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2016-2017 University Catalog
Psychology, BA
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Banner Code: LA-BA-PSYC
Web: psychology.gmu.edu
College: College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department: Psychology
For policies governing all undergraduate degrees, see Academic Policies .
This undergraduate program offers students the option of applying to the accelerated master’s degree program in psychology (CBNR concentration) . See listing for specific requirements.
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Degree Requirements
Students must fulfill all requirements for bachelor’s degrees , including Mason Core . Students pursuing a BA in psychology must complete additional college requirements for BA degrees in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students pursuing this degree must complete 36 credits within the major, with 24 credits at the 300 and 400 level.
Students may choose to complete a concentration in forensic psychology, human factors and applied cognition, work and organizational psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, or health psychology. Courses required for a concentration may simultaneously satisfy other degree requirements. The concentrations in forensic psychology, human factors and applied cognition, and work and organizational psychology meet the applied psychology requirement.
Basic courses in psychology (22-28 credits)
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 in these courses with a minimum grade of 1.67 (C-) in each one. Courses taken to fulfill these requirements may simultaneously satisfy a concentration.
One introductory course (3 credits)
Three or four foundational courses (9 or 12 credits)
Two research methods courses (7 credits)
One or two courses in biopsychology (3 or 6 credits)
Only students who receive transfer credit for PSYC 372 may use it in place of PSYC 375 as the prerequisite for PSYC 376 . Students taking PSYC 372 at Mason may not use it in place of PSYC 375. Notes
Students are strongly encouraged to complete PSYC 300 and PSYC 301 by their junior year. PSYC 300 is a prerequisite to several courses, and a background in research methods facilitates understanding empirical research discussed in all psychology courses.
It is strongly recommended that students fulfill the Mason Core natural science requirement by completing BIOL 103 and BIOL 104 because these courses are prerequisites to the requirement of PSYC 372 or PSYC 375 and PSYC 376 . Applied psychology courses or optional concentration
Students pursuing a BA in psychology complete two applied psychology courses chosen from the list below.
Alternatively, students may earn a concentration in forensic psychology, human factors and applied psychology, or work and organizational psychology to satisfy this requirement.
Two courses in applied psychology (6-7 credits)
Students pursuing the BA without concentration take 6-7 credits chosen from the list below.
Concentrations Meeting Applied Psychology Requirement (12-18 credits)
Students may satisfy the applied psychology requirement by completing a concentration in forensic psychology, human factors and applied cognition, or work and organizational psychology.
▲ Concentration in Forensic Psychology (FPSY)
Students pursuing the concentration in forensic psychology take 18 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Specific requirements for the concentration are listed below.
Four required courses (12 credits)
Two courses (6 credits) chosen from:
▲ Concentration in Human Factors and Applied Cognition (HF)
Students pursuing the BA with concentration in human factors and applied cognition take 12-13 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Students who successfully complete the Psychology Department Honors Program (PSYC 490 , PSYC 491 , and PSYC 492 ) with an honors thesis/project focused on human factors or applied cognition may, with approval of their thesis committees and the associate chair for undergraduate studies, substitute their honors work for one course in the concentration.
Two required courses (6 credits)
Two courses (6-7 credits) chosen from:
▲ Concentration in Work and Organizational Psychology (WKOP)
Students pursuing the BS with concentration take 12-13 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Students who successfully complete the Psychology Department Honors Program (PSYC 490 , PSYC 491 , and PSYC 492 ) with an honors thesis/project focused on I/O psychology may, with approval of their thesis committees and the associate chair for undergraduate studies, substitute the honors work for one course in the concentration.
Specific requirements for the concentration are listed below.
One required applied psychology course (3 credits)
Three courses (9-10 credits) chosen from:
Other concentrations
Students may choose to complete a concentration in developmental psychology, educational psychology, or health psychology.
