Why Major in Psychological Science?
There is a place for you in the Department of Psychological Science at Belmont. We are here to help you develop intellectually and personally, as you refine your career goals and graduate school aspirations.
You'll develop strong relationships with our faculty members through small class sizes, advising on individual research projects and mentoring on career and graduate education possibilities. Our faculty also lead study abroad trips across the globe.
In addition to our incredible laboratory facilities, our psychology students benefit from research opportunities and even get to present findings at regional and national conferences.
Belmont's award winning Psychology Club gives students opportunities to gain leadership experience, participate in philanthropy events and research opportunities as well as a resource for learning about career options after graduation. Additionally, each student can apply to join the Psi Chi Honor Society (National Honor Society in Psychology) chapter on campus.
What You'll Learn
- You will conduct research as part of your graduation requirements. Research topics can vary depending on your area of interest, with past projects focusing on the effect of relaxation techniques on public speaking anxiety, the effects of social isolation on behavioral confidence in rats and measuring college student stress response in relation to group dynamics.
- You will find exciting opportunities to work in stimulating internship placements, to conduct your own independent research and to apply the findings of psychological science in the service of helping others.
- The Psychology major at Belmont is research intensive to prepare you for a wide variety of professional health programs including medical school, occupational therapy and physical therapy programs as well as graduate programs in experimental psychology.
Program Details
Curriculum
The psychology major leads to either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science. It requires 128 hours of coursework:
- BELL core requirements: 53 hours
- Major requirements (including electives): 38 hours
- Minor requirements: 18 hours
- General electives: 19 hours
Courses you'll take include:
PSY 1200 Introduction to Psychological Science: An introductory course which surveys the field of psychology. The course emphasizes the scientific methods of the discipline and incorporates active learning experiences via the laboratory component. Prerequisite to all other psychology courses. Exempt with a 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology Exam.
PSY 2400 Research Methods: An introduction to the methods of psychological science. The topics will include the philosophy of the scientific approach, library research methods, basic research design, descriptive and inferential data analysis, writing research reports and ethical issues in research. The laboratory component will emphasize appropriate statistical analysis and interpretation of psychological data. Three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week.
PSY 1050 Scientific Communication in Psychological Science: This 8 week, 1 credit course focuses on teaching the two basic skills that are foundational to the major - how to search for and evaluate empirical literature and mastering the mechanics of APA style writing.
Major Electives include:
- Health Psychology
- Cross-cultural Psychology
- Child Development
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Sensation and Perception
- Cognitive Psychology
- Learning & Conditioning
- Abnormal Psychology
- Psychological Testing
- Physiological Psychology
- Internship (Practicum in Psychology)
Psychology to OTD 3+3
Belmont University provides the opportunity for high achieving students majoring in Psychological Science to gain entry into the university’s doctoral program in occupational therapy (OTD) after only 3 years of undergraduate study.
The OTD programs can be completed within three additional years for a total of 6 years (3+3) at Belmont University. Interested students should declare their intent to pursue the BA/BS/OTD 3+3 program before the end of the first semester of the Psychological Science BA/ BS degree program. Belmont students who want to enter the 3+ 3 program after the end of their first semester will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine their eligibility for the 3+ 3 program.
Career Possibilities
- Behavior Analyst
- Sports Psychologist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Director of a Counseling Center
- Professor of Psychology
- Marriage and Family Therapist
- Director of Student Life
Aleya Prasad
"The intentionality of everyone in the department, from your peers to your professors, reflects an unwavering commitment to your success at Belmont and beyond. There's a reason we call ourselves a family!"
Alec Khatter
"I'm extremely grateful for all of the opportunities this program has given me. From study abroad to national conferences, Belmont prepares you for the next stage in your life."
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College of Sciences & Mathematics
Spencer Hayes
Admissions Coordinator
(615) 460.6489
Email Spencer