The Ohio State University Department of Psychology

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology requires 12 courses totaling at least 36 semester credit hours of psychology coursework, as well as coursework fulfilling the university's breadth requirements. 

Students seeking the BA degree must begin by completing PSYCH 1100: Introduction to Psychology. This class is a prerequisite for all further psychology coursework. It also fulfills the Social and Behavioral Science GE. 

Additionally, they must complete coursework that fulfills the following requirements, outlined in greater detail below:


General Education Requirements

Required courses set by the College of Arts and Sciences 


I. Data Analysis and Research Requirement

Two courses required

Courses

*(H) indicates honors course option available


II. Core Requirement

Four courses required, including one from each core area

Core A Courses: Brain and Behavior

*(H) indicates honors course option available

  • PSYCH 3313(H): Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
  • PSYCH 3513: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience

Core B Courses: Cognitive Psychology

*(H) indicates honors course option available

Core C Courses: Clinical and Developmental Psychology

*(H) indicates honors course option available

Core D Courses: Social Psychology

*(H) indicates honors course option available


III. Advanced and Sequenced Advanced Requirement

Two or more courses required, at least one of which must be a Sequenced Advanced Course

You must earn a C- or higher in PSYCH 2220 and 2300 and any other core prerequisite before you can take advanced courses. If you take advanced courses before successfully completing the prerequisites, the courses will count as electives only.

Advanced Courses

  • PSYCH 4485: Psychology and the Law
  • PSYCH 4508: Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making
  • PSYCH 4511: Psychological Testing
  • PSYCH 4515: Psychology of Emotion
  • PSYCH 4521: Personnel Psychology
  • PSYCH 4522: Organizational Psychology
    • Through AU24
  • PSYCH 4531: Health Psychology
  • PSYCH 4543: Psychology of Gender
  • PSYCH 4545: Cross-Cultural Psychology
  • PSYCH 4552: Psychology of Adult Years
  • PSYCH 4554: Language Development
  • PSYCH 4555: Adolescent Sexuality
  • PSYCH 4571: Psychology of Developmental Disabilities
  • PSYCH 5309: Human Motor Control and Learning
  • PSYCH 5505: History of Psychology
  • PSYCH 5601: Comparative Psychology
  • PSYCH 5608: Introduction to Mathematical Models
  • PSYCH 5617: Models of Memory
  • PSYCH 5618: Introduction to Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYCH 5621: Introduction to Event-Related-Potentials
  • PSYCH 5800: Family Psychology
  • PSYCH 5832: Lifespan Sociomoral Development
  • PSYCH 5898: Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience

Sequenced Advanced Courses

*(H) indicates honors course option available


IV. Elective Requirement

Choose from available electives to reach the 12 course/36 credit hour minimum for the psychology major

To fulfill the elective requirement, you may also take any additional courses from the sections above. Psychology courses taken abroad (PSYCH 5797) are evaluated individually.

Courses

*(H) indicates honors course option available

  • PSYCH 2001: Personal Wellness and Mental Health 
    • 1 credit hour
  • PSYCH 2301: Psychology of Extraordinary Beliefs
  • PSYCH 2303: Positive Psychology
    • GE Health & Well-being Theme starting SP24
  • PSYCH 2311: Psychology of Motivation 
    • GE Health & Well-being Theme starting SP25
  • PSYCH 2333: Psychology of Human Sexuality
  • PSYCH 2350: Contemporary Developmental Psychology 
    • Marion campus only
  • PSYCH 2376: Interpersonal Relationships
  • PSYCH 2420: Psychology Applied to Sport
  • PSYCH 2462: Psychology of Creativity
  • PSYCH 2500: Applied Psychology: Human Behavior in the Wild
  • PSYCH 3321: Quantitative and Statistical Methods in Psychology
  • PSYCH 3371(H): Language and the Mind
  • PSYCH 3522: Organizational Psychology
    • Starting SP25
  • PSYCH 3624: Primate Cognition
  • PSYCH 3900: A Practical Guide to Ruling the World
    • GE Citizenship Theme
  • PSYCH 4320: Psychological Science of Addiction
  • PSYCH 4525: Psychology of Personal Security: Global and Local Perspectives
  • PSYCH 5425: Introduction to Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • PSYCH 5603: Stem Cells and the Brain
  • PSYCH 5612: Introduction to Cognitive Science
  • PSYCH 5620: Technology, Efficiency, and Happiness
  • PSYCH 5628: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYCH 5870: Neuroeconomics and Decision Neuroscience
  • PSYCH 5891: Proseminar in Cognitive Science 
    • 2 credit hours

Experiential Courses

*(H) indicates honors course option available

  • PSYCH 3193.01: Individual Studies in Psychology 
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 3193 or PSYCH 5700 may apply to major
  • PSYCH 3193.02: Individual Studies: Teaching of Psychology
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 3193 or PSYCH 5700 may apply to major
  • PSYCH 4998: Undergraduate Research in Psychology
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 4998 may apply to major
  • PSYCH 4999.01: Thesis Research I 
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 4999.01 or PSYCH 4999.02 may apply to major
  • PSYCH 4999.01(H): Honors Thesis Research I
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 4999.01(H) or PSYCH 4999.02(H) may apply to major
  • PSYCH 4999.02: Thesis Research II
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 4999.01 or PSYCH 4999.02 may apply to major
  • PSYCH 4999.02(H): Honors Thesis Research II
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 4999.01(H) or PSYCH 4999.02(H) may apply to major
  • PSYCH 5700: Training in Science Education Outreach
    • Up to 3 credit hrs of PSYCH 3193 or PSYCH 5700 may apply to major


V. Embedded Literacy Requirement

One or more advanced writing courses required

With the exception of PSYCH 4510 and PSYCH 4520, courses listed in this section do not count as hours in the psychology major, but are required for graduation. 

Courses

  • PSYCH 4510: Cognitive Psychology Lab
  • PSYCH 4520: Social Psychology Lab
  • ENGLISH 2367.01: Language, Identity, and Culture in the U.S. Experience
  • ENGLISH 2367.02: Literature in the U.S. Experience
  • ENGLISH 2367.04: Technology and Science in the U.S. Experience
  • ENGLISH 2367.05: The U.S. Folk Experience
  • ENGLISH 2367.06: Composing Disability in the U.S.
  • ENGLISH 2367.07: Literacy Narratives of Black Columbus
  • ENGLISH 2367.08: The U.S. Experience: Writing About Video Games
  • ENGLISH 3304: Business and Professional Writing
  • ENGLISH 3305: Technical Writing
  • ENGLISH 3467S: Issues and Methods in Tutoring Writing
  • ENGLISH 4150: Cultures of Professional Writing
  • ENGLISH 4567S: Rhetoric and Community Service: A Writing Seminar