Psychology (BA/BS)
Ulrich Mayr, Department Head
541-346-4921
Straub Hall
1227 University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1227
From cognitive and developmental psychology to practices in clinical psychology and psychopathology, the UO’s Department of Psychology immerses you in the study of the human mind and behavior. All students collaborate on research as part of their academic sequence and many gain additional research experience in department labs. You will learn strong critical thinking skills and how to evaluate and convey evidence. Develop your skills in real-world settings with student-run peer programs, internships at local clinics, shelters, hospitals, and justice centers.
We are a community of scientists including faculty and postdoctoral scholars engaged in cutting-edge research. The psychology major will expose you to basic concepts, theories, findings, and ethical issues in multiple areas: social, personality and psychopathology, developmental, cognitive and experimental, and biological and physiological psychology.
Upon completing their training, UO psychology majors should have a broad knowledge of psychology, including basic statistical techniques and ethical issues, and be skilled at reading, evaluating, and communicating about the primary scientific literature in psychology.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Identify major theories, research findings, and methodological approaches in a variety of key content areas including, for example, cognition, neuroscience, development, social behavior, personality, and psychopathology and mental health; and apply research findings to human behavior in everyday life.
- Find relevant articles in the primary psychological literature on a given topic, identify key research questions and hypotheses in scientific articles, and critically evaluate the research design and the quality of evidence presented.
- Choose appropriate basic statistical analysis techniques for a specific research question and set of data, complete basic data analyses, and summarize the results in an APA-style report.
- Communicate clearly and effectively about psychological topics, including methodological and ethical issues in psychology, based on an understanding of both the strengths and limitations of empirical evidence.
To satisfy major requirements students take a total of 68 credits. Of those credits, 56 credits in psychology courses are required, 48 of which must be upper-division, and 16 of which must be taken in residence at the University of Oregon. Mind and Brain (PSY 201) and Mind and Society (PSY 202) must be taken for letter grades and passed with grades of mid-C or better. All other required courses must be taken for letter grades and passed with grades of C– or better, although elective psychology courses may be taken pass/no pass. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 in psychology coursework is required.
Psychology Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Introductory Prerequisite Courses | ||
WR 121Z | Composition I | 4 |
WR 122Z | Composition II (WR 123 recommended) | 4 |
or WR 123 | College Composition III | |
PSY 201 | Mind and Brain | 4 |
PSY 202 | Mind and Society | 4 |
STAT 243Z | Elementary Statistics I | 4 |
Methods Foundations Courses | ||
PSY 301 | Scientific Thinking in Psychology | 4 |
PSY 302 | Statistical Methods in Psychology | 4 |
PSY 303 | Research Methods in Psychology: [Topic] | 4 |
300-Level Core Courses | 12 | |
Select three of the following, one of which must be PSY 304 or PSY 305: | ||
Biopsychology | ||
Cognition | ||
Social Psychology | ||
Personality | ||
Developmental Psychology | ||
Psychopathology 1 | ||
400-Level Specialty Courses | 12 | |
Select three of the following: | ||
Psychology and Law | ||
Learning and Memory | ||
Human Performance | ||
Perception | ||
Brain Mechanisms of Behavior | ||
Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
Hormones and Behavior | ||
Group Dynamics | ||
Decision-Making | ||
Cultural Psychology | ||
Motivation and Emotion | ||
Psychology of Trauma | ||
Intimate Relationships | ||
Cognitive Development | ||
PSY 476 | ||
Social Development | ||
Infancy | ||
Development and Psychopathology | ||
Upper-Division Elective Courses 2 | 12 | |
Total Credits | 68 |
1 | or OXEU 388: PSY: Psychopathology |
2 | Students must take 12 upper-division psychology elective credits, 8 of which must be actual content courses. A maximum of 4 credits in Research: [Topic] (PSY 401) or Practicum: [Topic] (PSY 406) may be applied to the upper-division credits. Practicum credits must be earned at a practicum site approved by the head undergraduate faculty advisor. |
Honors Curriculum
Students with excellent records who plan to pursue a career in psychology may consider applying to the departmental honors program upon completion of PSY 303. The honors program centers on an independent research project, which the student develops and carries out under the supervision of a departmental committee. Information about admission criteria and how to apply is available online.
