Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Health Psychology)
Website: https://twu.edu/psychology-philosophy/undergraduate-programs/
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Health Psychology) is specially designed for students planning to pursue careers in the health professions. This track is designed to better serve those students by allowing them to focus their coursework on health psychology. Health psychology is a growing field that focuses on the psychological and behavioral facets of physical as well as mental health. According to the American Psychological Association (2019), "professional and public interest in how biology, environment, and behavior impact health and illness continues to grow. Health Psychologists are making important contributions to the well-being of our patients by incorporating psychological theory and research to develop methods to assist patients in maintaining healthy lifestyles".
A health psychology track will better prepare students for careers in a wide array of health care settings.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Identify and utilize a variety of sources of information to solve problems; be able to apply different methods to collect and analyze data; apply analytical skills to summarize and draw findings from data.
- Present ideas in a clear, organized fashion both in writing and oral communication. Develop coherent written and oral arguments.
- Professional development skills, including project management and the ability to work in a team; ability to work collaboratively on complex projects; divide complex tasks down and monitor progress to completion; problem solve effectively with group members when obstacles are encountered.
Admissions
All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.
The Application deadline for each semester is 5:00 p.m. the last day of finals as published on the Registrar’s Calendar. Applications will be processed within three weeks of this deadline. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline and failure to meet this condition will require the applicant to wait until the next semester’s processing-cycle for consideration. Please ensure your application has been submitted successfully by checking your TWU email for a confirmation of submission. If you have not received a confirmation email, please resubmit your application.
Additional admission requirements for the undergraduate psychology program are as follows:
- completion of 45 semester credit hours,
- completion of PSY 1013, PSY 1603, and PSY 2513 with a grade of C or higher; and PSY 2013 with a grade of B or higher.
- consistent adherence to the Psychology Program Code of Professional Conduct policy and,
- completion of the Psychology Major Application.
Students will initially enter as pre-psychology majors. Acceptance into the Psychology program is contingent upon meeting departmental requirements. Many psychology courses require that students be a Psychology major prior to enrollment. Therefore, it is important that students complete the departmental admissions process as soon as admission requirements are met. Departmental admission applications are processed on a rolling basis but can take up to four (4) weeks to process dependent on submission time.
Continued enrollment in the program is contingent upon completion of psychology and philosophy coursework with a C or higher and continued adherence to the Psychology Program Code of Professional Conduct policy.
Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Health Psychology) degree plan. If GPA requirements are not met, students will be moved to the B.S. in Psychology degree plan.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 122-123
Major: 47 SCH Minor (optional): 25 SCH
Program Code: PSYCH.BS.HEALTH CIP Code: 42.0101.00
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | |
| Creative Arts | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CAO: Women's Studies | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 1603 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2013 | Professional Development in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2023 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2133 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2303 | Applied Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 2513 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2703 | Psychology of Stress | 3 |
| PSY 3354 | Experimental Psychology | 4 |
| PSY 3161 | Behavior Therapy Laboratory | 1 |
| PSY 3163 | Introduction to Behavior Therapy | 3 |
| PSY 4013 | Health Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 4423 | Addiction | 3 |
| PSY 4443 | Psychology of Health Disparities | 3 |
| Psychology Elective (3000 level or higher) | 9 | |
| Total SCHs | 47 | |
Departmental Requirements
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 3073 | Bioethics | 3 |
| Natural Science w/Lab for Major (see advisor) | 4 | |
| Core Life/Physical Science Labs (if co-requisite of core science course) | 2 | |
| PHIL 2033 | Logic and Critical Thinking (may be applied from core) | 3 |
| PSY 1013 | Introduction to General Psychology (may be applied from core) | 3 |
| WS 3733 | Psychology of Women (may be applied from core) | 3 |
| or PSY 3733 | Psychology of Women | |
| Electives | 15 | |
| Total SCHs | 33 | |
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| PSY 1013 | Introduction to General Psychology | PSYC 2301 | 3 |
| Life/Physical Science Core | 3 | ||
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| Math or Wellness CAO Core | 2 | ||
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| UNIV 1231 | Learning Frameworks: The First Year Experience | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 |
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| PSY 1603 | Developmental Psychology | PSYC 2314 | 3 |
| Life/Physical Science Core | 3 | ||
| MATH core (MATH 1703 recommended) | 3 | ||
| PSY 2013 | Professional Development in Psychology | 3 | |
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| Select one of the following Natural Science sequences: | 3-4 | ||
| Human Biology | BIOL 1308 | ||
| Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Laboratory | BIOL 1406 & BIOL 1106 | ||
| General Life Science II | BIOL 1309 | ||
| Introductory Chemistry and Introductory Chemistry Laboratory | CHEM 1305 & CHEM 1106 | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry Laboratory I | CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1111 | ||
| General Life Science I | BIOL 1408 | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory | BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2101 | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory | BIOL 2402 & BIOL 2102 | ||
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | GOVT 2305 | 3 |
| PHIL 2033 | Logic and Critical Thinking | PHIL 2303 | 3 |
| PSY 2513 | Abnormal Psychology | PSYC 2320 | 3 |
| SCHs | 15-16 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| PSY 2023 | Social Psychology | PSYC 2319 | 3 |
| PSY 2303 | Applied Statistics | PSYC 2317 | 3 |
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| PSY 3354 | Experimental Psychology | 4 | |
| PSY 2133 | Physiological Psychology | PSYC 2330 | 3 |
| PSY 2703 | Psychology of Stress | 3 | |
| minor or elective | 3 | ||
| minor or elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| PSY 3161 | Behavior Therapy Laboratory | 1 | |
| PSY 3163 | Introduction to Behavior Therapy | 3 | |
| PSY 4423 | Addiction | 3 | |
| Psychology elective (3000 or higher) | 3 | ||
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| PHIL 3073 | Bioethics | 3 | |
| PSY 4013 | Health Psychology | 3 | |
| PSY 4443 | Psychology of Health Disparities | 3 | |
| 3 SCH Psychology Electives (upper level) | 3 | ||
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| 3 SCH Psychology Elective health track (upper level) | 3 | ||
| PSY 3733 | Psychology of Women | 3 | |
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor or Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 122-123 | ||
Note: The 3 SCH Global Perspectives graduation requirement must be obtained through core courses, PSY 4183 , or elective. Must meet 36 advanced semester credit hour requirement.
