Psychology

Prerequisites

The most common way to fulfill the prerequisite for further work in psychology is to take PSYC 001 Introduction to Psychology. A second entry point is a psychology first-year seminar: PSYC 006 First-Year Seminar: Happiness or PSYC 007 First-Year Seminar: Early Social Cognition.

Advanced Placement

Alternatively, a student may meet the prerequisite for psychology courses with a grade of AP 5 on the psychology Advanced Placement test or a grade of 6 or 7 for psychology in the International Baccalaureate Program, but this practice is not encouraged. In either case, an entering student should seek guidance from the department chair or academic assistant about selection of a first psychology course. Students electing the AP or IB placement option are not permitted to take a core course (numbered in the 30s) in their first semester. (Swarthmore credit is not granted for AP or IB work in psychology.)

Requirements

1. PSYC 001 Introduction to Psychology (or equivalent) is normally a prerequisite for all courses in psychology (see the note about prerequisites above).
2. PSYC 025 Research Design and Analysis is a requirement for the major. Note that STAT 011 Statistical Methods (or equivalent, e.g., ECON 031) is a prerequisite for PSYC 025, or may be taken concurrently.
3. At least four core courses in psychology are required (those with numbers in the 30s): 030 Physiological Psychology; 031A Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; 032 Perception; 033 Cognitive Psychology; 034 Psychology of Language; 035 Social Psychology; 036 Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making; 038 Clinical Psychology; 039 Developmental Psychology.
4. Finally, to graduate with a major in psychology, students must also complete a culminating research experience, described below.

Comprehensive Requirement: Culminating Research Experience

Students in the Course Program must satisfy the College’s comprehensive requirement in their majors. In psychology, this can be done in one of the following four ways:

1. Complete a research practicum in psychology in the senior year: PSYC 102 Research Practicum in Cognition and Perception; PSYC 103 Research Practicum in Behavioral Neuropharmacology; PSYC 104 Research Practicum in Language and Mind; PSYC 105 Research Practicum in Psychology and Neuroscience: Social Imitation; PSYC 106 Research Practicum in Cognitive Development; 108 Research Practicum in School- Based Interventions; 109 Research Practicum in Clinical Psychology. Students may enroll in these practica to conduct original empirical research for one-half (an option for some practica) or one credit and may take these courses before the senior year without meeting the comprehensive requirement. When taking these courses to meet the comprehensive requirement, the student will normally enroll for one credit and participate in the Senior Research Poster Session.
2. Complete PSYC 098 Senior Research Project. With the approval of the faculty, students may select a topic of their choice in psychology and write a substantial paper on the topic based on library research-and possibly some original empirical research. The paper may constitute a significant expansion and extension of a paper or papers written by the student previously for psychology courses, or it may address a topic on which the student has not written before. Students are encouraged, but not required, to select topics that span more than one content area in psychology. In addition to submitting their written reports, students participate in the Senior Research Poster Session. Students receive either one-half or one course credit for satisfactory work on the Senior Research Project, and a letter grade is assigned. Students normally enroll in the course in the fall semester.
3. Complete PSYC 096-097 Senior Thesis. Admission to the senior thesis program is by application only. Enrollment in 2 credits of senior thesis, one each semester of the senior year, is required. We require that students wishing to prepare a senior thesis have averages at the high B level in psychology and overall. Application to the senior thesis program is usually made by the end of the junior year. The list of faculty research interests on the department’s website will help students identify the appropriate faculty member to consult when developing thesis plans.
4. Complete a clinical practicum (PSYC 090) in the spring semester of the senior year. Extensive planning in advance is necessary. See the PSYC 090 description.

Acceptance Criteria

To be accepted as a course major, students must have successfully completed two courses in psychology and be in good standing at the College.

Requirements

PSYC 001 Introduction to Psychology (or equivalent) is normally a prerequisite for all courses in Psychology (see the note about prerequisites above).

A minimum of two core courses in psychology (those with numbers in the 30s) is required: 030 Physiological Psychology; 031A Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; 032 Perception; 033 Cognitive Psychology; 034 Psychology of Language; 035 Social Psychology; 036 Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making; 038 Clinical Psychology; 039 Developmental Psychology.

Acceptance Criteria

To be accepted as a course minor, students must have successfully completed one course in psychology and be in good standing at the College.

Requirements

PSYC 001 Introduction to Psychology (or equivalent) is normally a prerequisite for all courses in psychology (see the note about prerequisites above).

PSYC 025 Research Design and Analysis is required of honors majors, as it is for course majors. Note that STAT 011 Statistical Methods (or equivalent, e.g., ECON 031) is a prerequisite for PSYC 025 (or may be taken concurrently).

Two seminar-based honors preparations, as described above, must be completed, each consisting of a core course and its corresponding seminar.

In all, a minimum of four core courses in psychology (those with numbers in the 30s) must be completed: 030 Behavioral Neuroscience; 031A Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; 032 Perception; 033 Cognitive Psychology; 034 Psychology of Language; 035 Social Psychology; 036 Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making; 038 Clinical Psychology; 039 Developmental Psychology.

A two-credit honors thesis (PSYC 180), spread over both semesters of the senior year, is the third honors preparation and fulfills the comprehensive requirement in psychology.

The Honors Examination for Majors

In psychology, the usual form of evaluation is a three-hour written examination prepared by the external examiner and administered during the honors examination period in the senior year. This is followed, during the subsequent examiners’ weekend, by an oral examination with the examiner for each of a student’s preparations. An honors thesis stands in place of one written examination.

Acceptance Criteria

Approval of an application to participate in the Honors Program as a major depends upon successfully completing two psychology courses at Swarthmore, normally PSYC 001, Introduction to Psychology, or a psychology first-year seminar, and one core course. Admission to the Honors Program usually takes place in the spring semester of the sophomore year, but students may apply for honors even in the junior year. To be accepted, students must have high B averages in psychology and overall. Moreover, to continue in honors, students must have attained a B+ average in psychology at the end of the junior year.

Requirements

A minimum of five credits taken with psychology faculty at Swarthmore, including the honors preparation, are required for the honors minor. PSYC 001 Introduction to Psychology (or equivalent) is normally a prerequisite for all courses in psychology (see the note about prerequisites above).

Two of the five credits must be core courses in psychology (those with numbers in the 30s): 030 Behavioral Neuroscience; 031 Cognitive Neuroscience; 031A Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; 032 Perception; 033 Cognitive Psychology; 034 Psychology of Language; 035 Social Psychology; 036 Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making; 038 Clinical Psychology; 039 Developmental Psychology.

The honors preparation is completed by taking the seminar corresponding to one of the aforementioned core courses. PSYC 025 Research Design and Analysis is strongly recommended for honors minors.

The Honors Examination for Minors

The usual form of evaluation is a three-hour written examination prepared by the external examiner and administered during the honors examination period in the senior year. This is followed, during the subsequent examiners’ weekend, by an oral examination with the examiner.

Acceptance Criteria

Approval of an application to participate in the Honors Program as a minor depends upon successfully completing two psychology courses at Swarthmore, normally PSYC 001, Introduction to Psychology, or a psychology first-year seminar, and one core course. Admission to the Honors Program usually takes place in the spring semester of the sophomore year, but students may apply for honors even in the junior year. To be accepted, students must have high B averages in psychology and overall. Moreover, to continue in honors, students must have attained a B+ average in psychology at the end of the junior year.

Requirements

The special major will include 5 credits in courses or seminars taught by members of the department of psychology, including at least 3 core areas (courses numbered in the 30s) and PSYC 025 Research Design and Analysis. It will include at least 5 credits taught by members of the Department of Educational Studies. One of these courses must be EDUC/PSYC 021 Educational Psychology. Practice Teaching (EDUC 016) and the Curriculum and Methods Seminar (EDUC 017) may not be included in the program.

