Psychology
2004-2006 Undergraduate Catalog | Catalogs

A background in psychology is essential in today’s complex society to gain an understanding of why people behave as they do and how individuals may achieve their potential. The School of Psychology offers a rich variety of courses. Students may learn about human sexuality, mental illness, African-American social psychology, and stress. There are courses on educational, social, and forensic psychology, and the entire human life span from childhood to old age. Students may explore the brain and nervous system as well as fundamentals of psychological research, learning, cognitive processes, sensation and perception, personality, and motivation.

Many students choose to major or minor in psychology. This provides an excellent background for careers that involve working with people. Psychology students find work in business, counseling, education, and health care. A degree in psychology also provides a foundation for graduate work in the field. Roosevelt students have an excellent record achieving admission to some of the most competitive graduate programs in the country.

General requirements for the BA and BS degrees

The School of Psychology offers two majors in psychology, one leading to a BA degree, the other to a BS degree. The School also offers a minor in psychology and a certificate in ABC Relaxation Training. Psychology majors are urged to consult their advisors concerning desirable course sequences related to their future work. Specific courses for the minor for the BS degree are not required. They should be selected after consultation with an advisor in both psychology and the discipline of the minor. To determine the advisability of the BA versus the BS degree program, students should consult their advisor.

No more than five courses in psychology from other colleges and universities will be accepted in fulfillment of the major requirements. At least one of the required 300-level psychology courses must be taken at Roosevelt. Psychology majors resuming their major after an interruption of two or more years must follow the psychology requirements in effect at the time students resume their studies.

Any student who renders paid or unpaid psychological services during the course of his/her affiliation with Roosevelt University must report the nature of the activities to the school director. A determination will then be made as to the student’s competence to provide such services and the adequacy of the professional supervision. If the circumstances are found to be proper, the student may continue. If not, the student will be asked to stop immediately. Failure of a student to report such activity or failure to comply with the School’s recommendation will be grounds for excluding the student from the program in psychology. The term “psychological services” is broadly construed to refer to psychometry, psychotherapy, guidance, counseling, and/or hypnosis.

Major in Psychology leading to a BA degree

To earn a BA in psychology, students must complete 11 courses in psychology with a grade of C or higher. Students who take more than the required number of courses must have 11 courses with grades of C or better and an overall grade point average of at least a C in psychology. Psyc 103 must be taken as soon as the major is declared.

	Psyc 103	General Psychology	3
	Psyc 285	Research Methods	3
	Psyc 380	Integrative Seminar	3
	Eight psychology courses, at least three at the 300 level		24

Students intending to pursue graduate work in psychology are strongly advised to include Psyc 200 and Psyc 270 in their curriculum because these courses are frequently required for admission into graduate programs.

Major in Psychology leading to a BS degree

To earn a BS in psychology, students must complete 11 courses in psychology with grades of C or higher. Students must complete at least 60 semester hours in the natural sciences and/or psychology including a minor sequence of 15 semester hours in a second science discipline (biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physical geography, or physics—exclusive of Math 099, 100, 105, and 110, and Geog 101-102). Students who take more than the required number of courses in psychology must have both 11 courses with grades of C or better and an overall grade point average of at least a C in psychology. Courses in the minor must be completed with grades of C or higher. Psyc 103 must be taken as soon as the major is declared.

	Psyc 103	General Psychology	3
	Psyc 200	Introductory Statistics	3
	Psyc 270	Tests and Measurements	3
	Psyc 285	Research Methods	3
	Psyc 380	Integrative Seminar	3
	Three courses chosen from the following:		9
	Psyc 307	Intermediate Statistics
	Psyc 310	Biological Psychology
	Psyc 316	Learning
	Psyc 326	Cognitive Processes
	Psyc 336	Biological Psychology II
	Three electives in psychology		9

Minor in Psychology

Requirements for the minor are five courses in psychology, including a course in general psychology. At least two of these courses must be taken at Roosevelt University, one at the 300 level. All courses in the minor must be completed with grades of C or higher.

Certificate in ABC Relaxation Training

This program is designed for educators, supervisors, and health professionals who wish to teach others the ABC Relaxation system. To complete the certificate, students must complete Psyc 373 or 473 and Psyc 379 or 479 with grades of B or higher.

Certificate in Child and Family Studies

The Certificate in Child and Family Studies provides Roosevelt University undergraduates with an opportunity to learn about child development from an interdisciplinary perspective and addresses issues of parenting, schooling, and the place of children and families in society and culture.

Students pursuing the certificate will select from a range of courses offered by the College of Education and the Schools of Psychology, Policy Studies, and Liberal Studies within the College of Arts and Sciences. The certificate culminates with Psyc 398, a three-credit field placement course, involving substantive, direct interactions with children and families. In settings such as elementary school classrooms, child care facilities, after-school YMCA programs, or pediatric in-patient units in hospitals, students will gather first-hand experiences to complement their course work.

Requirements

Four courses (12 credit hours) are required to earn a Certificate in Child and Family Studies. Students pursuing this certificate must choose three courses from the list below. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this program, students must choose at least one course in an area/department outside of their major. The fourth course is the capstone Psyc 398 in which students complete a field placement in a setting that caters to children and families, such as school classrooms, child care facilities, after-school YMCA programs, or pediatric health care settings.

All four courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. Two courses, including the field placement, must be at the 300 level. In addition, only three credits of course work from another university may be applied towards the certificate. Additional courses may be approved by the certificate coordinator as they are offered.

	Educ 210	Child Development for Educators
	or Psyc 254	Childhood and Adolescence
	Educ 311	Adolescent Development
	Sped 319	Exceptional Children and Youth
	Echd 305	Assessment in Early Childhood Education
	Echd 309	Child, Family, and Community
	Echd 334	Language Development
	Echd 381	High Risk Young Child
	Echd 382	Early Childhood Special Education Methods
	Read 339	Young Adult Literature
	Hist 367	Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Western World
	Hist 372	History of American Family Life
	Psyc 219	Child Psychopathology
	Psyc 225	Child Abuse and Neglect
	Psyc 299/381	Children and Families
	Psyc 388	Child Social Skills Training
	Psyc 392	Forensic Psychology II: Juvenile
	Soc 215	Sociology of the Family
	Soc 336	Aging, the Aged, and the Family