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Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements PSYBS
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology is designed for students desiring a career in industry or research. In addition to the broad coverage of modern psychology and the strategies and methods by which scientific knowledge is acquired in this field, the program emphasizes broad preparation in sciences and the development of math and computer skills. The B.S. degree program also requires more advanced courses and laboratory work in psychology than the B.A. program. B.S. psychology students are strongly encouraged to develop a concentration or specialization in the field as well as to get actively involved in research, thereby affording them the background and skills to be competitive for demanding graduate programs or employment in such fields as health care, medicine, business, and education. The student who graduates with a B.S. in psychology should be well prepared for graduate training in psychology and related fields, for professional schools, and for jobs (not necessarily in psychology) that use scientific training and quantitative techniques.

Requirements

The major requires at least 36 credit hours (approximately 72–76 credit hours with the Additional Requirements), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Entry-level sequences. One of the following entry-level sequences:
    • Two (2) courses:
      • PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences
      • PSY-P 211 Methods of Experimental Psychology
    • Three (3) courses:
      • PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I
      • PSY-P 102 Introductory Psychology II
      • PSY-P 211 Methods of Experimental Psychology
  2. Career Planning Sequence. Complete one (1) course from each module of the Career Planning Sequence.
    1. Careers Module 1. One (1) course:
      • PSY-C 109 Careers Module 1 - Welcome to PBS
    2. Careers Module 2. One (1) course:
      • PSY-C 209 Careers Module 2 - Self Exploration
    3. Careers Module 3. One (1) course:
      • PSY-C 309 Careers Module 3 - Practical High Gear Exploration
  3. Statistics. One (1) course:
    • PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques
    • PSY-K 310 Statistical Techniques
    • ANTH-A 306 Anthropological Statistics
    • CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis
    • ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics
    • ECON-S 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics: Honors
    • LAMP-L 316 Junior Seminar: Analytical Problem Solving
    • MATH-M 365 Introduction to Probability and Statistics
    • POLS-Y 395 Quantitative Political Analysis
    • SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
    • STAT-K 310 Statistical Techniques
    • STAT-S 300 Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods
    • STAT-S 301 Applied Statistical Methods for Business
    • STAT-S 303 Applied Statistical Methods for the Life Sciences
    • EDUC-Y 402 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR BEHAVIORAL AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
    • SPEA-K 300 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES
    • SPH-Q 381 INTRODUCTION TO BIOSTATISTICS
  4. Social Psychology. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 304 Social Psychology and Individual Differences
  5. Cognitive Psychology. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology
  6. Neuroscience. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 326 Behavioral Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 346 Neuroscience
  7. Advanced course. Three (3) courses:
    • PSY-P 337 Clinical Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 349 Cognitive Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
    • PSY-P 366 Consumer Psychology
    • PSY-P 386 Social Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 405 Elementary Mathematical Psychology
    • PSY-P 406 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
    • PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function
    • PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
    • PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory
