Special Majors

Two special majors involving psychology are frequently undertaken: (1) Neuroscience and (2) Psychology and Educational Studies.  Students may, with approval, develop other special majors. 

Neuroscience

The special major in Neuroscience examines the biological basis of behavior. After completing basic work in psychology and biology, students take advanced courses on a variety of topics at the intersection of the two fields.   Requirements.

Psychology & Educational Studies

Students may complete a special major that integrates work in Educational Studies with their study in another campus department. Pre-established programs have been created with the following disciplines: biology, chemistry, computer science, English literature, French, German, history, linguistics, mathematics/statistics, music, physics, political science, psychology, Russian, sociology/anthropology, and Spanish. Special majors with other disciplines can be pursued with the approval of both the Department of Educational Studies and the second department. In the case of all special majors involving educational studies, both departments collaborate in advising the student. The Educational Studies prerequisite for acceptance to the special major program is EDUC 014. Pedagogy and Power: An Introduction to Education and one additional Educational Studies course. 

This special major focuses on topics that bridge two closely related fields. Programs of study include courses such as developmental psychology, learning, cognitive psychology, psychology and language, and child clinical psychology as well as relevant courses in the Educational Studies Department. The special major culminates in a paper or thesis on a topic at the intersection of psychology and education. Some recent projects have focused on attention deficit disorder in African-American children, and children's understanding of scientific constructs.

A student wishing to undertake a special major in Psychology & Educational Studies will propose and justify an integrated program that includes 10-12 credits in the two disciplines. This program will include at least 5 credits in courses or seminars taught by the Department of Psychology, including at least 3 core areas (courses numbered in the 30s) and PSYC 025, Research Design and Analysis. EDUC 021 is also required. Students must complete either an integrated comprehensive project (PSYC 098, EDUC 098, PSYC 090, or a research practicum course) or a two-credit interdisciplinary thesis. Curriculum and Methods (EDUC 092) and the Practice Teaching (EDUC 093) may not be included in the program.

Either a two-credit senior thesis or a comprehensive project suitable to the special major serve to satisfy the comprehensive requirement. Special majors may not undertake work on a thesis in a semester in which they are student teaching. These students must be sure to apply early and to begin thesis work as second semester juniors.