Psychology BA

Students who complete the psychology major will be equipped for the rapidly changing professional world or for graduate study in psychology or a related field. The psychology major focuses on broad training across a variety of content areas within psychology. Substantive areas to be covered include clinical, social, developmental, cognitive, quantitative, and biological basis of behavior. Students will also receive training in conducting independent research and will have the opportunity to participate in independent research study and applied community practice.

Connect With An Advisor

program requirements 4 year plan to graduation (standard) 4 year plan to graduation (neuroscience)

Meet the Psychology Faculty & Staff

Students & Research

Understanding the SONA system...

Careers

Psychology offers a broad range of transferable skills for the job market...

Student Engagement

Involvement outside the classroom, internships, and opportunities...

Department Contact

Salapska-Gelleri, Joanna

Department Chair Psychology, Associate Professor

MOD1 0035

239-590-7358

jsalapsk@fgcu.edu

Straley, Kaye

Administrative Specialist

WH 0228

239-590-7516

kstraley@fgcu.edu

Concentrations

Neuroscience and Cognition Concentration

Accreditation
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Admissions Information
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Admissions Information for the 2023-2024 Catalog Year
If you are not yet an FGCU student, visit the Admissions Office Website
If you are a newly-admitted FGCU student please be sure to sign up for an Eagle View Orientation session. As part of this session you will be meeting with an academic advisor who will assist you in registering for classes for your major.
Admission Deadlines
Visit the Admissions Office Web site for information on admission deadlines of the university.
Program Requirements
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Program Requirements for the 2023-2024 Catalog Year
The General Education Program Website is located at https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
- Attend an orientation session.
- Sign an Advising Agreement document.
In addition to the program requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
- Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy the Service Learning requirement. See: https://www.fgcu.edu/studentlife/servicelearning/.
- Satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Program Requirements
1. FGCU General Education Program (https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/)
  To prevent or minimize excess hours, select general education courses that satisfy common prerequisite requirements for your intended major.
2. Common Prerequisites
  For this major, common prerequisite courses with an asterisk (*) require prior knowledge and skills demonstrated through degree acceleration programs (e.g., the College Board's Advanced Placement Program [AP], International Baccalaureate Program [IB], College-Level Examination Program [CLEP], Advanced International Certificate of Education Program [AICE]); dual enrollment; placement exam; or college coursework.
  
  FGCU Course: BSC X0XX (3)
  Acceptable Substitute: BSCX0XX or BSCX20X or ZOOX010
  
  FGCU Course: PSY 2012 General Psychology (3)
  Acceptable Substitute: PSYX012
  
  FGCU Course: DEP 2004 Principles of Development (3) or SOP 2770 Intro to Human Sexuality (3)
  Acceptable Substitute: PSYX000-X999 or any other lower division (1000-2999 level) Psychology class within the Psychology Inventory (i.e., CLP, DEP, EAB, EXP, INP, PCO, PPE, PSB, and SOP prefixes).
  
  FGCU Course: *STA 2023 Statistical Methods (3)
  Acceptable Substitute: STAX000-X999
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
3. Required Courses in the Major (11 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  IDS 3300 Foundations of CivicEngagement (3)
  PSY 2023 Careers in Psychology (1)
  PSY 3213 Research Methods in Psy & Lab (4)
  PSY 4048 Senior Seminar in Psychology (3)
4. Restricted Electives in the Major/Concentration (30 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course. Courses used to fulfill the requirement in one group cannot be used to fulfill the requirement in another group.
  
  Select 3 credits from the following:
  STA 2122 Social Science Statistics (3)
  PSY 3205 Surv. of Analytical Techniques (3)
  
  Select 3 credits from the following:
  EXP 3202 Sensation & Perception (3)
  EXP 3640 Psychology of Language (3)
  EXP 4404 Psychology of Learning (3)
  EXP 4604 Human Memory and Cognition (3)
  EXP 4605 Mind, Brain and A.I. (3)
  EXP 4930 Sp. Topics: Neuro & Cog Psyc (3)
  PSB 3444 Drugs and Behavior (3)
  PSB 4002 Brain & Behavior (3)
  PSB 4342 Vision Science (3)*
  SOP 4935 Social Cognition (3)*
  
  Select 3 credits from the following:
  INP 4004 Intro to Indus/Organiz Psychology (3)
  PPE 4003 Psychology of Personality (3)*
  SOP 4004 Social Psychology (3)
  SOP 4751 Psychology & Law (3)
  SOP 4777 Psychology of Human Sexuality (3)
  SOP 4935 Social Cognition (3)*
  SOP 4930 Sp. Topics: Social Psychology (3)
  