    • PSY-P 416 Evolution and Ecology of Learning
    • PSY-P 423 Human Neuropsychology
    • PSY-P 425 Behavior Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
    • PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
    • PSY-P 434 Community Psychology
    • PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
    • PSY-P 438 Language and Cognition
    • PSY-P 440 Topics in Cognitive Psychology
    • PSY-P 441 Neuropsychology of Language
    • PSY-P 442 Infant Development
    • PSY-P 443 Cognitive Development
    • PSY-P 444 Scientific Writing in the Psychological and Brain Sciences
    • PSY-P 446 Group Processes
    • PSY-P 447 Social Influence Processes
    • PSY-P 448 Social Judgment and Person Perception
    • PSY-P 449 Social Psychology of Public Opinion
    • PSY-P 452 Psychology in the Business Environment
    • PSY-P 453 Decision-making and the Brain
    • PSY-P 455 The Role of Psychology in Legal Doctrine
    • PSY-P 456
    • PSY-P 457 Topics in Psychology
    • PSY-P 459 History and Systems of Psychology
    • PSY-P 460 The Psychology of Women
    • PSY-P 461 Human Memory
    • PSY-P 466 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
    • PSY-P 467 Diseases of the Nervous System
    • PSY-P 469 Stress Effects on Brain and Behavior
    • PSY-P 470 Molecular Methods in Neuroscience Research
    • PSY-P 475 Evidence-based Clinical Science
    • PSY-P 478 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination
    • PSY-P 482 Biobehavioral Processes in Substance Use Disorders
    • PSY-P 484 The Science of Moral Judgment
    • PSY-Y 408 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 412 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 413 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 414 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 415 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 419 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 488 The Science Behind Brain Development and Function
    • PSY-Y 427 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • BIOL-L 423 Brain, Behavior and Evolution
    • BIOL-Z 460 Animal Behavior when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • BIOL-Z 463 Comparative Neurobiology of Animal Behavior
    • HPSC-X 424 Neuropsychological Pathography
    • ENGR-E 399 TOPICS IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS ENGINEERING when taken Summer 2024 or later
  8. Capstone. Two (2) courses:
    • PSY-P 404 Computer and Statistical Models in Psychology
    • PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
    • PSY-P 424 Laboratory in Sensation and Perception
    • PSY-P 426 Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 429 Laboratory in Developmental Psychology
    • PSY-P 433 Laboratory in Neuroimaging Methods
    • PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition
    • PSY-P 457 Topics in Psychology (Approved topics: "APPLICATIONS OF LEARNING SCIENCE TO THE CLASSROOM" (TPC 157); "COG DEV: TRANSLATING THEORY TO PRACTICE" (TPC 145); "HUMAN SEXUALITY RESEARCH" (TPC 320); "INTRO TO MATLAB CODING FOR PSYCH BRAIN SCIENCES" (TPC 154); "LAB IN COGNITIVE NEURO" (TPC 347); "LABORATORY IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY" (TPC 155); "NETWORK SCIENCE IN THE COG AND PSYCH SCIENCES" (TPC 336) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "PSY INTERVENTIONS & EVALUATION" (TPC 107); "PSYCHOLOGY IN EDUCATION" (TPC 179) when taken Summer 2024 or later; "RESEARCH & APP OF SLEEP & CIRCADIAN SCIENCE" (TPC 150); "THERAPEUTIC INTRVNTNS-EARLY CHLDHD BEHAVIOR PRBLMS" (TPC 137))
    • PSY-P 472 Laboratory in Brain Electrical Activity
    • PSY-P 473 Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 474 Psychology of Adolescent Girls
    • PSY-P 480 Psychotherapy: Empirically Supported Treatments
    • PSY-P 483 Clinical Supervision and Skill Acquisition
    • PSY-P 499 Honors Thesis Research
    • PSY-X 370 Real-World Program Evaluation: Applying Psychology Research to Service Learning
    • PSY-X 498 Capstone Supervised Research
    • PSY-Y 403 when taken Summer 2024 or later
  9. Additional Requirements*.
    1. Mathematics. Two (2) course from the Mathematics list or an approved equivalent (any 200–499 level or higher course with an "M" prefix).
