The psychology departmental honors major offers an opportunity for motivated and capable students to engage in more extensive interaction with faculty and to complete challenging research projects that will further their personal and professional goals.
Application to the major: To be accepted to the program, the student must have a cumulative and major/program grade point average of 3.50, and completed PSYC 120 and at least three other psychology courses. Additionally, the student must have PSYC 205 , PSYC 303 , and PSYC 305 completed before the fall of the senior year. Interested students should apply to the department Honors Director in the spring of the junior year. Upon acceptance, a Change of Major, Degree or Specialization form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Completion of the major: During the senior year, departmental honors students will take the departmental honors sequence (PSYC 477 —fall of senior year; PSYC 478 —winter of senior year; and PSYC 479 —spring of senior year). Students in the departmental honors program complete these 10 credits of course work above the norm for psychology majors (for a total of 70 credits in psychology for BA students, and 80 credits for BS students) and complete a major project or thesis under the direction of the Honors Director. The format of the project/thesis may include, but is not limited to a published paper and/or acceptance and presentation of work at an approved conference. The project/thesis will also be presented at a departmental pro-seminar. In order to complete the requirements for departmental honors and receive a notation to that effect on their transcripts, students must also maintain a cumulative and major/program grade point average of 3.50, as well as receive a grade of A- or higher in PSYC 477 , PSYC 478 , and PSYC 479 .