Psychology - Undergraduate Programs
Academic Advising: 320/321 Life Science Bldg. · 817-272-0858
Overview
The Department of Psychology offers two programs of study leading to the bachelor's degree. It also offers courses of interest to the general public.
The Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology is for those who wish to obtain a broad liberal arts education with a concentration in psychology. It is also a preparation for graduate studies in psychology and many other fields.
The Bachelor of Science degree in psychology is intended for those students preparing for work and study in fields requiring more mathematics and sciences. It is also suitable for pre-medical and pre-dental students. Students preparing for study in the health professions including medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, optometry, occupational therapy, and veterinary medicine should also be advised by the Health Professions Advisor in, Room 107 A, Life Science Building in order to meet the requirements of the corresponding professional schools.
Courses of general interest to the academic community include the following, which have no prerequisites:
| PSYC 1315 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 2317 | BASIC CONCEPTS IN HUMAN SEXUALITY | 3 |
| PSYC 3301 | PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN RELATIONS | 3 |
| PSYC 3302 | BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 3303 | DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| PSYC 4350 | SPORT PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
Acceptance Requirements for a Major in Psychology
Students who wish to apply for major status in psychology must first meet the University and College of Science requirements for admission to major status and the specific requirements of the Department of Psychology listed below.
Overall and Psychology GPA of at least 2.25. Completed PSYC 2443 and PSYC 2444 with a C or better in each course. Students currently enrolled at the University may qualify to change their major to psychology by meeting the requirements listed above depending on their current status. Starting Fall 2018 students may not enroll in PSYC 2443 or 2444 more than 3 times. If a student reaches their 3rd attempt they will have to change their major.
Academic Probation (College of Science): Majors whose overall GPA or GPA in major courses falls below 2.25 will be placed on probation and must consult with the Department Advisor prior to enrolling in additional courses.
Admission to Upper-Level Laboratory Courses:
To enroll in the Advanced Topic courses1 the student must make a C or better in both PSYC 2443 and PSYC 2444 or equivalent courses and must have completed the associated upper-division lecture course.
| 1 | Advanced Topic courses: PSYC 4410, PSYC 4411, PSYC 4412, PSYC 4420, PSYC 4421, PSYC 4430, PSYC 4431. |
Distinguished Scholars in Psychology
The Department of Psychology offers a Distinguished Scholars program in psychology. This program is intended to provide students with the opportunity for intellectual and professional development that will take them beyond the requirements of the basic B.A. or B.S. degrees. Thus, the program serves to promote and acknowledge the special achievements of participating students.
To qualify, the student must have completed 30 hours with a grade point average of 3.0 or better in residence at UT Arlington, including 10 hours in psychology, with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 or better. The student does background reading and designs a study with a faculty sponsor in PSYC 4361, then performs the research project and writes an honors thesis in PSYC 4398. In most cases, the six hours of Distinguished Scholar credit will not increase the total hours necessary to complete the B.A. or B.S. degree.
Qualified students or students who believe they may qualify should contact the undergraduate advisor as soon as possible after completing PSYC 2444.
Requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology
The requirements to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology can be achieved through degree plans under any one of the two options (i.e., Option 1-BS in Psychology with a minor, Option 2- BS in Psychology with an Emphasis in General Psychology). Before choosing a degree program under one of these options, please consult with the psychology undergraduate advisor. Click here for a sample degree plan: BS_DEGREE_PLAN.xlsx
| Pre-Professional Courses | ||
| General Core Requirements | 42 | |
| RECOMMENDED CORE REQUIREMENTS | ||
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II | 3 |
| Creative Arts 1 | 3 | |
| POLS 2311 | GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES (or any three hours meeting the legislative requirement) | 3 |
| POLS 2312 | STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (or any three hours meeting the legislative requirement) | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy and Culture 1 | 3 | |
| MATH 1421 | PREPARATION FOR CALCULUS 2 | 4 |
| MATH 1426 | CALCULUS I 2 | 4 |
| Life and Physical Science | ||
| BIOL 1441 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BIOL 1442 | EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY | 4 |
| Social/Behavioral Science 1 | 3 | |
| HIST 1301 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 1865 TO PRESENT | 3 |
| Foundational Component Area 1 | 3 | |
| Program Requirements | ||
| Select one of the following in computer literacy: | 0-3 | |
| COMPUTER LITERACY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO M.I.S. AND DATA PROCESSING | ||
Or any equivalent course | ||
Or passing the university computer proficiency test 4 | ||
| Select one of the following in oral communication competency: | 3 | |
| FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
| BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
Or an equivalent three hour course approved by the Undergraduate Advisor | ||
| Courses from the Cultural Studies List 2,3 | 6 | |
| Need a total of 15-16 hours in Life & Physical Sciences including the 8 hours from the biology sequence. Select one of the following sequences, or seven additional hours in biology for science majors courses. | 7-8 | |
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and GENERAL CHEMISTRY II | ||
| EARTH SYSTEMS and EARTH HISTORY | ||
| GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I and GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS II | ||
| GENERAL TECHNICAL PHYSICS I and GENERAL TECHNICAL PHYSICS II | ||
| Professional Programs | ||
| Major | ||
| PSYC 1315 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| UNIV 1131 | STUDENT SUCCESS | 1 |
| PSYC 2443 | RESEARCH DESIGN & STATISTICS I | 4 |
| PSYC 2444 | RESEARCH DESIGN & STATISTICS II | 4 |
| Required Core Lectures | ||
| PSYC 3315 | SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 3322 | BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| PSYC 3334 | COGNITIVE PROCESSES | 3 |
| Lecture Groups | ||
| Select one three-hour lecture course from each of the Groups I, II, and III; plus one three-hour course from either Group I, II, or III: | 12 | |
Group I | ||
| DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADULTHOOD AND AGING | ||
| SOCIAL & PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT | ||
| CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF ADOLESCENCE | ||
Group II | ||
| ANALYSIS & MANAGEMENT OF BEHAVIOR | ||
| BEHAVIOR AND MOTIVATION | ||
| ANIMAL BEHAVIOR | ||
| EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF NEUROSCIENCE | ||
| NEUROPHARMACOLOGY | ||
| DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY | ||
| BEHAVIORAL GENETICS | ||
| ANIMAL LEARNING AND COGNITION | ||
Group III | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| BEHAVIOR THERAPY | ||
| THEORIES OF HUMAN LEARNING AND MEMORY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND CHOICE | ||
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| Advanced Topics Course | ||
| Select one four-hour advanced topics course from either Group I, II, or III: | 4 | |
Group I | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN PERSONALITY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
Group II | ||
| EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN NEUROSCIENCE | ||
Group III | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN CLINICAL COUNSELING | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN HEALTH | ||
| Minor or Emphasis | ||
| Either a minor of 18 hours in a discipline other than psychology or an Emphasis in Psychology, which consists of 18 hours of upper level Psychology course work, is required. (See below) | 18 | |
| Electives | ||
| Sufficient hours to complete the total required for the degree. | ||
| Total | ||
| 120 hours, of which at least 36 hours must be 3000/4000-level. | ||
| 1 | See/degreerequirements/generalcorerequirements/ for approved courses. |
| 2 | Prerequisites may add hours to the total required for the degree. |
| 3 |
Emphasis in General Psychology
