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Undergraduate: Psychology

  • Program Overview

    Psychology (PSY) 

    The study of psychology provides an understanding of the biological, cognitive, social, and clinical origins of behavior, thought, and emotion, and the methods that psychologists use to investigate these. Knowledge of psychological principles and the ability to evaluate theories and research are essential in our rapidly changing society.  

    The Department of Psychology offers undergraduate programs leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. The objective of both programs is to provide a broad overview of psychology, and both require extensive exposure to areas other than psychology as a context for study in the major. The B.S. program places relatively more emphasis on the natural sciences and mathematics. Both the B.S. and B.A. programs provide ex­ce­llent preparation for graduate school.

    The Psychology major provides students with a background of fundamental subject matter that will equip them for subsequent graduate study in related fields. The major is also beneficial for students seeking careers that involve knowledge about interpersonal relationships such as medicine, education, law, or management. Psychology expertise is also relevant to standard business settings in which a major goal is to adapt products and services to closely reflect human needs and capabilities.


  • Degrees and Requirements

    Requirements for the Majors in Psychology (PSY)

    Completion of the major for either a B.S. or a B.A. in Psychology requires 58 to 67 credits.

    All courses required for either the B.S. or B.A. degree must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher.

    Study within Psychology

    For both degree programs, 34 to 35 credits in psychology to be distributed as follows:

    1. Core Program

    • PSY 103  Introduction to Psychology
    • PSY 201  Statistical Methods in Psychology, AMS 102, AMS 110, AMS 310, BUS 215, ECO 320, POL 201, SOC 202 or another statistics course approved by the department
    • PSY 310  Research and Writing in Psychology

    2. Survey Courses in Psychology

    One course from Group A, one from Group B, and a third course from Group A or B:

    Group A

    • PSY 220  Survey in Developmental Psychology
    • PSY 230  Survey in Clinical Psychology
    • PSY 240  Survey in Social Psychology

    Group B

    • PSY 250  Survey in Biopsychology
    • PSY 260  Survey in Cognition and Perception

    3. Five PSY courses

    For the B.A. student:

    1. One course numbered 200 or higher, excluding PSY 201, PSY 273, PSY 283, PSY 310, PSY 399, PSY 447, PSY 475, PSY 476, PSY 487, PSY 488, PSY 495-496, the discontinued PSY 300, and 200-level survey courses used to satisfy requirement #2.            
    2. Four more courses from among advanced courses numbered PSY 301 to 383, excluding  PSY 310.           

    For the B.S. student:

    1. One course numbered 200 or higher, excluding PSY 201,    PSY 273   , PSY 283, PSY 310, PSY 399, PSY 447, PSY 475, PSY 476, PSY 487, PSY 488, PSY 495-496, the discontinued PSY 300, and 200-level survey courses used to satisfy requirement #2.
    2. A laboratory course (PSY 380-383;  PSY 386; PSY 389).           
    3. An advanced statistics (PSY 301 or AMS 315) or one of the following courses (PSY 355; PSY 356; PSY 368; BIO 334; BIO 338). The same BIO course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology concentration requirement.     
    4. Two more courses numbered 300 or higher, excluding  PSY 310, PSY 399, PSY 447, PSY 475, PSY 476, PSY 487, PSY 488, PSY 495-496, and the discontinued PSY 300.    

    4. Upper-Division Writing Requirement

    For students pursuing the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC)   a course that satisfies the    "Write Effectively within One's Discipline" (WRTD)    learning objective must be completed in order to graduate. This WRTD requirement will routinely be satisfied by completing PSY 310. However, in special cases, co-registration for the 0-credit PSY 459 while completing a substantial paper or writing sample in another Psychology course will satisfy the WRTD requirement. A student must obtain the permission of the course instructor prior to registering for PSY 459. 

