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Psychology Majors
Advisory Tracks
Psychology is a diverse field of study with a variety of career options. For this reason, the Psychology major at Auburn University offers almost 40 different classroom and experiential courses. The typical Psychology major will take not many more than a dozen psychology courses, so it is important that each student develop a way of approaching these career possibilities that takes account of his or her interests, skills, and aspirations.
The psychology faculty has created three advisory tracks within the major that represent the most general level of decision-making that Psychology majors will face. These tracks encourage students to think about what they want to accomplish with their major. Based on consultation with their faculty advisor, consideration of these options will guide majors toward the track tailored toward their interests, training goals, and career aspirations.
Please note that these tracks are only advisory. Psychology majors do not have to commit to a single track or take only courses listed in one track.
In addition to the required courses for the Psychology major, students may register for any psychology courses.
These three tracks accommodate the way students answer three basic questions about what they want to do with their psychology major.
- Do I want to develop a career based on my interest in psychology?
- Do I want to develop a career based on my baccalaureate degree?
- Do I want to develop a career based on a graduate degree?
General Psychology Track: Students who answer no to the first question should find that the General Psychology Track provides the best guidance on course selection. This track focuses on courses that are likely to be most useful to students whose interests in psychology are not focused on particular career objectives. Many students in the College of Liberal Arts find that majoring in psychology offers a focus for their college education that will enhance their effectiveness as parents, spouses, and citizens.
View Courses Requirements for the General Psychology TrackThis track is designed for students wishing to major in Psychology but who do not intend to develop careers directly based on their baccalaureate degree.
The courses in this track are divided into four categories.
- Required Major Courses: These courses are required for all majors and are therefore the same for all tracks.
- Recommended Track Foundation Courses: These courses serve as the foundation for other courses in the track and are strongly recommended.
- Recommended Track Core Courses: These courses are core content areas for this track and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
- Recommended Track Topical Courses: These courses include useful areas of psychology on particular topics and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
Required Major Courses
PSYC 2010 Introductory Psychology STAT 2010 Statistics PSYC 2140 Research Methods Recommended Track Foundation Courses
PSYC 3050 History of Ideas PSYC 3520 Learning Recommended Track Core Courses (1 of 2)
PSYC 4220 Child Psychology PSYC 4230 Adolescent/Adult Development Recommended Track Topical Courses (2 of 3)
PSYC 3560 Abnormal Psychology PSYC 4080 Health Psychology PSYC 4260 Psych of Adictive Behaviort Elective or Practicum
3 courses at or above 3000 Human Services Track: Many students want to develop a career based on their major in psychology but are not interested in pursuing a graduate degree to do so. The Human Services Track is designed to guide course selection decisions for these students. Human services fields are those that deliver some kind of therapeutic, social, or helping services to individuals. These fields employ people with baccalaureate degrees who hold significant responsibilities in helping to deliver these services. For example, in the field of mental health psychology graduates are hired to work with other professionals in delivering psychological services. This kind of career is probably most well established in the field of developmental disabilities, which serves individuals with autism, mental retardation, and other diagnoses. Careers in human services fields can be challenging, satisfying, and rewarding ways of applying undergraduate training in psychology.
View Courses Requirements for the Human Services TrackThis track is designed for students intending to pursue careers in human services based on their baccalaurate degree in Psychology.
The courses in this track are divided into four categories.
- Required Major Courses: These courses are required for all majors and are therefore the same for all tracks.
- Recommended Track Foundation Courses: These courses serve as the foundation for other courses in the track and are strongly recommended.
- Recommended Track Core Courses: These courses are core content areas for this track and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
- Recommended Track Topical Courses: These courses include useful areas of psychology on particular topics and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
Required Major Courses
PSYC 2010 Introductory Psychology STAT 2010 Statistics PSYC 2140 Research Methods Recommended Track Foundation Courses
PSYC 3050 History of Ideas PSYC 3520 Learning Recommended Track Core Courses (1 of 3)
PSYC 3590 Industrial/ Organizational Psychology PSYC 4010 Introduction to Clinical Psychology PSYC 4110 Introduction to Development Disabilities Recommended Track Topical Courses (3 of 4)
PSYC 4020 Child & Adolecent Psychopathology PSYC 3560 Abnormal Psychology PSYC 3600 Training & Supervision in Ind PSYC 4050 Assessment in Clinical Psychology Elective or Practicum
PSYC 4910 Human Service Practicum 1 course at or above 3000 Graduate School Track: Some students are interested in advanced study in psychology and the career opportunities that the master’s or doctoral degree will provide. Advanced degrees can be pursued in a variety of fields of psychology. The courses in the Graduate School Track are especially good preparation for graduate study. These courses generally represent core areas in psychology and will help students decide whether they would like to pursue graduate training and what areas of advanced study in psychology are most interesting to them.
View Course Requirements for the Graduate School TrackThis track is designed for students intending to earn a graduate degree in Psychology.
The courses in this track are divided into four categories.
- Required Major Courses: These courses are required for all majors and are therefore the same for all tracks.
- Recommended Track Foundation Courses: These courses serve as the foundation for other courses in the track and are strongly recommended.
- Recommended Track Core Courses: These courses are core content areas for this track and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
- Recommended Track Topical Courses: These courses include useful areas of psychology on particular topics and students should take at least as many as the track recommends.
Required Major Courses
PSYC 2010 Introductory Psychology STAT 2010 Statistics PSYC 2140 Research Methods Recommended Track Foundation Courses
PSYC 3050 History of Ideas PSYC 3520 Learning Recommended Track Core Courses (3 of 4)
PSYC 3510 Behavioral Neuroscience PSYC 3530 Sensing & Perceiving PSYC 3540 Cognitive Psychology PSYC 3580 Social Psychology Recommended Track Topical Courses (2 of 4)
PSYC 3560 Abnormal Psychology PSYC 3570 Theories of Personality PSYC 4240 Advanced Experimental Psychology PSYC 4250 Psychology of Choice/Decision Elective or Practicum
1 course at or above 3000 These three advisory tracks will help you and your advisor discuss what you want to accomplish as a psychology major and how to select specific courses that will benefit you the most.
Questions about this pageLast updated March 19, 2008