Psychology, B.A./B.S
The Major in Psychology
Overview
Psychology is a discipline that embraces both biological and social sciences. It is a science concerned with establishing principles and laws regarding the ways in which people think and behave through the scientific study of human behavior.
The orientation of the Carnegie Mellon Psychology curriculum is toward developing highly skilled and knowledgeable graduates. About half of our graduates go on to graduate or professional school. The remainder seek to expand their problem-oriented analytic skills to qualify themselves for job opportunities beyond those typically open to liberal arts students. Using the outcomes tool created by CMU's Career & Professional Development Center, students have the opportunity to explore where some of our recent graduates have accepted employment and their positions.
Majors in the department are expected not only to learn about findings already established by psychologists, but also to become proficient in the investigation and analysis of behavior. This includes observing behavior, formulating hypotheses, designing experiments to test these hypotheses, running experiments, performing statistical analysis, and writing reports. The department has many resources for students to use in acquiring these skills. For instance, students interested in child development may be involved in the child development laboratory and observational facilities which are a part of the Carnegie Mellon Children's School which operates under the department's aegis. Students interested in health or clinical psychology might have opportunities to do internships in applied settings, and all Psychology majors have access to extensive computer facilities for data analysis and simulation work. The department also has a state of the art set of undergraduate research laboratories and computer clusters, and through the Scientific Imaging & Brain Research Center, a magnet is in use for conducting brain imaging studies using fMRI.
In addition to formal class work, students are encouraged to participate in research projects where they may register and receive credit for freshmen research experience course 85-198 Research Training: Psychology, Fall research experience in 85-507 Research in Psychology or Spring research experience in 85-508 Research in Psychology. In the research in psychology course, the student may work on an ongoing research projects or develop and carry out a new research project with a faculty member. To compliment students research experience, the department requires 85-509 Research in Psychology Practicum, a 1 unit, pass/fail course which provides students with an opportunity to frame their research experience in a broader professional and scholastic perspective. More information on research labs that are recruiting can be found here.
There is university and departmental funding available to help support student-initiated research projects and student travel to present research results at scientific meetings and conferences. In the Readings courses, the student reads extensively on a particular topic. The faculty member and student meet to discuss the readings, and the student writes a paper on the topic selected. The Psychology Department Website, provides descriptions of faculty research interests that the student can use in determining who should be approached to supervise a particular research or reading project.
Students interested in gaining field work experience via a number of internship opportunities available to them can receive credit through 85-503 Internship in Psychology, 85-590 Internship in Clinical Psychology or 85-530 Practicum in Developmental Psychology. Clinical internships are available with a variety of clinical settings where students get first-hand experience with different clinical populations. Developmental Practicum experience is available in the department-run CMU Children's School.
As a note, students who completed psychology courses under the old numbering system will still have those courses count towards the requirements previously specified.
If you would like to learn more about the B.A. and B.S. in Psychology, please reach out to Lauren McCarthy laurenmc@andrew.cmu.edu for more information.
Curriculum
Mathematics10 units
| Units | ||
| 21-090 | Precalculus | 10 |
| or 21-111 | Differential Calculus | |
| or 21-112 | Integral Calculus | |
| or 21-120 | Differential and Integral Calculus | |
- *
Please see mathematics placement policy.
Statistics Sequence9 units
| 36-309 | Experimental Design for Behavioral & Social Sciences | 9 |
| or 85-309 | Statistical Concepts and Methods for Behavioral and Social Science | |
Psychology Surveys27 units
| 85-100 | Introduction to Psychology * | 9 |
| Survey Courses - Complete Two | Units | |
| 85-110 | Cognitive Psychology | 9 |
| 85-130 | Developmental Psychology | 9 |
| 85-150 | Social Psychology | 9 |
| 85-170 | Foundations of Brain and Behavior | 9 |
| 85-190 | Psychopathology | 9 |
- *
85-100 Introduction to Psychology cannot be substituted; AP credit does not count towards this requirement
Introduction to Research Methods9 units
| 85-300 | Introduction to Research Methods | 9 |
Advanced Research Methods12 units
| Take one advanced research methods: | ||
| 85-302 | Research Methods: Meta-Analysis | 9 |
| 85-310 | Research Methods in Cognitive Psychology | 9 |
| 85-370 | Cognitive Neuropsychology Research Methods | 9 |
| 85-320 | Research Methods in Developmental Psychology | 9 |
| 85-330 | Developmental Research Methods or 85-303 | 9 |
| 85-350 | Social Research Methods | 12 |
Advanced Courses18 units
Advanced psychology courses exist within four areas (cognitive, cognitive neuroscience, developmental, social and health psychology.) Any upper-level Psychology course 85-400 thru 85-499 will count towards this requirement.
