Mar 28, 2024  
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2018-2019 
    
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Psychology, B.A.


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Goals and Objectives


The goals of the Psychology curriculum focus on educating students in the methodology, content, and application of psychological science.

Goal 1: Theory and Methodology in Psychology

Students should:

  • Understand the role of psychology as a discipline that uses an empirical approach to knowledge; and
  • Use, respect, and value skeptical inquiry, critical thinking, and the scientific approach to understanding behavior.

Knowledge areas students will study/learn:

  • Basic research methods and ethics
  • History and systems and philosophy of science
  • Data analysis and interpretation
  • Scientific and critical thinking
  • Scientific writing and communication.

Goal 2: Mastery of Content (Discipline Specific Knowledge)

Students should be familiar with:

  • Core theoretical approaches and research findings that reflect a biopsychosocial understanding of behavior; and
  • More in-depth theoretical approaches and research findings within at least one subject area in psychology.

Core knowledge areas students will study/learn:

  • Biological foundations of behavior
  • Psychological foundations of behavior
  • Social and cultural foundations of behavior
  • Biopsychosocial development across the lifespan.

Goal 3: Application of Knowledge and Scientific Method

Students should demonstrate the application of psychological theory, methodology, and findings to:

  • An understanding of the whole person, as an individual and as a member of a larger community, society, and culture; and
  • The promotion of social justice in these contexts.

Psychology Student Learning Outcomes


Upon completion of the Psychology curriculum, students will demonstrate knowledge of the history, foundations, content, and analytical skills of psychology in their ability to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the history, foundations, content, and methods used in Psychology, specifically in the following areas:
    1. Learning and Cognition
    2. Biological Psychology (including Neuropsychology, Sensation and Perception, Comparative, and Ethological Psychology)
    3. Clinical, Abnormal, and Personality Psychology
    4. Developmental and Social Psychology
  2. Demonstrate an increased appreciation and understanding of the importance of a scientific approach to understanding human behavior
  3. Demonstrate an ability to analyze and critically evaluate the biopsychosocial components of behavior
  4. Demonstrate an ability to apply critical thinking in order to
    1. Understand psychological principles
    2. Evaluate scientific research, including research presented in the media
  5. Demonstrate written communication skills on psychological topics
  6. Demonstrate oral communication skills on psychological topics
  7. Demonstrate an ability to apply psychological principles, including the consideration of ethics and social justice, to contemporary problems/issues
  8. Demonstrate an ability to identify ethical issues and apply ethical principles to research in the following situations:
    1. When conducting research
    2. When evaluating research
  9. Demonstrate competency in the following aspects of research methods:
    1. Locate and understand past research
    2. Formulate a hypothesis based on past research 
    3. Design research to test a hypothesis
    4. Use statistical software to analyze research data
    5. Write complete manuscripts in APA style

Major Requirements


For students who entered LMU as first year students with other majors (including “undeclared”), completion of PSYC 1000  with a minimum grade of C (2.0) or higher is required PRIOR to declaring Psychology as a major or minor.

LMU students who wish to switch into the major (from undeclared status or other majors at LMU) are strongly encouraged to do so by the end of the first semester of sophomore year. Declaring a major after this time may delay the completion of their degree requirements beyond the typical four-year period.

External transfer students to LMU who have not received transfer credit approval for PSYC 2001 Statistical Methods for Psychology  or PSYC 2002 Research Methods  may be delayed in the completion of their degree requirements beyond the typical two-year period.

A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in all courses for the major. Students must repeat any course in which a grade below C (2.0) is earned.

Students may not register for any Psychology course for a third time without the written permission of the Psychology Department Chairperson and the Dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts.

A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in the Lower Division Requirements in order to remain a Psychology major and advance to Upper Division Major Requirements.

Upper Division Major Requirements (24 semester hours):


Prerequisite: Completion of all lower division major requirements with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each.

  1. PSYC 4001 Cognition  
  2. PSYC 4002 Social Psychology  
  3. Three additional upper division PSYC electives (12 semester hours): 2 courses, either PSYC 3000- or PSYC 4000-level; and 1 PSYC 4000-level course
  4. PSYC 4100 Capstone Seminar . Prerequisite: All upper division major requirements completed or currently in progress.
  5. PSYC 4195 Senior Assessment . Prerequisite: All upper division major requirements completed or currently in progress.

Psychology Model Four-Year Plan


The normal course load is 16 semester hours (typically 4 classes). By following a model similar to the one below, a student will complete all lower division core requirements by the end of the sophomore year as well as lower division major requirements/prerequisites. Note that core areas are suggested to provide a distribution of various disciplines every semester. Please be flexible implementing these suggestions, given your own interests and course availability. While there are many paths to completion in four years, this sample model is one approach. This plan meets all common graduation requirements.

Freshman Year


Fall Semester


Total: 13-16 semester hours

Spring Semester


Total: 13-16 semester hours

Sophomore Year


Fall Semester


  • 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • Elective 3-4 semester hours
Total: 13-16 semester hours

Spring Semester


  • 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • Elective 3-4 semester hours
Total: 13-16 semester hours

Junior Year


Fall Semester


  • 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • Elective 3-4 semester hours
Total: 13-16 semester hours

Spring Semester


  • 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • University Core 3-4 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3-4 semester hours
Total: 13-16 semester hours

Senior Year


Fall Semester


  • PSYC 3xxx or 4xxx Upper Division Elective 4 semester hours
  • PSYC 3xxx or 4xxx Upper Division Elective 4 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3-4 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3-4 semester hours
Total: 14-16 semester hours

Spring Semester


Total: 14-16 semester hours

Honors in Psychology


Psychology majors who 1) meet a minimum Psychology and University GPA and 2) who have the consent of a department faculty member who will oversee their Honors project may apply to do Honors in the last two semesters at LMU. Applications are due in the semester before Honors work will begin (generally, the Spring semester of Junior year). To receive Honors, accepted students must, over the course of at least two semesters: 1) complete a significant research project; 2) complete an APA-style manuscript detailing the project; and 3) complete a conference presentation detailing the project prior to graduation (e.g., by participating in LMU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium). Accepted students should enroll in PSYC 4196  for 0 semester hours in the Fall of their Senior year and 4 semester hours in the Spring of their Senior year. The 4 semester hours from PSYC 4196  count toward the 24 semester hours of upper division course work required of majors.

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