Psychology Major, B.A.

Total minimum number of credits required for a major in Psychology leading to the B.A. degree - 120.
Total minimum number of credits for a minor in psychology -18.

The Psychology major at Wilkes University emphasizes a scientific approach to the content, methods, and theories of human and nonhuman behavior. Wilkes students are prepared to pursue professional careers in psychology or related fields such as medicine or law, obtain employment immediately upon graduation, or attend graduate school in psychology.

Psychology Major

Coordinator: Dr. Jennifer Thomas

The Psychology major must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours. In addition to satisfying the University’s General Education requirements, the student majoring in Psychology completes a minimum of 41 credits in psychology, including PSY 101 - General Psychology , five breadth area courses, two applied psychology courses, a four-course capstone sequence, and a career mentoring course. (Please see the course listings for the specific course requirements.) PSY 101  is a prerequisite to all other psychology courses. The Psychology major must take either BIO 105 - The Biological World  or another biology course approved by the department in partial fulfillment of their Area II General Education requirement. It is also strongly recommended that the student take a foreign language.

Students are encouraged to consult the Undergraduate Bulletin for all information regarding degree requirements. Each student should also meet frequently and work closely with the faculty advisor in order to make the optimal course selections based upon the student’s interests and career goals. With numerous free elective credits, many Psychology majors choose to major or minor in a second discipline.

There are two different options for satisfying the capstone requirement in psychology. For students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in psychology or psychology research in their career, the research-based capstone will provide an excellent opportunity for hands-on research experience. For those who are more interested in pursuing a career immediately after graduation, or are pursuing non-research based careers, or graduate school in an applied area, the applied option will provide valuable experience in real-world settings, and with additional guidance and structure, will enhance the student’s applied skills. The courses for the two options are detailed below.

All students majoring in psychology must complete a common set of courses in the major.