About the Program
Psychology Department
Buckham Hall A238
(716) 878-6215
psychology.buffalostate.edu/
The field of psychology is broad and relevant to a variety of disciplines. The minor is offered for those students who wish to follow a systematic plan of study in psychology while completing a major in another department. Specifically, the minor is designed to give students a broad background in psychology. As designed, the minor is flexible and should meet the needs of many students. Accordingly, students should seek advisement to determine what courses would best suit their own particular interests and needs.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
1. demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate beliefs and evidence-based claims related to the discipline of psychology
2. demonstrate the ability to define the basic concepts and theories fundamental to the study of psychology as a scientific discipline.
3. understand the empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues pertaining to major areas of modern Psychology.
4. demonstrate the ability to apply a psychological perspective to an analysis of social problems, institutions, and culture.
Program Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the minor, students will be required to take 21 hours in psychology to be distributed in the following manner:
Required Courses (3 credit hours)
PSY 101 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY 1 3
Electives (18 credit hours)
Students must select at least one course from each of the following three areas:
Bio/Cognitive Psychology 3
PSY 304 LEARNING: THEORY AND RESEARCH
PSY 308 SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
PSY 321 COMPARATIVE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
PSY 330 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL POWER OF LANGUAGE
PSY 333 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
PSY 340 COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Social/Developmental Psychology 3
PSY 301 PERSPECTIVES ON CHILD ABUSE AND ADVOCACY
PSY 325 SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
PSY 355 LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 356 CHILD DEVELOPMENT
PSY 357 ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT DEVELOPMENT
PSY 370 ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY I
Clinical/Applied Psychology 3
PSY 310 Behavior Modification
PSY 311 PERSONALITY: THEORY AND RESEARCH
PSY 375 FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 376 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 392 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2
PSY 393 ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2
Students must complete three additional PSY courses (9 credit hours) at the 300 or 400-level. At least one of these courses (3 credit hours) must be at the 400-level. 9
Note: PSY 350 and PSY 450 are highly recommended for students planning to go to graduate school in Psychology or a related field.
Total Credit Hours 21
1 A minimum grade of C in PSY 101 is required for all PSY minors.
2 Requires PSY 101 and at least an additional 3 credit hours in PSY courses.