Psychology - Bachelor of Arts
General Requirements
Students must complete all University degree requirements, which include: General Education requirements,Viewing a Wider World requirements, and elective credits to total at least 120 credits with 48 credits in courses numbered 300 or above. Developmental coursework will not count towards the degree requirements and/or elective credits, but may be needed in order to take the necessary English and Mathematics coursework.
Students must receive a C- or better in courses.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Area I: Communications | 9-10 | |
| English Composition - Level 1 | ||
| Select one from the following | 4 | |
| Composition I | 4 | |
| Composition I Honors | 4 | |
| English Composition - Level 2 | ||
| Select one from the following | 3 | |
| Professional and Technical Communication Honors (Recommended) | 3 | |
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Science | 3 | |
| Oral Communication | ||
| Select one from the following | ||
| Effective Leadership and Communication in Agriculture | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication | 3 | |
| Public Speaking | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication Honors | 3 | |
| Area II: Mathematics | 3 | |
| Select one from the following (students may need to complete prerequisites) 1 | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| Statistical Methods | 3 | |
| Area III/IV: Laboratory Sciences and Social/Behavioral Sciences | 10-11 | |
Select one of the following from Area III: Laboratory Sciences (4 credits) | ||
| Human Biology and Human Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution and Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution Laboratory | 4 | |
Area IV: Social/Behavioral Sciences Course | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | 3 | |
Either an Area III/IV: Laboratory Sciences Course or Social/Behavioral Sciences Course (4 or 3 credits) 2 | ||
| Area V: Humanities | 3 | |
| Select any Area V: Humanites course, but one of the following PHIL courses is recommended: 2 | ||
| Philosophy, Law, and Ethics | 3 | |
| Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | |
| Philosophy and World Religions | 3 | |
| Philosophical Thought | 3 | |
| Logic, Reasoning, & Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Area VI: Creative and Fine Arts 2 | 3 | |
| General Education Elective 2 | 3-4 | |
| Viewing A Wider World 3 | 6 | |
| Departmental/College Requirements (additional credits beyond Gen Ed) | 21 | |
| Introduction to Psychology (this course will count towards the Area IV requirement above) | 3 | |
| Core Content | ||
| Social Psychology | 3 | |
| Developmental Psychology | 3 | |
| Cognitive Psychology | 3 | |
| Brain and Behavior | 3 | |
| Research Methods | ||
| Psychological Measurement 4 | 3 | |
| Experimental Methods | 0,4 | |
| Capstone | ||
| Senior Capstone Seminar in Psychology | 1 | |
| PSYC upper division electives to bring total PSYC upper division credits to 24 5 | 13 | |
| Non-Departmental Requirements (some overlap with Gen.Ed/VWW) | ||
| Philosophy course 300-level or above 6 | 3 | |
| Statistics Course requirement, can be completed with one of the following (all but A ST 311 will count towards Gen.Ed requirements) 1, 7 | ||
| Statistical Applications | 3 | |
| Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| Statistical Methods | 3 | |
| Introductory Biology requirement, can be completed with one of the following (all will count towards Gen.Ed requirements) 8 | ||
| Human Biology and Human Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution and Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution Laboratory | 4 | |
| Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Second Language: (required- see below) 9 | 13-15 | |
| Electives, to bring the total credits to 120 10 | 22 | |
| Total Credits | 120-125 | |
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Either MATH 1350G Introduction to Statistics, MATH 2350G Statistical Methods is required for the degree but students may need to take any prerequisites needed to enter MATH 1350G or MATH 2350G first.
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See the General Education of the catalog for a full list of courses
- 3
See the Viewing a Wider World section of the catalog for a full list of courses
- 4
PSYC 3120 Psychological Measurement : prerequisite of PSYC 1110G Introduction to Psychology, PSYC 2110 Social Psychology,PSYC 2220 Cognitive Psychology, and either MATH 1350G,MATH 2350G, or A ST 311. PSYC 3110 Experimental Methods: prerequisite of PSYC 3120 Psychological Measurement .
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Additional electives to bring total credits in psychology to at least 34, with at least 24 of those 34 credits being upper division.
- 6
PHIL 346 Philosophy of Mind or PHIL 351 Philosophy of Science recommended
- 7
Students who are considering graduate study are strongly encouraged to take math classes beyond the minimum statistics course requirement.
- 8
A course that includes a laboratory is highly recommended, and is required if intended to satisfy Gen Ed Area III
- 9
The number of credits needed to complete the Second Language requirement depends on which option the student uses and whether the student is able to begin study at a level beyond the introductory course
- 10
Elective credit may vary based on General Education course selection, second language requirements, prerequisites, dual credit, AP credit, double majors, and/or minor coursework. The amount indicated in the requirements list is the amount needed to bring the total to 120 credits and may appear in variable form based on the degree. However students may end up needing to complete more or less on a case-by-case basis and students should discuss elective requirements with their advisor.
Second Language Requirement
For the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology there is a two year second language requirement, the options to complete this requirement are listed below. The number of credits that a student needs to take may vary depending on what level they come in with. Please speak with an advisor for more information as to which courses you will need to take to fulfill the second language requirement for this degree.
