Psychology
Students who are not majoring in Psychology may minor in Psychology by taking 18 semester credit hours selected from the lists of major core courses and major related courses on page 140. At least 12 hours must be upper-division courses, of which at least 9 hours must be Psychology core courses. No credit hours may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements; however, free elective hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor. At least one-third of the hours for a minor must be taken at U.T. Dallas.
Because Psychology is concerned with a wide range of social behaviors, it provides a strong foundation for all careers that deal with people. Students considering careers in business, education, law, medicine, clinical psychology, counseling or social work can benefit from minoring (or majoring) in psychology. The following courses are suggested preparation for each of these career paths.
Business Careers. Graduate schools of business look for students with a strong liberal arts background that focuses on both writing and quantitative skills. Suggested courses are Cognitive Psychology, Personality Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology in the Workplace, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Human Relations, and Research Design and Analysis.
Education Careers. Psychology courses are especially relevant for students pursuing careers in child development, educational psychology, education counseling, and school psychology. Suggested courses are Child or Lifespan Development, Cognitive Psychology, Educational Psychology, COgnitive Development, Exceptional Children, Social and Personality Development, Adolescent Psychology, Psychological Testing, Statistics for Psychology, and Research Design and Analysis.
Law and Crime and Justice Careers. A background in psychology can be enormously useful for the study and practice of law and law enforcement. Suggested courses are Forensic Psychology, Psychology and the Legal System, Lifespan Development, Cognitive Psychology, Judgment and Decision Making, Personality Psychology, Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Psychological Testing, Statistics for Psychology, and Research Design and Analysis.
Medical Careers. Psychology is highly recommended as a major or minor for premedical students interested in pschiatry or neurology, or any student who wishes to practice medicine. The intended area of medical specialization should influence choice of courses; for example, a future pediatrician would benefit from courses in developmental psychology. In general, suggested courses are Lifespan Development, Behavioral Neuroscience, Health Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Adolescent Psychology, and Approaches to Clinical Psychology, Statistics for Psychology, and Research Design and Analysis.
Careers in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, or Social Work. All courses in psychology are good preparation for these careers. It is especially important that students take Lifespan Development, Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, Personality Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Statistics for Psychology, and Research Design and Analysis. Other courses of interest include Approaches to Clinical Psychology, Social Communication, Human Relations, Health Psychology, Psychological Testing, Child Psycopathology, and Violence in the Family.
For additional information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies
