The Psychology Majors
The Psychology Department offers three majors: the Psychology Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) major, the Psychology Bachelor of Science (B.S.) major, and the Neuroscience Bachelor of Science (B.S.) major. Starting with the class of 2023 the requirements for the Psychology B.S. major will change, resulting in two distinct sets of requirements for the Psychology B.S. major: one for the classes of 2023 and after and one for the classes of 2022 and before. The Neuroscience B.S. major is new and is open to the classes of 2020 and after, but it cannot be declared until September 1, 2019. All three degree options introduce students to the broad range of topics that psychologists study, while also allowing students to choose an individualized course of study and focus on some aspects of psychology in greater depth. Each option allows students to gain research experience working in one or more of our psychology labs.
The Psychology B.A. and the Psychology B.S. (classes 2023 and after) majors are particularly suited to students who wish to understand human behavior and mental function. Students will take Psychology courses relevant to social, developmental, biological, and cognitive psychology and will learn how animal models can be used to inform human behavior. Together these courses will provide students with an appreciation for the theories that have been put forth to explain human behavior and for the importance of considering clinical, cultural, social, biological, and developmental factors when trying to understand why humans think, feel, and act as they do. Both degree options introduce students to the broad range of topics that psychologists study, while also allowing students to choose an individualized course of study and focus on some aspects of psychology in greater depth.
The Psychology B.S. (classes of 2023 and after) will be a research-focused track. Students interested in psychology as it relates to other scientific disciplines and/or who are planning to pursue research-focused graduate work (e.g., Ph.D., M.D.) are encouraged to select the B.S. major. B.S. students will take courses in Psychology and choose from elective co-requisites in departments including Economics, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Together these courses will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the scientific study of the human mind and with opportunities for exposure to hands-on, laboratory science. This major is well-suited for students interested in a research-based approach to psychology. For students who are more likely to pursue graduate work without a focus on research (e.g., social work, law, Psy.D., Ed.D.) and/or would like greater flexibility in their course schedule, the B.A. may be more appropriate.
The Psychology B.S. (classes of 2022 and before) is particularly suited to students who wish to explore the brain mechanisms of human and animal behavior and mental functioning. Students will take courses from the Psychology, Biology, and Chemistry Departments that are related to evolution, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and the neural basis of higher cognitive and emotional processes in humans. Together these courses will provide students with a strong foundation in the neurobiological processes that underlie behavior, motivation, and cognition. The Psychology B.S. (classes of 2022 and before) major covers most of the requirements for premed.
The Neuroscience B.S. major is a new major that may be declared on or after September 1, 2019. It is a research-focused degree for students who are interested in understanding the biological basis of brain function in relation to thought and behavior. The major has co-requisites in Biology and Chemistry as well as elective natural science co-requisites, and emphasizes exposure to hands-on, laboratory science. Students will take courses that are related to evolution, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and the neural basis of higher cognitive and emotional processes in humans. Together these courses will provide students with a strong foundation in the neurobiological processes that underlie behavior, motivation, and cognition. The Neuroscience major covers many of the requirements for premed.
Major Requirements
Students must take a minimum of 33 credits in the Department, including the following required courses:
- PSYC1110 Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science (3 credits). This course should be taken as soon as possible after entering the major.
- PSYC1111 Introduction to Psychology as a Social Science (3 credits). This course should be taken as soon as possible after entering the major. PSYC1110 and PSYC1111 can be taken in either order.
- PSYC1120 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research I (3 credits). This course should be taken in the sophomore year when possible.
- Either PSYC1121 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research II (3 credits) or a Research Practicum (3 credits). This course should be taken in the sophomore year when possible.
- At least three 2000-level courses, which must include at least one course each from three of the following four clusters (3 credits each):
Biological (PSYC2285 or PSYC2289)
Cognitive (PSYC2272 or PSYC2274)
Developmental and Clinical (PSYC2234 or PSYC2260)
Social and Personality (PSYC2241 or PSYC2242) - Four additional courses in Psychology, at least three of which must be at the 3000-level or higher and the fourth course at the 2000-level or higher (3 credits each).
