Undergraduate Program
The
Department of Psychology offers students the opportunity to
gain an understanding of the many diverse and fascinating aspects
of the human mind through instruction that is designed to acquaint
students with psychology as a social science. Students majoring
in psychology learn how people develop in childhood and in adolescence,
how they think and remember, and how they interact with other
people.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY
(For
Students entering 2004 or later)
Psychology
majors must complete a minimum of 34 hours in psychology
courses. Psychology majors must accumulate a minimum grade
point average of 2.0 in their psychology courses.
A. Students
must pass each of the following required courses with a grade
of C- or better.
PSY 100
General Psychology
PSY 241 Statistics in Psychology
PSY 245 Principles of Psychological Research
PSY 470 History and Systems of Psychology
Either
PSY 491 Senior Seminar in Psychology
Or
PSY 494 Senior Research Project
(PSY 491 or PSY 494 meet Writing
Intensive and Capstone requirements)
B. Students must pass with a C- or better one course
from each of the following four groups:
Abnormal/Social
PSY 212 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 230 Social Psychology
Developmental Psychology
PSY 223 Psychology of Childhood
PSY 224 Psychology of Adolescence
Biological
Psychology
PSY 266 Evolutionary Psychology
PSY 365 Biopsychology & Behavioral
Neuroscience
Cognitive
Psychology
PSY 350 Cognition
PSY 361 Sensation & Perception
C.
Students must declare one of the following three concentrations:
Abnormal/Social, Developmental, or Biological/Cognitive. To
fulfill the concentration, students must take three courses
in their chosen area and pass each with a C- or better;
at least one of these courses must be at the 400 level;
note that some of these courses also satisfy the Area requirements
above:
Abnormal/Social:
PSY
208 Theories of Personality,
PSY 212 Abnormal
Psychology,
PSY 230 Social Psychology,
PSY
251 Psychology of Motivation,
PSY 401 Health
Psychology,
PSY 412 Foundations of Clinical
Psychology,
PSY 424 Abnormal Child Psychology,
PSY 430 Current Topics in Social Psychology
Developmental:
PSY
223 Psychology of Childhood,
PSY 224 Psychology
of Adolescence,
PSY 226 Parenting,
PSY
320 Child Study Laboratory I,
PSY 321 Child
Study Laboratory II,
PSY 325 Psychology
of Infant Development,
PSY 423 The Psychology of Parenting
PSY 424 Abnormal
Child Psychology,
PSY 425 Social Issues
in Developmental Psychology,
PSY 427 Emotional
Development
Biological/Cognitive:
PSY
266 Evolutionary Psychology,
PSY 325 Psychology
of Infant Development,
PSY 350 Cognitive
Psychology,
PSY 352 Learning Across Species,
PSY
361 Sensation and Perception,
PSY 365 Biological
Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience,
PSY 401 Health
Psychology,
PSY 465 Hormones, Brain, and
Behavior,
PSY 466 Cognitive Neuroscience
D.
Students are required to pass (with any passing grade)
either BIO 100 (Basic Biology) or BIO 222 (Biology: The
Living Science). Note that BIO 100 is a prerequisite
to all additional biology courses, while BIO 222 is intended
for non-BIO majors, and does not serve as a prerequisite
for additional study in biology.
While
majors may take more than 34 hours of psychology courses,
students are reminded that they must take at least 72 hours
of non-psychology coursework for graduation.
Students
who transfer from other institutions must take a minimum
of 24 hours of psychology courses at the University of Maine.
Students must pass PSY 241 and
PSY 245 with a C- or better as a prerequisite to enrolling in
all 300- and 400-level psychology courses (exceptions can be
made by instructors).
About
PSY 494 (Senior Research Project)
PSY 494 (Senior
Research Project) is one option students have for completing
the General Education requirements of (1) the senior capstone
course and (2) the writing intensive course within the major.
(The other option is PSY 491, Senior Seminar). Students who
elect to take PSY 494 are required to take at least 3 credits
of PSY 494. However, students can take PSY 494 for up to 6 credits.
Often, research projects take more than 1 semester to complete.
Therefore, students have the option of registering for PSY 494
across 2 semesters, and students can decide, in consultation
with their research mentor and academic advisor, how many credits
(1 to 3) they want to take each semester. Students who elect
to do PSY 494 conduct their own independent research under the
mentorship of a faculty research advisor. Students are expected
to have worked in the lab of their research mentor (e.g., PSY
492) prior to taking PSY 494 so that they can become familiar
with the relevant research literature, methodology, etc. Students
must have the permission of a faculty research mentor in order
to register for PSY494. While taking PSY 494, students design
their own study, collect and analyze the data, and write a research
paper (introduction, method, results, discussion). PSY 494 students
are also highly encouraged to present their projects on posters
at the Department of Psychology’s annual Undergraduate
Research Fair, held in April.
Psychology
Department Goals for the Psychology Major
As set forth by the guidelines proposed by the American Psychological
Association for designing effective undergraduate curriculum
in the field of Psychology, the psychology major in the Maine
Psychology Department is intended to meet the following goals:
1. Theory and Content of Psychology. Students
will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical
perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2. Research Methods in Psychology. Students
will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology,
including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
3. Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology.
Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking,
skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the scientific approach
to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
4. Application of Psychology. Students will
understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social,
and organizational issues.
5. Values in Psychology. Students will be able
to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect
other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.
6. Information and Technological Literacy.
Students will demonstrate information competence and the ability
to use computers and other technology for many purposes.
7. Communications Skills. Students will be
able to communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
8. Sociocultural and International Awareness.
Students will recognize, understand, and respect the complexity
of sociocultural and international diversity.
9. Personal Development. Students will develop
insight into their own and others’ behavior and mental
processes and apply effective strategies for self-management
and self-improvement.
10. Career Planning and Development. Students
will emerge from the major with realistic ideas about how to
implement their psychological knowledge, skills, and values
in occupational pursuits in a variety of settings.
Neuroscience
minor
Students
can minor in neuroscience which is a minor that involves boty
Psychology and The Biological Sciences. See the Department of
Biological Sciences for Details.
