Psychology Major/Minor FAQs

A. PSYC 6 is required for the Neuroscience major, so if you know that you are interested in neuroscience, then PSYC 6 may be your best choice. However, if you are unsure, then selecting PSYC 1 (required for the Psychology major) is a good option, because you will cover the field of psychology in more breadth and it will include some neuroscience.  Many students end up taking both to help with the decision.

A. Psychology is the study of behavior–from the level of brain mechanisms of behavior to social interactions. It encompasses a large breadth of topics including: applied, social, developmental, clinical cognitive, and physiological psychology. Majoring in psychology will expose you to many of these disciplines. In contrast, neuroscience is the study of brain mechanisms and encompasses material from the molecular and cellular level of how neurons work, to cognitive and behavioral levels where questions of how neural processes lead to behavior and cognitive thought is studied. In between these two levels, neuroscience also involves anatomical and system level analyses of brain function.

A. You may only NRO PSYC 1. You may not NRO any other required prerequisite, elective, or culminating experience courses taken to complete the psychology major. You may NRO no more than one course for the minor.

A.

Students in the class of 2025 and earlier: The psychology major cannot be modified with any other major.  However, students can petition to modify another major with psychology (e.g. Biology modified with Psychology) if the major forms a unified and coherent whole, as approved by the Chair of the Departmental Undergraduate Committee.

Students in the class of 2026 and later: The psychology major cannot be modified. This includes both modified majors in which psychology is the primary component (e.g., Psychology Modified with Economics) and those in which it is the secondary component (e.g., Economics Modified with Psychology). Students who seek to modify a major in another department with courses in psychology may do so by using the option of a modified major without indication of the secondary department (e.g. Economics Modified).  Students who wish to have a more substantial study of psychology noted on their transcript are encouraged to declare a psychology minor.

A. No, you may take 20s-level courses as soon as you have completed PSYC 1.

A. Psyc 10 must be completed first, so you should take it at your earliest convenience, ideally by the end of the sophomore year.  Psyc 11 builds on knowledge gained in Psyc 10, so taking it as soon as possible after completing Psyc 10 will make it easier to remember what you've learned.  We strongly recommend that you complete Psyc 11 before the beginning of your senior year, because that will give you the widest range of culminating courses from which to choose. (Most culminating courses require that Psychology majors have completed Psyc 11.)

A. The statistical methods seen in psychological research are considerably different from those utilized in other fields. While ECON 10, GOVT 10, SOCY 10, MATH 10, and QSS 15 are permitted as alternative statistics courses (with permission), we STRONGLY recommend that Majors and Minors take PSYC 10. Please also note that Math 10 credit by AP or IB is not an acceptable substitute.

A. The major GPA in Psychology is calculated by averaging all of the currently-completed courses that are part of the major, including PSYC 10 (or equivalent), PSC 11, and all PSYC courses 21-87. This excludes PSYC 1 and independent/honors research courses (PSYC 88 and 89).