Students must take a minimum of 59 credits, including the following required courses:
30 credits within the Department
PSYC1110 Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science (3 credits) and PSYC1111 Introduction to Psychology as a Social Science (3 credits) should both be taken (preferably in different semesters) as soon as possible after entering the major. The courses can be taken in either order.
PSYC1120 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research I (3 credits). This course should be taken in the sophomore year when possible.
Either PSYC1121 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research II (3 credits) or a Research Practicum (3 credits). This course should be taken in the sophomore year when possible. The Research Practicum option is recommended for Psychology B.S. majors.
PSYC2285 Behavioral Neuroscience (3 credits)
Either of the following courses (3 credits):
- PSYC2272 Cognitive Psychology: Mental Processes and their Neural Substrates
- PSYC2274 Sensation and Perception
Any one of the following courses (3 credits):
- PSYC2234 Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC2241 Social Psychology
- PSYC2242 Personality Theories
- PSYC2260 Developmental Psychology
Three Psychology neuroscience courses (3 credits each):
One from one of the following clusters, and two from the other cluster. One of these three courses must be a designated laboratory course from one of these clusters. A Research Practicum may also be used to fulfill this designated laboratory requirement, but the Research Practicum will not count toward one of these three required neuroscience cluster courses.
Cognitive/Affective Neuroscience Cluster:
- PSYC3329 Psychophysiology of Stress
- PSYC3338 Topics in Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC3341 Psychology of Morality
- PSYC3371 Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring Mind and Brain
- PSYC3372 Affective Neuroscience
- PSYC3373 Learning and Motivation
- PSYC3374 Cognitive Aging
- PSYC3375 Psychology and Neuroscience of Human Memory
- PSYC3378 Vision
- PSYC3379 Disorders of Language and Communication
- PSYC3391 Ethical Controversies in Psychology and Neuroscience
- PSYC4437 Stress and Behavior
- PSYC4472 Social Neuroscience
- PSYC4473 Event-Related Potentials (laboratory course)
- PSYC4476 Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory
- PSYC5540 Advanced Topics in Social Psychology
- PSYC5541 Moral Emotions
- PSYC5571 Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC5574 Neuroscience of Sensation and Perception
- PSYC5575 Advanced Affective Neuroscience
- PSYC5576 Methods in Human Brain Mapping (laboratory course)
Any one of the following courses in a Cognitive/Affective Neuroscience laboratory (Brownell, Kensinger, Ritchey, Slotnick, Young):
(Only one semester of a thesis or scholar’s project course can be used to satisfy this requirement):
- PSYC4490 Senior Thesis I (laboratory course)
- PSYC4495 Senior Honors Thesis I (laboratory course)
- PSYC4497 Scholars Project Research (laboratory course)
Systems Neuroscience Cluster:
- PSYC3376 Developmental Neuroscience
- PSYC3380 Neuroscience of Psychopathology
- PSYC3381 Psychobiology of Emotional Learning
- PSYC3382 Neurobiology of Stress
- PSYC3383 Neurobiological Basis of Learning and Memory
- PSYC3384 Neurophysiology
- PSYC3385 Neurobiology of Motivation and Emotion
- PSYC3386 Psychopharmacology
- PSYC3388 Neurobiology of Eating and Eating Disorders
- PSYC3389 Sex and Aggression
- PSYC3390 Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders
- PSYC5580 Neural Systems and Stress
- PSYC5581 Neurobiology of Mental Illness
- PSYC5583 Molecular Basis of Learning and Memory
- PSYC5585 Brain Systems: Motivation and Emotion
Any one of the following courses in a Behavioral Neuroscience laboratory (Christianson, McDannald, Petrovich):
(Only one semester of a thesis or scholars project course can be used to satisfy this requirement)
- PSYC4490 Senior Thesis I (laboratory course)
- PSYC4495 Senior Honors Thesis I (laboratory course)
- PSYC4497 Scholars Project Research (laboratory course)
29 credits outside the Department
Three Biology Courses (9 credits):
- BIOL2000 Molecules and Cells
Any two of the following Biology courses:
- BIOL2010 Ecology and Evolution
- BIOL3030 Introduction to Physiology
- BIOL3040 Cell Biology
- BIOL3150 Introduction to Genomics
- BIOL3190 Genetics and Genomics
- BIOL4260 Human Anatomy
- BIOL4320 Developmental Biology
- BIOL4330 Human Physiology
- BIOL4350 Biological Chemistry
- BIOL4590 Introduction to Neuroscience
Two Chemistry courses (8 credits):
- CHEM1109 General Chemistry I with Lab (CHEM1111)
- CHEM1110 General Chemistry II with Lab (CHEM1112)
Two Mathematics courses (6 credits): Two courses at the level of MATH1100 or above (MATH1004 Finite Probability & Applications is also accepted). MATH1100 and MATH1101 (Calculus I and II) are highly recommended for those who plan to go on to a Doctoral Program in Neuroscience.
