Each student is required to develop an expertise in a related discipline. To make sure that this produces a real multidisciplinary approach, majors are required to take at least four courses totaling a minimum of twelve credits outside of the Psychology department in their chosen related field. A student interested in experimental psychology in the biological correlates of behavior disorders, for example, are advised to take courses in biological techniques, genetics, embryology, anatomy, and physiology offered by the Biology faculty. A student interested in psychological tests and their development are advised to take some of the mathematics curriculum statistical offerings, while students interested in public health applications are advised to study Political Science. Students interested in Education or Business applications in Psychology are encouraged to take courses in those areas. Students planning to continue in an area related to Clinical Psychology can maximize their chances of being accepted at a graduate school by choosing a related area in mathematics, biology, or chemistry. It is recommended that students who intend to apply to graduate school take additional statistics, computer science courses, or philosophy courses.
* Note that Biology 0080, 0081, 0083, 0085, 0950, 0960, 0970, 0980, and 1178 cannot be used to fulfill a related discipline requirement in Biology.
Students wanting a formal minor officially recognized on their transcript may extend the courses in their related discipline to include the requirements set out by the minor department. Minors include at least 18 credits, 6 of which must be upper-level courses as defined by the department offering the minor. Students must contact the department offering a minor to determine what courses are needed.