  Select 3 credits from the following:
  DEP 4104 Infant & Child Development (3)
  DEP 4305 Adolescent Psychology (3)
  DEP 4404 Psych of Adulthood and Aging (3)
  DEP 4482 Psychology of Death & Dying (3)
  DEP 4931 Sp. Topics: Developmental Psyc (3)
  
  Select 3 credits from the following:
  CLP 4143 Abnormal Psychology (3)
  CLP 4302 Intro to Clinical Psychology (3)
  CLP 4314 Health Psychology (3)
  CLP 4433 Psych Tests & Measurements (3)
  CLP 4930 Sp. Topics: Abnormal Psyc (3)
  PPE 4003 Psychology of Personality (3)*
  
  Select one of the following groupings:
  
  No concentration noted on transcript
  Select 15 credits from ANT 4433 or any upper division (3000-4999 level) course with the prefix of CBH, CLP, CYP, DEP, EXP, INP, PPE, PSB, PSY, or SOP, not used to fulfill any of the above requirements.
  
  Neuroscience and Cognition Concentration
  Complete the following:
  PSB 4002 Brain & Behavior (3)
  BSC 1010C Gen'l Biology w/ Lab (4) or BSC 1020C Human Systems (3)
  
  Select 9 credits from the following*:
  CLP 4420 Human Neuropsychology (3)
  DEP 4463 Neuropsychology of Aging (3)
  EXP 3202 Sensation & Perception (3)
  EXP 3640 Psychology of Language (3)
  EXP 4404 Psychology of Learning (3)
  EXP 4604 Human Memory and Cognition (3)
  EXP 4605 Mind, Brain and A.I.
  EXP 4930 Sp. Topics: Neuro & Cog Psyc (3)
  PSB 2580 Evolutionary Psychology (3)
  PSB 3444 Drugs and Behavior (3)
  PSB 4434 Neurochem, Pharmacol, & Behav (3)
  PSB 4342 Vision Science (3)*
  SOP 4935 Social Cognition (3)*
  ZOO 4513C Animal Behavior (3)
  ZOO 4743C Neuroscience (3)
  
  *Courses used to fulfill the requirement in one group cannot be used to fulfill the requirement in another group.
5. University Requirements (3 credits)
  IDS 3920 University Colloquium (3)
6. Additional Electives - as needed to reach total credits required for the degree
Total Credits Required: 120
Curriculum Map
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Curriculum Maps are to be used as a general guideline for students. Some students scheduling needs may vary based upon completed courses and transfer credits. Please see your advisor for assistance and verification.
2022-2023 Psychology BA Curriculum Map

2022-2023 Psychology BA Neurosciene & Cognition Concentration Curriculum Map

Additional Graduation Requirements include:
- A minimum of 120 credit hours.
- A minimum of 48 of the 120 hours must be at the upper division (3000 - 4999) level.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- A minimum grade of C for each course used to satisfy the following categories: common prerequisites, required courses in the major, and courses in the concentration.
- Satisfaction of the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfaction of the Service Learning requirement (See www.fgcu.edu/connect).
- Satisfaction of the residency requirement: thirty of the last sixty credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Completion of the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an online Application for Graduation via Gulfline by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Transfer Notes and Acceptable Substitutes

For All Majors: Students are strongly recommended to select required lower division electives that will enhance their General Education coursework and that will support their intended baccalaureate degree program. Students should consult with an academic advisor in their major degree area.
Course Description
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Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search
Course Schedule
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Getting started with the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.
*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)
Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement.

Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the knowledge base in psychology.
2. Act with ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world.
3. Be aware of the range of professional opportunities related to psychology.
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels using analytical papers and a comprehensive exam in the following course: PSY 4990 Senior Seminar in Psychology.
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Communicate scientific ideas clearly.
2. Write an in-depth paper that demonstrates an understanding of the topic-specific scientific literature and research methods within psychology.
Communication skills are assessed using papers, presentations, exams and/or research assignments in the capstone course PSY 4990 Senior Seminar.
Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Graduates will be well versed in the principles of scientific inquiry and critical thinking.
Critical thinking skills are assessed using papers, presentations, exams and/or research assignments in the capstone course PSY 4990 Senior Seminar.
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available on the Office of the Bursar web site.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Web site for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.