Two of the following courses (6 credits): At least two additional upper-level, one-semester courses from Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or the Psychology Cognitive/Affective Neuroscience or Systems Neuroscience clusters listed above. Students planning on applying to Doctoral Programs in Neuroscience should consult with their advisor about which of these courses to choose. Biology and Physics courses must be 3000-level or above. Chemistry courses must be 2000-level or above. Important: Whenever an upper-level Biology, Chemistry, or Physics course that has an associated lab is taken, the student must also take the lab.
Highly recommended for those who plan to go on to a doctoral program in neuroscience are CHEM2231 Organic Chemistry I and CHEM2232 Organic Chemistry II, or PHYS2209 Introduction to Physics I and PHYS2210 Introduction to Physics II.
Students must take a minimum of 54 credits, including the following required courses:
36 credits within the department
Either PSYC1110 Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science (3 credits) or PSYC1029 Mind and Brain (3 credits)
PSYC1111 Introduction to Psychology as a Social Science (3 credits)
PSYC1120 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research I (3 credits)
Any Research Practicum (3 credits)
At least three 2000-level courses, which must include one course from three of the following five areas (9 credits):
- Abnormal (PSYC2234)
- Biological (PSYC2285 or PSYC2289)
- Cognitive (PSYC2272 or PSYC2274)
- Developmental (PSYC2260)
- Social and Personality (PSYC2241 or PSYC2242)
Five additional courses in Psychology, at least four of which must be at the 3000-level or higher and the fifth course at the 2000-level or higher (15 credits)
18 related science credits:
Two of the following courses (6 or more credits):
- CSCI1101 Computer Programming I (recommended)
- MATH1004 Finite Probability and Applications
- MATH1100 Calculus I
- MATH2210 Linear Algebra
12 additional science credits from the following:
- Any Biology course at the level of BIOL2000 or above (excluding BIOL2040)
- Any Computer Science course at the level of CSCI1102 or above
- Any Math course at the level of MATH1100 or above
- Any Physics course at the level of PHYS2101 or above
- CHEM1105 Chemistry and Society I
- CHEM1106 Chemistry and Society II
- CHEM1109 General Chemistry I with Lab (CHEM1111)
- CHEM1110 General Chemistry II with Lab (CHEM1112)
- ECON2201 (or ECON2203) Microeconomic Theory
- ECON3305 Market Design
- ECON3308 Game Theory in Economics
- ECON3312 Evolutionary Economics
- LING 2379 Language and Ethnicity
- LING 3101 General Linguistics
- LING 3102 Syntax and Semantics
- LING 3103 Language and Language Types
- LING 3104 Formalism and Functionalism in Linguistics
- LING 3362 Language in Society
- LING 3378 Second Language Acquisition
- Only one of the following Psychology laboratory courses:
- PSYC2205 Undergraduate Research
- PSYC4490 Senior Thesis I
- PSYC4495 Senior Honors Thesis I
- PSYC4497 Scholars Project Research
For all B.S. students, participation in research in a laboratory setting (e.g., enrolling in Senior Thesis) is strongly recommended.
