Be determined

students studying
A campus near a lake
class
Classroom learning
Students review a scan with their professor
Lafayette statue in the moonlight
Engaging classroom lectures
Looking up at the tower of Ira Allen chapel

The Department of Psychological Science at UVM offers both a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree and a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree. Which option you choose will depend on your specific interests and whether you are more comfortable with arts, humanities, social sciences, and languages or with natural sciences and mathematics.

If you plan on pursuing graduate studies in psychology or a related field, the B.S. option may be best for you. This program places a stronger emphasis on math, science and lab courses, leading to careers in research, academics, medicine or neuroscience.

Preparation for a particular career comes with the courses you choose to take, not the degree that you earn. For example, students routinely enter medical school having earned a B.A. degree and having taken courses in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics. Similarly, students frequently earn a B.S. degree having also taken a large number of courses in the social sciences or humanities.

Concentrations

Additional course requirements in Calculus, Biology, and an additional natural science course in CAS can be found in the UVM catalog.

Beyond the classroom

UVM has a psychology club which sponsors activities including colloquia, movie nights, volunteer opportunities in local mental health organizations, and “What's Happening in Research” nights, which feature exciting news in the psychological sciences presented by faculty and grad students in the department.

4 Year Plan

Careers

  • Psychotherapist
  • Anesthesiologist
  • Vocational Rehab Counselor
  • Hospital Administrator
  • Clinical Social Worker

Where alumni work

  • Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
  • Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Alta Bates-Summit Medical Center
  • Dartmouth Hitchcock Research Center
  • Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association

Related Information

Learning Outcomes

Outcome 1: Students should understand core concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in most of the subdisciplines of psychology (social, developmental, clinical, biobehavioral, learning and memory, and history of psychology).

  1.  Students should be able to identify the key theories, research findings, and sociocultural contexts that have shaped the subdisciplines over time.
  2.  Students should be able to identify what makes each subdiscipline of psychology unique, and be able to generalize/transfer psychological knowledge across the core areas.
  3.  Students should understand the reciprocal relationship between theory and hypotheses on the one hand and research methods, results, and the interpretation of the results on the other.

Outcome 2: Students should be able to understand and evaluate critically the primary and secondary literature in the science of psychology.

  1. Students should be able to articulate and distinguish between distinct theses and arguments in the scientific literature.
  2. Students should be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of methodological design as described in the literature, as well as recognize when conclusions are appropriate to the data presented.
  3.  Students should be able to identify the broader implications of research findings based on their critical evaluation of the scientific literature.

Outcome 3: Students should be able to understand, synthesize, and communicate psychological material both orally and in writing.

  1. Students should effectively distinguish between evidence and opinion.
  2. Students should be able to summarize, synthesize, and interpret main ideas.
  3. Students should be able to develop a clear thesis, justify its importance, and support it with evidence.
  4. Students should effectively present quantitative information.