This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology curriculum reflects the discipline’s major functions — scientific research, teaching, acting as a healing profession and raising philosophical questions about the assumptions, values and ideals of human beings and their societies, which reflects psychology’s origin in philosophy. Through a core set of requirements the student systematically develops understanding and skill in scientific methods of inquiry, focusing on the human mind and behavior. To fulfill the degree requirements, students may pursue the standard curriculum by selecting courses from four content areas that introduce students to the healing and philosophical sides of psychology and provide a broad understanding of the field as a whole; or the student may apply to one of several more focused concentrations that draw upon the special strengths of the VCU Department of Psychology.
Program outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
- Understanding of content domain
The curriculum of the B.S. in Psychology is designed to provide students with an accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of psychological concepts, principles and findings in the key domains of the field, including developmental processes, social processes, physiological and behavioral processes, and mental health and well-being. - Development of intellectual domain
The curriculum of the B.S. in Psychology fosters the development of the intellectual skills required to generate theories, do research, communicate ideas and information to others, evaluate conclusions statistically and locate the information needed for these intellectual pursuits. Students will learn to think scientifically, understand the relationships between theories, observations and conclusions, and skillfully evaluate the empirical support for various theories and findings. - Development of affective and interpersonal domain
Students seeking the B.S. in Psychology learn a number of practical, applied life skills pertaining to personal adjustment, relations with others and cross-cultural awareness.
Student learning outcomes
I. Communication and professional development
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Effective communication skills: Students will be able to communicate psychological theory and research to a range of audiences in oral and written formats in the capstone course.
II. Development of intellectual domain
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Critical evaluation skills: Students will be proficient in evaluating psychological theory and research methods; thinking scientifically about behavior and mental processes; and basing judgments on psychological theory and research.
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Empirical research skills: Students will demonstrate proficiency in applying methodological knowledge in measurement, experimental design and analysis of psychological data.
III. Ethical responsibility in a diverse world
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Ethical practices: Students will demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues in psychological research and practice.
Special requirements
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology curriculum requires a minimum of 120 credits, with at least 30 credits in psychology courses. A maximum of 40 credits in psychology (this limit does not apply to PSYC courses numbered 490 and above) can be presented for the degree. At least 15 of the 30 minimum-required credits must be completed at VCU. All students must complete the following:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology standard requirements | ||
PSYC 101  Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| PSYC 214 | Applications of Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 317 | Experimental Methods | 3 |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| BIOL 101 & BIOZ 101 | Biological Concepts and Biological Concepts Laboratory | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Global Environmental Biology | ||
| Human Biology | ||
Or an approved biology course | ||
| STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics | 3 |
This information outlines the requirements for students who are admitted and pursuing the applied psychology concentration. To be admitted, continue and graduate with this concentration, students must achieve a minimum cumulative VCU GPA of 2.5 and also achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the major. This concentration requires 30 credit hours in the major.
Standard psychology courses must be taken sequentially and ideally should be completed by the end of the junior year. These are PSYC 101 with a minimum grade of C; PSYC 214 with a minimum grade of C (PSYC 214 also has the prerequisite requirement of STAT 210 or its equivalent with a minimum grade of C); and PSYC 317 with a minimum grade of C (PSYC 317 also has the prerequisite requirement of PSYC 214 or its equivalent with a minimum grade of C).
PSYC 451 is the capstone course and must be taken in the senior year.
Degree requirements for Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in applied psychology
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| PSYC 214 | Applications of Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 317 | Experimental Methods | 3 |
| PSYC 451 | History of Psychology | 3 |
| • Concentration requirements | ||
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 308 | Stress and its Management | 3 |
| PSYC 309 | Personality | 3 |
| PSYC 318 | Principles of Psychological Tests and Measurements | 3 |
| PSYC 340 | Introduction to the Helping Relationship | 3 |
| PSYC 407 | Psychology of the Abnormal | 3 |
| PSYC 492 | Independent Study | 3 |
| or PSYC 493 | Fieldwork: Human Services | |
| or PSYC 494 | Research Internship in Psychology | |
| • Major electives | ||
| PSYC elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| BIOL 101 | Biological Concepts (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 |
| BIOL 103 | Global Environmental Biology 1 | 3 |
| or BIOL 201 | Human Biology | |
| BIOZ 101 | Biological Concepts Laboratory | 1 |
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human ) | 4 |
| STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| Electives (upper level) | 18 | |
| Experiential fine arts 2 | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement) | 0-6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 23-32 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
BIOL 103 satisfies general education AOI for scientific and logical reasoning. Students who chose this course will take additional electives to fulfill degree requirements.
Course offered by the School of the Arts
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| BIOL 101 | Biological Concepts (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 |
| BIOZ 101 | Biological Concepts Laboratory | 1 |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 4 |
| STAT 210 | Basic Practice of Statistics (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University | 1 |
| UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select AOI) | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| BIOL 103 or BIOL 201 | Global Environmental Biology 1 or Human Biology 1 | 3 |
| HUMS 291 | Special Topics in the Humanities and Sciences | 1 |
| PSYC 214 | Applications of Statistics | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Experiential fine arts | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language 101 | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 14-16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 317 | Experimental Methods | 3 |
| Foreign language 102 | 3 | |
| General education course (select BOK to complete breadth of knowledge requirement) | 3 | |
| Open elective (or select general education course that satisfies AOI for scientific and logical reasoning if BIOL 103 was not selected above) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| PSYC 308 | Stress and its Management | 3 |
| PSYC 309 | Personality | 3 |
| Elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PSYC 318 | Principles of Psychological Tests and Measurements | 3 |
| PSYC 340 | Introduction to the Helping Relationship | 3 |
| Elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| PSYC 407 | Psychology of the Abnormal | 3 |
| PSYC 451 | History of Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 492 | Independent Study or Fieldwork: Human Services or Research Internship in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC or other elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PSYC or other elective (upper-level) | 3 | |
| Electives (upper-level) | 6 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120-122 | |
BIOL 103 satisfies general education AOI for scientific and logical reasoning. Students who chose this course will take additional electives to fulfill degree requirements.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.