This major may be declared starting on September 1, 2019.
Students must take a minimum of 57 credits, including the following required courses.
Foundation (24 credits)
- Either PSYC1110 Introductory Psychology as a Natural Science (3 credits) or PSYC1029 Mind and Brain (3 credits)
- Either PSYC2272 Cognitive Psychology: Mental Processes and their Neural Substrates (3 credits) or PSYC2274 Sensation and Perception (3 credits)
- BIOL2000 Molecules and Cells (3 credits)
- CHEM1109 General Chemistry I with lab (4 credits)
- CHEM1110 General Chemistry II with lab (4 credits)
- MATH1100 Calculus I (4 credits) or MATH1102 Calculus I (Math and Science Majors) (4 credits)
- PSYC2285 Behavioral Neuroscience (3 credits) or BIOL4590 Introduction to Neuroscience
Computation (6 credits)
Any one of the following courses:
- PSYC1120 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research I
- BIOL2300 Biostatistics
- MATH1180 Principles of Statistics for the Health Sciences
- MATH3353 Statistics
Any one of the following courses:
- PSYC1121 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research II
- CSCI1101 Computer Science I
- CSCI1102 Computer Science II
- CSCI2227 Introduction to Scientific Computation
- MATH1103 Calculus II or MATH1105 Calculus II (Math and Science Majors)
- MATH2210 Linear Algebra
- A PSYC Research Practicum (cannot be double counted to fulfill Praxis requirement)
Cognitive Neuroscience (6 credits)
Any two of the following courses:
- PSYC3371 Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring Mind and Brain
- PSYC3372 Affective Neuroscience
- PSYC3373 Learning and Motivation
- PSYC3374 Cognitive Aging
- PSYC3375 Psychology and Neuroscience of Human Memory
- PSYC3378 Vision
- PSYC4446 Social Neuroscience
- PSYC4476 Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory
- PSYC4437 Stress and Behavior
Systems Neuroscience (6 credits)
Any two of the following courses:
- BIOL4450 Behavioral Ecology
- PSYC3376 Developmental Neuroscience
- PSYC3381 Psychobiology of Emotional Learning
- PSYC3382 Neurobiology of Stress
- PSYC3383 Neurobiological Basis of Learning and Memory
- PSYC3384 Neurophysiology
- PSYC3385 Neurobiology of Motivation and Emotion
- PSYC3386 Psychopharmacology
- PSYC3387 Developmental Neuroscience and Behavior
- PSYC3388 Neurobiology of Eating and Eating Disorders
- PSYC3389 Sex & Aggression
- PSYC3390 Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders
Electives (12 Credits)
Of these 12 elective credits, up to 6 credits may come from Biology or Physics courses at the 3000 or above level or Chemistry courses at the 2000 or above level.
Of these 12 elective credits, up to 12 credits may come from courses listed under the Cognitive Neuroscience heading (see above) and courses listed under the Systems Neuroscience heading (see above)
Of these 12 elective credits, up to 12 credits may come from courses listed below.
- BIOL4350 Biological Chemistry
- CHEM4461 Biochemistry I
- CHEM4465 Introduction to Biochemistry
- CSCI3341 Artificial Intelligence
- CSCI3343 Computer Vision
- CSCI3345 Machine Learning
- PSYC3391 Ethical Controversies in Psychology & Neuroscience
- PSYC5570 Advanced Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC5571 Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC5574 Neuroscience of Sensation and Perception
- PSYC5575 Advanced Affective Neuroscience
- PSYC5585 Brain Systems: Motivation and Emotion
- PSYC5589 Neural Systems and Social Behavior
- SCWK7726 Neuroscience of Human Relationships and Development*
- SCWK7724 Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience in the Life Course*
*Requires instructor approval; content is specialized for social work prep.
Praxis (3 credits)
Any one of the following courses:
- PSYC2205 Undergraduate Research*
- PSYC2206 Independent Study*
- PSYC4470 Research Practicum in Cognition Psychology
- PSYC4471 Research Practicum in Experimental Psychology
- PSYC4473 Event-Related Potentials
- PSYC4477 Research Practicum in Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC4478 Research Practicum in Human Memory
- PSYC4479 Research Practicum in Neurogastronomy
- PSYC4490 or 4491 Senior Thesis I or II (only one course)*
- PSYC4495 or 4496 Senior Honors Thesis I or II (only one course)*
- PSYC4474 Research Practicum in Sensation and Perception
- PSYC4481 Research Practicum in Behavioral Neuroscience
- PSYC5579 Methods in Human Brain Mapping
*Students may conduct research with any faculty member, including those conducting neuroscience research outside of the Psychology Department. Projects should have significant neuroscience components, and course proposals are subject to review by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
All majors: A score of four or five on the Psychology A.P. exam may be substituted for either PSYC1110 or PSYC1111, but students making this substitution are required to take an additional upper-level Psychology course (one numbered 2000 or higher) to complete their major.
Psychology B.S. and Neuroscience majors: A score of four or five on the A.P. exams for the natural science and math courses associated with these majors may be substituted for the required courses in those subject areas. Students are not required to take additional upper-level courses to replace these natural science and math substitutions.
Students in all three majors may choose to write a thesis during the senior year. In most cases, the thesis will involve original, empirical research, although theoretical papers will also be permitted. Students must obtain the consent of a faculty member to serve as their thesis advisor.
Those who are interested in writing a thesis are encouraged to participate in an Independent Study with a prospective thesis advisor during the junior year to develop a thesis proposal.
Seniors who are engaged in writing a thesis may enroll in PSYC4490 in the fall and/or PSYC4491 in the spring. Only one semester may count as an elective to fulfill a major requirement. Students who plan to write a thesis are advised to complete PSYC1120 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research I and either PSYC1121 Introduction to Behavioral Statistics and Research II or a Research Practicum before their senior year.
Students whose theses are judged to be of exceptional merit will receive a note that their “Senior thesis passed with distinction.” This is kept on file in the Psychology Department but not noted on their transcripts.
The Undergraduate Clinical Concentration is designed for majors with a particular interest in careers in clinical or counseling psychology or clinical social work. The concentration lays a solid foundation in coursework, research, and field experiences to help students decide whether they wish to apply to a graduate program and obtain licensure to practice in a clinical field.
To complete the clinical concentration, students must satisfy their major requirements and some additional course requirements. A complete description of the concentration, along with a listing of the additional required courses, is available on our Related Coureswork page. Students should contact the concentration adviser, Karen Rosen, for additional information, if necessary.
This concentration is normally not open to Psychology B.S. (classes of 2022 and before) or Neuroscience B.S. majors. The department is concerned that the heavier load of the B.S. requirements along with the added requirements of the Clinical Concentration will interfere with students becoming involved in research early in their studies and their undertaking an independent research project in their senior year. However, B.S. majors and Neuroscience majors may petition the Department for permission to pursue the Clinical Concentration by contacting Dr. Michael Moore, the Department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, as early as possible. Note that the clinical concentration is easily compatible with the Psychology B.S. (classes of 2023 and after).
The Psychology Honors Program offers students in our majors an excellent opportunity to get involved in research. The program is for students with strong academic records who wish to devote a substantial amount of time in their senior year to a senior honors thesis.
Students who are eligible to participate in the Psychology Honors Program receive a letter from the Honors Program Director at the beginning of their junior year. Students who meet or exceed the GPA requirement, in Psychology and overall, will be invited to join the Honors Program. The Honors Program requires a GPA of 3.6. If they are interested in participating in this program, students need to identify a Psychology faculty member who is willing to supervise them in their work. Students then need to complete a preliminary application by November 1 of their junior year. On this application, they need to indicate the issue or topic they would like to investigate in their honors thesis and the name of a faculty member in the Psychology Department who has agreed to work with them.
By May 15 of their junior year, students need to submit a Thesis Proposal Approval Form to the Psychology Department. Students then begin the process of executing the research plan and continue to work on the research project (including data collection and analysis and completing the final written thesis) throughout the senior year.
The principal requirement of the Honors Program is the successful completion of the Honors Thesis. During their senior year, students should enroll in PSYC4495–4496 Senior Honors Thesis I and II. In addition, students in the Honors Program are required to take one additional upper-level course (5000-level or above). One semester of the Senior Honors Thesis course (PSYC4495) may count toward the major requirements. The second semester of the Senior Honors Thesis course (PSYC4496) and the 5000-level course are taken in addition to the courses required for the majors. Therefore, students in the Honors Program will have completed two courses in Psychology beyond the basic major requirements.
A copy of the thesis accompanied by an Honors Thesis Approval Form must be submitted to the Department by May 1 of the senior year. A presentation of the student’s honors thesis at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference in May of the senior year will provide all students in the Honors Program the opportunity to share their work with members of the Psychology Department.
Those students who fulfill all of the Honors Program course requirements, maintain their required GPA in Psychology and overall at the time of graduation, and successfully complete the final written thesis, will be deemed to have completed the Psychology Honors Program successfully.
For further information about the requirements of the Honors Program, distinctions between the MCAS Honors and Psychology Honors Programs, and what to do if you are planning to study abroad, visit the Psychology Department website and/or contact the Director of the Honors Program in the Psychology Department.
Psychology and Neuroscience majors should arrange an appointment with their advisor for permission to study abroad. Students should meet with the Associate Chair for permission to apply courses taken abroad towards meeting major requirements. These decisions about international study are made on a case-by-case basis. Approval should be obtained before the start of the study abroad program.
The Fifth Year M.A. program allows selected students to earn both a B.A. or B.S. in Psychology or in Neuroscience and an M.A. in Psychology in five years. The purpose of the program is to give students a greater opportunity for concentrated study and research training. Such training is excellent preparation for application to a Ph.D. program in any area of psychology. The Fifth Year M.A. program is limited to Boston College undergraduates who are majoring in Psychology or Neuroscience, and the fifth year must follow immediately after the fourth.
The Psychology Department has the following areas of concentration. Visit the Department’s website for additional information on these areas.
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Quantitative Psychology
This program is available only to Psychology B.A. majors.
In cooperation with the Graduate School of Social Work, the Psychology Department offers a dual five-year Master’s degree program for those students who have decided upon a career in social work. Students in this program complete their undergraduate requirements including those for the Psychology B.A. major during their first four years. In addition, in their junior year students begin to take Social Work courses. Upon successful completion of all undergraduate requirements, students receive the B.A. after their senior year, at which time they are formally enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Work. Upon successful completion of all graduate requirements at the end of the fifth year students are awarded the M.S.W. Students apply for admission to the five-year program during their sophomore year. Contact faculty advisor Michael Moore in the Psychology Department for more information.
All majors should seek psychology faculty advisement prior to each registration period. Psychology faculty members provide expanded office hours during these periods. Students interested in studying abroad should seek the consent of their advisor. Students who desire to change advisors should contact the Associate Chair.
Majors who do not have an academic advisor (e.g., majors in their first year of study or recent transfer students) should consult with the Associate Chair prior to registration.
Students may fulfill the Social Science Core requirement with any two Psychology courses with a number between 1010 and 1111 (e.g., PSYC1011, PSYC1021, PSYC1029, PSYC1032, PSYC1072, PSYC1110, and PSYC1111).
Students receiving a four or five on the Psychology AP exam are considered to have fulfilled half of the Social Science Core requirement.
Course prerequisites are listed with each course description. If none is listed, the course has no prerequisites.
PSYC1000–PSYC1009: Courses that do not satisfy the Social Science Core requirement and do not provide credit toward completion of the Psychology major.
PSYC1010–PSYC1099: Core courses that satisfy the Social Science Core requirement but do not provide credit toward completion of the Psychology major, with the exception of PSYC1029, which counts toward completion of the Psychology B.S. and Neuroscience B.S. majors.
PSYC1110–PSYC1111: Courses that satisfy the Social Science Core requirement and also provide credit toward completion of the Psychology and Neuroscience majors.
PSYC1120–PSYC1999: Introductory, statistical, and methodological courses.
PSYC2000–PSYC2999: Introductions to primary subdisciplines of psychology, serving as prerequisites to more advanced courses.
PSYC3000–PSYC3999: More advanced and/or specialized courses requiring one or more 2000-level courses as prerequisites.
PSYC4000–PSYC4999: Research practica and advanced seminars in various areas of psychology limited to Psychology and Neuroscience majors.
PSYC5000–PSYC5999: Seminars and Advanced Topics courses open to advanced undergraduates and to graduate students.
PSYC6000 and above: Graduate-level courses.
More Information
The Psychology Department grants credit toward the major for A.P. examinations in Psychology, Calculus, and the natural sciences. Please see the Advanced Placement description in the university catalog for a complete description of this course credit.
Most students majoring in Psychology or Neuroscience are assigned a faculty member in the Psychology Department as an advisor. Some exceptions include freshmen and students for whom Psychology or Neuroscience is a second major. If you have not been assigned an advisor from Psychology, you should seek some form of departmental advising prior to registering for courses. You can obtain advising from any faculty member. You need only pick up your degree audit from your assigned advisor. Faculty advisors can be valuable as sources of opinion and guidance. However, it is unlikely that any one person will be able to answer all of your questions. Here are some suggestions:
- The Department holds informational sessions for students considering graduate work in clinical psychology.
- The main office has syllabi for almost all psychology courses. You can request that a syllabus be emailed to you.
Meeting Your Advisor
Keep in mind that the registration period is particularly busy. Each faculty member has many advisees who all need to pick up forms and receive advising during a brief period of time. To keep this process running smoothly, consider the following suggestions.
- Prepare your questions carefully ahead of time so that you get the answers you need.
- Read and know the specific requirements for the major before you meet with your advisor. These detailed requirements are listed in the course catalog. You must assume responsibility for knowing what you must take in order to graduate. Your advisor is there to offer advice and some perspective on larger issues rather than to repeat what is readily available in print or to tell you what to do.
- Make an appointment to talk to your advisor at some other time during the semester when things are not so hectic. Doing so will give you an opportunity to discuss the longer-term issues which are certainly relevant to your Boston College experience.
- If you are interested in some special programs, make an appointment to see the relevant advisor: pre-medical advisor Prof. Robert Wolff of the Biology Department in Higgins Hall, pre-law advisor Dean Joseph Burns in the Morrissey Associate Deans Office, Gasson 109B, junior year abroad advisor Prof. Jeff Flagg at the Foreign Study Office, etc. Again, it is best to make these appointments before the registration period starts.
Your Degree Audit
Your DeGRE (Degree and Graduation Requirements Evaluation) audit, which contains your access code number, is mailed to your advisor. (Seniors’ degree audits are sent to them directly.) You contact this person to pick up your audit form and access code and to review your course selections for the coming semester.
This document lists all courses that Student Services is counting towards your requirements for graduation. A completed requirement has *** in front of it. Once you have declared your major, there is a separate listing of the major requirements you have satisfied and those you have not. If you have a question about a requirement that is not completed, you should check with Student Services. If the question concerns the Psychology or Neuroscience major, you may be referred to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. It is a good idea to straighten out these problems as early as possible.
