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. Ellen Newell

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 39 credits in psychology, including PSY 101(General Psychology), eight breadth area courses, two applied psychology courses, a capstone course, and a career mentoring course. Students must also complete a psychology course which fulfills a self-growth and cultural competence requirement. (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 (Human Biology; offered in the fall semester) or BIO 121 (Principles of Modern Biology I) 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 three options for satisfying the capstone requirement in psychology. All three will require students to read journal articles, write an APA-style paper, and complete an oral presentation.  For students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies in psychology or psychology research in their career, the advanced research methods capstone (PSY 410) will provide an excellent opportunity for hands-on research experience. The advanced topics in psychology capstone class (PSY 498) will allow students to more intensively study an area of psychology for which their instructor is an expert.  For those who are more interested in pursuing a career immediately after graduation, are pursuing non-research based careers, or graduate school in an applied area, the applied capstone (PSY 401) will provide valuable experience in real-world settings, and with additional guidance and structure, will enhance the student’s applied skills.

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