Psychology, BA

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Curriculum
Curriculum Sequence
Honors in Psychology
Pre-Clinical Counseling Psychology
Pre-Clinicial Counseling Psychology Courses
Pre-OT and Pre-PT Pathways

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Students may choose to study this field out of personal interest, as preparation for graduate study, or as preparation for careers in fields such as mental health counseling, child guidance, physical or occupational therapy, law or personnel management. Students often double major in psychology and social work, psychology and criminal justice, psychology and sociology, and psychology and management.

Curriculum

Introductory Course (3 Credits)

PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)

Domain Requirements (12 Credits)

Developmental Domain (3 Credits)

(choose one from the following)

PSY 211 - Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s)
PSY 212 - Adulthood and Aging 3 Credit(s)
PSY 213 - Adolescent Psychology 3 Credit(s)

Sociocultural Domain (3 Credits)

(choose one from the following)

PSY 204 - Social Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 205 - Personality 3 Credit(s)
PSY 210 - Cross-Cultural Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 215 - Multicultural Psychology (S) 3 Credit(s)

Biological Domain (3 Credits)

(choose one from the following)

PSY 230 - Cognition 3 Credit(s)
PSY 236 - Psychology of Eating and Drinking 3 Credit(s)
PSY 275 - Drugs and the Brain 3 Credit(s)
PSY 355 - Biological Psychology 3 Credit(s) **

Applied Domain (3 Credits)

(choose one from the following)

PSY 200 - Industrial/ Organizational Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 235 - Forensic Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 375 - Counseling Psychology 3 Credit(s)

Psychology Electives (6 Credits)

(choose two from the following)

PSY 202 - Educational Psychology (S) 3 Credit(s)
PSY 203 - Consumer Behavior 3 Credit(s)
PSY 206 - Psychology of Gender 3 Credit(s)
PSY 216 - Community Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 237 - Environmental Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 245 - Group Dynamics 3 Credit(s)
PSY 247 - Understanding and Managing Stress 3 Credit(s)
PSY 260 - Paranormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 265 - Evolutionary Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 293 - Careers in Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 376 - Psychological Assessment 3 Credit(s)
PSY 222 - Social Psychology and Cinema 3 Credit(s)

Research Sequence (8 Credits)

PSY 385 - Statistical Methods with Laboratory for Psychology 4 Credit(s)
PSY 387 - Research Design and Laboratory for Psychology 4 Credit(s)

Psychology Elective with Laboratory (4 Credits)

Students may not take both a laboratory and non-laboratory version of the same class; therefore, students should take either PSY 203 or PSY 334 , PSY 230 or PSY 331 , PSY 211 or PSY 332 , PSY 212 or PSY 338 , PSY 235 or PSY 333 , PSY 245 or PSY 336 .

PSY 331 - Cognition With Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)
PSY 333 - Forensic Psychology With Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)
PSY 334 - Consumer Behavior With Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)
PSY 338 - Adulthood and Aging With Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)
PSY 339 - Relationships and Development with Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)
PSY 337 - Positive Psychology with Laboratory (W) 4 Credit(s)

Capstone (3–6 Credits)

(choose one from the following)

PSY 409 - Senior Research in Psychology 3 Credit(s) and
PSY 410 - Senior Research in Psychology 3 Credit(s)
or
PSY 423 - Psychology Internship 3 Credit(s) and
PSY 424 - Psychology Internship 3 Credit(s)
or
PSY 430 - Current Issues: Capstone Seminar 3 Credit(s)

Related Fields (6 Credits)

Two courses (one course must be 200-level or above) from ANTH, BIOL,COMS, CJ, GWS, MGT, MKT, POLS, SOC, or SW.

Total Credits: 42-45

**PSY 355 also counts as a science GE elective.

The program of study that appears here applies to students who were admitted for the summer session of this catalog year and later. Students admitted prior to that term should select the appropriate catalog year of their admission. Choose previous catalogs from the Home, Graduate, or Undergraduate Catalog Page at http://Catalog.widener.edu.

Curriculum Sequence

Psychology Curriculum Sequence

Honors in Psychology

Psychology majors who have demonstrated excellence in course work (minimum GPA of 3.5 in psychology and 3.2 overall) are eligible to apply for the Honors in Psychology program for PSY 409–410. As preparation to begin an honors senior research project, students must first complete three laboratory-based research courses: PSY 385 Statistics with Laboratory, PSY 387 Research Methods with Laboratory, and a psychology elective with laboratory. Students complete an independent, empirical, research project under the supervision of a psychology department faculty member. For their senior research project, students choose a topic in psychology, review the scholarly literature, and prepare a formal research proposal. Upon approval of the research proposal by the psychology department faculty member, and the Widener University Institutional Review Board if necessary, students collect and analyze data and write a full APA-style research report. Students also present their research to the psychology department faculty in a formal, conference-style setting. A minimum grade of B+ is required in this two-semester course series to satisfy the requirement for Honors in Psychology. A grade lower than B+ will fulfill the psychology capstone requirement but without the honors distinction. Students interested in obtaining Honors in Psychology must submit an application during preregistration in the semester prior to beginning the research project. The application must be signed by the student’s academic advisor and approved by the psychology department.

Pre-Clinical/Counseling Psychology

The pre-clinical/counseling curriculum is an advising guide that lists courses for students who are interested in pursuing careers in clinical or counseling psychology. The curriculum prepares students to take the bachelor-level state certification examination, pursue careers in psychology, and matriculate into graduate programs in clinical or counseling psychology.

Pre-Clinicial/Counseling Psychology Courses

PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 205 - Personality 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 375 - Counseling Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 293 - Careers in Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 394 - Applied Psychology Practicum 3 Credit(s)
or
PSY 395 - Clinical-Counseling Psychology Practicum 3 Credit(s)
PSY 396 - Advanced Practicum 3 Credit(s) (optional)
PSY 423 - Psychology Internship 3 Credit(s)
PSY 424 - Psychology Internship 3 Credit(s)

Note(s)

One psychology class must be a laboratory course.

Pathways Pre-OT and Pre-PT

Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway

Majors who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate occupational therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

CHEM 101 - Introduction to Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 103 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123 - Anatomy & Physiology I Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 124 - Anatomy & Physiology II Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
PSY 105 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSY 211 - Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s)
PSY 212 - Adulthood and Aging 3 Credit(s)
PSY 225 - Abnormal Psychology 3 Credit(s)
SOC or ANTH elective (1 course)

Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway

Students who wish to apply for admission to Widener’s graduate physical therapy program should take the following courses (note the most recent courses are factored into the prerequisite requirements):

BIOL 121 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit(s)
BIOL 123 - Anatomy & Physiology I Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
BIOL 122 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit(s)
BIO 124 - Anatomy & Physiology II Laboratory 0 Credit(s)
BIOL 230 - Biology of Cells and Genes 4 Credit(s)
CHEM 101 - Introduction to Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 103 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
CHEM 102 - Introduction to Chemistry II 3 Credit(s)
CHEM 104 - Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory II 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 121 - Fundamentals of Physics I 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 143 - College Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PHYS 122 - Fundamentals of Physics II 4 Credit(s)
PHYS 144 - College Physics II Laboratory 1 Credit(s)
PSY 385 - Statistical Methods with Laboratory for Psychology 4 Credit(s)
Two Other Upper-Level PSY Electives
SOC or ANTH elective

Please Note:

Please Note: Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway

Students from another major who no longer have a reserved seat for the graduate physical therapy program may not transfer into the psychology pre-physical therapy concentration. Existing psychology majors in the pre-physical therapy concentration who no longer have a reserved seat for the graduate physical therapy program must drop the pre-physical therapy major designation. If a student has their reserved seat reinstated, he or she must also apply to the chair of psychology for reinstatement into the psychology pre-physical therapy concentration. Refer to the Institute for Physical Therapy Education section of this catalog for information about the reserved seat program.