B.S. in Psychological Science

Program Overview

Psychological Science (Psychology) is the study of the mind and behavior. It is a diverse scientific discipline comprising several major branches of research (e.g., experimental, biological, cognitive, lifespan developmental, personality, social), as well as several subareas of research and applied psychology (e.g., clinical, industrial/organizational, school and educational, human factors, health, neuropsychology). Research in psychology involves observation, experimentation, testing, and analysis to explore the biological, cognitive, emotional, personal, and social processes or stimuli underlying human and animal behavior. The practice of psychology involves the use of psychological knowledge for any of several purposes: to understand and treat mental, emotional, physical, and social dysfunction; to understand and enhance behavior in various settings of human activity (e.g., school, workplace, courtroom, sports arena, battlefield); and to improve machine and building design for human use (American Psychological Association, 2018).

The B.S. has more requirements within psychology than the B.A., especially at the upper-level, but does not require a minor.  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 science courses. However, preparation for a particular career comes with the courses you choose to take, not the degree that you earn.

Curriculum

From the UVM Catalogue:

Psychological Science B.S. Requirements

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.

Careers

• Project Coordinator
• School Psychologist
• Clinical Social Worker
• Hospital Administrator
• Nurse

Where Alumni Work

• Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research
• Naples Nursing, Inc.
• San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center