Psychology (BA)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Major: Psychology
Program Code: 3726

About This Major . . .

Students may pursue the Psychology B.A. degree or the Psychology B.A. degree with a concentration in Counseling Psychology. All majors are required to complete some laboratory coursework in which they conduct psychological science research. Practica are required for counseling students and are available at nearby human service agencies and treatment centers.  The psychology programs provide students with a working knowledge of the methods and findings of modern psychology.  Students majoring in psychology are prepared to work in a wide variety of settings, including human services (counseling and social work), public affairs, business, sales, criminal justice, and (following graduate study) psychotherapy, teaching and research.  The psychology program provides a strong foundation for graduate study in psychology and related disciplines.

The psychology program sponsors a Psychology Club and a local chapter of the national honor society in psychology, Psi Chi. Through active membership in these organizations, students are encouraged to become involved in community service and to attend and present their research at regional and national conferences.

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit Career Services’ What to Do with a Major? resource.

All CMU baccalaureate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

  1. Critically analyze the historical trends in psychology. (Specialized Knowledge)
  2. Compare basic research methodology in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation. (Applied Learning)
  3. Communicate clearly in written and oral presentations in standard American Psychological Association format. (APA) (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning)
  4. Apply statistical concepts to decision making and problem solving in areas of psychological application. (Quantitative Fluency)
  5. Think critically to solve problems in psychological areas of analysis using academic sources of information. (Intellectual Skills)

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU baccalaureate degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

  • 120 semester hours minimum.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 30 of the last 60 hours of credit at CMU, with at least 15 semester hours in major discipline courses numbered 300 or higher.
  • 40 upper-division credits (an alternative credit limit applies to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree).
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
  • A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
  • No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
  • Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 30 semester credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. A maximum of 15 of the 30 credits may be for cooperative education, internships, and practica.
  • Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
  • Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
  • The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
  • See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Essential Learning Requirements

(31 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

English 1
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
ENGL 112English Composition II-GTCO23
Mathematics 1
MATH 110Mathematical Investigations-GTMA13
History
Select one History course3
Humanities
Select one Humanities course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Fine Arts
Select one Fine Arts course3
Natural Sciences 2
Select one Natural Sciences course3
Select one Natural Sciences course with a lab4
Total Semester Credit Hours31
1

Must receive a grade of “C” or better and must be completed by the time the student has 60 semester hours.

2

One course must include a lab.

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Essential Learning Capstone 1
ESSL 290Maverick Milestone3
ESSL 200Essential Speech1
Total Semester Credit Hours6
1

Essential Learning Capstone must be taken after completion of the Essential Learning English and Mathematics requirements, and when a student has earned between 45 and 75 hours.

Foundation Courses

(6 semester hours. Must earn a grade of “C” or higher in each course.)

Two consecutive classes in the same foreign language6
Total Semester Credit Hours6

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(53 semester hours, must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in coursework in this area. To continue in the program and eventually graduate as a psychology major a student must earn, with no more than three attempts, at least a grade of “C” in each course.)

Core Courses
Psychology Core
PSYC 150General Psychology-GTSS33
PSYC 201Orientation to the Psychology Major3
STAT 215Statistics for Social and Behavioral Sciences4
PSYC 414History of Psychology3
PSYC 216Research Methods in Psychology4
PSYC 416Memory And Cognition3
Psychology Electives
Developmental Area
Select one of the following:3
Child Psychology
Psychology of Adolescents and Emerging Adulthood
Abnormal Child Psychology
Psychology Of Adulthood
Foundations of School Counseling
Personality/Social Area
Select one of the following:3
Social Psychology
Sport Psychology
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Personality
Applied Social Psychology
Positive Psychology
Diversity Area
Select one of the following:3
Psychology of Women
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Human Sexuality
Forensic Psychology
Health and Wellness Area
Select one of the following:3
Health Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Drugs and Human Behavior
Death, Dying & Bereavement
Behavioral Neuroscience Area
Select one of the following:3
Psychology Of Learning
Sensation and Perception
Biopsychology
Select eighteen credits of additional psychology electives from any of the content areas above or from the following list:18
Suicide Intervention Training
Applied Ethics in Mental Health and Counseling
Psychological Testing
Independent Study
Topics
Internship
GRE Preparation
Structured Research
Total Semester Credit Hours53

General Electives

All college level courses appearing on your final transcript, not listed above that will bring your total semester hours to 120 hours. 24 semester hours. At least 1 hour must be upper division.

Select electives24
Total Semester Credit Hours24
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
Essential Learning - Humanities 3
Essential Learning - Social/Behavioral Science 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science with Lab 4
PSYC 150 General Psychology-GTSS3 3
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science 3
MATH 110 Mathematical Investigations-GTMA1 (or higher) 3
Essential Learning - History 3
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
Essential Learning - Fine Arts 3
 Semester Credit Hours16
Second Year
Fall Semester
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
PSYC 201 Orientation to the Psychology Major 3
Essential Learning - Social/Behavioral Science 3
STAT 215 Statistics for Social and Behavioral Sciences 4
KINA Activity 1
 Semester Credit Hours14
Spring Semester
ESSL 290 Maverick Milestone 3
ESSL 200 Essential Speech 1
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
General Elective 3
PSYC 216 Research Methods in Psychology 4
 Semester Credit Hours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
PSYC 416 Memory And Cognition 3
General Electives 3
Upper Division Psychology Electives (3 courses) 9
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
Upper Division Psychology Electives (3 courses) 9
General Electives (2 courses) 6
 Semester Credit Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
Upper Division Psychology Electives (3 courses) 9
General Electives (2 courses) 6
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
PSYC 414 History of Psychology 3
Upper Division Psychology Electives (2 courses) 6
General Electives (2 courses) 6
 Semester Credit Hours15
 Total Semester Credit Hours120

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

  • Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
  • Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
  • Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
  • Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.