USF 2005-2006 Undergraduate Catalog - Pages 108-109
Course Descriptions - Faculty - Printable Degree Requirements
Psychology involves the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Because of this focus, psychology is relevant to many other areas of study both inside and outside of the social and behavioral sciences. The undergraduate program in Psychology offers the student a well-rounded liberal arts education. In addition, the program provides excellent training for qualified students who wish to pursue graduate work in such disciplines as Clinical, Cognitive and Neural Sciences or Industrial Psychology, Education, Gerontology, Counseling, Management, Medicine, Law, and other human service programs. The undergraduate major emphasizes the breadth of psychology while allowing the student some electives to pursue in depth a particular aspect of the field. Interested undergraduate majors may apply for admission to a concentration in Applied Behavioral Analysis, or to the Honors Program. The graduate faculty of the Psychology Department are divided into three broad program areas: Clinical, Cognitive and Neural Sciences, and Industrial/Organizational. Each of these program areas offers Ph.D.-level training as well as instruction at the undergraduate level.
Prerequisites (State Mandated Common Prerequisites)
Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university. If students transfer with fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.
The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.
Students should complete the following prerequisite courses listed below at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at the community college, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of “C” is the minimum acceptable grade.
Majors must complete at least 34 semester hours in the field. A minimum grade of “C-” or better must be attained in each course in the major, except for PSY 3204 (or other qualifying statistics course) and PSY 3213, where a C or better is required. Although a C- is allowable for individual courses, a major GPA of 2.0 minimum is required for graduation. All majors must complete:
Requirements for Psychology Majors
and one of the following:
CLP 4433 Tests and Measures
PSY 4205 Experimental Design and Analysis
or another methods course approved by the undergraduate advisor in Psychology.
Group I
EXP 4204C Perception
EXP 4404 Psychology of Learning
PSB 4013C Physiological Psychology
EXP 4304 Motivation
EXP 4523C Cognitive Psychology
Group II
CLP 4143 Abnormal Psychology
INP 4004 Industrial Psychology
SOP 4004 Social Psychology
DEP 4005 Developmental Psychology
PPE 4004 Personality
and any 3 additional courses numbered at the 4000 level.
Note: No more than a total of 3 hours of the following courses may count toward the major:
Statistics and Biological Science are required. Otherwise, students majoring in psychology are encouraged to complete a varied undergraduate program.
A prerequisite for all 4000-level courses is a grade of “C” or better in both PSY 3204 (or other qualifying statistics course) and PSY 3213, not “C-”. For students minoring in Psychology, a grade of “C” or better in any college-level statistics course will substitute for the PSY 3213.
For students majoring in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, any college-level statistics course with a grade of “C” or better may serve as prerequisite for 4000 level courses in Psychology but does not substitute for the PSY 3213 requirement.
A minor in Psychology consists of a minimum of 15 credit hours, comprising PSY 2012, and any four 4000-level psychology courses except PSY 4913. Students minoring in Psychology must also obtain a “C” or better in any college level statistics course in lieu of PSY 3213, or must complete PSY 3213 with a “C” or better. A GPA of 2.0 or better in the minor is required for certification. The purpose of the minor is to help students majoring in other disciplines to obtain an appropriate psychology background that will complement their work in their major. See the Psychology Department Undergraduate Advisor for suggested minor programs for students majoring in various fields.
Undergraduate majors working toward the B.A. in psychology may complete a structured sequence of coursework and practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis. Students are admitted to the program in the junior or senior year, after completing EXP 4404, Psychology of Learning and CLP 4414, Behavior Modification with a grade of B or better. Admission requirements further include a minimum overall USF GPA of 3.0 or better, GPA of 3.2 for Psychology coursework, completion of at least 75 hours, and three letters of recommendation. Admissions are made in the fall of each academic year. Successful completion of the concentration prepares students for employment opportunities in a variety of settings, for advanced study in Applied Behavior Analysis, and eligibility for completion of the Florida Certification Examination for Associate Behavior Analysis. Detailed information regarding the program and the admission process may be obtained from the undergraduate advisor or the program secretary.
The purpose of the Honors Program is to provide a select group of undergraduate Psychology majors an opportunity to undertake an intensive individualized research experience. The culmination of the Honors Program is the completion and defense of an honors thesis. Application for the program will take place during the second semester of the student’s junior year or, typically, prior to completion of 90 semester credits. Admission to the program is competitive and based on the student’s overall academic record, performance in psychology courses, and a letter of recommendation from a member of the Psychology Department faculty. Successful completion of the program requires a GPA of 3.5 in major coursework, an overall GPA of 3.25 at USF, and, typically, completion of 43 hours in Psychology including PSY 4932, Honors Seminar (6) and PSY 4970, Honors Thesis (6). See the Psychology Department Undergraduate Advisor for details of the program and an application form.
Please send questions or comments to:
Karen M. Hall - webcat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 2005
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0506/psych.htm