Culminating Exercise/Comprehensive Examination

Either a two-semester, two-credit interdisciplinary senior thesis, a research practicum (0.5 or 1 credit), a practicum in clinical psychology (PSYC 090, 1 credit) or an integrated comprehensive project (PSYC 098 or EDUC 098, 0.5 credit) suitable to the special major serves to satisfy the comprehensive requirement. Theses and comprehensive projects are supervised by one member of each department. Students wishing to prepare a senior thesis must have averages at the high B level in psychology, educational studies, and overall. Application to the senior thesis program is usually made by the end of the junior year. Because special majors may not undertake work on a thesis in a semester in which they are student teaching, such students must be sure to apply early and to begin thesis work as second semester juniors.

Honors special major in psychology and education

The requirements for honors require that four honors preparations be included in the special major, including the senior honors thesis. For special majors involving educational studies, theses are supervised by both departments. Normally, the remaining three honors preparations consist of two two-credit seminars in educational studies and one preparation in psychology composed of a core course (a course numbered in the 30s) and its corresponding one-credit seminar (numbered in the 130s), but a program could be proposed involving two preparations in psychology and one in educational studies.

Acceptance Criteria

To be accepted as a special major in psychology and educational studies, a student must have successfully completed two courses in psychology, EDUC 014 Introduction to Education, and be in good standing at the College.

Academic Year Opportunities

There are many opportunities for research with the faculty of the department during the academic year either for academic credit (PSYC 094: Independent Research, PSYC 102: Research Practicum in Perception and Cognition, PSYC 103: Research Practicum in Behavioral Neuropharmacology, PSYC 104: Research Practicum in Language and Mind, PSYC 105 Research Practicum in Psychology and Neuroscience: Social Imitation, PSYC 106: Research Practicum in Cognitive Development, PSYC 108: Research Practicum in School Based Interventions, PSYC 109: Research Practicum in Clinical Psychology) or as a paid assistant. Students may participate in the design, conduct and analysis of projects at any stage in their program. In the senior year, such experiences, in the form of a thesis (PSYC 096-097 or PSYC 180) or research practicum, may constitute the culminating comprehensive experience. The list of faculty research interests on the department’s website will help students identify the appropriate faculty member to consult about developing research plans.

The clinical practicum (PSYC 090) provides field experience for students who are considering careers in clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, and counseling. Some advanced students undertake practica to gain experience in clinical settings such as a shelter for battered women, a program for children with autism, or a residential treatment facility. Enrollment is often limited to seniors and requires at least a B average in Psychology as well as appropriate course preparation. The clinical practicum is a Community-based Learning course.

Service-Learning Opportunities

Several psychology courses are designated as Community-Based Learning courses. They are PSYC 090 Practicum in Clinical Psychology; PSYC 108 Research Practicum in School-Based Interventions; and PSYC 109 Research Practicum in Clinical Psychology.

Summer Research Opportunities

Students may apply for summer funding to conduct research in psychology either through the Social Sciences Division or through the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering, depending on the nature of the research project. Students should seek the sponsorship of a faculty member who is willing to provide guidance in developing and submitting an application. Funding may be obtained to work with faculty members on campus or, in some cases, at another campus or setting. Students planning to prepare a thesis are especially encouraged to consider ways of integrating a summer of research into their thesis work, but all interested students should feel free to explore their options. The list of faculty research interests on the department’s website will help students identify the appropriate faculty member to consult.

Seminars

Note: Admission to honors seminars normally requires at least a B+ in the associated core course. Enrollment in seminars is normally limited to 12 students.

• PSYC 130. Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience
• PSYC 131A. Seminar in Psychology and Neuroscience: The Social Brain
• PSYC 132. Perception, Cognition and the Embodied Mind Seminar
• PSYC 133. Metaphor and Mind Seminar
• PSYC 134. Seminar in Psycholinguistics
• PSYC 135. Seminar in Social Psychology
• PSYC 136. Seminar in Thinking, Judgment, and Decision Making
• PSYC 138. Seminar in Clinical Psychology
• PSYC 139. Seminar in Developmental Psychology
• PSYC 180. Honors Thesis