Interim Chair
Sarah Karalunas, Ph.D.
352 Marley Educational Building
315-443-2354
psychology@syr.edu
Faculty
Kevin Antshel, Sara E. Burke, Catherine A. Cornwell, Daniel Corral, Amy H. Criss, Joseph W. Ditre, Katie Duchscherer, Tanya L. Eckert, Les A. Gellis, Brett K. Jakubiak, Jessie Joyce, Michael L. Kalish, Afton Kapuscinski, Sarah Karalunas, David Kellen, Katie Kidwell, Lynn Lohnas, Laura V. Machia, Meredith Martin, Leonard S. Newman, Jeewon Oh, Aesoon Park, Natalie Russo, Lael J. Schooler, Bradley Seymour, Linda Sun, Shannon M. Sweeney, Peter A. Vanable, Zahra Vahedi, Sarah Woolf-King, Michelle Zaso, and Jeffrey C. Zemla
Description
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. Professional psychologists may be researchers investigating behavior and/or practitioners, applying their knowledge and skills to individual and social problems.
The Psychology Department offers several options for students. These include a Bachelor of Arts major (B.A.), a Bachelor of Science major (B.S.), and a minor. Students planning to pursue a career in which a background in psychology is useful, such as business, communications, or social services, will find the B.A. degree to be an appropriate track. These students are encouraged to pursue experiences through part-time work or internships in their area of interest. Students interested in pursuing professional careers in psychology, social work, or other professional fields such as law will need to attend graduate school and obtain an advanced degree. These students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor for advice on whether the B.A. or B.S. degree is most appropriate to meet their long-term goals. All students are encouraged to utilize the career resources available in the Department of Psychology, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the University to learn about opportunities and prepare strategies to meet their goals.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Degree
Program Requirements
The B.A. requires a minimum of 30 credits in psychology (PSY) courses, 18 of which must be numbered 300 or above. Only PSY courses count toward the 30 required credits. Students must earn a grade point average of at least a 2.0 in all upper-division Psychology (PSY) courses taken at Syracuse University and counted towards the completion of the major (see MySlice for the GPA calculator). No more than three credits of PSY 270 Experience Credit or PSY 470 Experience Credit (Experience Credit) may be counted toward the major. A course may be used to satisfy only one requirement.
Petitions
Students interested in taking a psychology class at another institution and transferring it to Syracuse University to count toward either the major or minor should discuss the process with his/her academic advisor. An electronic petition form must be completed. Be sure to include all identifying information, such as your name and SU ID number, in the appropriate fields.
Prior to enrolling in the course, email the form and a copy of the course syllabus to the psychology department’s inbox at psyundergrad@syr.edu. Petitions may take up to two weeks for review. Winter intersession classes are generally not accepted as transfer credit. PSY 213 Introduction to Research Methodology and PSY 252 Statistical Methods II must be taken on SU main campus, petitions will not be accepted for these classes. Advanced electives must be taken at Syracuse University SU main campus, petitions will not be accepted for this requirement.
Students should plan their program of study in consultation with their academic advisor in order to ensure timely completion of degree requirements.
Foundations
Students must complete 6 courses that establish the foundation for the study of psychological science. PSY 205 Foundations of Human Behavior (or the honors equivalent, PSY 209 Foundations of Human Behavior/ Honors Section) is a prerequisite for most PSY courses. We recommend that students take PSY 213 Introduction to Research Methodology early in the major.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| |
| PSY 205 | Foundations of Human Behavior | 3 |
| or PSY 209 | Foundations of Human Behavior/ Honors Section |
| PSY 213 | Introduction to Research Methodology | 3 |
| PSY 322 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 335 | Psychology of Childhood | 3 |
| PSY 374 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 395 | Mental Health Disorders | 3 |
| 6 |
| Elementary Probability and Statistics I | |
| Research in Psychology I | |
| Probability and Statistics for the Liberal Arts I | |
| Statistical Methods II | |
| Life Sciences Calculus I | |
| Statistical Methods II | |
| Calculus I | |
| Statistical Methods II | |
| 3 |
| Laboratory in Sensation and Perception | |
| Experiments in Cognitive Psychology | |
| Laboratory in Developmental Biopsychology | |
| Human Memory | |
| The Social Psychology of Stigma | |
| Laboratory in Health Psychology | |
| Close Relationships | |
| Introduction to Clinical Psychology | |
| The Psychology of Decision Making | |
| Using Robots to Understand the Mind | |
| Social Dilemmas | |
| Internships in Clinical Psychology | |
| Psychology of Film | |
| Alcohol Use and Abuse | |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | |
| Laboratory in Child Psychology | |
| Laboratory in Social Psychology: Advanced Research Methods and Practice | |
| Autism | |
| Laboratory in Forensic Psychology | |
| 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
Distinction Program
Program faculty will invite majors who meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the Distinction Program. The Distinction Program offers an enhanced research and mentoring experience. Distinction candidates must, at the time of graduation, have a GPA of at least 3.6 in Psychology courses and 3.4 overall. They must also complete two required psychology distinction courses (PSY 497 Distinction in Psychology I and PSY 498 Distinction in Psychology II). In addition, they will conduct faculty-sponsored empirical or theoretical research using real or simulated data on a topic that is appropriate for psychology journals. Distinction candidates must write a research paper in a style appropriate for psychology journals and receive approval of their final document from their faculty sponsor and one faculty reader. The Distinction Program provides scholars the skills and support needed to produce a project suitable for presentation at an academic conference or for publication in a psychology journal.
College of Arts and Sciences Requirements
For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major (30 credits) that are listed above.
Dual Enrollments:
Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.
*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.
Undergraduate University Requirements
The following requirements and experiences apply to all Syracuse University Undergraduate matriculated degree programs.
