Psychology
Major and minor offered
See also Environmental Studies-Psychology combined major
Visit the psychology department webpage at https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/psychology.
Major Requirements
The major in psychology requires a minimum of 9.75 units of credit: 8.75 units of psychology courses plus STAT 113. Required psychology courses are PSYC 101WL or 101NL and PSYC 205.
Six additional courses fulfill the minimum requirements for the major and must include at least one course from each of the following distribution themes: Biological/Evolutionary, Social/Cognitive, and Applied. At least one course must be a seminar or one of the independent project options offered. In addition, at least two courses must include a laboratory section after completing the research methods course. One of the laboratory courses must be from the Biological/Evolutionary theme and one must be from either the Social/Cognitive theme or the Applied theme. A single course may count toward both a distribution theme and the laboratory or seminar requirement.
Honors
Honors are awarded on the basis of quality point standing in psychology (see Honors in the Curriculum section of this Catalog) and successful completion of PSYC 498 and 499 (SYE: Senior Project) with a grade of at least 3.5 in PSYC 498 and 499; an “X” grade may be given in PSYC 498. Two types of projects are acceptable for the senior project:
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Independent research involving either basic or applied investigation.
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Independent study involving integration and critical analysis of research and theory in a given area of psychology.
The following are required for successful completion of the senior project:
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Apply for the SYE Senior Project during the semester prior to beginning the project.
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Enroll in PSYC 498 and 499 (SYE: Senior Project) during the final two semesters on campus.
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Give a preliminary presentation of the proposed project to the project committee during the first semester of the project. Students who have made sufficient progress will continue and enroll in PSYC 499 in their final semester.
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Submit a written product and reflection to your project committee for feedback by the provided deadline in the second semester of the project. Give a formal colloquium or a poster or oral presentation at the Festival of Science on the completed project to the project committee.
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After incorporating feedback from the project committee, submit the final written project paper and reflection.
Minor Requirements
The minor in psychology requires a minimum of 7.5 units of credit: 6.5 units of psychology courses plus STAT 113. Required courses are PSYC 101WL or 101NL and PSYC 205.
Four additional courses fulfill the minimum requirements for the minor and must include at least one course from each of the distribution themes discussed above. At least one course must be a seminar or one of the independent project options offered by the Psychology Department. In addition, at least one course must include a laboratory section after completing the research methods course. A single course may count toward both a distribution theme and the laboratory or seminar requirement.
Environmental Studies–Psychology Major
A combined environmental studies–psychology major is available. Please consult the Environmental Studies section of this Catalog for the complete list of courses.
Other Important Information
PSYC 205: Research Methods and courses with laboratory at the 300- and 400-level are worth 1.25 units and must be taken at St. Lawrence. Some courses with a laboratory section can be taken without the laboratory. These courses are worth 1.0 unit and fulfill the same distribution theme as the course with lab.
To receive laboratory credit in a course, other than PSYC 101WL: Introductory Psychology, a student must earn a passing grade for both the laboratory and lecture components of the course. A failing grade for the laboratory component will result in the student being re-registered into a non-laboratory (lecture) section; the student will need to complete another course with laboratory to fulfill the requirement.
Once a student matriculates at St. Lawrence, only 1.0 unit of transfer credit taught by a non-St. Lawrence psychology professor may count toward the minimum number of required units in the major or minor. If a matriculated St. Lawrence student wishes to take a course at another college or university for transfer credit, the student and the department chair should agree in advance on the appropriateness of the course(s) and which of the requirements, if any, will be satisfied.
A transfer student and the student’s advisor should confer with the department chair about the student’s transferred psychology courses and which requirements remain to be filled.
Students earning a 4 or 5 on the advanced placement exam in Psychology may earn credit for PSYC 101NL: Introductory Psychology without lab and may enroll in an upper-level Psychology course.
A listing of courses currently taught on a regular basis by their distribution theme and seminar, independent project or lab designation can be found on the department website.