Undergraduate in Psychology
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology
General Education Requirements
Department of Psychology Requirements
Degree Programs
The Department of Psychology at the University of
Missouri - St. Louis offers a numberof degree programs. Classes are
available both day and evening. Specialization is possible in several
fields of psychology both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Complete information on degree requirements and course descriptions
can be found in the University of Missouri-St. Louis Undergraduate
and Graduate Catalogue. In addition, advisors in the Undergraduate Advising Office are available to
answer questions regarding career options in psychology and to
provide information regarding course offerings and degree
requirements.
In conjunction with course work in the department, students have the opportunity to do research in a wide variety of areas, including animal and human learning, human factors, perception, physiological, industrial-organizational, cognitive processes, personality-social, developmental, clinical, and community psychology. The student may choose an area of concentration in graduate school preparation, child care and development, or industrial/organizational psychology. The student, however, is not required to follow one of these concentrations and may devise an individual program.
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology
This is the basic liberal arts undergraduate
degree. Students take 32-45 hours in psychology, acquiring a broad
background in the field with an opportunity to concentrate in
specific areas. Areas of specialization available to students
include: graduate school preparation, child care and development,
clinical psychology/community mental health, and
industrial/organizational psychology. These concentration areas do
not lead to special certificates other than the bachelor's degree.
They are advisory, intended to guide students in planning a course of
study. Information regarding the recommended courses for each of
these specialization areas is available from the Undergraduate
Psychology Office, 325 Stadler Hall.
The undergraduate program helps students to acquire a broad knowledge of psychology and to develop basic skills in research methods. Students may take practicum courses, such as Psychology 295, Field Placement, that enable them to gain practical work experience in a variety of field settings and agencies. In addition, students wanting to develop research skills may participate in supervised independent research programs such as Psychology 390, Directed Studies, or as research assistants with Psychology faculty. These independent research and practicum courses are particularly important for students who plan to go on to graduate study in psychology.
All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology must complete 120 credit hours of course credit. In order to graduate, students must have at least a 2.0 grade point average, both overall and in the major. In earning a degree, the following requirements must be satisfied.
General Education Requirements
These requirements apply to candidates for all
baccalaureate degrees awarded by the University of Missouri-St.
Louis.
Basic Skills
Communicative Skills (two requirements)
- A satisfactory score on the English Placement Test or a grade of C or better in a college-level English composition course at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
- English 210, Advanced Expository Writing, or its equivalent, with a grade of C or better.
Mathematical Skills
Students entering UM-St. Louis before Fall, 1996.
- Score of 14 or better on the Algebra II section of the Mathematics Placement Test, or
- A college-level mathematics course with a minimum grade of C, or
- A grade of C or better in the UM-St. Louis Intermediate Algebra Workshop.
Students entering UM-St. Louis Fall, 1996, or later:
- Score of 19 or better on the Algebra II section of the MathematicsPlacement Test, or
- A grade of C- or better in a college-credit mathematics course having at least intermediate algebra as a prerequisite.
Breadth of Study
Degree candidates must complete at least 42 credit
hours in the following three areas, with at least three courses in
each area.
- Humanities
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Social Sciences
American History and Government
Students must complete one course in American
history or government at UM-St. Louis or at any other college or
university in Missouri.
College of Arts and Sciences
Requirements:
In addition to the University's General Education
requirements, all students in the College of Arts and Sciences who
are candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree must satisfy the
following requirements:
Cultural Diversity Requirement
tudents must complete one three-hour
non-Euro-American course.
Foreign Language
Candidates for Bachelor of Arts degrees must
complete 13 credit hours, or the equivalence in proficiency in one
foreign language.
Department
of Psychology Requirements
In addition to the University and College
requirements, psychology majors must complete at least 32, but not
more than 45, credit hours in psychology. Courses taken on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis cannot be counted toward the
minimum 32 psychology hours. Credits in psychology must be
distributed in accordance with the following requirements.
Core Curriculum (All required)
- Psychology 003, General Psychology, or its equivalent
- Psychology 201, Psychological Statistics, or its equivalent
- Psychology 219, Research Methods, or its equivalent
Advanced Study
Psychology majors must complete a minimum of three
psychology courses totalling at least nine credit hours at the 300
level. No more than three credit hours of Psychology 390, Directed
Studies, can be applied to this advanced study
requirement.
Independent Study Restriction
No more than six credit hours of independent study
courses in psychology may be counted toward the 32-hour minimum
required for a degree. This restriction applies to the following
courses:
- Psychology 295, Selected Topics in Field Placement
- Psychology 390, Directed Studies
Minor In Psychology
The department offers a minor in psychology to
students with special interest in this field but who major in another
discipline. A minor in psychology is particularly useful for students
majoring in the other social sciences or in business administration.
Requirements for the minor include a minimum of 15 hours of
coursework in psychology, including at least six hours of 300-level
psychology courses. Candidates must have a cumulative grade point
average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Psychology courses taken on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis may not be applied to the
minor.
Graduate Studies
Graduate degree programs include a Master of Arts (M.A.) in general
psychology as well as doctoral (Ph.D.)
training in:
In most instances, graduate level study is necessary for individuals who wish to prepare for academic or professional careers in psychology.
Psychology Undergraduate Advising Office
Location: 110 Stadler Hall
Phone: 314-516-4561
send us e-mail: psy_advising@usml.edu
Regular Office Hours: Check back in Fall 2007
The advising office is available to help students in the following areas:
- Registration
- Course Inquiry
- Degree Audit Programs
- Transcript Reviews
- GRE Information
- Graduate School Information
- Career Options
- General Help