| Any psychology 3000 or 4000 level coursework | 18 | |
| A total of 6 hours of research/ readings credit and honor's thesis may be applied to the emphasis. | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Suggested Course Distribution for Bachelor of Science Degree with Minor 1
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| UNIV 1131 | 1 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | MATH 1426 | 4 |
| MATH 1421 | 4 | BIOL 1442 | 4 |
| PSYC 1315 | 3 | Computer Competency | 3 |
| BIOL 1441 | 4 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| PSYC 2443 | 4 | PSYC 2444 | 4 |
| Life & Physical Science2 | 4 | Life & Physical Science2 | 3-4 |
| POLS 2311 | 3 | POLS 2312 | 3 |
| Creative Arts | 3 | Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 13-14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| PSYC 3315 | 3 | PSYC 3334 | 3 |
| PSYC 3322 | 3 | Psychology Lecture Group I | 3 |
| Advanced Topics Course | 4 | Advanced Psychology Emphasis Lecture or Course for Minor | 3 |
| Modern Language III or substitution | 3 | Modern Language IV or substitution | 3 |
| Advanced Electives | 1-2 | Foundational Component Area | 3 |
| 14-15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Lecture Group II | 3 | Psychology Lecture Group III | 3 |
| Advanced Psychology, Emphasis Lecture or Courses for Minor (3 courses) | 9 | Advanced Psychology Emphasis Lecture or Courses for Minor (2 courses) | 6 |
| Advanced Psychology from Lecture Group I,II or III | 3 | COMS 2302 | 3 |
| Advanced General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours: 121-123 | |||
| 1 | These are suggestions only. See your academic advisor for an actual degree worksheet. |
| 2 | See catalog for acceptable courses. |
Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology
The requirements to receive a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology can be achieved through degree plans under one of the two options (i.e., Option 1-BA in Psychology with a minor, Option 2- BA in Psychology with an Emphasis in General Psychology). Before choosing a degree program under one of these options, please consult with the psychology undergraduate advisor. Click here for a sample degree plan: BA_DEGREE_PLAN.xlsx
| Pre-Professional Courses | ||
| General Core Requirements | 42 | |
| RECOMMENDED CORE REQUIREMENTS | ||
| ENGL 1301 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I | 3 |
| ENGL 1302 | RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II | 3 |
| Creative Arts 1 | 3 | |
| POLS 2311 | GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES (or any three hours meeting the legislative requirement) | 3 |
| POLS 2312 | STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (or any three hours meeting the legislative requirement) | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy and Culture 1 | 3 | |
| MATH 1302 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA 2 | 3 |
| or MATH 1315 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA FOR ECONOMICS & BUSINESS ANALYSIS | |
| MATH 1308 | ELEMENTARY STATISTICAL ANALYSIS | 3 |
| Life & Physical Science | ||
| BIOL 1333 & BIOL 1334 | DISCOVERING BIOLOGY: MOLECULES, CELLS AND DISEASE and LIFE ON EARTH: EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY AND GLOBAL CHANGE | 6 |
| or | ||
| BIOL 1441 & BIOL 1442 | CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY and EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY | 8 |
| Social/Behavioral Science 1 | 3 | |
| HIST 1301 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 1865 TO PRESENT | 3 |
| Foundational Component Area 1 | 3 | |
| Program Requirements | ||
| 14 hours in a single modern or classical language or eight hours in a language plus six hours of designated courses 1,2 | 14 | |
| Select one of the following in computer literacy: | 0-3 | |
| COMPUTER LITERACY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO M.I.S. AND DATA PROCESSING | ||
Or any equivalent course | ||
Or by the University computer proficiency test 3 | ||
| Select one of the following in oral communication: | 3 | |
| FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING | ||
| BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING | ||
Or an equivalent three hour course approved by the Undergraduate Advisor | ||
| Need a total of 11 hours in Life & Physical Sciences. including the 6-8 hours from the biology sequence, approved by the Undergraduate Advisor. | 3-5 | |
| Professional Courses | ||
| Major | ||
| PSYC 1315 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| UNIV 1131 | STUDENT SUCCESS | 1 |
| PSYC 2443 | RESEARCH DESIGN & STATISTICS I | 4 |
| PSYC 2444 | RESEARCH DESIGN & STATISTICS II | 4 |
| Required Core Lectures | ||
| PSYC 3315 | SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 3322 | BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| PSYC 3334 | COGNITIVE PROCESSES | 3 |
| Lecture Groups | ||
| Select one three-hour lecture course from each of the Groups I, II, and III: | 9 | |
Group I | ||
| DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADULTHOOD AND AGING | ||
| SOCIAL & PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT | ||
| CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF ADOLESCENCE | ||
Group II | ||
| ANALYSIS & MANAGEMENT OF BEHAVIOR | ||
| BEHAVIOR AND MOTIVATION | ||
| ANIMAL BEHAVIOR | ||
| EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF NEUROSCIENCE | ||
| NEUROPHARMACOLOGY | ||
| DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY | ||
| BEHAVIORAL GENETICS | ||
| ANIMAL LEARNING AND COGNITION | ||
Group III | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| BEHAVIOR THERAPY | ||
| THEORIES OF HUMAN LEARNING AND MEMORY | ||
| COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT | ||
| COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND CHOICE | ||
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| Advanced Topics course | ||
| Select one four-hour advanced topics course from either Group I, II, or III: | 4 | |
Group I | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN PERSONALITY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
Group II | ||
| EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN NEUROSCIENCE | ||
Group III | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN CLINICAL COUNSELING | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN HEALTH | ||
| Minor or Emphasis | ||
| Either a minor of 18 hours in a discipline other than psychology or 18 hours in one of the emphasis options must be chosen. (See below) | 18 | |
| Electives | 5 | |
| Sufficient hours to complete the total required for the degree. | ||
| Total | ||
| 120 hours, of which at least 36 hours must be 3000/4000-level. | ||
| 1 | |
| 2 | Prerequisites may add hours to the total required for the degree. |
| 3 |
Emphasis in General Psychology
| Any psychology 3000 or 4000 level coursework | 18 | |
| A total of 6 hours of research/readings and honor's thesis credit may be applied to the emphasis. | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Suggested Course Distribution for Bachelor of Arts Degree 1
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| UNIV 1131 | 1 | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| PSYC 1315 | 3 | MATH 1308 | 3 |
| BIOL 1333 or 1441 | 3 - 4 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | 3 | Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| MATH 1302 | 3 | BIOL 1334 or 1442 | 3-4 |
| 13-14 | 15-16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| PSYC 2443 | 4 | PSYC 2444 | 4 |
| Modern Language I | 4 | Modern Language II | 4 |
| Creative Arts Elective | 3 | PSYC 3334 | 3 |
| PSYC 3315 | 3 | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| POLS 2311 | 3 | POLS 2312 | 3 |
| PSYC 3322 | 3 | Psychology Lecture Group III | 3 |
| Psychology Lecture Group I | 3 | Advanced Psychology Emphasis Lecture or Course for Minor2 | 3 |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 3 | undefined | 3 |
| Psychology Lecture Group II | 3 | Modern Language III or substitution | |
| Foundational Component | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Advanced Topics course | 4 | Advanced Electives | 3 |
| Advanced Psychology Emphasis Lecture or Courses for Minor (3 courses)2 | 9 | Advanced Psychology Emphasis Lecture or Courses for Minor (2 courses) | 6 |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 3 | COMS 2302 | 3 |
| Modern Language IV or substitution | 3 | Advanced General Elective | 2 |
| 19 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours: 119-121 | |||
| 1 | These are suggestions only. See your academic advisor for an actual degree worksheet. |
| 2 | See catalog or handbook for course options. |
Neuroscience Minor
A Neuroscience minor consists of 18 credit hours or more in Psychology (PSYC) courses. A 2.0 grade point average must be maintained in the minor. To request a minor be added to your degree plan, please complete the minor request form and seek approval from your academic advisor.
Courses you can take towards the minor are:
Prerequisite of PSYC 1315 (Intro to Psychology) with a C or better before starting any of the following courses.
PSYC 3304 Analysis Management of Behavior
PSYC 3320 Behavior and Motivation
BIOl/PSYC 3322 Brain and Behavior
BIOL/PSYC 3326 Animal Behavior
PSYC 3334 Cognitive Processes
PSYC 3356 Evolutionary Psychology
BIOL/PSYC 4301 Principles of Neuroscience**
BIOL/PSYC 4309 Neuropharmacology **
BIOL/PSYC 4327 Behavioral Genetics
PSYC 4329 Animal Learning and Cognition
BIOL/PSYC 4421 Advanced Topics in Neuroscience **
**Additional prerequisite of BIOL/PSYC 3322 required.
Courses may be added to the list as they are offered.
Psychology Minor
A minor consists of 18 credit hours or more in Psychology (PSYC) courses. 9 of the 18 hours must be completed at UT Arlington. Six of the 9 hours must be 3000-4000 level. A 2.0 grade point average(calculated only by the PSYC courses you take in residency) must be maintained in the minor. To request a minor be added to your degree plan, please complete the minor request form and seek approval from your academic advisor.