Psychology, B.A.
Contact
Christina Leclerc, Ph.D.
Assistant Academic Director, School of Psychology and Brain Sciences
cleclerc1@une.edu
Mission
The Psychology program at UNE is committed to advancing the scientific discipline of psychology through student-centered teaching, hands-on research, and internship opportunities. Our goal is to prepare students to become psychologically literate citizens with the skills necessary to engage in research and practice. We aim to advance scientific knowledge, solve real-world problems, and improve our communities. We accomplish this goal by combining hands-on classroom instruction by experts in a variety of psychological disciplines with on-campus research experiences, and local internship opportunities that prepare students for a broad range of career options. The curriculum in our major has been structured to provide students with exposure to core concepts and skills in psychology, while also enabling them to identify a minor and focus their studies on a sub-discipline such as mental health, psychology, education, business, and research. With a psychology degree from UNE, our program and alumni are advancing their education in post-graduate degree programs, and/or pursuing careers in clinical/counseling, health, education, law, business, and government.
Major Description
The UNE Psychology faculty work closely with students to advance the science and professional practice of psychology by promoting our discipline and training our students as a partner in advancing scientific knowledge and developing innovative solutions to important life problems both locally and globally. It is our goal to cultivate ethical and socially responsible individuals who have a well-developed capacity for synthesizing information, are strong critical thinkers and communicators, respect and enhance diverse people, cultures, perspectives, and are stewards of the planet. We believe these skills are necessary for students to pursue a life of intellectual curiosity, to contribute positively to society, and compete in a rapidly shifting and complex workplace.
The Psychology program faculty represent a diverse range of specializations. As such we are advancing the field in areas ranging from behavioral neuroscience to lifespan development, mental and behavioral health issues, cognitive and memory processes, and social relations. We not only provide training for specific pursuits within our own field (e.g., mental healthcare providers researchers), we provide critical instruction to those pursuing careers in numerous other disciplines (e.g., education, nursing, medicine, social work, business/industry, law). Within this broad range of pursuits, we aspire to certain core values that connect us as a faculty. As a program we value:
- The importance of the scientific approach as a means of understanding human behavior, human development, mental health, cognition, and social interactions.
- The teacher-scholar model that emphasizes the pursuit of scientific research as both a teaching tool and a practice that advances the field of psychology and improves the quality of life and the planet.
- Psychological literacy among our students which is achieved through active, engaged applied learning experiences in the classroom, laboratory, and internships that go beyond content and lead to the development of data analytical skills critical thinking skills, information literacy as well as oral and written communication skills.
- An open, supportive and collegial environment that embraces diversity in all of its forms and promotes global citizenship, integrity, and ethical behavior.
Finally, students completing a Psychology major may elect to complete a minor area of study as well. Faculty advisors work with each student to help them identify a minor that will help them to achieve their future goals. For example, many of our students plan to provide counseling services after graduation and elect to complete a minor in either Mental Health Rehabilitation or Art Therapy (both minors offered within the School of Psychology and Brain Sciences). Other students may have an interest in applying their knowledge of psychology in an education or business setting after graduation and may decide to pursue a minor in the School of Education or College of Business. The Psychology degree can be customized to a student's interest and career aspirations by adding any of the minors offered by the University of New England.
Our goal is to ensure that as students leave the major they have developed not only knowledge consistent with their interests, but also applied skills that will assist them as they move forward into careers or additional educational opportunities (e.g., graduate school in psychology, graduate work in other allied health fields).
Transfer Credit
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Admissions
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Financial Information
Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more tuition and fee information, please consult this catalog’s Financial Information section.
