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Students pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology have two choice, both of which are offered through the College of Liberal Arts. There is a B.S. (Bachelor of Science) degree in Psychology and a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) degree in Psychology. If you do well in your studies, either degree should help you find employment or gain entrance into a graduate program.

How, then, do you decide which degree (B.A. or B.S.) to pursue? Your decision should be based on answers to several questions. First, are you attracted to the biological and natural sciences? Did you like biology, chemistry, and mathematics classes in high school? Second, did you do well in your high school science classes and are you likely to do well in more advanced classes here at ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ? Third, do you plan to pursue a career that requires a background in the "hard" sciences, such as medicine or neuroscience (brain) research? If you answer "yes" to the these questions, then you would be wise to pursue a B.S. in psychology, because it prepares you for the type of career you wish to pursue.

You should pursue a B.A. in psychology if you are attracted to the study of human behavior but not attracted to the study of its biochemical bases. If you pursue a B.A. in psychology, then you will be expected to complete rigorous coursework within the Psychology Department (including coursework in statistics), but rather than take a lot of other science courses, you will need to take more courses in the social sciences, languages, and humanities. If you believe that you would flourish in the latter type of coursework, then you would be wise to pursue a B.A., rather than a B.S. in psychology.

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Statistics is a prerequisite for General Experimental, because in General Experimental, it is expected that students already know the material from the statistics class. The material in that class builds to a certain extent on material from the statistics class. Taking this class without having had any statistics course would be like almost like taking calculus without ever having learned algebra (or algebra without knowing basic arithmetic). We do not want students to find themselves in classes where they are destined to failure when they could have waited and done just fine; therefore, the prerequisite serves as a protection.

Several upper-division courses have General Experimental as a prerequisite. These generally are classes that involve discussion of complex experiments or data patterns, and where understanding key concepts like interactions of variables and how to identify effects in a graph are critical. Also, studies may be discussed with different designs, where certain control procedures were used or where there were serious confounds, so some previous understanding of the basic designs, control procedures, and potential problems (material in General Experimental) helps a lot.

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This is probably the # 1 question students have about psychology! The simple answer is 1) get a job, or 2) go to graduate school. It is important to understand that people with bachelor's degrees in psychology are not practicing psychologists or psychiatrists. Although further education is required for these positions, there are interesting jobs for people with bachelor's degrees in psychology. Examples of jobs for which people with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology may be qualified are:

Administrative Positions
Consulting
Education/Teaching
Health-Related or Professional Service Positions
Management
Public Relations
Sales
Statistical Computing and/or Reporting
Youth Services

For further career information, contact the Career Services Office, 1st Floor Union West. They can provide employment profiles so you can determine your best bets for jobs based on your skills and interests.

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There is no easy answer to this question because it depends, in part, on what you plan to do after graduation. However, two classes that may improve your prospects are PSYC 4317 (Advanced Statistics) and PSYC 4352 (Independent Research). You should also take courses in your areas of interest, the areas most closely related to the type of work or graduate study that you envision pursuing after graduation.

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The two largest professional organizations in psychology have websites with extensive information for students, professionals, and laypeople. This includes access to the latest research, employment opportunities, mental health information, and much more.

American Psychological Association (APA)

American Psychological Society (APS)

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Answer: Most graduate programs require, as part of your application package, your scores on the GRE. The GRE is a standardized exam, conceptually similar to the college entrance exams (SAT, ACT). The general exam contains Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical sections, and your scores on each section contribute to the appeal of your graduate school application. Books and computer software are available to help you prepare, and both include practice exams.

The GRE is now available only in a computerized version. You should contact ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ's Testing office or the Sylvan Learning Center for more information. In addition to the general test scores, there is a psychology Subject subtest of the GRE that many graduate programs require. Check with the programs to which you are applying to see which exams are required. Although you may achieve good scores the first time you take the GRE, you should plan to take the exam late in your junior year to give you the opportunity to re-take it if you want to improve your scores. Taking the GRE early also ensures that you will have your scores early enough to avoid delays in submitting your graduate school application.

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Answer: It is never too early to think about graduate school. ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ programs evaluate several factors in making admissions decisions. One of the most heavily weighted is the GPA, so you should try to keep that as high as possible even now. A second is the applicant's score on the ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ Record Examination (GRE), and it is recommended that you begin preparing during your junior year. A third is research experience. It is never too early to try to get involved with research, and there are several ways to get involved (see Undergraduate Research). A fourth is letters of recommendation; usually three letters are required. Therefore, you need to make sure that at least three faculty members get to know you, which may take time. Typically the strongest letters come from faculty whose lab the applicant works in--therefore, getting involved with research earlier rather than later serves two purposes. (Of course it is important to do a great job in this research context to earn that glowing letter!) Thus, by early in your junior year, you should be actively preparing to apply.

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Answer: You should decide whether you are interested in a clinically-oriented or a research-oriented program. Clinically-oriented programs train students to go into positions that involve mental health service provision. These programs typically focus on psychopathology and treatment issues. Examples of clinically-oriented positions are licensed psychotherapists and forensic psychologists. In contrast, research-oriented programs train students to conduct empirical studies, either in laboratories or real-world settings. These programs may emphasize normal psychological functions, such as memory, learning, social behavior, and perception or they may involve the study of abnormal psychology. Like the distinction between the B.A. and the B.S. psychology degree at the undergraduate level, the distinction between a clinically-oriented or a research-oriented degree is an important one and affects the type of job you will be eligible for after graduation. Your decision will naturally influence your selection of potential graduate programs.

Keep in mind that thousands of students, often with excellent credentials, apply to graduate schools. Most programs can only accept a limited number of students each year and can therefore afford to be highly selective. To avoid disappointment and possible delays of your graduate education, you should apply to several programs. The application process is expensive, but so is missing an entire year of education if you are not accepted to the only program to which you applied.

The recommended number of schools to which you should apply will depend on both the type of program and the area of psychology in which you are interested. Before applying to graduate school, talk with a psychology professor whose interests match your own.
Dr. Wood has prepared some very helpful .