Major Requirements: The BA in Psychology requires 31–32 hours of major courses, which include a combination of introductory and advanced topics. In addition, students choose 9 hours of career-emphasis elective courses that help prepare them for future interests, such as graduate study or their career path in psychology.

Electives: Students are free to complete 26 hours of elective courses in any area of study they choose. These courses do not have to relate to the Psychology degree.

General Education Requirements: The Psychology degree requires 57 hours of general education courses that students complete over four years in addition to their major courses and electives.

View and download the full degree plan for our Psychology major (PDF).

A few examples of the Psychology major courses students take:             

• Social Psychology – Examines how people interact with and are influenced by others, including topics such as conformity and obedience, nonverbal behavior, person perception, leadership, and attraction.
• Abnormal Psychology – Addresses the causes, consequences, and cures for maladaptive behavior, such as depression, mood disorders, antisocial personality disorder, or schizophrenia.
• Biopsychology – Delves into the function and anatomy of the nervous system and the role it plays in directing perception, emotion, thought, memory, and motor behavior.

Experiential Learning and Research

As a Psychology major, you’ll graduate with practical experience you can put on your resume. Whether you choose a research assistantship, teaching assistantship or field internship, you’ll get a head start on your career.

For example, St. Edward’s students have recently explored how cues to status affect college students’ preferences for relationship partners, and how different types of distractions affect working memory. To get the full research experience, you’ll travel to a conference like the Southwestern Psychological Association or the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and present your work. These meetings give you a chance to see research that other undergraduates, graduate students and professors have conducted, network with graduate school in mind, and decide if a career in research is right for you.

Your internship depends on what you’re curious about: child development, mental health and mental illness, counseling, criminal justice, LGBTQIA+ issues or politics, to name a few. Students have recently interned at these Austin organizations:

• Center for Child Protection
• Lone Star Victims Advocacy Program
• Austin Family Institute
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• QWell Community Foundation
• Therapists in private practice – several of them St. Edward’s graduates

Whatever setting you choose, you’ll discover how the psychology you learned in class translates into the world of work, and you’ll build your portfolio of professional skills.

The study of psychology enhances our understanding of how people think, feel, and behave. It provides valuable insight for every area of work and life, and aligns with any field of study. Students interested in learning more about how the human mind works and why people do what they do are encouraged to pursue a minor in psychology, which requires 18 hours of coursework

Required Courses:

• General Psychology (PSYC 2301)
• Lifespan Development (PSYC 2310)
• Social Psychology (PSYC 3319)
• 1 lower-division Psychology elective (PSYC 2300+)
• 2 upper-division Psychology electives (PSYC 3300+)

At St. Edward’s, our faculty are outstanding scholars, thought leaders, teachers and mentors who bring energy and enthusiasm to our vibrant learning community. They take pride in getting to know you, helping you achieve your goals and celebrating your successes.

View a list of our faculty members and their contact information on the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience webpage.

Major Requirements: The BS in Behavioral Neuroscience requires 60 hours of major-specific courses, which include a combination of psychology and natural sciences coursework. 

Electives: Students complete 39 hours of elective courses in any area of study they choose. These courses do not have to relate to the major.

General Education Requirements: The degree requires 748 hours of general education courses that students complete over four years, in addition to their major courses and electives.

View and download the full degree plan for the Behavioral Neuroscience major (PDF).

A few examples of courses students in this major take:

• Biopsychology – Delves into the function and anatomy of the nervous system and the role it plays in directing thought and behavior.
• Behavioral Neuroscience – Students will examine how the central nervous system mediates perceptions, emotions, memories, and other behaviors.
• Learning and Cognition - Students study how our experiences change the brain’s structure and how the brain works. The course examines learning principles, memory processes, language, and cognitive skills.

Skills You Will Gain

Behavioral Neuroscience majors are outstanding scientists with excellent research skills. You’ll develop those skills in classes that include labs, so you can apply what you’ve learned, and in internships and research you conduct with professors.

Research

Classes like Research Methods equip you with skills learned through hands-on experience. You’ll have the opportunity to assist faculty with their research projects and pursue your own area of inquiry. Behavioral Neuroscience majors have examined the following topics:

• The impact of recreational drug and alcohol use on stress response
• The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coping behaviors, relationships, and social media dependency
• The influence of race and gender on pain empathy
• How sex education shapes people’s attitudes about gender, bodily autonomy and sex
• How different types of trauma exposure are associated with the stress hormone cortisol

Students present their research at professional academic conferences like the Southwestern Psychological Association, the Society for Neuroscience and the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. They win national awards and are accepted into top graduate programs in the country.

Students are encouraged to gain internship experience at any point during their college career. Behavioral Neuroscience majors have recently completed internships at the following sites:

• MD Anderson Cancer Research Center
• The Twin Project at the University of Texas
• Pricilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Lab
• BlueSprig, which specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for children with autism
• Anxiety Treatment Center of Austin
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Center for Autism and Related Disorders
• Trinity Child Development Center

At St. Edward’s, our faculty are outstanding scholars, thought leaders, teachers and mentors who bring energy and enthusiasm to our vibrant learning community. They take pride in getting to know you, helping you achieve your goals and celebrating your successes.

View a list of our faculty members and their contact information on the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience webpage.