Bachelor Degree Options
Choosing a BA or a BS degree?
A Psychology major may choose to obtain either a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) or a Bachelor of Science degree (BS). The Psychology courses required for a BA and BS are identical.
The College of Arts and Sciences has different course requirements for those earning a BA vs a BS The BA requirements focus on culture and social behavior, liberal arts, and humanities whereas the BS requirements focus on mathematics and the natural and social sciences.
The Psychology faculty recommends the BA for most students. The BS degree is most appropriate for students planning research careers in areas of Psychology requiring a strong background in mathematics and science.
However, even for students headed for research intensive careers, the BA degree supplemented by selected science and mathematics courses can be the best overall choice. Psychology advisors can help with decisions in individual cases.
Academic Advising for the Psychology Undergraduate ProgramsThe Department of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage offers undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs aimed at preparing students 1) for advanced study in the social and health sciences and 2) to become members of the behavioral health workforce. The department also maintains the Psychological Services Center, a clinic that provides low cost mental health services to campus and community members. The department strives to offer degree and certificate programs that meet the needs of the state of Alaska.
Admission Requirements- Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
- Complete the following Admission Requirements for the Bachelor of Art (BA) in Psychology.
- Students wishing to declare psychology as a major must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.50.
- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- All psychology majors are also required to take the exit examination, a standardized test of knowledge of psychology approved by the Department of Psychology. There is no minimum score required for graduation. This exam is taken in the UAA Testing Center, and a fee will be charged to students.
- Complete the following major requirements:
- All prerequisites for required Psychology courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C. Students who audit or are unable to earn a minimum grade of C in a lower-division (100- or 200-level) PSY course may repeat the course two additional times on a space-available basis. Students who audit or wish to repeat an upper-division (300- or 400-level) PSY course may repeat the course one additional time on a space-available basis. Students repeating a course are required to complete all components of that course during the semester in which the course is retaken. When repeating a course with a lecture and laboratory component, both components must be repeated.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
PSY A111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
PSY A150 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
PSY A260 | Statistics for Psychology | 3 |
PSY A260L | Statistics for Psychology Lab | 1 |
PSY A261 & A261L | Research Methods in Psychology and Research Methods in Psychology Laboratory | 4 |
PSY A345 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
PSY A370 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
PSY A375 | Social Psychology | 3 |
PSY A468 & A468L | Learning and Behavior and Learning and Behavior Laboratory | 4 |
Psychology Capstone Requirement 1 | 3 | |
Each capstone option is designed to synthesize and apply material from the psychology major. Choice of a capstone should be based, at least in part, on the student’s future career plans. Students planning to work in human service jobs following graduation should consider taking PSY A495A. Students planning on graduate work in psychology should consider taking PSY A412, PSY A428, PSY A499A or PSY A499. Students may elect to take all of these courses as upper-division electives. | ||
PSY A412 | History of Psychology | |
PSY A428 | Evolutionary Psychology | |
PSY A495A | Psychology Practicum | |
PSY A499A | Developing Psychological Research | |
PSY A499 | Senior Thesis | |
Psychology Electives | 9 | |
Complete an additional 9 credits of upper-division psychology courses. | ||
Writing | 3 | |
WRTG A213 | Writing and the Sciences | |
Mathematics and Statistics | 3 | |
MATH A121 | College Algebra for Managerial and Social Sciences | |
or STAT A200 | Elementary Statistics | |
Biology | 3-6 | |
BIOL A102 | Introductory Biology | |
or BIOL A108 | Principles and Methods in Biology | |
Additional Electives | 6-8 | |
Complete any two-semester sequence in humanities, world language, or American Sign Language | ||
Total | 57-62 |
1 | All of the psychology capstone courses have rigorous prerequisites. Minimum grades of C in these prerequisites are required for admission into the capstone courses. See course descriptions of each capstone course for more details. |
A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which 42 credits must be upper-division.
Concentration in Behavior AnalysisThis concentration provides foundational knowledge and professional skills to apply the science of behavior analysis across a range of settings and client populations, including staff in the workplace, children and adults with intellectual and cognitive disabilities, and individuals with autism spectrum disorder.Completing the coursework below, in addition to required supervised practicum experience with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, helps prepare students to apply for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board examination for becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Please go to UAA's Authorization by State website for information about licensure or certification in a state other than Alaska.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Concentration requirements: | ||
PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
PSY A400 | Strategies of Behavior Change | 3 |
PSY A495A | Psychology Practicum | 3 |
Complete a minimum of 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
PSY A447 | Behavioral Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | |
PSY A455 | Interventions for Challenging Behavior | |
PSY A467 | Organizational Behavior Management | |
PSY A478 | Applications of Behavior Analysis | |
Total | 15 |
The Department of Psychology recognizes exceptional undergraduate students by awarding them departmental honors in psychology. To graduate with departmental honors, the student must be a declared psychology major and meet the following requirements:
- Satisfy all requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
- Maintain an overall and psychology specific GPA of 3.50.
- Complete one additional 3-credit Psychology Capstone option other than PSY A499.
- Complete PSY A499. The thesis project must be approved in advance by the Undergraduate Studies Committee and carried out by following applicable departmental guidelines.
- Students intending to graduate with departmental honors must notify the Departmental Honors Committee in writing on or before the date they file their Application for Graduation with the Office of the Registrar.
Students graduating with departmental honors in psychology will possess:
- An advanced understanding and application of descriptive and inferential statistics and use of statistical software in data analysis.
- A broad knowledge of psychology’s historical foundation.
- The ability to conduct a critical review and analysis of existing psychological literature.
- The ability to design and execute empirical research that tests clearly stated hypotheses or addresses clearly articulated research questions.
- A clear understanding of research ethics and the responsible conduct of research in the field of psychology.
- The ability to communicate effectively in writing, in poster format, and in oral presentations, including mastery of APA style.
- The ability to draw conclusions from research findings, including recognition of the limitations, applications, and implications of the data, and a discussion of alternative explanations of the results.
The Department of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage offers undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs aimed at preparing students: (1) for advanced study in the social and health sciences, and (2) to become members of the behavioral health workforce. The department also maintains the Psychological Services Center, a clinic that provides low-cost mental health services to campus and community members. The department strives to offer degree and certificate programs that meet the needs of the state of Alaska.
Admission Requirements- Complete the Application and Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.
- Complete the following Admission Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology.
- Students wishing to declare psychology as a major must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.50.
- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- All psychology majors are required to take the exit examination, a standardized test of knowledge of psychology approved by the Department of Psychology. There is no minimum score required for graduation. The exam is taken in the UAA Testing Center, and a fee will be charged to students.
- Complete the following major requirements:
- All prerequisites for required psychology courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C. Students who audit or are unable to earn a minimum grade of C in a lower-division (100- or 200-level) PSY course may repeat the course two additional times on a space-available basis. Students who audit or wish to repeat an upper-division (300- or 400-level) PSY course may repeat the course one additional time on a space-available basis. Students repeating a course are required to complete all components of that course during the semester in which the course is retaken. When repeating a course with a lecture and laboratory component, both components must be repeated.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
PSY A111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
PSY A150 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
PSY A260 | Statistics for Psychology | 3 |
PSY A260L | Statistics for Psychology Lab | 1 |
PSY A261 & A261L | Research Methods in Psychology and Research Methods in Psychology Laboratory | 4 |
PSY A345 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
PSY A370 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
PSY A375 | Social Psychology | 3 |
PSY A468 & A468L | Learning and Behavior and Learning and Behavior Laboratory | 4 |
Psychology Capstone Requirement 1 | 3 | |
Each capstone option is designed to synthesize and apply material from the psychology major. Choice of a capstone should be based, at least in part, on the student's future career plans. Students planning to work in human service jobs following graduation should consider taking PSY A495A. Students planning on graduate work in psychology should consider taking PSY A412, PSY A428, PSY A499A, or PSY A499. Students may elect to take all of these courses as upper-division electives. | ||
PSY A412 | History of Psychology | |
PSY A428 | Evolutionary Psychology | |
PSY A495A | Psychology Practicum | |
PSY A499A | Developing Psychological Research | |
PSY A499 | Senior Thesis | |
Psychology Electives | 9 | |
Complete an additional 9 credits of upper-division psychology courses. | ||
Writing | 3 | |
WRTG A213 | Writing and the Sciences | |
Mathematics and Statistics | 6-8 | |
Complete two of the following: | ||
MATH A121 | College Algebra for Managerial and Social Sciences | |
or MATH A151 | College Algebra for Calculus | |
MATH A221 | Applied Calculus for Managerial and Social Sciences | |
SOC A462 | Social Science Statistics | |
STAT A200 | Elementary Statistics | |
STAT A253 | Applied Statistics for the Sciences | |
Biology | 7-16 | |
BIOL A102 | Introductory Biology | |
or BIOL A108 | Principles and Methods in Biology | |
Complete at least two of the following courses: | ||
BIOL A111 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | |
BIOL A112 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | |
BIOL/CPLX A200 | Introduction to Complexity | |
BIOL A240 | Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences | |
BIOL A242 | Fundamentals of Cell Biology | |
BIOL A252 | Principles of Genetics | |
BIOL A273 | Experiential Learning: Ecology and Evolution | |
BIOL A288 | Principles of Evolution | |
BIOL A311 | Experiential Learning: Animal Physiology | |
BIOL A320 | Vertebrate Biology | |
BIOL A321 | Experiential Learning: Vertebrate Biology | |
BIOL A412 | Behavioral Endocrinology | |
BIOL A413 | Neurophysiology | |
BIOL A414 | Chronobiology | |
BIOL A415 | Comparative Animal Physiology | |
BIOL A417 | Applied Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology | |
BIOL A418 | Fish Physiology | |
BIOL A423 | Ichthyology | |
BIOL A427 | Marine Invertebrate Biology | |
BIOL A430 | Marine Mammal Biology | |
BIOL A441 | Animal Behavior | |
BIOL A442 | Experiential Learning: Animal Behavior | |
BIOL A452 | Human Genome | |
BIOL A455 | Experiential Learning: Bioinformatics | |
BIOL A461 | Molecular Biology | |
BIOL A464 | Metals in Biology | |
BIOL A463 | Molecular Biology of Cancer | |
BIOL A466 | Fish Ecology | |
BIOL A467 | Wildlife Ecology | |
BIOL/CHEM A471 | Immunology | |
BIOL A472 | Biogeography | |
BIOL A473 | Conservation Biology | |
BIOL/CHEM A474 | Ecotoxicology | |
BIOL A477 | Tundra and Taiga Ecosystems | |
BIOL A480 | Ecological and Conservation Genetics | |
BIOL A481 | Marine Biology | |
BIOL A482 | Spatial Ecology | |
BIOL A483 | Exploration Ecology | |
BIOL A484 | Experiential Learning: Exploration Ecology Field Study | |
BIOL A486 | Evolutionary Ecology | |
BIOL A487 | Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates | |
BIOL A489 | Population Genetics and Evolutionary Processes | |
Experimental and Scientific Foundations | 6-7 | |
Complete two of the following: | ||
ANTH A205 | Biological Anthropology | |
ANTH A452 | Culture and Human Biodiversity | |
ANTH A455 | Culture and Health | |
CHEM A103 | Introduction to General Chemistry | |
CHEM A104 | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | |
CHEM A105 | General Chemistry I | |
CHEM A106 | General Chemistry II | |
CHEM A321 | Organic Chemistry I | |
CHEM A322 | Organic Chemistry II | |
CHEM A441 | Principles of Biochemistry I | |
CHEM A442 | Principles of Biochemistry II | |
CS A109 | Computer Programming (Languages Vary) | |
ECON A201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
ECON A202 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
ECON A333 | Experimental Economics | |
ECON A456 | Behavioral Economics | |
ECON A459 | Industrial Organization and Public Policy | |
Total | 64-76 |
1 | All of the above psychology capstone courses have rigorous prerequisites. Minimum grades of C in these prerequisites are required for admission into psychology's capstone courses. |
A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which 42 credits must be upper-division.
Concentration in Behavior AnalysisThis concentration provides foundational knowledge and professional skills to apply the science of behavior analysis across a range of settings and client populations, including staff in the workplace, children and adults with intellectual and cognitive disabilities, and individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Completing the coursework below, in addition to required supervised practicum experience with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, helps prepare students to apply for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board examination for becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. Please go to UAA's Authorization by State website for information about licensure or certification in a state other than Alaska.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Concentration requirements: | ||
PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
PSY A400 | Strategies of Behavior Change | 3 |
PSY A495A | Psychology Practicum | 3 |
Complete a minimum of 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
PSY A447 | Behavioral Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | |
PSY A455 | Interventions for Challenging Behavior | |
PSY A467 | Organizational Behavior Management | |
PSY A478 | Applications of Behavior Analysis | |
Total | 15 |
The Department of Psychology recognizes exceptional undergraduate students by awarding them departmental honors in psychology. To graduate with departmental honors, the student must be a declared psychology major and meet the following requirements:
- Satisfy all requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
- Maintain an overall and psychology specific GPA of 3.50.
- Complete one additional 3-credit Psychology Capstone option other than PSY A499.
- Complete PSY A499. The thesis project must be approved in advance by the Undergraduate Studies Committee and carried out by following applicable departmental guidelines.
- Students intending to graduate with departmental honors must notify the Departmental Honors Committee in writing on or before the date they file their Application for Graduation with the Office of the Registrar.
Students graduating with departmental honors in psychology will possess:
- An advanced understanding and application of descriptive and inferential statistics and use of statistical software in data analysis.
- A broad knowledge of psychology’s historical foundation.
- The ability to conduct a critical review and analysis of existing psychological literature.
- The ability to design and execute empirical research that tests clearly stated hypotheses or addresses clearly articulated research questions.
- A clear understanding of research ethics and the responsible conduct of research in the field of psychology.
- The ability to communicate effectively in writing, in poster format, and in oral presentations, including mastery of APA style.
- The ability to draw conclusions from research findings, including recognition of the limitations, applications, and implications of the data, and a discussion of alternative explanations of the results.