Option 1:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following sequences: | ||
| FREN 1110 & FREN 1120 & FREN 2110 & FREN 2120 | French I and French II and French III and French IV | 3-14 |
| GRMN 1110 & GRMN 1120 & GRMN 2110 & GRMN 2120 | German I and German II and German III and German IV | 3-14 |
| JAPN 1110 & JAPN 1120 & JAPN 2110 & JAPN 2120 | Japanese I and Japanese II and Japanese III and Japanese IV | 3-14 |
| SPAN 1110 & SPAN 1120 & SPAN 2110 & SPAN 2120 | Spanish I and Spanish II and Spanish III and Spanish IV | 3-14 |
| PORT 1110 & PORT 1120 | Portuguese I and Portuguese II | 3-6 |
| For Heritage Speakers: | ||
| SPAN 1210 & SPAN 1220 & SPAN 2210 | Elementary Spanish for Heritage Learners I and Spanish for Heritage Learners II and Spanish for Heritage Learners III | 3-9 |
Option 2:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following sequence for American Sign Language (with a C- or better): | ||
| SIGN 1110 | American Sign Language I | 3 |
| SIGN 1120 | American Sign Language II | 3 |
| SIGN 2110 | American Sign Language III | 3 |
Option 3:
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge the 1120/2210 level for the following courses: | ||
| PORT 1120 | Portuguese II | 3 |
| or SPAN 2210 | Spanish for Heritage Learners III | |
Option 4: Computer Science Track
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| C S 153 | Python Programming I | 3 |
| C S 154 | Python Programming II | 3 |
| C S 158 | R Programming I | 3 |
| Under special circumstances, alternative combinations of CS courses may be approved by the Department Head | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Option 5: Math Track
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1220G | College Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 1250G | Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 1511G | Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| MATH 1521G | Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Option 6:
Pass a three-credit, upper-division course (numbered 300 or above) taught in a second language by the department of Languages and Linguistics.
Option 7:
Obtain college certification of completion of three years of a second language at the high school level with a grade of C- or higher in the second-year level.
Option 8:
By obtaining certification of a working knowledge of a Native American language from the American Indian program director.
Option 9:
By obtaining, from the head of the Department of Languages and Linguistics, certification of a working knowledge of a second language if such language is not taught at NMSU.
Option 10:
In the case of a foreign student who is required to take the TOEFL exam admission, the dean will automatically waive the second language requirement.
A Suggested Plan of Study for Students
This roadmap assumes student placement in MATH 1350G Introduction to Statistics and ENGL 1110G Composition I. The contents and order of this roadmap may vary depending on initial student placement in mathematics and English. It is only a suggested plan of study for students and is not intended as a contract. Course availability may vary from fall to spring semester and may be subject to modification or change.
| Freshman | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1110G | Composition I 1 | 4 |
| Choose from one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Statistics 1 | ||
| Statistical Methods 1 | ||
| Statistical Applications 1 | ||
| PSYC 1110G | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Area V: Humanities Course (recommend one of the following) 2 | 3 | |
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Philosophical Thought | ||
| FYEX 1112 | The Freshman Year Experience 2 | 3 |
| COMM 1115G | Introduction to Communication | 3 |
| Choose from one of the following: | 4 | |
| Human Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution and Principles of Biology: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution Laboratory | ||
| First Course in Second Language Series | 3-4 | |
| Area VI: Creative and Fine Arts Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 29-30 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Choose from one of the following: | 3 | |
| Professional and Technical Communication Honors 1 | ||
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Science 1 | ||
| Area III: Laboratory Science Course OR Area IV: Social and Behavioral Science Course 2 | 3-4 | |
| General Education Elective Course 2 | 3-4 | |
| Next Course in Second Language Series 1 | 3-4 | |
| PSYC Core Content (refer to degree requirements list) 1 | 12 | |
| Social Psychology | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Brain and Behavior | ||
| Next Course in Second Language Series (OR Elective Course if Second Language Requirement Fulfilled) 1 | 3-4 | |
| Minor (or Elective) Course | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 30-35 | |
| Junior | ||
| PSYC 3120 | Psychological Measurement | 3 |
| PSYC 3110 | Experimental Methods | 0-4 |
| PSYC upper-division elective course | 3 | |
| Final Course in Second Language Series (OR Elective Course if Second Language Requirement Fulfilled) | 3-4 | |
| VWW: Viewing a Wider World Course 3 | 3 | |
| Upper division minor or elective courses | 15 | |
| Credits | 27-32 | |
| Senior | ||
| PSYC 4999 | Senior Capstone Seminar in Psychology | 1 |
| PSYC Upper-Division Elective Courses 1 | 9 | |
| PHIL Upper-Division Elective Course 1 | 3 | |
| Viewing a Wider World Course 3 | 3 | |
| Upper-Division Minor (or Elective) Courses 1 | 12 | |
| PHED (or other) elective course | 6 | |
| Credits | 34 | |
| Total Credits | 120-131 | |
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These courses may have prerequisites and/or co-requisites, and it is the students responsibility for checking and fulfilling all those requirements.
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See the General Education section of the catalog for a full list of courses.
- 3
See the Viewing a Wider World section of the catalog for a full list of courses.