Designed for majors with a particular interest in careers in clinical or counseling psychology or clinical social work, this concentration lays a solid foundation in coursework, research, and field experiences to help students decide whether they wish to apply to a graduate program and obtain licensure to practice in a clinical field. Learn more about the Undergraduate Clinical Concentration.
Students planning to spend a semester or two studying abroad need to receive approval from their major department. This approval is obtained from your academic advisor. To prepare for this appointment, you need to complete your tentative schedule for your semester(s) abroad and for your remaining time on campus at Boston College. (In general, Psychology and Neuroscience majors do not fulfill many of their major requirements while studying abroad.) You should also obtain an up-to-date copy of your DeGRE audit to verify what Psychology and Neuroscience major requirements you have left outstanding. Review these materials on your own to see what you will need to take and when in order to accommodate your time abroad. Bring all these materials to your appointment with your academic advisor.
If you would like for one or several of the courses taken abroad to satisfy the requirements of the major, you should provide the Director of Undergraduate Studies with a course syllabus for each course, a current copy of your Boston College DeGRE audit or your social security number. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will decide if a meeting is necessary after reviewing the relevant material. You can set up an appointment by calling the Director of Undergraduate Studies directly.
Credit from study abroad must comply with the general rules about transfer credit.
The department allows students to take up to three Psychology courses outside of the department (with approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies to meet the requirements of the major). This limit will not apply to the natural science courses associated with the Psychology B.S. and Neuroscience majors. Please remember that, in addition to courses taken at other universities, courses taken at other schools within Boston College (e.g., Lynch School of Education, College of Advancing Studies) are considered as outside of the department.
If you are already a BC student and plan to take courses anywhere outside of the regular day school of BC's College of Arts and Sciences (perhaps in the Lynch School of Education, in the Woods College of Advancing Studies, during the summer session, or at an entirely different institution), you must have your course credits approved by the Psychology Department as counting towards your major.
For approval of courses taken elsewhere, you should provide the Director of Undergraduate Studies with information about each course, including the course syllabus. You should also provide a current copy of your BC degree audit.
If you anticipate taking courses somewhere other than the regular day school of the College of Arts and Sciences, then you should make every effort to obtain prior approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Doing so will help insure you receive credit for the courses and, thus, will help avoid having your schedule disrupted at some later time.
If you are a transfer student new to BC, you probably have taken courses at your previous institution that were accepted by Boston College, and that appear similar to our major requirements. If you would like these courses to be considered as fulfilling the requirements of the major, you should set up an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate Studies as soon as possible after your arrival at BC.
The Director of Undergraduate Studies will indicate which of your previous courses can count towards your major here at BC and which specific requirements they fulfill. You should bring to your meeting: a BC degree audit; a transcript from your former institution; and course information (syllabus, title and author of text, course description).
Please remember that:
- Most schools have only one Introduction to Psychology course, while here at BC we have two. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will determine how a course taken at another institution compares to BC's two introductory courses and may make other adjustments to the requirements in light of a student's previous coursework.
- Most psychology courses that list Introduction to Psychology as a prerequisite can be counted as psychology electives, as long as Boston College has granted you transfer credit for them. It is sometimes difficult to ascertain, however, whether courses taken at other institutions satisfy other, more specific requirements of our major.
Number of courses allowed
The department allows students to take up to three Psychology courses outside of the department (with approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies to meet the requirements of the major). This limit will not apply to the natural science courses associated with the Psychology B.S. and Neuroscience majors. Please remember that, in addition to courses taken at other universities, courses taken at other schools within Boston College (e.g., Lynch School of Education, College of Advancing Studies) are considered as outside of the department.
Course Requirements
The University Catalog contains the major requirements.
Students may fulfill the Social Science Core requirement with any two Psychology courses with a number between 1010 and 1111 (e.g., PSYC1011, PSYC1021, PSYC1029, PSYC1032, PSYC1072, PSYC1110, and PSYC1111).
Students receiving a four or five on the Psychology AP exam are considered to have fulfilled half of the Social Science Core requirement.