▲ Concentration in Developmental Psychology (DVLP)
The concentration in developmental psychology may be of interest to students who are planning to attend graduate school in developmental psychology or a related field, such as human development and family studies, school psychology, or clinical child psychology. Students who are considering a career in school psychology or education may also find this concentration advantageous.
Students pursuing the BA with this concentration take 12 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Students who successfully complete the Psychology Department Honors Program (PSYC 490 , 491 , and 492 ) with an honors thesis/project focused on developmental psychology may, with approval of their thesis committees and the associate chair for undergraduate studies, substitute their honors work for one course in the concentration.
Students can receive the concentration in developmental psychology by completing the following:
Two required courses (6 credits)
Two courses (6 credits) chosen from:
▲ Concentration in Educational Psychology (EPSY)
Students pursuing the BA with concentration in educational psychology take 12 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Two required educational psychology courses (6 credits)
Two courses (6 credits) chosen from:
▲ Concentration in Health Psychology (HPSY)
Students pursuing the BA with concentration in health psychology take 12 credits. Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all course work applied to the concentration.
Students who successfully complete the Psychology Department Honors Program (PSYC 490 , 491 , and 492 ) with an honors thesis/project focused on health or well-being may, with approval of their thesis committees and the associate chair for undergraduate studies, substitute their honors work for one course in the concentration.
Specific requirements for the concentration are listed below.
One required well-being course (3 credits)
Three courses (9 credits) chosen from:
Elective courses in psychology (1-8)
Students complete the 36 required credits with electives in psychology (PSYC) with the following restrictions.
- A maximum of 6 credits of PSYC 327 and PSYC 328 may be applied to required psychology credits.
- A maximum of 6 credits of PSYC 260 , PSYC 350 , and PSYC 460 may be applied to required psychology credits.
- No more than 9 credits of PSYC 327 , 328 , 260 , 350 , and 460 can be taken without written permission of the department chair.
- No more than 6 credits of D may be applied toward this requirement.
PSYC 465 is strongly recommended for all students who plan to attend graduate school in psychology.
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated “writing intensive” in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in psychology may fulfill this requirement by successfully completing PSYC 301 , PSYC 304 , or PSYC 309 . Students who receive transfer credit for a research methods course must take PSYC 304 or PSYC 309 unless the transfer course has been approved as writing intensive.
Note:
Students who have limited technology skills are encouraged to take IT 104 .
Mason Core (40 credits)
Note: some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.
Expand each item below for a link to specific course lists for each category.
Foundation Requirements (15-19 credits)
Core Requirements (22 credits)
Synthesis/Capstone Requirement (minimum 3 credits)
College Level Requirements for the BA degree
In addition to the Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the course work below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).
Philosophy or religious studies (3 credits)
Fulfilled by any course in philosophy or religious studies (PHIL, RELI) except for PHIL 323 , 324 , 327 , 393 , 460 . PHIL 253 and RELI 235 cannot be used to fulfill both the philosophy/religious studies requirement and the Mason Core literature requirement.
Social and behavioral science (3 credits)
3 credits in addition to the university-wide requirement in social and behavioral science for a total of 6 credits. The two courses used to fulfill the combined college and university requirements must be from different disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. This requirement may be fulfilled by completing any course in ANTH, CRIM, ECON, GOVT, HIST (except 100 or 125), LING, PSYC, or SOCI and these courses in GGS: 101 , 103 , 110 , 301 , 303 , 304 , 305 , 306 , 315 , 316 , 320 , 325 , 330 , 357 , 380 .
Non-Western culture (3 credits)
3 credits of an approved course in the study of a non-Western culture in addition to the course used to fulfill the Mason Core requirement in global understanding. A course used to fulfill the Mason Core global understanding requirement may not be simultaneously used to satisfy this college-level requirement. A course used to fulfill this requirement may be used simultaneously to fulfill any other requirements (Mason Core requirements, college-level requirements, or requirements for the major). Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
Electives
Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.
Degree Total: Minimum 120 credits
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