Dec 06, 2024  
2024-2025 Florida Tech Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Florida Tech Catalog

Psychology, B.S.


Major Code: 7141 Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science
Delivery Mode(s): Classroom Admission Status: Undergraduate
Location/s: Main campus - Melbourne

Program Chair
Travis Conradt, Ph.D.

The bachelor’s programs in psychology provide both a solid basis for graduate training in all areas of psychology and a liberal arts and sciences education to students planning other careers or professions, such as law or business.

The B.S. degree is designed for students oriented toward the natural sciences and mathematics. Students consult with the psychology program faculty and their academic advisor to select the degree program and concentration area most appropriate to their interests and goals. The B.S. degree is recommended for students pursuing either the Animal Learning and Behavior or Cognitive and Neuropsychology concentrations. 

Degree Requirements

Candidates for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology must successfully complete 120 credit hours as indicated in the suggested curriculum below. The undergraduate psychology degree programs are designed to allow students to customize their coursework to meet their specific interests and needs. Coursework within the psychology major includes a 24-credit hour psychology core and an additional 30-credit hour psychology concentration that includes courses in psychology and other areas that are deemed appropriate to the student’s intellectual goals and interests in psychology. The concentration must be approved by the undergraduate program chair.

Restricted Electives

Technical electives exclude mathematics courses below the 2000 level.

A list of concentrations follows the undergraduate psychology program plans in this section.

Courses are offered in the department to facilitate several concentrations: animal learning and behavior, applied social psychology, clinical/counseling psychology, and cognitive and neuropsychology. Students are encouraged to pursue minors in other disciplines, such as biology, business administration, child advocacy studies, or humanities.

Curriculum


Mathematics Core (6 credit hours)


Three credits of math chosen from these courses:

And 3 credits of math chosen from these courses:

 

Science Core (14 credit hours)


  • Lab science courses credit hours: 8
  • Science courses credit hours: 6

Electives (24 credit hours)


  • Free elective credit hours: 12
  • Humanities elective (HU 3000-level or higher recommended) credit hours: 3
  • Social science (SS) elective credit hours: 3
  • Cultural competency (CC) elective credit hours: 6

Concentrations and Suggested Courses


Students have the option to choose one of the following concentrations to provide depth within one of the subdisciplines of psychology:

Animal Learning and Behavior


The concentration in animal learning and behavior allows students the opportunity to pursue specialized knowledge and skills in animal learning and training. Courses in both biological sciences and behavior analysis emphasize biological bases of behavior and species-typical learning as well as standard principles of training that cross species lines. The culmination of the program is an internship with a facility or institution that emphasizes animal training, husbandry or education of the public in these areas. Previous graduates have earned internships at facilities such as Oahu’s Sea Life Park, Dolphin Quest Bermuda, Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. A minor in biology and scuba certification are recommended for this degree. Students in this concentration must take BIO 1010 Biological Discovery 1  and BIO 1030 Introduction to Biotechnology , and BIO 1020 Biological Discovery 2  and BIO 1040 Introduction to Biodiversity and Physiology . The bachelor of science degree is strongly recommended for the animal learning and behavior concentration.

Applied Social Psychology


The applied social psychology concentration introduces principles and methods of social psychology that can be used to address practical problems in industry and society. Students in this concentration combine required coursework emphasizing the social bases of psychology with different areas of application featured that include business, industrial/organizational psychology, leadership, criminal justice, forensic psychology and child advocacy. This concentration is a good choice for those preparing for graduate school and those interested in social psychology, sociology, social work, business, industrial/organizational psychology, human resources, law or public policy.

 

Concentration Electives (15 credit hours)


Clinical/Counseling Psychology


The clinical/counseling concentration exposes students to courses and field placements that emphasize the assessment and treatment of mental and emotional disorders as well as disorders of adjustment and substance abuse. Students interested in pursuing postgraduate study in clinical, counseling or school psychology, or in obtaining employment in a mental health or social service agency after graduation, should study in areas that will familiarize them with these occupations and build basic skills. Such areas of study include substance abuse, abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, professional ethics and assessment techniques.

Cognitive and Neuropsychology


The cognitive and neuropsychology concentration introduces students to the cognitive, brain, and neural functions and processes underlying animal and human behavior. The coursework prepares students for graduate programs in experimental psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology, and clinical neuropsychology. Students in this concentration must take BIO 1010 Biological Discovery 1 , BIO 1030 Introduction to Biotechnology BIO 1020 Biological Discovery 2  and BIO 1040 Introduction to Biodiversity and Physiology . The bachelor of science degree is strongly recommended for the neuropsychology concentration.

Total Credits Required: 120