Psychology

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Faculty

Robert J.F. Elsner,  Chair, Professor
Stephen L. Chew, Professor
Jack W. Berry, Associate Professor
Amanda R. Howard, Associate Professor
Shannon R. Gilstrap, Assistant Professor
Benjamin L. Thompson, Assistant Professor

Undergraduate Programs and Requirements

Majors
Psychology Major (BA) 
Psychology Major (BS)  

Minor
Psychology Minor  

Interdisciplinary Major
Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Major (BS)  

Interdisciplinary Minor
Neuroscience Minor  

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program
Fast-Track Master of Public Health w/BA in Psychology (BA/MPH)  

The Department of Psychology offers a major in psychology leading to a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree. Additionally, in cooperation with the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, the department offers an interdisciplinary major in neuroscience, leading to a bachelor of science degree. The department also offers minors in psychology and an interdisciplinary minor in neuroscience.* Students are required to take at least half of their psychology courses at Samford to earn a major or minor in psychology.

In cooperation with the School of Public Health, the department offers an accelerated bachelor-to-graduate pathway program–a fast-track master of public health (MPH)–that allows qualified students pursuing the bachelor of arts in psychology the opportunity to complete requirements for both the BA and MPH in approximately five years of study. See below for more information.
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*See the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences section for the neuroscience major and minor tables.

General Education: University Core Curriculum and Distribution Requirements

General Education Distribution Requirements are noted in the individual degree tables. In those cases where a requirement is not specified, see General Education Overview  in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences introductory pages for a list of required and applicable courses.

For psychology majors pursuing the bachelor of arts degree, the following exceptions and recommendations to the general education requirements apply:

• Natural & Computational Sciences:  BIOL 110 (Human Biology)  or BIOL 101 (Principles of Biology I)  with BIOL 102 Principles of Biology I Laboratory  is recommended, especially for students planning to take PSYC 328 (Behavioral Neuroscience) . However, neither biology course is a prerequisite for PSYC 328 .

• Social Sciences: PSYC 101 (General Psychology)  cannot be used to fulfill the general education social science requirement. It must be fulfilled with a course from a social science field other than psychology.

• Mathematics: Students who need a course to fulfill the general education mathematics requirement are strongly encouraged to take MATH 210 (Elementary Statistics)  in preparation for taking PSYC 305 (Statistical Methods in Psychological Research) . Students with a strong high school algebra background should be able to take MATH 210  for their mathematics requirement. Students with weaker math backgrounds should consult with their advisor before taking a general education mathematics course. Students who have already completed their general education mathematics requirement with a course other than MATH 210 , or who are required by another program to fulfill their mathematics requirement with a course other than MATH 210 , are not required to take MATH 210  in addition to the mathematics course they have already taken.

For psychology majors pursuing the bachelor of science degree, the following exceptions and recommendations to the general education requirements apply:

• Natural & Computational Sciences:  Any two lab science courses, chosen from biology, chemistry, computer science, geography, or physics. IDSC 201 (Scientific Methods)  cannot satisfy this requirement.

• Social Sciences: PSYC 101 (General Psychology)  cannot be used to fulfill the general education social science requirement. It must be fulfilled with a course from a social science field other than psychology.

• Mathematics: Students must fulfill the general education mathematics requirement with MATH 150 (Precalculus) , MATH 210 (Elementary Statistics) , or MATH 240 (Calculus I) .

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program

Fast-Track Master of Public Health (MPH)

Admission Requirements

The accelerated bachelor of arts (BA) to master of public health (MPH) program of study allows select students to complete requirements for both degrees in a minimum of five years of study rather than the typical minimum of six years of study. This program of study is available to qualified students pursuing a bachelor of arts in psychology.

Program details are available from the student’s academic advisor and students interested in the BA to MPH fast-track program should seek guidance from their advisor as early as possible in their undergraduate studies.

Programs

• Psychology Major (BA)
• Psychology Major (BS)

• Psychology Minor

• Fast-Track Master of Public Health w/BA in Psychology (BA/MPH)

Courses

• PSYC 101 - General Psychology (4)
• PSYC 102 - Careers and Skills in Psychology and Neuroscience (2)
• PSYC 203 - Psychology of Adjustment (4)
• PSYC 205 - Life-Span Development (4)
• PSYC 210 - Child and Adolescent Psychology (4)
• PSYC 211 - Special Topics in Psychology and Neuroscience (4)
• PSYC 215 - Psychopathology (4)
• PSYC 220 - Theories of Personality (4)
• PSYC 225 - Health Psychology (4)
• PSYC 250 - Sport Psychology (4)
• PSYC 301 - Internship (2-4)
• PSYC 304 - Social Psychology (4)
• PSYC 305 - Statistical Methods in Psychological Research (4)
• PSYC 306 - Research Methods (4)
• PSYC 310 - Applied Psychology (4)
• PSYC 312 - Psychopharmacology (4)
• PSYC 314 - Sensation and Perception (4)
• PSYC 324 - Human Sexuality (4)
• PSYC 328 - Behavioral Neuroscience (4)
• PSYC 401 - Journal Seminar (1)
• PSYC 402 - History of Psychology (4)
• PSYC 404 - Approaches to Counseling and Psychotherapy (4)
• PSYC 405 - Measurement and Assessment (4)
• PSYC 408 - Theories of Learning (4)
• PSYC 409 - Cognitive Psychology (4)
• PSYC 410 - Directed Research (4)
• PSYC 411 - Advanced Special Topics in Psychology and Neuroscience (2-4)
• PSYC 412 - Senior Seminar (4)

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