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Psychology Major Requirements The psychology major is offered within the College of Arts and Sciences. The undergraduate degree consists of 34 credit hours of coursework. While there is only one set of requirements, students can choose electives toward the major that fit their individual interests. All coursework within the major must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. In addition, no self-instructional courses can be used toward the major. Only 3 credits of 355, 398, or a second practicum can count as elective credits. Many psychology majors choose a minor that complements their interests within psychology and/or will help them excel in graduate work. Such minors include: sociology, criminal justice, practical writing, biology or social psychology. You can find a list of approved minors in your undergraduate catalog. If you are thinking of a minor outside of this list, please consult the undergraduate advisor. As psychology courses are offered at schools around the world, we welcome transfer courses. However, no more than 25 credit hours can be transferred into the psychology degree. In addition, courses not previously approved for transfer (for example, through a MACRO agreement) must be reviewed by the undergraduate advisor. To gain credit for such courses, it is helpful if you have a syllabus from the course, the title of the text used and/or a course description. The undergraduate degree begins with enrolling for the following 9 credit hours in the Introductory Core:
Upon completion of these three courses, you must declare your major. Simply send the Undergraduate Advisor an email at psy-advising@wmich.edu. Include the following information:
Note that prior to declaring your major, you will be listed as PPY, or pre-psychology, on records from the University. The next sequence of classes is the Method and Theory Core. It consists of 4 classes (13 credits) that serve as the foundation of our natural science approach to psychology. It is not necessary to complete these four classes prior to enrolling in electives or the practicum. However, please note the prerequisites for each course.
*If you place higher than MATH 109 on your placement test taken during Orientation, or if you have already taken a higher math course at a community college, you do not need to take MATH 109 prior to enrolling in our statistics course. However, you should check with the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office about math courses needed to fulfill general education requirements. **Successful completion of PSY 330 and PSY 460 meets the baccalaureate writing requirement. One of the unique aspects of Western's psychology degree is our emphasis on applying the concepts and principles you learn in the classroom to a practical setting. Due to the importance of this skill in the "real world" practice of psychology, all psychology majors must complete three hours of a practicum or a laboratory. Several options exist including:
*Concurrent or prerequisite enrollment in PSY 372 is mandatory. Due to the nature of practica and lab experiences, it is crucial that you plan to enroll in these well ahead of the time that you would normally. To learn more about practica, click here. The final component of a psychology degree at WMU is enrolling in 9 credit hours of electives. The offerings in this category illustrate the wide range of sub-fields within psychology and allow you to enroll in courses that meet your specific interests. Only 3 credits of 355, 398, or a second practicum can count as elective credits.
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