Practical Application9 units
These courses offer students hands-on experience applying psychological principles in real-world settings such as research labs, schools, clinical settings, and community organizations. Must receive a B or higher in the course.
| 85-198 | Research Training: Psychology | 9 |
| 85-501 | Teaching Assistantship | Var. |
| 85-503 | Internship in Psychology | Var. |
| 85-507 | Research in Psychology Fall course number | Var. |
| 85-508 | Research in Psychology Spring course number | Var. |
| 85-601 | Senior Thesis | 9 |
| 66-501 | H&SS Senior Honors Thesis I | 9 |
| 85-530 | Practicum in Developmental Psychology | Var. |
| 85-590 | Internship in Clinical Psychology | Var. |
| 99-270 | Summer Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship | 9 |
Breadth9 units
| Additional courses may be approved upon request | ||
| 85-105 | Hack Your Life | 9 |
| 85-106 | Animal Minds | 9 |
| 85-107 | The Psychology of Video Games | 9 |
| 85-117 | Changing your brain | 9 |
| 85-251 | Personality or 85-151 starting Summer 26 | 9 |
| 85-213 | Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
Computer Science Requirement10 units
| 15-110 | Principles of Computing | 10 |
| or 88-300 | Programming and Data Analysis for Social Scientists | |
| or 15-112 | Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science | |
| or 15-104 | Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice | |
Natural Science Requirement, B.A./B.S.18 units/27 units
NOTE: B.A. students take two courses in the natural sciences courses (18 units) while B.S. degree take three natural sciences courses (27 units)
These courses can be selected from the following areas:
- 03-XXX Biology*
- 09-XXX Chemistry
- 33-XXX Physics
- *
Given the growing relevance of biology to psychology, it is strongly recommended to take a course in Biological Sciences
Concentrations within the Psychology Major
Students who wish to focus their Psychology program on a specific area can do so by the careful selection of a Psychology concentration which allows for focusing on an area of interest. Concentrations are a required part of the B.A. and B.S. in Psychology.
Please reach out to Lauren McCarthy laurenmc@andrew.cmu.edu to declare the concentration. The declared concentration will appear in Stellic. The completion of a concentration will be recognized in the Psychology Graduation Program.
Learning and Development
| Survey: | 85-130 Developmental Psychology |
| Research Methods: | 85-320 Research Methods in Developmental Psychology |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | See list in Stellic |
| Application: | 85-530 Practicum in Developmental Psychology or 85-501 Teaching Assistantship |
Health Psychology
| Survey: | 85-170 Foundations of Brain and Behavior or 85-150 Social Psychology |
| Research Methods: | 85-350 Research Methods in Social Psychology or 85-314 Cognitive Neuroscience Research Methods |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | 85-454 Health Psychology |
| Application: | 85-507 Research in Psychology/85-508 Research in Psychology, 85-601 Senior Thesis, 85-501 Teaching Assistantship, 85-503 Internship in Psychology |
Cognitive Psychology
| Survey: | 85-110 Cognitive Psychology |
| Research Methods: | 85-310 Research Methods in Cognitive Psychology |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | See list in Stellic |
| Application: | 85-507 Research in Psychology/85-508 Research in Psychology, 85-601 Senior Thesis, 85-501 Teaching Assistantship, 85-503 Internship in Psychology |
Social Psychology
| Survey: | 85-150 Social Psychology |
| Research Methods: | 85-350 Research Methods in Social Psychology |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | See list in Stellic |
| Application: | 85-507 Research in Psychology/85-508 Research in Psychology, 85-601 Senior Thesis, 85-501 Teaching Assistantship, 85-503 Internship in Psychology |
Clinical/Counseling Psychology
| Survey: | 85-190 Psychopathology |
| Research Methods: | 85-320 Research Methods in Developmental Psychology or 85-350 Research Methods in Social Psychology |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | See list in Stellic |
| Application: | 85-590 Internship in Clinical Psychology |
Cognitive Neuroscience
| Survey: | 85-110 Cognitive Psychology or 85-170 Foundations of Brain and Behavior |
| Research Methods: | 85-370 Cognitive Neuropsychology Research Methods |
| Advanced Psychology Course: | 85-472 Cognitive Neuropsychology |
| Application: | 85-507 Research in Psychology/85-508 Research in Psychology, 85-601 Senior Thesis, 85-501 Teaching Assistantship, 85-503 Internship in Psychology |
Additional Major in Psychology
In order to complete an additional major in Psychology, a student must fulfill all of the Psychology major requirements within the department -- in other words, introduction to psychology and survey course requirement, computing requirement, two research methods courses, and two advanced courses. These courses must include at least 81 units, plus calculus prerequisites and the 36-200 statistics course or equivalent and 36-309/85-309 . In addition, psychology additional major candidates must complete two science courses.