Four-Year Degree Plan
The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
First-Year Interest Group or elective course | 4 | ||
First-Year Interest Group or arts and letters group-satisfying curse | 4 | ||
PSY 202 | Mind and Society | 4 | |
First term of first-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Begin taking your second language in your first or second year | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 201 | Mind and Brain | 4 | |
WR 121Z | Composition I | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Second term of first-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Meet with a psychology advisor to discuss your academic goals | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
Social science group-satisfying course (or PSY 202) | 4 | ||
WR 123 | College Composition III | 4 | |
Science group-satisfying course (or STAT 243Z) | 4 | ||
Third term of first-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Plan your summer experience | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |
Second Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
PSY 301 | Scientific Thinking in Psychology | 4 | |
STAT 243Z | Elementary Statistics I | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
First term of second-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Consider studying abroad | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 302 | Statistical Methods in Psychology | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Social science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Second term of second-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Consider doing an internship for the major | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
PSY 303 | Research Methods in Psychology: [Topic] | 4 | |
Science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Multicultural course | 4 | ||
Third term of second-year second-language sequence | 4 | ||
Talk to a psychology advisor about your career plans | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |
Third Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
Choose from PSY 306-309 | 4 | ||
PSY 304 or PSY 305 |
Biopsychology or Cognition |
4 | |
PSY 401 or PSY 409 |
Research: [Topic] or Terminal Project |
1-4 | |
Elective course | 4 | ||
If you are considering graduate school, take 300-level CORE courses in your intended field of study, take the GRE, look up possible schools | |||
Credits | 13-16 | ||
Winter | |||
Choose from PSY 304-309 | 4 | ||
Science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
Social science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
PSY 400-level core course or multicultural course | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 45-48 |
Fourth Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
Upper-division elective with PSY subject code | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Meet with an advisor early to make a graduation plan | |||
Apply to graduate schools or look for work after graduation | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
Upper-division elective course with PSY subject code | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
Upper-division elective course with PSY subject code | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Apply to graduate on DuckWeb the term you complete all requirements | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
First-Year Interest Group or elective course | 4 | ||
First-Year Interest Group or arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
PSY 202 | Mind and Society | 4 | |
Elective course | 4 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 201 | Mind and Brain | 4 | |
WR 121Z | Composition I | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Elective course | 4 | ||
Meet with a psychology advisor to discuss your academic goals. | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
Social science group-satisfying course (or PSY 202) | 4 | ||
WR 123 | College Composition III | 4 | |
Science group-satisfying course or STAT 243Z | 4 | ||
Elective course | 4 | ||
Plan your summer experience | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |
Second Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
PSY 301 | Scientific Thinking in Psychology | 4 | |
STAT 243Z | Elementary Statistics I | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Elective course | 4 | ||
Consider studying abroad | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 302 | Statistical Methods in Psychology | 4 | |
Arts and letters group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Social science Group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Mathematics course | 4 | ||
Consider doing an internship for the major | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
PSY 303 | Research Methods in Psychology: [Topic] | 4 | |
Science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Multicultural course | 4 | ||
Mathematics course | 4 | ||
Talk to a psychology advisor about your career plans | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |
Third Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
Choose from PSY 306-309 | 4 | ||
PSY 304 or PSY 305 |
Biopsychology or Cognition |
4 | |
PSY 401 or PSY 409 |
Research: [Topic] or Terminal Project |
1-4 | |
Elective course | 4 | ||
Begin working in a research lab or doing an internship | |||
If you are considering graduate school, take 300-level CORE courses in your intended field of study, take the GRE, and look up possible schools | |||
Credits | 13-16 | ||
Winter | |||
Choose from PSY 304-309 | 4 | ||
Science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
Social science group-satisfying course | 4 | ||
PSY 400-level core course or multicultural course | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 45-48 |
Fourth Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Milestones | Credits | |
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
PSY 300-400 level elective | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Meet with an advisor early to make a graduation plan | |||
Apply to graduate schools or look for work after graduation | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Winter | |||
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
Upper-division elective course with PSY subject code | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Credits | 16 | ||
Spring | |||
PSY 400-level core course | 4 | ||
Upper-division elective course with PSY subject code | 4 | ||
Elective courses | 8 | ||
Apply to graduate on DuckWeb the term you complete all requirements | |||
Credits | 16 | ||
Total Credits | 48 |