      • Both of the following:
        • MATH-D 116 Introduction to Finite Mathematics I
        • MATH-D 117 Introduction to Finite Mathematics II
      • MATH-J 113 Introduction to Calculus with Applications
      • MATH-M 106 The Mathematics of Decision and Beauty
      • MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics
      • MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus I
      • MATH-M 120 Brief Survey of Calculus II
      • MATH-S 118 Honors Finite Mathematics
      • MATH-M 211 Calculus I
      • MATH-M 212 Calculus II
      • MATH-M 301 Linear Algebra and Applications
      • MATH-M 303 Linear Algebra for Undergraduates
      • MATH-M 311 Calculus III
      • MATH-M 312 Calculus IV
      • MATH-M 321 Intuitive Topology
      • MATH-M 330 Exploring Mathematical Ideas
      • MATH-M 343 Introduction to Differential Equations with Applications I
      • MATH-M 344 Introduction to Differential Equations with Applications II
      • MATH-M 348 Discrete Mathematical Models
      • MATH-M 353 Discrete Mathematics
      • MATH-M 365 Introduction to Probability and Statistics
      • MATH-M 371 Elementary Computational Methods
      • MATH-M 380 History of Mathematics
      • MATH-M 384 Logic
      • MATH-M 385 Mathematics from Language
      • MATH-M 391 Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning
      • MATH-M 403 Introduction to Modern Algebra I
      • MATH-M 404 Introduction to Modern Algebra II
      • MATH-M 405 Number Theory
      • MATH-M 409 Linear Transformations
      • MATH-M 413 Introduction to Analysis I
      • MATH-M 414 Introduction to Analysis II
      • MATH-M 415 Elementary Complex Variables with Applications
      • MATH-M 420 Metric Space Topology
      • MATH-M 435 Introduction to Differential Geometry
      • MATH-M 436 Introduction to Geometries
      • MATH-M 441 Introduction to Partial Differential Equations with Applications I
      • MATH-M 442 Introduction to Partial Differential Equations with Applications II
      • MATH-M 447 Mathematical Models and Applications I
      • MATH-M 451 The Mathematics of Finance
      • MATH-M 453 Cryptography
      • MATH-M 463 Introduction to Probability Theory I
      • MATH-M 464 Introduction to Probability Theory II
      • MATH-M 466 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
      • MATH-M 471 Numerical Analysis I
      • MATH-M 472 Numerical Analysis II
      • MATH-M 482 Modal Logic
      • MATH-M 490 Problem Seminar
      • MATH-S 211 Honors Calculus I
      • MATH-S 212 Honors Calculus II
      • MATH-V 118 Finite Mathematics with Applications
      • MATH-V 119 Applied Brief Calculus I
      • Course approved by director of undergraduate studies.
    2. Social and Historical Studies. Three (3) courses that carry CASE S&H credit outside of psychology department.
    3. Biology Lecture. One (1) course:
      • BIOL-L 112 Foundations of Biology: Biological Mechanisms
      • BIOL-H 111 Integrated Freshman Learning Experience I
    4. Biology Laboratory. One (1) course:
      • BIOL-L 113 Biology Laboratory
      • BIOL-H 112 Integrated Freshman Learning Experience II
      • BIOL-X 150 ASURE Biology Research Lab 1
    5. Natural and Mathematical Sciences. one of the following combinations:
      • Additional Mathematics. Two additional mathematics courses beyond the two courses listed above
      • Physics.
        1. Physics I. One (1) course:
          • PHYS-P 201 General Physics I
          • PHYS-P 221 Physics I
          • PHYS-H 221 Honors Physics I
        2. Physics II. One (1) course:
          • PHYS-P 202 General Physics II
          • PHYS-P 222 Physics II
          • PHYS-H 222 Honors Physics II
      • Chemistry. One (1) of the following Chemistry options.
        • Option 1
          • All of the following:
            • CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I
            • CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory I
            • CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry II
            • CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory II
        • Option 2
          • One (1) course from the Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lecture list:
            • CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I
            • CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I
            • CHEM-H 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I, Honors
            • CHEM-J 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry for Science Majors
          • One (1) course from the Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lab list:
            • CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry I
            • CHEM-C 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory
            • CHEM-H 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory, Honors
            • CHEM-X 150 ASURE Chemistry Research Lab I
          • One of the following:
            • CHEM-C 103 Introduction to Chemical Principles
            • CHEM-C 341 Organic Chemistry I Lectures
            • CHEM-R 340 Survey of Organic Chemistry
            • CHEM-S 341 Organic Chemistry I Lectures, Honors
      • Additional Biology. One additional course in biology for majors (such as BIOL-L 111 or BIOL-L 211) and one other course from the mathematics, physics, and chemistry courses listed above. ANAT-A 215 may substitute for the biology course.
    6. Outside Focal Area. A single outside focal area is required of all majors in psychology. The outside focal area must consist of 12 credit hours at any level or of three courses at the 200–499 level, taken in one department. The following disciplines are examples of outside concentrations chosen by psychology majors: animal behavior, anthropology, biology, business, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, criminal justice, foreign languages, gender studies, history and philosophy of science and medicine, human development and family studies, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, or sociology. Students can fulfill this requirement by completing an optional minor, offered by many departments. (See individual departments' sections in this Bulletin for specific required courses.)
  10. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    3. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    4. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    5. Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.