    Although not required for B.A. or B.S. degrees, the Department strongly recommends that any student planning to attend graduate school should gain research experience by becoming a research assistant (PSY 273). Undergraduate Research Opportunities can be found through the Department of Psychology Web page.

    5. Courses Outside the Psychology Department

    In addition to the 34 to 35 credits in psychology, students must also complete 24 to 32 credits of courses outside the Department. This requirement differs in some aspects between the B.S. and B.A. degrees.

    For the B.A. Student

    One 3-4 credit course from each of the 4 categories below:

    1. Mathematics: Choose one course from the following: AMS 101,    MAT 118   , MAT 122, MAT 123 (or MAT 119/MAT 123), MAT 125 (or MAT 130/MAT 125), MAT 126, MAT 131, MAT 132 or any higher AMS, CSE, or MAT course approved by the department. Note:    PSY 201    (or equivalent introductory statistics course) does not satisfy this requirement. Students who pass the Mathematics Placement Exam at Level 4 or above are not required to complete a course in this category.   
    2. Biology: Any one-semester BIO course. Note: ANP 101, HAN 200, or HAN 202 may be used as a substitute to fulfill this requirement. 
    3. Philosophy: Any one-semester PHI course   
    4. Social Sciences: Any one-semester ANT, HIS, POL, or SOC course except  SOC 201  or SOC 202 or  POL 201.
    5. A 12-credit (minimum four courses) concentration in one of the course subjects listed below. At least two courses must be upper-division (numbered between 300 and 499). Practica, research, and internship courses do not satisfy this requirement. The concentration requirement may also be satisfied by an approved minor or a second major in any department or program. 
    • Africana Studies (AFS)           
    • Anthropology (ANT) (see Note 1)      
    • Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS)           
    • Biology (BIO)  (see Note 1)             
    • Computer Science (CSE)     
    • Economics (ECO)     
    • History (HIS)      
    • Linguistics (LIN)   
    • Marketing (MKT) (requires completion of two required courses: BUS 348   Principles of Marketing and BUS 448 Marketing Strategy; one elective from: BUS 334 Consumer Advertising and Promotion or BUS 302 Social Media Marketing Strategy or BUS 378: Marketing Ethics, Public Policy, & Social Change;and another elective from: BUS 359 Consumer Behavior or BUS 358 Marketing Research or independent study in research BUS 487)
    • Mathematics (MAT) (see Note 1)        
    • Philosophy (PHI) (see Note 1)            
    • Political Science (POL) (see Note 1)      
    • Sociology (SOC) (see Note 1)      
    • Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies  (WST)
    • Writing (requires completion of    WRT 305    Writing for the Health Professions or    WRT 380    Advance Research Writing plus three other upper-division writing courses)

    Note 1: If a student completes a concentration in Anthropology, Biology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, or Sociology, the concentration will automatically satisfy the associated requirement listed in requirements 1 to 4 above for the B.A. student (e.g. completion of the Biology concentration also satisfies requirement number 2).

    For the B.S. Student

    All three categories below are required.

    1. Mathematics:

    1. Calculus I (MAT 119/MAT 123, MAT 123, MAT 125 (or MAT 130/MAT 125), MAT 131, MAT 141, or AMS 151) and       
    2. Calculus II (MAT 126, 132, 142, or  AMS 161)

    Note: Passing the mathematics placement examination at level 8 or higher also satisfies this requirement. Ideally students should take courses in sequential pairs (i.e.,  MAT 125, 126).

    2. Biology:

    1. Select two of the following lecture courses:  BIO 201 , 202, 203
    2. Select two of the following lab courses: BIO 204 , 205, 207     

    Note: Students who elect the Biology concentration need only take one course from Category A and     BIO 204 , for a total of one lecture and one lab course.

