Psychology and Sociology Department

The Behavioral Sciences major is being discontinued, but students who are Behavioral Sciences majors will be allowed to complete their curriculum over the next few years. See your advisor for more information.

Professor Mio with undergraduate student

The curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts in the Behavioral Sciences is composed of courses in psychology and sociology. The major in Behavioral Sciences is intended to provide a background for understanding human behavior, in both individual and collective aspects, as well as from multi-cultural perspectives. The interdisciplinary orientation and offerings allow the student to select a major curriculum in concert with faculty advisors which best supports his/her aspirations for post-college employment or advanced education.

Click to learn more about the Behavioral Sciences faculty.

A minimum number of required courses has been established, so that students have a high degree of flexibility personal curriculum planning, with approved electives selected through consultation with faculty advisors. This "open curriculum" plan offers advantages of several kinds:

For the student with wide interests, yet no specific choice of major discipline, an "individualized" or "tailored" curriculum is feasible.
For the student with a tight schedule because of outside work or other responsibilities, this major offers the greatest flexibility for course choices without the threat of some required course being unavailable when needed.
For the student, wishing to integrate courses or a minor from a different or related field of study, this major contains the largest blocks of upper-division electives for this purpose.
For the student already sure of graduate school plans, this major allows selection of courses which meet the pattern required by one's intended graduate program.

The Behavioral Sciences major may also be tailored with wide choices of courses which fulfill other specialized needs and interests in such fields as recreation and the new areas of gerontology, child care, and special therapeutic programs. The introductory courses in psychology and sociology are prerequisite to most of the upper division offerings.

Since Behavioral Sciences is an interdisciplinary major drawn from Psychology and Sociology, students may not double major in Behavioral Sciences and either of these other two majors. In addition, although the department offers minors in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice and Corrections, the Psychology and Sociology minors are NOT open to students who choose the Behavioral Sciences major. (For more information on these minors see the descriptions listed under the Psychology and Sociology headings.) Behavioral Sciences majors MAY, however, minor in Criminal Justice.

Students majoring in Behavioral Sciences may qualify to join Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology and/or Alpha Kappa Delta.

Please contact the department office if you have any questions regarding Behavioral Sciences (909) 869-3890.