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Psychology is the science of behavior and the mind. The study of psychology provides an understanding of basic processes of sensation, perception, learning, cognition, development, and personality along with principles of social psychology, clinical psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. Knowledge of psychological principles and of scientific methods for evaluating theories and research in the social sciences is essential in our rapidly changing society. A wealth of information about psychology, careers, and UB's psychology department can be found at The B. S.
degree program in Psychology provides a challenging major that includes a strong science-oriented training component. The basic goal is to provide a degree program that emphasizes the scientific foundation of psychology along with a strong basic science background to better prepare students for advanced training in psychology, medicine, cognitive science, neuroscience, and other related disciplines. The B. S. degree program is explicitly aimed at helping to prepare students for advanced graduate study in the sciences and science-based professions. An example would be students interested in a Pre-med program that provides them with both a major in psychology and the background in science (biology, chemistry, mathematics) that is essential to being accepted into medical school.
Furthermore, even if students do not continue their education at the graduate level, the background in science and mathematics that is part of this degree program provides students with both knowledge and skills that broaden their career opportunities. The faculty in our Department of Psychology look for this same background in applicants to our graduate programs in Behavioral Neuroscience, some aspects of Clinical Psychology, and Cognitive Psychology. Students who have earned the B. S. in Psychology are also likely to be perceived as more attractive applicants for graduate programs at other colleges and universities. Students who earn a B.
S. in psychology are well-prepared for graduate study in psychology and related mental health fields, graduate study in medicine, education, law, or business, and other careers that require a good understanding of individual behavior and interpersonal relations. Two excellent resources for current, detailed career information are: There are many fine career possibilities, including: Behavioral Neuroscience -- Clinical Psychologist -- Cognitive Psychologist -- College or University Professor -- Dentistry -- Government Programs and Agencies -- Hospitals and Mental Health facilities -- Industrial Management / Business -- Law School -- Medical School -- Neuroscience -- Psychiatry -- Research Psychologist -- School Psychologist -- Science-based Professions. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2. 5 in five prerequisite courses before full acceptance: PSY 101 Introductory Psychology, PSY 207 Psychological Statistics, PSY 250 Scientific Inquiry in Psychology, and a two-course mathematics sequence which may be fulfilled with, for example, MTH 121 - 122 (Survey of Calculus and Its Applications I-II) or MTH 141 - 142 (College Calculus I-II). 400 -level courses are open only to psychology majors, and so students are advised to apply early for acceptance into the major, preferably while enrolled in PSY 250. Acceptance decisions can then be made contingent upon completion of PSY 250, and registration in upper-level courses is facilitated. Students who have completed 60 credits but have not completed the prerequisite courses or have not achieved the minimum GPA of 2. 5 may be provisionally accepted.
Deadlines: Rolling Minimum required GPA: 2. 0 overall, and 2. 5 or better in the prerequisite courses Transfer students who bring psychology coursework to UB must meet the same criteria for acceptance into the department as students who start at UB. Prior courses taken in statistics, research methods, and upper-level psychology courses must be evaluated and approved by the department. A minimum of three upper-level psychology courses must be taken at UB. BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology CHE 101 - 102 General Chemistry or CHE 105 - 106 Chemistry: Principles and Applications MTH 121 - 122 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications I-II or MTH 141 - 142 College Calculus I-II PSY 101 Introductory Psychology PSY 207 Psychological Statistics PSY 250 Scientific Inquiry in Psychology PSY 322 Abnormal Personality PSY 343 Sensory Processes and Perception PSY 341 Cognitive Psychology PSY 351 Bio psychology In addition to the five prerequisite courses, nine additional courses are required for the B. S.
degree in psychology, and at least four of these courses must be at the 300 -level, one from each of the four substantive areas - Clinical, Social, Cognitive, and Behavioral Neuroscience. A minimum of five courses must be taken at the 400 -level or graduate level (500 -level and above, taken with special permission as part of the undergraduate program), including PSY 450 Advanced Research Methods in Psychology. At least two of the 400 -level courses must be chosen from the list of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Courses. In addition, the requirements for the B. S. in Psychology include a year of chemistry (CHE 101 - 102 General Chemistry or CHE 105 - 106 Chemistry: Principles and Applications) and BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology...
The Department of Psychology Honors Program is open to a limited number of seniors with a GPA of 3. 0 both overall and in psychology. The yearlong program involves developing and executing an original research project under faculty supervision. This program is particularly helpful for students who plan to pursue graduate study in psychology or related disciplines. Many opportunities are available for undergraduates to become involved in research in psychology with department faculty and graduate students, primarily through PSY 499 Independent Study. PSY 499 is available to students who have completed PSY 207 Psychological Statistics and PSY 250 Scientific Inquiry.
Independent study allows students to pursue a program of study and general experience, for a semester or longer, that is not available through regularly scheduled courses. Enrolling requires permission of a faculty sponsor. The Undergraduate Psychology Association (UPA) is open to all students. Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology, is open to psychology majors who have a minimum GPA of 3. 1 overall and 3. 4 in psychology courses. These organizations sponsor guest speakers on topics of interest to psychology students, workshops on topics such as applying to graduate schools, social activities for students and faculty, travel to regional and national psychology conferences, and an undergraduate graduation ceremony. Academic advisors frequently struggle with the question of which undergraduate psychology courses their students should take when preparing for graduate school.
