Psychology

The requirements associated with the Psychology major are most easily understood by consulting the most recent catalog.
If you already declared your PSY major you can also find your Advisement report in WINGS that will guide you through the requirements and indicate which of them you have already completed. See this tutorial for a refresher on how to read your AR.

If you have not officially declared the major yet, you can run a What-If report in WINGS. See this tutorial for information on how to run a What-If report.

We also recommend completing a graduation plan when you are two or three semesters away from completing your requirements.

Check out the differences between a BA and BS in the current catalog and discuss with your advisor which one might be a better choice for you.

Common minors with quite a bit of overlap with the psychology major include At-Risk Child & Youth Care, Neuroscience, and Art Therapy. We also offer a certificate (not a minor) in Gerontology.

While it may be tempting to choose a minor that's related to Psych, we advise that you strongly consider a minor that is different from Psych and gives you different perspectives. Think of it as cross-training. Consider Biology, Sociology, Spanish, English, Social Justice, Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, or Statistics. If you're interested in a career in the health professions, the Healthcare Analytics Management minor is an excellent choice to complement your Psych degree.

If you're not quite sure that you want to pick one particular minor, a great option for Psych students is to choose the "make your own minor" option called the CASSH Program Option. That is an interdisciplinary minor that allows you to choose any combination of 18 credits from any combination of departments other than Psychology. This works particularly well for students on a pre-professional track (pre-health, pre-law, etc.). Chat with your Psych advisor to learn more about this and other minor options.

Absolutely! Below are links to different sample course plans. Note that these are just examples of what your timeline might look like. There are lots of factors that might make your trajectory look a bit differently, and you have lots of flexibility in how you complete your degree requirements.

Sample degree plan for a BA degree in Psychology

Sample degree plan for a BS degree in Psychology

Not sure if a BA or BS is right for you? Consult the decision point document.

Every semester, you will receive a number of emails from the university, from the department chair, and from your advisors about registration and advising. Please pay careful attention to those emails. Also check out the registration information on our website for lots of helpful information.

Access WINGS to find your advisor. When you first start at UWL, you will be assigned to an advisor in the Academic Advising Center (AAC). After you have completed your sophomore year (sometimes a bit earlier), you will be assigned permanently to a full-time psychology faculty member.

Why should I care? You and your advisor are the primary individuals who will be able to access your academic progress on WINGS. It is best if you see them regularly; however, you may see ANY faculty member for advice. In fact, as your career plans become clearer you may wish to talk with someone whose interests are closer to yours to get more information about the field.

What kinds of questions should I ask of my advisor? Your psychology advisor will be best for answering questions about course sequencing, course content, careers and graduate school.

In addition to AAC and faculty advisors, the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities provides academic advising services. After you apply to graduate in your WINGS Student Center, the college will do a degree check to make sure you are on track to graduate. If you have any questions for the college advisor pertaining to graduation, you may email Britta Osborne (bosborne@uwlax.edu) or call 785-8123.

Many psychology majors are interested in careers in law or the health professions such as physical therapy (PT) and/or occupational therapy (OT). Students interested are well served by declaring themselves as a "pre" student in their area of interest, but note that the "pre" courses do not qualify as a major or minor - you will still need to declare a minor. The CASSH program option works well for many students on a pre-professional track.

The "pre" courses prepare students for the admission requirements of most graduate programs associated with each specific field. Check out the pre-professional programs website for more information. Many of the pre-professional tracks have dedicated advisors who can answer questions on topics that your Psych advisor might not be all that familiar with.

We're so glad you asked! Your Psych degree prepares you well for all kinds of future careers. It's a great idea to get more hands-on experience to explore different career options. Chat with your advisor about when might be a good time to do an internship or to volunteer and check out the information on our website for more detailed information.

We're so glad you asked! Psychology is a science and understanding research and the scientific method is an important aspect of being a Psych major. That is why all Psych majors take PSY 331 (Research Methods) and complete their own research project as part of the course. If you'd like to get additional research experience, check out the information on our website to learn more about the many options and discuss them with your advisor.

If you're interested in being a research participant or want to post your own research studies, you can access the SONA system here.

There are lots of other ways to get involved as a Psych major:

• You can be a tutor or teaching assistant to help other students in their Psych courses.
• You can join Psych Club or PsiChi for great opportunities to learn more about psychology and to get involved in the community.
• You can become a peer mentor (info coming soon).

We're here to help. There are lots of ways students can get help with their classes. Check out the information about tutoring and Psych TAs.

Psychology is a “writing-in-the-major” undergraduate program (WIMP). Every psychology course requires that students write; however, the type of writing varies by instructor and course content. By completing the psychology major, students fulfill the “writing emphasis” component of the UWL general education requirements. Strong communication skills including writing and oral presentation represent key hallmarks of a liberally educated person and comprise one of the American Psychological Associations' goals for the undergraduate major. 

Check out this website with lots of helpful information about writing in your Psychology courses.

So many things! Check out the info in the "Life after Graduation" section of our website.

You're right, an undergraduate degree in Psychology does not make you a Psychologist. But it does make you an incredibly well-rounded person with lots of skills you acquired as part of your undergraduate education. These skills are valued by employers in every field and make you a strong candidate for jobs in many industries, not just those related to Psychology.
UWL has identified eight skills that we're confident you have developed in your time here. Check out the Eagle Advantage website to learn more about these skills and how to market yourself to future employers by talking about your undergrad experiences.

If you have additional questions related to Psychology that you are certain are not answered elsewhere, your advisor is a great person to start with. Reach out to them over email or chat with them at your next advising meeting. If you're unsure who your advisor is, you can find them in WINGS.

If you have questions about things other than Psychology (financial aid, textbooks, etc), the UWL home page is a good starting point. Use the search function to look for information relevant to your questions.

Depending on what you're concerned about, we'll direct you to different people.

If you have a concern about a Psychology class you're in, your first stop should be talking to your instructor. 

If you have a concern about advising and registration, your first step should be to reach out to your advisor. 

If talking to your instructor or advisor is not an option or you have concerns about other issues not related to courses, advising, or registration, you may contact us using this Qualtrics form. Your response will be directed to the Department Chair, Dr. Newton, and someone will reach out to you to help with your concern.