In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the Letters & Science Degree Requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. The sample below assumes a student took their first college class in Fall 2013 or later.
This sample shows just one possible pathway to earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in four years. This sample assumes you took no foreign language in high school and that your placement test scores were sufficient to start in college-level math and English. This sample also assumes that you maintain an average credit load of 15 credits per semester. Your schedule may look very different depending on your specific circumstances. Students may opt for a Bachelor of Arts instead, but the requirements for that pathway are not reflected in this plan.
Students opting for the BS will need to complete at least 30 credits in approved advanced L&S Natural Science courses, at least 15 of which must be completed in Psychology. Except for an advanced natural science credit requirement for the BS, the psychology requirements for the BS and BA degrees are the same.
This plan does not replace the advice of your department advisor, and you are cautioned to meet regularly with your advisor to create a personalized plan that matches your particular circumstances rather than following this verbatim. To clarify any degree requirements, please contact your L&S Undergraduate Advisor.
Psychology Major Requirements
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. The undergraduate major consists of at least 32 credits in psychology, at least 15 of them at the advanced level (300 or above) taken in residence at UWM, including the following core courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PSYCH 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Psychological Statistics | ||
Or other statistics course as approved by department | ||
| PSYCH 254 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYCH 325 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Personality | ||
| Current Topics in Psychology: | ||
| Introduction to Conditioning and Learning | ||
| Social Psychology: Psychological Perspectives | ||
| Child Psychology | ||
| Upper-Level Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 16-17 | |
Select one advanced laboratory course and four Systems and Foundations courses (16 credits) | ||
Select two advanced laboratory courses and three Systems and Foundations courses (17 credits) | ||
| Total Credits | 32-34 | |
Research Experience
The College of Letters and Science requires that students complete a research experience in their major. The Department of Psychology has structured its advanced laboratory courses to satisfy that requirement. In these laboratory courses, students run multiple experiments, collect and analyze data quantitatively, and write up the results in a standard journal article format, integrating the results with a critical survey of relevant professional literature. The Systems and Foundations courses are non-laboratory, upper-level courses designed to provide in-depth knowledge on specific topics in psychology. Students are welcome to take additional Systems and Foundations courses as electives.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 502 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 4 |
| PSYCH 505 | Cognitive Processes | 4 |
| PSYCH 623 | Perceptual Processes | 4 |
| PSYCH 654 | Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience | 4 |
| PSYCH 656 | Psychophysiology | 4 |
| PSYCH 660 | Experimental Child Psychology | 4 |
| PSYCH 677 | Experimental Social Psychology | 4 |
Cross-Listed Courses
The following courses offered by other academic units may be used to fulfill requirements of the undergraduate major in psychology:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO SCI 455 | Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology | 3 |
| BUS ADM 442 | Industrial Psychology | 3 |
Sample Study Plan
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | ||
|
ENGLISH 101 Introduction to College Writing |
3 | ||
|
MATH 105 Introduction to College Algebra (QL-A) |
3 | ||
|
1st semester Foreign Language |
3-5 | ||
|
L&S Humaities |
3 | ||
|
PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology (SS) |
3 | ||
| Spring | Credits |
ENGLISH 102
College Writing and Research (OWC-A) |
3 |
MATH 211
Survey in Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (NS) |
4 |
2nd semester Foreign Language |
3-5 |
L&S Natural Science with lab, not Psych |
3-5 |
PSYCH 254
Introduction to Neuroscience (NS) |
3 |
| Year 2 | |||
| Fall | Credits | ||
|
PSYCH 210 Psychological Statistics (formal reasoning) (QL-B) |
4 | ||
|
L&S Humanities |
3 | ||
|
L&S Social Science/International, not Psych |
3 | ||
|
L&S Natural Science with Lab, not Psych |
3-5 | ||
|
Psych 205, 214, 230, or 260 (SS) |
3 | ||
| Spring | Credits |
L&S Humanities/Cultural Diversity |
3 |
PSYCH 325
Research Methods in Psychology (OWC-B) (NS+) |
4 |
L&S Social Science/International, not Psych |
3 |
Psych systems or foundation |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
| Year 3 | |||
| Fall | Credits | ||
|
L&S Humanities/International |
3 | ||
|
Psychology upper-level |
und | ||
|
Psych 354, 355, 433, 454, 503, 510, 609, 610, 627, or 681 (NS) |
3 | ||
|
Psych systems or foundation |
3 | ||
|
Elective |
3 | ||
| Spring | Credits |
L&S Natural Science upper-level |
3-5 |
Arts GER |
3 |
Psych 354, 355, 433, 454, 503, 510, 609, 610, 627, or 681 (NS) |
3 |
Psych 354, 355, 433, 454, 503, 510, 609, 610, 627, or 681 (NS) |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
| Year 4 | |||
| Fall | Credits | ||
|
Psych 654, 656, or 660 (NS) |
3 | ||
|
Psych systems or foundation |
3 | ||
|
Psych upper-level elective |
3 | ||
|
Elective |
3 | ||
|
Elective |
3 | ||
| Spring | Credits |
Psych 654, 656, or 660 (NS) |
3 |
L&S upper-level |
3 |
L&S upper-level |
3 |
L&S upper-level |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
| Key | |
|---|---|
| (A) Arts GER | (Int’l) International |
| (HU) Humanities | (QL-A) Quantitative Literacy A |
| (NS) Natural Science | (QL-B) Quantitative Literacy B |
| (SS) Social Science | (OWC-A) Oral and Written Communication A |
| (CD) Cultural Diversity GER | (OWC-B) Oral and Written Communication B |