Curricular Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nor'easter Core Requirements | ||
| Nor'easter Core Requirements 1 | 40 | |
| Program Required Courses | ||
| PSY 105 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 205 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 225 | Psychology Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 250 | Lifespan Dev in Context | 3 |
| PSY 255 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 285 | Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 300 | Psychology Internship I | 3 |
| PSY 365 | Biological Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Human Learning and Behavior | ||
| Animal Learning and Behavior and Animal Learning and Behav Lab | ||
| PSY 383 | Memory & Cognition | 3 |
| PSY 405 | Special Topics Seminar | 3 |
| Four PSY, NEU, or ANB electives (200-level or higher) | 12 | |
| Open Elective Courses (Students complete open elective credits as necessary to meet the University’s 120-credit minimum for graduation. The total number of elective credits required will depend on the student’s completed program, core, and other degree requirements.) | 35 | |
| Total Hours | 120-121 | |
- 1
MAT 120 Statistics is encouraged to fulfill the Nor’easter Quantitative Reasoning Core Requirement.
Elective Course Options
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANB 275 | Intro Tech in Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 335 | Comparative Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 362 | Animal Cognition | 3 |
| NEU 205 | Introduction to Neurobiology | 3 |
| NEU 205L | Intro to Neurobiology Lab | 1 |
| NEU 306 | Behavioral/Cognitive Neuro | 3 |
| NEU 306L | Behavioral/Cognitive Neuro Lab | 1 |
| NEU 410 | Neurobiology of Mental Illness | 3 |
| PSY 212 | (Positive Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 215 | (Psychology of Gender) | 3 |
| PSY 218 | Fundamentals of Gerontology | 3 |
| PSY 226 | Motivation & Emotion | 3 |
| PSY 235 | (Health Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 236 | Mental Health & Society | 3 |
| PSY 245 | (Evolutionary Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 252 | (Forensic Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 254 | (Cultural Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 286 | Intro to Psych Research | 3 |
| PSY 290 | Developmental Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 295 | (Listening/Communication Skills) | 3 |
| PSY 305 | Special Topics Seminar | 3 |
| PSY 310 | Children and Stress | 3 |
| PSY 316 | (Psychology of Consciousness) | 3 |
| PSY 318 | (Community Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY 325 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| PSY 345 | Sports Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 350 | Theories of Personality | 3 |
| PSY 364 | Soc & Emotion Dev in Childhood | 3 |
| PSY 370 | Drugs, Society, and Behavior | 3 |
| PSY 375 | Trauma and Health | 3 |
| PSY 400 | (Psychology Internship II) | 1-12 |
| PSY 410 | Theory/Res/Pract Couns Psych | 3 |
| PSY 430 | Intro to Art Therapy | 3 |
| PSY 450 | (Fourth-year Thesis) | 3 |
| PSY 486 | Adv Research in Psychology | 1-9 |
Please note: While some courses can fulfill both core and program requirements, the credits earned do not count twice towards the minimum total required credits for the degree.
Academic and Technical Standards
A grade point average of 2.25 is necessary to be approved to add a major in Psychology. Double major or minor within the School of Psychology and Brain Science is possible with careful planning and close consultation with the Assistant Academic Director and/or Academic Advisor. To ensure that each credential represents a substantive and independent program of study, overlap between majors and minors, including core requirements, should be kept to a minimum.
A minimum grade of C- must be achieved in all psychology courses used toward graduation. Students must also complete the Nor’easter Core quantitative reasoning requirement by the end of the first year. The School of Psychology and Brain Sciences strongly recommends that students take PSY 225 Psychology Statistics and PSY 285 Research Methods in their sophomore year. The School of Psychology and Brain Sciences requires that PSY 225 Psychology Statistics and PSY 285 Research Methods be completed by the end of the junior year. See Undergraduate Academic Policy also.
Learning Outcomes
At the completion of their bachelor's degree with a major in Psychology, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, historical trends, and empirical findings in psychology and the ability to apply these to behavioral problems.
- Demonstrate scientific reasoning and problem solving, including effective research methods (e.g., design, data analysis, and interpretation).
- Recognize and/or employ ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity.
- Demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal skills, including in the context of a psychological project.
- Apply psychology-specific content and skills, effective self-reflection, project-management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation.