DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Undergraduate Department of Psychology

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Chair: Brad Schmidt; Associate Chair: Hardy; Professors: Cougle, Eckel, Ganley, Joiner, Kaschak, Keel, Kistner, Kofler, Lonigan, Maner, McNulty, Meltzer, Patrick, Plant, Rinaman, Schatschneider, Schmidt, Spector, Wagner, Wang; Associate Professors: Braithwaite, Dewan, Hammock, March, Nee, Wilber, Assistant Professors: Brown, Harmon, Haughbrook, Hermiller, Maranges, March, Martin, Nugiel, Olcaysoy Okten, Riddle, Varela,; Teaching Faculty: M. Dougherty, S. Dougherty, Hansen, Hardy, Ives, Kemper, Koehler, O. Johnson, Kline, Pieper-BrennaltPolick, Towne; Affiliated Faculty: Flynn, Phillips, Roehrig, Tenenbaum, Wetherby; Adjunct Instructors: O'Neal-Moffitt, Sullivan, Wells Harrison; Professors Emeriti: Bailey, Baumeister, Berkley, Brigham, Carbonell, Charness, Contreras, Hokanson, Hull, Hyson, F. Johnson Kelley, Lang, Megargee, Miller, Rashotte, Smith, Stephan, Torgesen, Weaver

The undergraduate program in psychology offers introductory survey courses to give the CoreFSU Curriculum student a broad background in the study of behavior, as well as upper-division courses for the advanced student who has more specialized interests. The undergraduate major includes a rigorous course of study that covers the methodology and content needed to understand and further explore the causes of behavior in humans and animals. It is the intent of the program that the level of knowledge attained by the successful major will be such that the student is well prepared for graduate-level studies in any of the specialty areas in psychology. Likewise, the undergraduate program will provide excellent preparation for those interested in advanced training in a professional school (e.g., law or medical school), although additional coursework outside psychology may be required. For students who do not wish to pursue graduate studies, this program assures that the successful major will attain a strong science-based liberal arts education, which can prepare students for a variety of careers, although additional training (e.g., internships) may be required.

Majors are required to take two laboratory courses, and qualified students are strongly encouraged to work in the department's research laboratories or to participate in research in educational and clinical settings. Students also are strongly encouraged to consult early and regularly with the departmental Advising Office to be sure they are meeting program requirements and to ask about opportunities for intensive study in a specialty area while pursuing the major, as well as how to better prepare for graduate school or employment. Advisors are available M-F from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached at (850) 644-4260 or advising@psy.fsu.edu. Students are encouraged to make appointments with advising staff through Campus Connect. A Career Center Liaison is also available to consult and advise students as they explore careers and prepare for their profession. The optional areas of emphasis include clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and social psychology. Students on the Panama City campus may specialize in applied behavior analysis and performance management. For the student wishing to study abroad, the department offers a summer program to study psychology in London. The Psychology London Program includes two 4000 level elective courses that are not offered at other FSU campuses and which use the city of London as a classroom for experiential learning about various aspects of psychology. There also may be opportunities to study for a semester in one of FSU's many study centers and programs abroad (including, but not limited to, Florence, Valencia, London, Panama, and Prague) while completing CoreFSU Curriculum requirements, one's minor, and/or one's world language requirement. For detailed information about the psychology major and the department, please refer to https://psychology.fsu.edu.

The department also offers an interdisciplinary major, behavioral neuroscience, in conjunction with the Program in Neuroscience and the Department of Biological Science. The unique multidisciplinary breadth of the behavioral neuroscience major prepares students for a variety of STEM-related careers as technicians, researchers, educators, or health professionals. While understanding human brain function (in health and disease) has long been of central importance to physicians, psychologists, researchers, and educators, the knowledge accruing from this effort is also beginning to impact traditionally non-STEM professions such as law, business, or economics. Students are strongly encouraged to consult early and regularly with the Neuroscience Advising Office to be sure they are meeting program requirements and to ask about opportunities for intensive study in a specialty area while pursuing the major, as well as how to better prepare for graduate or professional school, or employment. For an appointment, please call (850) 645-9565 or e-mail advising@neuro.fsu.edu. For detailed information about the behavioral neuroscience major, please refer to https://www.neuro.fsu.edu.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in psychology and behavioral neuroscience satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in PSY 3213C.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Psychology

The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.

FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Psychology. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/2/179.

Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.

Admission Requirements for a Major in Psychology

Admission to the undergraduate program in psychology is based on the successful completion of prerequisite course requirements. A Psychology major who applies for readmission to the college must meet the degree requirements of the catalog in force on the date of readmission. Students whose psychology credits are ten years old or older will need to have their existing credits evaluated by the Department of Psychology to determine if any requirements need to be repeated to ensure that their knowledge of Psychology is current.

Note: Students who qualify for upper-division status and who wish to enter FSU as a Psychology major must complete all the following prerequisites prior to being accepted at FSU:

Meet requirements for progression to upper division status
Completion of the four courses listed below (each with a “C–” or better); these three courses should be taken as part of the CoreFSU Curriculum requirements or the AA degree.
PSY 2012, General Psychology
One biology course, with one of the following strongly preferred: BSC 1005, 2010, 2085, 2086, PCB 2099, ZOO X010, or equivalent
Any statistics course, with STA 2122 or STA 2171 strongly preferred. The Research Methods course (PSY 3213C), which is required of all majors, requires that STA 2122 or STA 2171 or equivalent be taken as a course prerequisite (or corequisite, if necessary). It is important that students see a psychology advisor for guidance as to when it is best to schedule these courses.
Three credit hours of psychology electives, beyond PSY 2012, with a PSY, CLP, DEP, EAB, EXP, INP, PCO, PPE, PSB, or SOP prefix.

Requirements for a Major in Psychology

Note: Please see the undergraduate link on the department's website at https://psychology.fsu.edu or contact the Psychology Advising Office at (850) 644-4260 for requirements.

Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the “College of Arts and Sciences” chapter.

Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized on the Undergraduate Review page of the College of Arts & Sciences chapter regarding the following: diversity, oral communication competency, and computer skills competency. For the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in psychology, the requirements listed below, along with the requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, must be fulfilled. For the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, nine additional credit hours in the humanities and history are required above and beyond the requirements for the BS degree.

The Department of Psychology offers a broad selection of courses in order for each student to select a curriculum appropriate for his/her needs. All students must fulfill the major requirements listed below, which ensure a balanced program of study. Any of the courses listed below, if presented by the student toward fulfillment of the major, must be completed with a minimum grade of “C–”. A student who has accumulated more than four unsatisfactory grades (U, F, D–, D, D+) in courses required for the psychology major, excluding State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1–4 milestones, taken after enrolling at FSU, will not be permitted to graduate with a degree in this major.

Due to course overlap within the Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, students are not permitted to pursue a secondary major in Behavioral Neuroscience or Cell and Molecular Neuroscience. Students who obtain a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, or Cell and Molecular Neuroscience will not be permitted to pursue a second bachelor's degree in these major areas.

In an effort to maintain quality and to give students a direct way to affect the program, the Department of Psychology asks all of its graduating seniors to complete a survey to provide information about their experiences in and impressions of the department.

Class Attendance

The Department of Psychology enforces a strict first-day attendance policy. Students missing the first day of any class or laboratory will be dropped. For courses involving both a lecture and laboratory component, students missing the first day of either component will be dropped from the four-credit course.

Required Upper-Level Courses for a Psychology Major

Note: EXP 3202C, 3422C, 3604C; PSY 3213C; and PSB 3004C are each four-hour courses with both lecture and laboratory components.

Thirty-six credit hours of psychology courses (not including General Psychology) are required for the major. At least eighteen of these 36 credit hours must be taken in residence at FSU. Courses taken outside the Department of Psychology will not count toward the Psychology 36 hour requirement. Courses with a WST prefix will not count toward the Psychology major, even though they may be listed on the Psychology course search. Students pursuing a double major may use up to six hours of Psychology coursework toward another major, provided that major accepts those courses. Students should check with advisors in both majors on these course requirements. Students can use only one psychology course (either IDS 2651 or PSB 2000) to count toward both psychology major and CoreFSU Curriculum requirements. The 36 credit hours must include:

Group 1: Research Methods. STA 2122 or 2171 or equivalent is a prerequisite (or corequisite, for students with prior statistics credit). Group 1 totals four hours of credit. PSY 3213C must be completed by the end of Term 5 (first term, junior year).

PSY 3213C Research Methods in Psychology with Laboratory (4)

Group 2: Neuroscience. Students must take PSB 2000. PSB 2000 must be completed by the end of Term 5 (first term, junior year).

Group 3: Social, Cognitive, Clinical, and Developmental Psychology. Students must take one course in at least three of these four areas of psychology. The following list is a guide to the courses that qualify under each area; students can consult the advising office about whether other courses are eligible to count toward a particular area.

Clinical Psychology: CLP 3305 (Clinical and Counseling Psychology), CLP 4134 (Abnormal Child Psychology), CLP 4110 (Eating Disorders), CLP 4143 (Abnormal Psychology), CLP 4392 (Psychology of Criminal Behavior),

Cognitive Psychology: EXP 3604C (Cognitive Psychology with Laboratory), EXP 4404 (Human Memory and Learning), EXP 4640 (Psychology of Language)

Developmental Psychology: DEP 3103 (Child Psychology), DEP 4404 (Psychology of Adult Development and Aging)

Social Psychology: SOP 3004 (Social Psychology), SOP 4722 (Prejudice and Stereotyping), PPE 3003 (Psychology of Personality)

Group 4: Lecture/Laboratory Courses. Students must take one course from the list below. Each course contains a lecture and laboratory component.

EXP 3202C Sensation and Perception with Laboratory (4)

EXP 3422C Conditioning and Learning with Laboratory (4)

EXP 3604C Cognitive Psychology with Laboratory (4)

Note: If EXP 3604C is used to fulfill a Group 3 requirement, it may also be used to fulfill the Group 4 laboratory requirement. By double-counting, students will not be able to graduate with fewer hours in the major; rather, they will take more psychology electives (Group 6) to total 36 credit hours. Group 4 adds either zero or four hours of credit, depending on if EXP 3604C is double counted.

Group 5: Careers in Psychology. Students must complete Careers in Psychology (PSY 2023) by the end of Term 5 (first term, junior year).

Group 6: Psychology Electives. Students must take enough psychology elective courses to total 36 credit hours of psychology courses (not including General Psychology). Group 6 adds 15 to 18 hours of credit.

Up to nine total hours of applied learning experiences can count toward psychology electives. Courses in this category include Directed Individual Study (DIS: PSY 4911–4914) and Research Topics (PSY 4910, 4915, 4920) and Psychology Internship (PSY 4944). These are taken by instructor permission only.

Honors thesis work (PSY 4039r). Students can use honors thesis work to bring the total number of hours of applied courses that count toward the major to 12 hours maximum. For example, if a student took nine combined hours of PSY 4920 and PSY 4911, they can count an additional three hours of honors thesis work toward the major.

Psychology electives are courses listed under the department's code of “ASPSY”, excluding courses used to meet Groups 1 through 5 requirements. If courses in Groups 3 or 4 are taken beyond the minimum requirements, they may count as electives.

For students who have not taken any 4000-level psychology courses at Florida State University to fulfill Psychology requirements, at least three hours of psychology electives must be taken at the 4000-level at Florida State University. This cannot include PSY 4910–4915, PSY 4920, PSY 4039, PSY 4944, or PSY 4970.

ISC 4244C (Computer Applications in Psychology with Lab) counts as a 4000-level psychology elective.

Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at Panama City

Students may complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (BS) in psychology at the Panama City campus. Classes typically are small and meet once per week for two and a half to three hours. Students should refer to the common course requirements for this degree program.

For additional information about the psychology programs at the Panama City campus, visit https://www.pc.fsu.edu.

The Panama City campus houses the Early Childhood Autism Program, where students are able to learn about autism treatment. For more information about this program, visit https://pc.fsu.edu/ecap.

Admission requirements and graduation requirements for the Panama City campus are the same as those at the Tallahassee campus.

Note: Interested students can contact the FSU Panama City campus at (850) 872-4750, or toll free at (866) 539-7588, or refer to https://pc.fsu.edu/ecap.

Requirements for a Major in Behavioral Neuroscience

Introduction

Website: https://neuro.fsu.edu

Neuroscience is the study of brain and nervous system function. The behavioral neuroscience major offers students the opportunity to build knowledge across the natural and social sciences – exploring the elaborate chains of causality that lead from molecules to behavior, as well as the dramatic impact exerted by social, personal, and environmental influences on the dynamic patterns of neural activity that drive cognition, emotion, and behavior. Students experience a synthesis of coursework offered by the Departments of Biological Science, Psychology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Statistics. The psychology elective coursework offers an emphasis that includes the effects of sensory and social experience on brain and behavior, the mechanisms of learning and memory, cognitive processes and emotion, human brain disorders and disease, and the neural and behavioral effects of drugs and hormones.

FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Neuroscience. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/2601/7710

Minimum Program Requirements – Summary (Total hours required: 120)

General Education: 36 (encouraged to take PSY 2012 to fulfill Social Science requirement) *
Collateral Coursework: 37 – 40 (depending on chemistry and physics sequence)
Major Coursework: 36
Minor Coursework: 0 (none beyond collateral science coursework, which constitutes a minor)
Foreign Language: 0–12 (depending on placement)
Computer Skills: 0 beyond major requirements PSY 3213C
Oral Competency: 0–3
Electives to bring total hours to 120

Note: Some coursework required for the major may also be applied towards General Education and/or minor requirements.

Admission requirements to the upper division major:

Completion of the following courses with a grade of “C minus” or higher:

BSC X010, X010L (3, 1) Biological Science I and Lab
BSC X011, X011L (3, 1) Biological Science II and Lab
CHM X045, X045L (3, 1) General Chemistry I and Lab
CHM X046, X046L (3, 1) General Chemistry II and Lab
MAC X311 (4) Calculus I
STA X0XX (3) Statistics: STA 2122 (3) preferred

Completion of the following collateral courses with a grade of “C-“ or higher:

CHM 2210 (3) Organic Chemistry I OR CHM 3217 (4) One Semester Biochemistry
CHM 2211 (3) Organic Chemistry II OR BCH 4053 (3) One Semester Biochemistry
PHY 2053C (4) College Physics A OR PHY 2048C (5) General Physics A
PHY 2054C (4) College Physics B OR PHY 2049C (5) General Physics B
Completion of at least 52 academic credits or an A.A. Degree.
A preliminary meeting with the Neuroscience Academic Advisor (advising@neuro.fsu.edu) to discuss program requirements and career goals.
Certification and admission to upper-division status can occur during any (Fall, Spring, Summer). However, prospective transfer students should contact Ms. Shellie Camp, as-admissions@fsu.edu, with specific questions about admission and mapping requirements.

Major Program of Studies at FSU

Thirty-six hours of degree core and elective coursework. Grades below “C-” will not be accepted for major credit.
A student who has accumulated more than four unsatisfactory grades (U, F, D–, D, D+) in courses required for the behavioral neuroscience major, excluding State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1–4 milestones, taken after enrolling at FSU, will not be permitted to graduate with a degree in this major.

Students must complete the following requirements:

Degree Core Coursework (19 hours)

PSY 2012 General Psychology (3)
PCB 3134 Cell Structure and Function (3)
PSY 3213C Research Methods (4)
PCB 4843 Fundamentals of Neuroscience (3)
PSB 3004C Physiological Psychology with Brain Anatomy Lab (4)
PSB 4400 Molecules to Behavior (2)

Degree Elective Coursework (17 hours)

Take any combination of Biological Science electives up to 6 hours:

PCB 3063 General Genetics (3)
PCB 4024 Molecular Biology (3)
PCB 4024L Molecular Biology Lab (1)
PCB 4233 Immunology (3)
PCB 4233L Immunology Lab (1)
PCB 4244 Biology of Aging (3)
PCB 4253 Developmental Biology (3)
PCB 4701 Human Physiology (3)
MCB 4403 Prokaryotic Biology (3)
BSC 4731L Experimental Physiology Lab (2)
BSC 4900 Directed Individual Study (1–6)
BSC 4970 Honors in the Major (1–6)
ZOO 3713C Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4)
ZOO 4343C Biology of Lower Vertebrates (4)
ZOO 4353C Biology of Higher Vertebrates (4)
ZOO 4513 Animal Behavior (4)
ZOO 4753C Histology (4)

Take any combination of Psychology electives up to 11 hours

EXP 3202C Sensation and Perception with Lab (4)
EXP 3422C Conditioning and Learning with Lab (4)
EXP 3604C Cognitive Psychology with Lab (4)
EXP 4404 Human Learning and Memory (3)
EXP 4640 Psychology of Language (3)
PSB 4006 Social Neuroscience (3)
PSB 4040 Affective Neuroscience (3)
PSB 4240 Neurobiology of Brain Dysfunction (3)
PSB 4447 Psychopharmacology (3)
PSB 4461 Hormones and Behavior (3)
PSB 4710 Biology of Eating Disorders and Obesity (3)
PSB 4731 Biopsychology of Sexual Behavior (3)
PSY 4039 Honors in the Major (1–6)
PSY 4910 Augmented Research Topics (1–6)
PSY 4930 Special Topics: [Cognitive Neuroscience] (3)
PSY 4930 Special Topics: [Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior] (3)
PSY 4930 Special Topics: [Science of Consciousness] (3)
CLP 4143 Abnormal Psychology (3)
CBH 4304 Behavioral Genetics (3)
SOP 3004 Social Psychology (3)

NOTE: No more than six credit hours of directed individual study (BSC 4900, PSY 4010) and honor’s work (BSC 4970, PSY 4039) may be used to meet the 17 credit hours of degree elective coursework.

Minor Coursework

None beyond the prerequisite science coursework, which constitutes a minor.

Computer Skills Competency (0 beyond major requirements)

PSY 3213C Research Methods in Psychology meets this requirement.

Oral Communication Competency (0–3 hours)

Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course such as SPC 2017 or SPC 2608.

Honors in the Major

The Department of Psychology offers an Honors in the Major program to encourage talented students to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. Psychology majors conduct this research under the supervision of a psychology faculty member. Behavioral Neuroscience students conduct this research under the supervision of a psychology, biology, or biomedical sciences faculty member. Completing an honors project contributes greatly to one's preparation for graduate studies in psychology and related fields. Students must have a 3.5 GPA in psychology courses and must be admitted into the University Honors in the Major Program prior to registering for Honors in the Major hours. For requirements and other information, see the “Discipline-Specific Honor Societies” tab of the Honors chapter. Students should identify a psychology faculty mentor for supervision of their honors thesis research before applying to the University Honors in the Major Program.

Requirements for a Minor in Psychology

Twelve credit hours of psychology are required for a minor in psychology. One of these courses must be PSY 2012, General Psychology (3). Grades below “C–” will not be accepted for credit toward the minor. A minimum of six of the required credit hours must be completed at Florida State University. No courses used for satisfying the CoreFSU Curriculum requirements may count toward the minor, nor may any courses taken for an S/U grade. Also, courses with a WST prefix will not count toward the psychology minor.

Areas of Special Emphasis

Several areas of emphasis are available for students. The areas are clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and social psychology. The recommended curriculum includes coursework and DIS or Research Topics to provide students with a strong background in scientific method and content pertinent to their areas of particular interest.