In a world of finite credits and time, the chorus of "Which course, which course?" from both inquiring students and curriculum committees demands crisp answers. Although graduate programs will differ slightly in the courses they prefer students to have taken prior to admission, aren't there some "core" courses that nearly all require? This article responds to this pressing question by summarizing the answers provided by 559 departments and 2, 023 graduate psychology programs in the United States and Canada. Our study analyzed all the numerical data in the 1994 edition of the Graduate Study in Psychology (American Psychological Association, 1994), which reports information from the 1992 - 93 academic year. Details and limitations of the study are presented in our lengthy American Psychologist article (Norcross, Hanych, & Terranova, 1996). The aim of this brief article, and the other two in this series, is to highlight information from our study that will enhance informed and data-based decisions on the part of graduate applicants and their academic advisors.
Directors of graduate programs reported their psychology admission prerequisites by specifying a minimum number of psychology credits, specific psychology courses, an undergraduate psychology major, or some combination thereof. Ninety-one percent of the programs (1, 854 of 2, 023) contributed such information; we were unable to determine whether the remaining nine percent of graduate programs had no prerequisites or simply failed to provide the requested information... Overall, master's programs and doctoral programs required very similar types of undergraduate preparation. The sole exception was that doctoral programs were more likely to require an undergraduate psychology major than were master's programs (16 % versus 11 %). Approximately one half of the graduate programs required specific psychology courses, and approximately one third required specific psychology courses plus a minimum number of credits in psychology.
The minimum number of psychology credits averaged 16 for both master's and doctoral programs (median and mode = 15). The psychology courses most frequently required (first column of numbers), preferred (second column), and required or preferred (third column) for graduate admission into those programs listing all such courses. (Introduction to Psychology was presumed to be a prerequisite for these advanced psychology courses and was therefore omitted from the analyses. ) As seen in this table, statistics and research methods / experimental design courses were the most common. In descending order of frequency, other commonly required courses were abnormal, personality, developmental, testing, learning, lab course, physiological, history and systems, social, cognitive, and sensation and perception. Bear in mind that these figures underestimate the true percentage of programs requiring these courses since they do not include those graduate programs requiring a psychology major as a prerequisite and thus probably requiring most of the courses. No other psychology course was required or preferred for graduate admission by even 1 % of the programs.
In sum: Graduate admission will typically require, at a minimum, the equivalent of a rigorous minor in psychology, one that certainly includes courses in statistics and experimental / research methods and one that probably includes a smattering of courses from abnormal, developmental, personality, learning, physiological, and social psychology. Completing these courses to satisfy graduate admission requirements is only the first step. If at all possible, you should complete more than the minimum required courses both to meet admissions criteria and to improve your GRE Psychology Test score. Doctoral programs typically require more courses on average than do master's programs (Smith, 1985). The safest plan, of course, is to complete a rigorous undergraduate major in psychology to satisfy all these courses, but a well-planned minor in psychology may suffice.
Beyond these psychology classes, what other undergraduate courses might an academic advisor recommend for graduate school preparation? Our literature review (Norcross, Sayette, & Mayne, 1996) identified the following consensual tips: Computer science courses. Not only will these courses accustom you to the workings of computers, which are standard research fare, but they will also serve as a springboard for learning the upper level languages used for data analysis. Computer proficiency is rated a moderately important admission variable by doctoral programs (Eddy, Lloyd, & Lubin, 1987). A broad undergraduate background in the arts and sciences. Biological sciences, math competency, and verbal skills are highly valued (Keith-Spiegel, 1991).
Public speaking courses. If you are anxious or phobic regarding oral presentations, then by all means complete a public speaking course. Composition and writing courses. You may well face three or four major papers each semester in graduate school. Get ready now! Advanced or graduate statistics course.
Statistical acumen is highly regarded, especially in research-oriented programs, and advanced knowledge may pave the way for funding as a graduate assistant or research assistant. A related suggestion would be to take a course specifically focused on one of the data analysis programs. Learning one of the major statistical packages -- Statistical Analysis System (SAS), Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), or BioMedical Data Package (BMDP), for example -- is a definite advantage. Learning about psychology and achieving good grades are important components of your undergraduate career. But courses are also important in that they provide you with the opportunity to become acquainted with and form relationships with faculty. Why meet faculty in terms of the graduate school application process?
There are at least three compelling reasons. First, having a mentor to advise you in your growth as a future psychologist is invaluable. When you apply to graduate school, having a professor to guide you through the process is one of the biggest advantages you can have. Second, you will eventually need faculty to write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Whether you are applying to graduate school or for employment, everyone wants a few references regarding your performance and responsibility. Occasionally faculty members are asked to write a letter for a pupil who has taken a lecture course with 100 or more students -- the professor may not even know the student until the time the student requests a letter!
It makes a huge difference if you have spent some office hours or time after class with a faculty member, and he or she knows you more personally. And third, once you get to know professors, you may have the opportunity to work for them on a research project or as part of clinical activities. You will be working closely with your major professor in graduate school, and you might as well begin as soon as possible as a colleague-in-training. All this is to say that, beyond completing and excelling in your undergraduate courses expected by graduate schools, simultaneously consider the coursework as an unparalleled opportunity to cultivate a warm and working relationship with your professor-mentor.
References American Psychological Association. (1994). Graduate study in psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Eddy, B. , Lloyd, P.
J. , & Lubin, B. (1987). Enhancing application to doctoral programs: Suggestions from a national survey. Teaching of Psychology, 14, 160 - 163. Keith-Spiegel, P. (1991). The complete guide to graduate school admission. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Norcross, J. C. , Hanych, J. M. , & Terranova, R. D. (1996).
Graduate study in psychology: 1992 - 1993. American Psychologist, 51, 631 - 643. Norcross, J. C. , Mayne, T. J. , & Sayette, M. A. (1996).
Insider's guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology. New York: Guilford Press. Smith, R. A. (1985). Advising beginning psychology majors for graduate school.
Teaching of Psychology, 12, 194 - 198.
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Research essay sample on American Psychological Association Cognitive Psychology
