Psychological Science Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate program in psychological science offers a dynamic education to students of human behavior, providing them with exposure to basic psychological principles as well as the tools for making their own systematic observations of human thought, emotion, and behavior. The Mission of the program is to equip graduates with the ability to interpret the human experience through various levels of observation, taking into account such factors as neurobiology, cognitive processing, social influences, and cross-cultural differences. In striving to support this mission, the program faculty aim to:
- Provide students a strong foundation in the basic science of psychology, from experimental design and statistical analysis to the written and oral presentation of results;
- Impart a deep understanding and appreciation for human diversity at all levels -- regional, ethnic, cross-cultural, gender, and spiritual – along with a basic understanding of the nuanced contributors to psychological disorders and mental health;
- Provide students with individualized guidance and mentoring in the realms of academic advising, supervised research laboratory experiences, support of student organizations and extra-curricular activities, and facilitation of field experiences in the Clarksville community;
- Encourage and support the development of students’ communication abilities, not only for the purpose of expressing their ideas with clarity to others in an academic or professional setting, but also for the purpose of communicating effectively on an interpersonal level in order to facilitate constructive interactions with clients and coworkers in a postgraduate academic or career setting;
- Prepare students for life after graduation via systematic guidance in the exploration of postgraduate options; taking into account their particular academic interests and abilities and practice with analytical abilities and problem-solving.
A student completing the major in psychology should be able to
- Conduct a search of psychological literature;
- Read and understand journal articles;
- Evaluate hypotheses or theories on the basis of empirical data;
- Design and conduct a research study; and
- Write a paper following APA style.
Coursework
- Psychology Major Requirements
- General Education Requirements
- Psychology Major 4 Year Plan
- Two-Year Course Offering Plan for 2022-2024
A variety of online resources are available to help students navigate the major:
Psychological Science Minor Requirements
18 hours of coursework including:
- PSYC 1030 and electives: At least twelve hours must be 3000-4999 level courses.
- No more than eight hours which count toward another major can be used for a minor in psychology.
Major Field Test
During the semester you are graduating, you will receive an email concerning the Major Field Test. The Major Field test assesses mastery of concepts, principles, and knowledge by graduating psychological science students. The Major Field Test in Psychology consists of 140 multiple-choice questions drawn from the courses of study most commonly offered in undergraduate programs within the broadly defined field of psychology. Questions often require students to identify theories, psychologists, methods and other information from the field. Some questions require students to analyze relationships, apply principles, draw conclusions from experimental data and evaluate experiments. The completion of the Major Field test does not impact your GPA.
If you are graduating in December, you will receive an email from the department in October regarding instructions on how to sign up for the major field test. If you are graduating in May, you will receive an email from the department in March. This is a requirement for graduation, so please make sure you are checking your email during this time.