B.S. in Psychology

Psychology is the science of behavior. Courses in this discipline convey the principles, methods and theories that are necessary for a better understanding of human and animal behaviors. Students who choose this subject as their major are expected to fulfill certain requirements, but the program is structured to allow considerable flexibility. Studying psychology at WVU allows students to work toward a liberal arts degree rather than a specialized degree that prepares students for a specific type of job. Typically, individuals tailor their schedules according to the career paths they choose, and these decisions generally fall into three categories: pursuit of graduate studies, pursuit of a career applying principles of psychology to human problems or pursuit of a career in a non-related field. Psychology majors select upper-level Psychology courses according to their interests, career plans, and intent to pursue graduate training in the discipline. Students who intend to major in Psychology should be aware that jobs are available for individuals with an undergraduate degree, but graduate work is required for many positions. For Psychology majors, the most common electives are biology, child development and family studies, communication studies, mathematics, philosophy, political science, social work, sociology and anthropology and statistics. Additional science courses, or completion of the B.S. degree requirements, are recommended for those considering graduate training. Sample Course Schedules Wondering what your typical day might be like? We used students’ real course schedules to create these examples. Freshman Year WVUE 191 First Year Seminar MATH 126A College Algebra 5-Day PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology STAT 211 Elementary Statistical Inference THET 101 Introduction to the Theatre Senior Year PSYC 231 Leadership and Human Relations PSYC 251 Introduction to Social Psychology PSYC 491A Professional Field Experience PSYC 351Topics in Social Psychology PSYC 379 Community Psychology Careers Counseling Education Government Healthcare Human Resources Industrial Relations Law Media Medicine Mental Health Services Private Sector