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Psychology

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Forensic and Legal Psychology Scholars Program

Psychology (B.A.)

Students earning an undergraduate degree in psychology will gain the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level professional responsibilities in a variety of community, business, government, and educational settings. Students will also be prepared for graduate study in psychology and related fields.

The psychology major consists of a core of required courses plus completion of coursework chosen by students to reflect their interests, career aspirations, or graduate study ambitions.

Students take courses that emphasize effective scientific reasoning (construction of knowledge), critical thinking (analysis of knowledge), communication (transmission of knowledge), and transfer (application of knowledge). Psychology graduates interested in working in mental health-related professions might find employment in substance abuse treatment programs, family and child services, crisis counseling centers, and other human services agencies. Those majoring in psychology can also choose courses that help prepare them for graduate study in psychology and counseling. Marymount offers graduate programs in counseling and forensic and legal psychology, and more information about these programs can be found in the university’s Graduate Catalog.

Upon successful completion of the psychology program, students will be able to

demonstrate critical evaluation of a psychological topic through effective writing;
apply psychological research methodologies and statistical techniques to a research question;
apply specialized psychological knowledge in an internship setting;
demonstrate effective presentation skills within the discipline.

Internship Prerequisites: When other requirements are successfully completed in the senior year, the student brings closure to the program with an internship (PSY 400). Prerequisites for the internship are a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better, a grade of C- or better in all courses required in the major, senior academic standing, a minimum of 12 credits earned at Marymount, and completion of the required prerequisite courses.

Minimum Grade Requirement: A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses in the major.

Degree Requirements — Psychology

Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements

See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details.

Major Requirements

To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with a faculty advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.

PSY 101 General Psychology

PSY 105 General Psychology Laboratory

PSY 110 Human Growth and Development

PSY 200 Careers in Psychology or CCS 399 Career Strategies and Success

PSY 201 Statistics for the Social Sciences

PSY 220 Social Psychology

PSY 230 Abnormal Psychology or PSY 240 Personality Theories

PSY 250 Biological Bases of Behavior

PSY 260 Learning and Cognition

PSY 302 Research Design for Psychology

Three (3) psychology 300/400-level electives, one must be a Writing-Intensive (WI) course

PSY 400 Internship or PSY 405 General Psychology Laboratory Instructor Practicum

PSY 497 Senior Seminar

Sample Degree Plan — Psychology

Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.

Year One — Fall

PSY 101 General Psychology (SS-1 core course) § *

PSY 105 General Psychology Lab §

EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*

Mathematics (MT) core course*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course (economics, politics, or sociology)*

DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*

Year One — Spring

PSY 110 Human Growth and Development §

PSY 201 Statistics for the Social Sciences §

EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*

Introductory History (HI-1) core course*

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1) core course*

Year Two — Fall

PSY 220 Social Psychology §

PSY 260 Learning and Cognition (DSINQ) core course § *

Natural Science (NS) core course with lab (biology recommended)*

PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*

One (1) elective

Year Two — Spring

PSY 200 Careers in Psychology or CCS 399 Career Strategies and Success §

PSY 230 Abnormal Psychology* or PSY 240 Personality Theories §

PSY 250 Biological Bases of Behavior §

PSY 302 Research Design for Psychology (DSINQ) core course

Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) core course*

Year Three — Fall

One (1) 300-level Writing-Intensive (WI) psychology course §

Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course*

Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Three — Spring

One (1) 300/400-level psychology course §

Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course*

Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Four — Fall

PSY 497 Senior Seminar (DSINQ) core course § *

One (1) 300/400-level psychology course §

Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course*

Two (2) electives

Year Four — Spring

PSY 400 Internship§*

Two (2) electives

§ Requirement for the major

* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.

Forensic and Legal Psychology Scholars Program

This competitive program, open to first-time college students and to transfer/current students, guarantees admission into the Forensic and Legal Psychology (MA) program to a select group of well-qualified students. These students, chosen by the Forensic and Legal Psychology Admissions Committee, must meet stringent acceptance and continuation requirements. To be accepted into the program, a student must have the following:

minimum high school GPA of 3.3
SAT (M & Critical Reading) score of 1100+ or ACT of 24+
essay addressing the applicant’s interest in and commitment to the field of forensic and legal psychology

To be accepted into the program, a transfer/current student must have/submit

a cumulative GPA of 3.5+ in all previous/existing undergraduate coursework;
an average GPA of 3.5+ in previous/existing psychology and/or criminal justice coursework; and
an essay addressing the applicant’s interest in and commitment to the field of forensic and legal psychology.

To continue in the program, a student must

maintain a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.5;
complete PSY 302 Research Design or CJ 304 Applied Research Methods research project on relevant topic (include project as part of portfolio);
complete PSY 400 Internship or CJ 400 Internship at relevant site (include documentation as part of portfolio);
attend at least three Forensic and Legal Psychology Department events, e.g. career night, seminar speaker, appreciation dinner (include documentation as part of portfolio);
attend at least one meeting of one forensic psychology M.A. course (include documentation as part of portfolio); and
receive a strong, positive recommendation from a faculty member in the student’s major.

In addition to their major program requirements, psychology majors must complete (18 credits):

CJ 209 The Criminal Justice System

CJ 311 Correctional Institutions

LA 302 Criminal Litigation

PSY 326 Forensic Psychology

PSY 332 Psychology of Addictions

SOC 305 Criminology

In addition to their major program requirements, criminal justice majors must complete (13 credits):

PSY 101 General Psychology

PSY 105 General Psychology Lab

PSY 110 Human Growth and Development

PSY 260 Learning and Cognition

PSY 326 Forensic Psychology

As part of their major program electives, criminal justice majors must complete (12 credits):

CJ 311 Correctional Institutions

PSY 220 Social Psychology

PSY 230 Abnormal Psychology

PSY 332 Psychology of Addictions

By the application deadline of the year in which the student intends to graduate with their bachelor's degree, the following materials need to be submitted to Graduate Enrollment Services: