2019-2020

Psychology, Minor

Department of Psychological Sciences

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

This minor provides students with an arena to explore the scientific study of behavior and the mind, beginning with foundational knowledge of major areas within psychology and following with other specialized topics such as child development, neuroscience, and sexuality. This minor can be an excellent companion to many majors and can build understanding of interpersonal and social interactions in various facets of life.

  • A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.

    To receive a minor (18 - 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

No more than fifty percent of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion 18
Major GPA 2.0

Purpose Statement

Students who satisfy the requirements for the minor in Psychological Sciences are expected to have developed an understanding and knowledge of psychological concepts and perspectives and to be able to synthesize information within various domains (e.g., cognitive psychology, neuroscience, abnormal psychology, personality and social psychology, developmental psychology, and cross-cultural psychology). Students completing the minor learn skills that equip them to evaluate knowledge claims and demonstrate literacy across multiple intellectual and behavioral skill sets, including informational, technological, and interpersonal communication (i.e., written and oral presentation) skills. Students who complete the minor will be acquainted with statistical principles, and either cognitive psychology or neuroscience. Students will have the opportunity to learn about theoretical and research developments in either abnormal psychology, personality and social psychology, developmental psychology, and/or cross-cultural psychology. These academic experiences, in addition to the practiced ability to critically evaluate scholarship, enrich a student’s chosen major and post baccalaureate plans. Students who complete the minor will gain more knowledge about different career options, and become more competitive and versatile within their majors and chosen careers. In addition, a minor in psychological sciences effectively complements jobs in other fields, such as human resources, public health, social work, criminology, politics, and business as well as prepare students for entry into graduate school in a variety of disciplines. 

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge Base in Psychology Students should demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings in psychology.  
  • Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking. Students will develop scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation and understand their fundamental importance in psychology.  
  • Informational and Technological Literacy, Proficiency, and Efficacy. Students will demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers and other technology for many purposes. Students will become familiar with the importance of articulating an information need in order to develop a research question, that there are specific information resources for different information needs, and the importance of rigor in the research process. 
  • Ethical and Social Responsibility.  Students will develop ethically and socially responsible behavior for professional and personal settings, including learning about the inappropriateness of plagiarism.  
  • Effective Writing and Oral Communication Skills. Students will be able to demonstrate competence in written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.  
  • Professional Development. Students will emerge from the major with abilities that sharpen their readiness for post-baccalaureate employment, graduate school, or professional school.  Students should have realistic ideas about how to apply psychology-specific content and skills, effective self-reflection, project management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation. 

Minor Requirements

  •  

    Take the following 18 - 19 units, with a Grade of "C" or better in each course:

    Select one course from (3-4 units):Select two courses from (6 units):In addition, at least 12 of the 18-19 units required for this minor must be from courses offered by Northern Arizona University. These 12 units may not include individualized courses.


    This minor is not available to students pursuing a Psychology B.S. or Psychological Sciences B.S.
     

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.