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Psychology (B.A.)

William James characterized psychology as “the study of mental life.” Psychology is both a domain of scientific inquiry and a field of applied practice. The science of psychology is concerned with the study of how people perceive, learn, feel, think, develop, and interact with others. The practice of psychology helps people improve learning, performance, and mental health.

Undergraduate degrees in psychology provide students a number of career path options. Further study in graduate school leads to professional careers as clinical, counseling, industrial, academic and other kinds of psychologists. Psychology is also a useful major for students planning careers in law, management, medicine, or social work. A psychology major provides students with the knowledge about human behavior and methods of research and data analysis that is valuable in business, helping fields, and many other occupations.

The Psychology program at UTD approaches the field from a scientific perspective, applying behavioral science research methods to the study of the human mind and behavior. Thus, students will have laboratory experiences in addition to lectures, reading, and demonstrations. Psychology students learn to evaluate evidence relating to theories of social behavior, personality development, perception, memory, brain processes, and other facets of human experience. Students also gain hands-on experience through internship placements, directed research experiences in professor’s labs, and individualized study with faculty in specialized topics.

Selected courses are offered in a “conference” format (i.e., discussion seminar format), and students are encouraged to include some of these courses in their course of study. Conference courses are generally limited to an enrollment of 20, emphasize discussion of reading from primary sources, include written assignments with feedback from instructors, and are aimed at providing students with interactive experiences in critical thinking and writing.

The undergraduate degree awarded through the Psychology program is a bachelor of arts. Students may choose electives to obtain a broader grounding in psychology or a general education in the liberal arts. Students should note that it is possible to select clusters of electives that lead to particular concentrations in careers and graduate study. Students can complete Core Curriculum and Psychology major requirements in a minimum of 72 semester credit hours, leaving 48 elective hours

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Degree Requirements (120 hours)

I. Core Curriculum Requirements¹: 42 hours
    A. Communication (6 hours)
        3 hours Communication (RHET 1302)
        3 hours Communication Elective (PSY 3393)²
    B. Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
        6 hours Government (GOVT 2301 and 2302)
        6 hours American History
        3 hours Social and Behavioral Science Elective (PSY 2301)²
    C. Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
        3 hours Fine Arts (ARTS 1301)
        3 hours Humanities (HUMA 1301)
    D. Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)
        3 hours College Math (recommend MATH 1306, 1314 or 2417)
        3 hours Quantitative Methods or Math (PSY 2317)²
    E. Science (9 hours with at least one lab course)
        3 hours Science (NSC 3361)²
        6 hours Science Elective (see PSY Advisor for options)

¹ Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at U.T. Dallas.

II. Major Requirements: 42 hours (30 hours beyond the Core Curriculum)
    Major Preparatory Courses
        PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology²
        PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology²
    Major Core Courses (30 upper-division hours)
        NSC 3361 Behavioral Neuroscience²
        PSY 3360 Historical Perspectives on Psychology: Mind and Machines Since 1600
        PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
            or CGS 2301 Cognitive Science
        PSY 3392 Research Design & Analysis
            or PSY 3490 Honors Quantitative Methods
        PSY 3393 Experimental Projects in Psychology² (Advanced Writing Course)
        PSY 4331 Personality
            or PSY 3331 Social Psychology
        PSY 4334 Lifespan Development
            or PSY 3310 Child Development
        PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
    Major Related Courses (12 hours)
        Advanced Guided Electives; 3 hours of one of the following:
            PSY 4394 Internship in Psychology
            PSY 4396 Teaching Internship
            PSY 4397 Honors Thesis
            PSY 4V98 Directed Research
            PSY 4V99 Individual Study
            Plus any 9 hours of courses with PSY or CGS or NSC prefixes or the following SPAU
                courses: 3301, 3303, 3304, 3340, 3343, 3344, 3345 or 4308.

²A required Major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.

III. Elective Requirements: 48 hours
    Advanced Electives (6 hours)
        Breadth Electives; 6 hours of upper-division courses, or lower-division courses that have
        prerequisites, that are outside of Psychology.
    Free Electives (42 hours)
        Courses of the student’s choice. Students are encouraged to explore areas of concentration
        in Psychology as well as explore interests outside the field. Both lower- and upper-division
        courses may count as electives but students must be sure to complete at least 51 hours of
        upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.

Minor in 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, Judgement 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 psychiatry 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 or Child Development, Behavioral Neuroscience, Health Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Adolescent Psychology, 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 Psychopathology, and Violence in the Family.

Minor in Child Development

This minor is well suited for students pursuing Elementary Teacher certification and for those generally interested in the psychological development of children. Students must complete 18 credit hours including 9 required hours of foundation coursework and 9 credit hours of guided electives. At least 12 hours must be upper-division courses, of which at least 9 hours must have been completed at UTD. Students majoring in Psychology or Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology may minor in Child Development provided that no course is used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.

Foundation Courses (9 hours required)
    PSY 3310 Child Development
        or PSY 4334 Lifespan Development*¹
    PSY 3332 Social and Personality Development
    PSY 3362 Cognitive Development
Guided Electives Courses (select 9 hours)
    PSY 3339 Educational Psychology¹
    PSY 3342 Exceptional Children¹
    PSY 4344 Child Psychopathology
    PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
    PSY 4394 Internship in Psychology
        or ED 4693 Student Teaching1 (approval of Associate Dean required)
    SPAU 3303 Normal Language Development¹
    SPAU 4308 Language Disorders in Children
Other courses as approved by the Associate Dean

*PSY majors take an additional 3 hours of guided electives to replace PSY 3310 or PSY 4334.
¹ Required for EC-4 Teacher Certification.

Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master’s Degrees

U.T. Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records who intend to pursue a master’s degree in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders or in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience at U.T. Dallas may consider an accelerated undergraduate graduate plan of study. When accepted into the program, students may take up to 12 hours of graduate courses that may be used to complete the baccalaureate degree and also to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and earn grades of B or better in graduate courses taken. The Fast Track makes it possible for students to complete upper division undergraduate education and graduate training in three years, including summer study. To qualify for application, students must have completed at least 72 semester credit hours toward their bachelor degree, including at least 18 semester credit hours in major core courses at UTD. Apply to the Fast Track program through the Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders or Applied Cognition and Neuroscience Program Offices. Students should consult with a graduate advisor regarding admissions criteria and plans of study.

The University of Texas at Dallas 2004-2006 Undergraduate Catalog
Volume 30, Number 1
Copyright © The University of Texas at Dallas

This catalog is a general information publication only. It is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations that relate to students. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student or faculty member and The University of Texas at Dallas or The University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Dallas reserves the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.

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The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, and veteran status. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to University policy.