Psychological & Brain Sciences Major, Lifespan Development Specialization
Psychological & Brain Sciences Major Program Requirements
- Total Units Required: 43-46 units (34 units [at least 25 of which must be at the 3000 level or above] for the major requirements, plus 9-12 units for a specialization; adding a specialization to the base major is not required)
- Grade Requirement: For a course to count toward the major; a grade of C– or better must be achieved.
Required Courses
- PSYCH 1000 Introduction to Psychology is a prerequisite for all upper-level courses (3000 level and above). Exemption from Psych 1000 Introduction to Psychology is possible in the following circumstances:
- Completion of an equivalent course transferred from another institution, if approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- An AP Psychology test score of 5, an IB score of 6 or 7, or a British A-Level grade of A.
- PSYCH 3000 Introduction to Psychological Statistics
- SDS 2020 Elementary Probability and Statistics, SDS 3020 Elementary to Intermediate Probability and Statistics, or DAT 1200 Managerial Statistics I may substitute for PSYCH 3000 Introduction to Psychological Statistics but earn no units of credit toward the major. No AP math course can substitute for PSYCH 3000 Introduction to Psychological Statistics.
- PSYCH 3010 Experimental Psychology or PSYCH 3011 Experimental Psychology (version taken concurrently with PSYCH 3000)
For cases in which an exemption is granted (e.g., PSYCH 1000, Psych 3000), no credits are earned toward the major, so exempt courses must be made up with additional Psychology & Brain Sciences (P&BS) content electives (approved by the major advisor).
Core Requirements
Students must complete at least one course from each of the following five categories:*
Social/Personality:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3050 | Health Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 3150 | Introduction to Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 3530 | Psychology of Personality | 3 |
| PSYCH 3096 | Psychological Dynamics of Empathy | 3 |
| PSYCH 4099 | Evolutionary Human Psychology | 3 |
Mental Health/Affective:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3501 | Psychotherapy: Introduction to Practice and Research | 3 |
| PSYCH 3540 | Psychopathology and Mental Health | 3 |
| PSYCH 3645 | Understanding Emotions | 3 |
| PSYCH 4675 | Inside the Disordered Brain: Neural Systems of Behavior and Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYCH 4367 | Seminar in Positive Psychology | 3 |
Biological/Neurological Bases of Behavior:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3300 | Sensation and Perception | 3 |
| PSYCH 3401 | Introduction to Biological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 3450 | Genes, Environment and Human Behavior | 3 |
| PSYCH 3604 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYCH 4182 | Perception, Thought and Action | 3 |
| PSYCH 4765 | Inside the Disordered Brain: Neural Systems of Behavior and Psychopathology | 3 |
Behavior and Cognition:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3580 | Language Acquisition | 3 |
| PSYCH 3600 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 3610 | Psychology of Learning | 3 |
| PSYCH 3800 | Human Learning and Memory | 3 |
| PSYCH 4099 | Human Evolutionary Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 4330 | Psychology of Language | 3 |
Lifespan Development:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 2190 | Infant Mind: Sophomore Seminar (this course can fulfill the Lifespan Development Core, but the credit counts in the "6 units Rule") | 3 |
| PSYCH 3210 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 3250 | Psychology of Adolescence | 3 |
| PSYCH 3260 | Introduction to the Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| PSYCH 3580 | Language Acquisition | 3 |
| PSYCH 4270 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
- *
If a course falls into more than one category, it can be used to fulfill only one of those categories (i.e., no double-counting).
Elective Courses
Students must complete an additional 9 units of P&BS coursework. Additional elective courses will be required to make up for PSYCH 1000 and PSYCH 3000 exemptions.
6-Units Rule
No more than 6 units from the following course types may be used to satisfy the minimum requirements for the P&BS major:
- 1000-/2000-level courses (other than PSYCH 1000 Introduction to Psychology)
- PSYCH 3999 Independent Study
- PSYCH 4992 Independent Study for a Specialization
- PSYCH 4980 and PSYCH 4990 Honors Program in Psychology
- Approved School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) psychology courses
- Approved psychology study abroad courses from a non-psychology study abroad program
- Approved psychology courses from other departments (e.g., EDUC 3040 Educational Psychology, MUSIC 3300 Music Cognition, PACS 2340 Introduction to Speech and Hearing, BEYOND 1003 When I'm Sixty-Four: Preparing Ourselves and Society for a Good Long Life, BIOL 3411 Principles of the Nervous System)
- Approved transfer credits (students transferring from another college should refer to the Transfer Credit section below)
Lifespan Development Specialization
To augment the major in Psychological & Brain Sciences, the department offers the option of a specialization for students who wish to engage more intensively with a specific area within the discipline.
