The field of psychology aims to understand behavior and mind through the tool and lens of the scientific method. At Wells, we focus on developing an appreciation of an evidence-based understanding of behavior and mind, an empathetic stance towards others, critical thinking, and a curiosity to know and understand more about ourselves and diverse others. Students develop a solid foundation in the field’s knowledge base curriculum that requires coursework in psychology’s five main subdisciplines: clinical, cognitive, biological, social, and developmental. A sixth category – intradisciplinary – offers students an opportunity to explore a behavior – such as art, sports, or sustainability – through all five lenses. An experiential learning requirement provides an opportunity for students to experience ‘psychology in action’ outside of the classroom and to discover the translation from theory to practice in the real world. Senior-level coursework and requirements provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the scholarly abilities they have developed which in turn favorably situates the for graduate- or professional-level training.
Psychology Major
The total number of courses required for the major is 11 (33-36 semester hours). At least six of the courses (18 semester hours) taken for the major must be at the 300-level or above. Completion of a senior comprehensive exam is a requirement of the major. No more than one internship may be taken to meet the requirements for the major.
Required Courses*
All of the following (15-17 sem. hrs.)
MATH 151 Elementary Statistics
or MATH 251 Mathematical Statistics
PSY 101 General Psychology
PSY 270 Foundations and Methods in Psychology
PSY 290 Internship Program in Psychology (2-4 sem. hrs.)
PSY 403 Senior Seminar: Contemporary Issues in Psychology (4 sem. hrs.)
One course in each of the following categories (18-19 sem. hrs.)
SOCIAL
PSY 212 Cultural Psychology
PSY 224 Social Psychology
PSY 250 Human Sexuality
BUS 308/PSY 306 Organizational Behavior
DEVELOPMENTAL
PSY 210 Child Development
PSY 214 The Psychology of Women
PSY 301 Clinical Child Psychology
PSY 318 Adolescent Development
PSY 355 Adult Development, Aging, and Agism
CLINICAL
PSY 227 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 235 Forensic Psychology
PSY 301 Clinical Child Psychology
PSY 330 Indigenous Psychologies
PSY 338 Psychotherapy
PSY 343 Neuropsychology
COGNITIVE
PSY 340 Psycholinguistics
PSY 347 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 349 Cognition and Culture
PSY 370 Sensation and Perception
BIOLOGICAL
BIOL 324L Animal Behavior (4 sem. hrs.)
PSY 242 Addiction
PSY 342 Biological Bases of Behavior
PSY 343 Neuropsychology
PSY 370 Sensation and Perception
INTRADISCIPLINARY
PSY 300 Sport Psychology
PSY 206 Health Psychology
PSY 212 Cultural Psychology
PSY 275 Positive Psychology
PSY 280 Psychology of Art
PSY 335/SUS 335 Psychology of Sustainability
* All courses listed are 3 semester hours unless otherwise noted.
Psychology Minor
The total number of courses required for the minor is 6 (18 semester hours).
Required Courses
All of the following (6 sem. hrs.)
PSY 101 General Psychology
MATH 151 Elementary Statistics or MATH 251 Mathematical Statistics
One course each from four of the following categories, at least two at the 300-level (12 sem. hrs.)*
SOCIAL
PSY 212 Cultural Psychology
PSY 224 Social Psychology
PSY 250 Human Sexuality
BUS 308/PSY 306 Organizational Behavior
DEVELOPMENTAL
PSY 210 Child Development
PSY 214 The Psychology of Women
PSY 301 Clinical Child Psychology
PSY 318 Adolescent Development
PSY 355 Adult Development, Aging, and Agism
CLINICAL
PSY 227 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 235 Forensic Psychology
PSY 301 Clinical Child Psychology
PSY 330 Indigenous Psychologies
PSY 338 Psychotherapy
PSY 343 Neuropsychology
COGNITIVE
PSY 340 Psycholinguistics
PSY 347 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 349 Cognition and Culture
PSY 370 Sensation and Perception
BIOLOGICAL
BIOL 324L Animal Behavior (4 sem. hrs.)
PSY 242 Addiction
PSY 342 Biological Bases of Behavior
PSY 343 Neuropsychology
PSY 370 Sensation and Perception
INTRADISCIPLINARY
PSY 300 Sport Psychology
PSY 206 Health Psychology
PSY 212 Cultural Psychology
PSY 275 Positive Psychology
PSY 280 Psychology of Art
PSY 335/SUS 335 Psychology of Sustainability
*All courses listed are 3 semester hours unless otherwise noted