Psychology Program Mission

To develop a scientific foundation of psychological knowledge. 

Welcome to Psychology!

Minot State University's Psychology Program offers students a broad-based understanding of the major areas of psychology. Graduates of our program will gain an understanding of scientific principles and methods, human development, cognitive and learning processes, the biological basis of behavior, the impact of the social context on behavior, affect, and cognition, and psychopathology. Psychological principles and research findings are used by many different types of careers including counseling, management, marketing, human resources, behavioral analysis, sales, and case management to name a few. For those wishing to pursue an advanced degree, the psychology program provides students with the foundation to pursue graduate programs in clinical, counseling, cognitive, human development, and psychological neuroscience.

Psychology Program Policies

1. Students majoring in psychology earning a grade of "D" or "F" in a psychology course or required course for the psychology major must retake the course and earn a grade of "C" or higher. 

2. To graduate with a major in psychology, students must take the Psychology Major Field Exam when enrolled in Senior Seminar and earn a score that falls within the percentile rank of no lower than a half of a standard deviation below the national mean. The standard is meant to ensure students’ working knowledge of psychological concepts is consistent with undergraduate psychology students nationally.

3. To help foster success in our program, students majoring in psychology will take the Psychology Major Field Exam when taking Foundations of Psychology.  These exam results give the students and the program faculty a baseline measure of psychological knowledge. Foundations of Psychology should be taken within the first year of declaring psychology as a major and prior to completing nine psychology credit hours. Students should review their results with their faculty advisor.

Psychology Program Goals and Outcomes

Student Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Goals	Student Learning Outcomes
The student will have the ability to use knowledge gained from their psychology course of study to situations encountered in life.	The student will demonstrate knowledge of clinical/abnormal theories of human behavior.
	The student will demonstrate knowledge of the biological basis of behavior.
	The student will demonstrate knowledge of the developmental processes in human behavior
	The student will demonstrate knowledge of memory, learning, and cognition components in behavior.
	The student will demonstrate knowledge of the social psychology principles and theories of human behavior.
	The student will demonstrate knowledge of the statistical analysis and research methodologies of research methods used in psychology.
	The student will demonstrate integrated knowledge and application of the principles and theories in the above psychological areas.
The student will be able to use of APA formatting and to critically analyze information in written and oral format.	The student will demonstrate knowledge and application of APA formatting.
	The students will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate information sources.
	The student will demonstrate the ability to integrate information from scientific resources into a cohesive argument.

Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Psychology (120 CR)

Students completing a psychology major with a double-major, minor, or concentration in Addiction Studies may not count a single course for both psychology and addiction studies. Course requirements that overlap (e.g., Psychopharmacology) will count towards the addiction studies major/minor/concentration and students must take an additional elective (any extra PSY or MHA course not counting for the addiction studies major/minor/concentration) to 'substitute' the course requirement for the psychology major.

General Education
PSY 111	Introduction to Psychology	3
PSY 241	Introduction to Statistics	4
or MATH 210	Elementary Statistics
or DATA 211	Applied Statistics and Data Visualization
BIOL 115	Concepts of Anatomy and Physiology	4
or BIOL 220	Anatomy and Physiology I
All other General Education requirements
Required Psychology Core
PSY 112	Foundations of Psychology	3
PSY 242	Research Methods in Psychology	4
PSY 255	Child and Adolescent Psychology	3
PSY 270	Psychological Disorders and Treatments	3
PSY 376	Social Psychology	3
PSY 379	Psychology of Adulthood and Aging	3
PSY 411	Introduction to Personality Theories	3
PSY 465	Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience	3
PSY 491	Senior Seminar in Psychology	3
PSY 95	Senior Psychology Major Field Test	0
Area 2 - Biological Component
Select one of the following:		3
MHA 349	Psychopharmacology
PSY 460	Sensation and Perception
Area 3 - Learning Component
Select one of the following:		3
PSY 410	Cognitive Psychology
PSY 435	Psychology of Learning
Area 4 - Applied Component
Select one of the following:		3
PSY 313	Industrial Organizational Psychology
MHA 423	Introduction to Counseling
MHA 424	Advanced Counseling
PSY 473	Behavior Modification
PSY 314	Cognition and Games
Area 5 - Preprofessional Experience
Select one of the following:		3
PSY 496	Senior Research Thesis
PSY 497	Psychology Practicum
Satisfy all other BA requirements
Electives
PSY 204	Introduction to Cyberpsychology
PSY 261	Psychology of Adjustment
PSY 315	Careers in Psychology
PSY 493	Thesis Proposal
MHA 476	Group Dynamics
Total Hours		51

Psychology Minor

Credits applied to the psychology minor may not be applied to the addiction studies major/minor/concentration. MHA 297 Addiction Studies Practicum and MHA 485 Addiction Studies Practicum may not be applied to the psychology minor.

PSY 255	Child and Adolescent Psychology	3
PSY 270	Abnormal Psychology	3
PSY 376	Social Psychology	3
PSY 411	Introduction to Personality Theories	3
PSY 465	Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience	3
Select one of the following:		3
PSY 410	Cognitive Psychology
PSY 435	Psychology of Learning
Additional PSY electives		6
Any 200-400 level PSY courses are acceptable.
Total Hours		24

Psychology Concentration

Credits applied to the psychology concentration may not be applied to the addiction studies major/minor/concentration. MHA 297 Addiction Studies Practicum, MHA 485 Addiction Studies Practicum, and MHA 486 Addiction Studies Practicum may not be applied to the psychology minor.

Select courses to total twelve semester hours all of which must be at the 200-400 level. 

Behavioral Research Concentration for Psychology Majors (14 credits)

PSY 342	Research Methods II	4
PSY 494	Directed Behavioral Research	1-4
PSY 493	Thesis Proposal	3
PSY 496	Senior Research Thesis	3

Behavioral Science Research Concentration for Non-Psychology Majors (15 Credits)

PSY 241	Introduction to Statistics	4
or MATH 210	Elementary Statistics
or DATA 211	Applied Statistics and Data Visualization
PSY 342	Research Methods II	4
PSY 494	Directed Behavioral Research	1-4
PSY 493	Thesis Proposal	3