The undergraduate major in Psychology can be declared following completion of General Psychology. At least four semesters are normally required to complete the program of courses required for the major. The program is built around a set of core courses in Statistics, Research Methodology, Physiological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Foundations of Modern Psychology, and the Seminar in Professional Development.
In addition, elective courses such as Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Personality, Perception, Human Factors, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Animal Learning and Cognition are offered routinely.
Special topics courses, such as Psychology of Women, Positive Psychology, Health Psychology, The Self, Forensic Psychology, Moral Psychology and Values, and Critique of ESP are frequently available. While our program is designed to offer broad training in the foundations of modern psychology, the wide range of elective courses, including opportunities for involvement in research and internships, allows students a range of choices that permits them to tailor the program to their interests and to fit their plans for post-graduate education and/or employment.
The major in
psychology at Villanova is very rigorous and time consuming. Considerable demands are made upon the students' time to complete lab projects, reading assignments, computer assignments, writing assignments, etc. Students should expect to devote at least an additional 2-3 hours per course credit per week to their studies in psychology.
This works out to 6-9 hours (not including class time) per week per course. Freshman and sophomores who contemplate majoring in psychology may begin the major early by taking PSY 1000, plus any elective courses for which PSY 1000 is the only prerequisite. Because of course prerequisites, students should expect that completion of the major will require four semesters after the formal declaration of the major.
Major Requirements
A major in psychology requires 11 courses (31 credits):
- PSY 1000 - General Psychology
- PSY 4000 - Intro Statistics
- PSY 4050 - Research Methods in Psy
- PSY 4100 - Foundations of Modern Psych
or
PSY 4125 - Contemporary Issues in Psych
- PSY 4150 - Sem Professional Development
- PSY 4200 - Physiological Psychology
- PSY 4500 - Cognitive Psychology
- Four psychology elective courses (12 credits)
Courses graded Satisfactory/Unsatistactory (S/U) cannot be used as psychology electives to satisfy the major; S/U courses can only be used as liberal arts general electives.
Both PSY 4050 - Research Methods in Psy and PSY 4500 - Cognitive Psychology count as Writing Intensive courses for the liberal arts curriculum. PSY 4050 - Research Methods in Psy also fills the liberal arts Core Research Requirement.
Either PSY 4100 - Foundations of Modern Psych or PSY 4125 - Contemporary Issues in Psych is taken during the senior year.
Recommended for Majors
- PSY 5900 - Undergraduate Research is highly recommended for students wishing to pursue graduate work in psychology.
- PSY 2993 - Psychology Internship is recommended for students who wish to gain real-world experience working in psychology. Internships usually involve a one-year commitment (fall and spring semesters) during the senior year.