A specialization may be a valuable experience for students planning on graduate study in psychology or related fields or for those who have a particular interest or want to gain expertise in one of the approved specializations. It may provide a useful preparation for the Honors program in Psychology, or it may serve as a substitute for the Honors experience for those students who may not qualify for Honors.
Completion of a specialization entails 12 units:
- Three courses (9 units), at least one of which must be an advanced, 4000-level course; and
- A semester of research in an appropriate, approved lab consisting of PSYCH 4992 Independent Study for a Specialization, which requires the successful completion of an American Psychological Association (APA)–style research paper or an approved Honors project completed through PSYCH 4980 Honors Program in Psychology. In some cases, a relevant internship or practicum may be an appropriate alternative to research experience. (Note: Students may be required to complete a preliminary semester [3 units] of PSYCH 3999 Independent Study, depending on the nature of the project intended for PSYCH 4992; the additional independent research is at the discretion of the research mentor and will not be counted toward the completion of the specialization requirements.)
The 3000-level required course may be used to fulfill no more than one of the core categories or distribution requirements of a Psychological & Brain Sciences major (i.e., one course could double-count for the major and the specialization). None of the units for a specialization can be counted for any other major or minor (i.e., there is no double-counting with another major or minor). For those pursuing the Psychological & Brain Sciences: Cognitive Neuroscience major, the Cognitive Neuroscience Specialization is not an option.
Each specialization has a Psychological & Brain Sciences faculty advisor/coordinator who will meet with interested students to help ensure the successful and appropriate completion of the specialization and who serves as the liaison with the Psychological & Brain Sciences Undergraduate Studies Committee. A student may pursue only one specialization. Completing a specialization, however, is not required to complete the base Psychological & Brain Sciences major.
Students should contact Shelley Kohlman (skohlman@wustl.edu) in Somers Family Hall, Room 207B, to arrange a specialization. Forms are available from Shelley, and completed forms must be returned to her in order for a specialization to be considered officially "in progress."
Recognition of the specialization will appear on the student's academic record under Milestones once all requirements have been met.
Requirements for the Lifespan Development Specialization
Many introductory courses in developmental psychology focus on the changes that occur from birth to adolescence. The specialization in lifespan development provides students with an understanding of the cognitive and physiological changes that occur over the lifespan, with a primary focus on older adulthood. A major goal of the specialization is to provide students with an understanding of the similarities and differences in development at different stages of the lifespan.
Advisor/coordinator: Professor Mitchell Sommers
Coursework required:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3260 | Introduction to the Psychology of Aging | 3 |
Electives:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 3210 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 4270 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| PSYCH 4355 | Personality and Development Across the Lifespan | 3 |
Research mentorship or internship experience related to Lifespan Development: Students can complete this aspect of the specialization with either a prior approved research mentorship or an approved internship related to older adults (i.e., PSYCH 2901 Internship in Psychology, PSYCH 4992 Independent Study for a Specialization, or PSYCH 4980 Honors Program in Psychology). Successful completion of a paper is required in all cases.
Relevant faculty for research mentorship: Mitchell Sommers, Brian Carpenter, Sandra Hale, Denise Head, Patrick Hill, Derek Isaacowitz, Josh Jackson, and Lori Markson (other potential faculty mentors may be approved)
Possible internships: Students may complete a prior approved internship related to older adults as well as a paper about the internship experience. Options may include work in an assisted-living facility or another community-based program designed to assist older adults. Other internships are available; consult the Psychological & Brain Sciences department website for information about internship opportunities in psychology.
Additional Information
Transfer Credit
If accepted by the College of Arts & Sciences, transfer credits will be evaluated by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the P&BS department for their applicability toward either major in P&BS.
Senior Honors Program in Psychological & Brain Sciences
The primary goal of the honors program in P&BS is to provide students who have achieved a superior academic record with the opportunity to conduct a comprehensive empirical investigation under the direction of a faculty member.
To be admitted into the honors program, students must meet the following requirements:
- Have overall and P&BS grade point averages of at least 3.65
- Complete both PSYCH 3000 Introduction to Psychological Statistics and PSYCH 3010 Experimental Psychology (or PSYCH 3011)
- Have an approved honors research advisor
Contact Info
| Contact: | Shelley Kohlman |
| Phone: | 314-935-5169 |
| Email: | 314-935-5169 |
| Website: | https://psych.wustl.edu/undergraduate-program |