    3. Any two concentrations selected from the following five choices:

    1. Biology: Two BIO or biology-related courses selected from the following: BIO 208, 302, 310, 312, 314, 315, 317, 320, 321, 325, 327, 328, 332, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 350, 351, 354, 358, 359, 361, BCP 401. The following course pair counts as ONE course:  HBM 320 & 321.        
    2. Chemistry: CHE 131/133, CHE 132/134. Note: CHE 129+130 (together) may be used as a substitute for CHE 131 
    3. Mathematics: Two courses selected from MAT courses numbered 200 or above; and 300-level AMS courses except AMS 310, 312, 315. 
    4. Physics: PHY 121 and 122; or  PHY 125, 126, and 127; or  PHY 131/133 and 132/134; or  PHY 141  and 142.  
    5. Computer Science:  CSE 114  and  CSE 215.

    Notes for B.A. and B.S. students:

    1. Transfer students must take at least 12 credits of psychology in residence at Stony Brook.
    2. No more than six credits from among  PSY 273, 283, 447, and 487 may be taken in one semester. Other restrictions on applying these courses toward graduation requirements exist; consult the Undergraduate Psychology Office and see also Course Credit and Grading Option Limits in the "Academic Policies and Regulations" chapter.
    3. Students interested in a major in Psychology should meet with a Psychology Department Under­graduate Advisor (Room B-109). Additional meetings should be scheduled periodically to review progress toward fulfilling Depart­ment requirements.
    4. Psychology courses may be repeated only ONE time.

    Honors Program in Psychology

    The Psychology honors program features:

    1) a faculty mentor and
    2) collaborative research with faculty which results in a senior thesis.

    Departmental majors with a 3.50 g.p.a. in psychology courses, with a 3.20 cumulative g.p.a, and with the agreement of a faculty mentor to supervise the student’s independent project may apply to enroll in the Psychology honors program at the end of their junior year. The student, after asking a faculty member to be a sponsor, must submit a proposal to the Psychology Department describing the research project that is to be the subject of the honors thesis. If the project is approved by the Department, the student may enroll in PSY 495 and PSY 496 in the fall and spring semesters of the senior year, respectively. The student's major paper or research project must be completed no later than two weeks prior to the end of the second semester and submitted to the Department. If the honors program is completed with distinction and the student has achieved a 3.5 g.p.a. in all psychology courses taken in the senior year, honors are conferred.

    Conferral of honors in Psychology requires the following:

    1. A cumulative g.p.a. of 3.00 and a 3.50 g.p.a. in psychology.
    2. Successful completion of a senior thesis while enrolled in  PSY 495  and 496, see below.

    The Psychology honors program is followed for two semesters. During the senior year they enroll in  PSY 495  (first semester) and 496 (second semester) Senior Honors Seminar.

     

  • Sequence

    Sample Course Sequence for the Major in Psychology (B.A. Degree) 

    For more information about SBC courses that fulfill major requirements, click here.

    FRESHMAN

    FALL Credits
    First Year Seminar 101 1
    WRT 101 3
    PSY 103 3
    MAT course* 4
    BIO course 4
    SBC  3
     Total 18
     
    SPRING Credits
    First Year Seminar 102 1
    WRT 102 3
    PSY Group A (220 or 230 o 240) OR PSY Group B (250 or 260) 3
    PHI course 3
    SOC or ANT or POL course** 3
    Statistics course***
     3
     Total 16
     
    SOPHOMORE

    FALL Credits
    PSY Group B (if Group A taken) OR Group A (if Group B taken) 3
    Course outside concentration (#1) 3
    PSY 310 3
    SBC 3
    SBC
     3
     Total 15
     
    SPRING Credits
    PSY Group A or B course 3
    PSY 200 and above elective 3
    SBC 3
    SBC 3
    SBC
     3
     Total 15
     
    JUNIOR

    FALL Credits
    PSY Upper-division elec. (301 to 384) 3
    Course outside concentration (#2) 3
    Upper-division elective 3
    Upper-division elective  3
    Elective  3
    Elective 3
     Total 18
     
    SPRING Credits
    PSY Upper-division elective (301-384) 3
    Upper-division course outside concentration (#3) 3
    PSY Upper-Division elective (301-384) 3
    SBC 3
    Elective 3
     Total 15
     
    SENIOR

    FALL Credits
    Upper-division outside concentration (course #4)  3
    PSY Upper-division elective (301-384)  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    SBC  3
     Total 15
     
    SPRING Credits
    SBC 3
    Upper-division elective  3
    Upper-division elective
    Elective
    Elective
     Total 15

     

     
    *Choose from among the following: AMS 101, CSE 110 , MAT 118 or any higher AMS, CSE, or MAT course approved by the department. Note: PSY 201 (or equivalent introductory statistics courses) does not satisfy this requirement. Students who pass the Mathematics Placement Exam at Level 4 or above are not required to complete a course in this category.

    **Any course offered by these departments except SOC 202 or POL 201

    ***Choose one of the following: AMS 102, ECO 320, POL 201, PSY 201, or SOC 202

     

    Sample Course Sequence for the Major in Psychology (B.S. Degree) 

    A course planning guide for this major may be found here.

    FRESHMAN

    FALL Credits
    First Year Seminar 101 1
     WRT 101 3
      PSY 103  3
      MAT 125 or 131 or 141  3-4
      CHE 131 * 3-4 
     SBC  3
     Total 16-18 
     
    SPRING Credits
    First Year Seminar 102 1
    WRT 102 3
    PSY Group A (220 or 230 or 240) OR PSY Group B (250 or 260)  3
      MAT 126 or 132 or 142 3-4 
     SBC
     SBC
     Total  16-17
     
    SOPHOMORE

    FALL Credits
      PSY 201 **
    PSY Group B (if Group A taken) OR Group A (if Group B taken) 3
    BIO 201 , 202, or 203, and 204 5
    SBC
    SBC 3
     Total 17 
     
    SPRING Credits
    PSY 310  4 
    PSY Group A or B  3
    PSY elective***   3
    BIO 201 , 202, or 203, and 205  5
    SBC  3
     Total  18
     
    JUNIOR

    FALL Credits
    PSY advanced laboratory (380 or 381 or 382 or 383 or 384) 3-4 
    Science sequence elective  3 
    PSY Upper-division elective***  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    SBC  3
    Total   15-16
     
    SPRING Credits
    PSY 301 or AMS 315  3 
    Science sequence elective  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    SBC  3
    SBC  3
    Total   15
     
    SENIOR

    FALL Credits
    PSY Upper-division elective***  3
    Upper-division elective  3 
    Upper-division elective  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    SBC  3
     Total  15
     
    SPRING Credits
    PSY Upper-division elective***  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    Upper-division elective  3
    Elective  3
    SBC  3
     Total  15

     Note:  Passing a placement test at the appropriate level also satisfies the calculus requirement.

    *CHE 131 is a prerequisite to the 200-level BIO courses.

    ** Other statistics courses allowed are AMS 102, ECO 320, POL 201, or SOC 202.

    *** May not use any of the following to fulfill this requirement: PSY 273, 283, 399, 447, 475, 476, 487, 488, or 495-496.

  • Contact

    Psychology (PSY)

    Majors in Psychology

    Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences

    Chair: Joanne Davila

    Director of Undergraduate Studies:  Anne Moyer

    Assistant to the Chair: Cynthia Forman

    Undergraduate Program Coordinator : Diane DeSimone

    Email: diane.d eSimone@stonybrook.edu

    Office: PSY B 109A

    Phone: (631) 632-7802

    Undergraduate Academic Advisor: Sarah Naqvi-Syed

    Email:  sarah.naqvi-syed@stonybrook.edu

    Office: PSY B 109 

    Phone: (631) 632-7812  

    Website: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/psychology/index.html

    Minors of particular interest to students majoring in Psychology: Africana Studies (AFS), Women's and Gender Studies (WST)
  • Courses
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