
  • 380-Industrial Organizational Psychology
  • 395-Field Work/Internship (Human Services only)
  • 396-Honors in Psychology
  • 397-Experiential Learning/Psychology Research
    (majors only, arrange with instructor)
  • 398-Reading and Research (arrange with instructor)
  • 399-Independent Study (arrange with instructor)
  • 361-History and Systems
    (approved and required capstone seminar for psychology majors)

   Open/General Electives

The bachelor of liberal arts has 14 general electives (56 quarter hours)

The bachelor of sciences has 9 general electives (36 quarter hours)

Students may use general electives to achieve a minor in another discipline, explore interests, or enhance job skills. If a student wants to have a minor in another discipline then they must fulfill the introductory requirements in order to take more advanced courses. Students can think about how they want to use their degree and develop strategies to get the courses, training, and experiences needed. Psychology students may also take additional psychology courses beyond the 13 courses required for concentration and count them as general electives.

   Experiential Learning - Junior Year Liberal Studies Requirement

Other departments have courses that psychology students may wish to take to satisfy this requirement. If students are interested in a particular course, they need to contact the department offering the course to learn details. For psychology majors who wish to use psychology classes our department offers 4 options:

  1. Psy 305-Psychology and Social Justice
  2. Psy 306-Service Learning/Research project
  3. Psy 395-Field Work Internship (Human services only). Students who apply one quarter of internship toward experiential learning may need to take one more learning domain to satisfy the number of credits needed for graduation.
  4. Psy 397-Experiential Learning/Psychology Research - opportunity for students to get involved in faculty research

Procedure for registering for Psy 397:
Students may identify a research project in the research opportunity logbook (maintained in undergraduate studies office Byrne 410) or by contacting a faculty member directly. After faculty approval the student must use the LA&S for Independent Study Form and the course number Psy 397 - Experiential Learning/Psychology Research to get credit.

Non-majors are also eligible to take PSY 305, PSY 306, PSY 397 to fulfill the junior year experiential learning requirement.


   Capstone - Senior Year Liberal Studies Requirement

The psychology department has one course approved to fulfill this option and will be required for psychology students who graduate: Psy 361-History and Systems (University Honors program students and double-majors are exceptions to this requirement)

   Double Major

Our major field requirements (13 courses) are the same for these students. Our department will allow the double major to fulfill the capstone requirement in either major field. We strongly encourage students to take 361 - History and Systems for open elective if not taken as capstone since it is a course required by many graduate schools.