We offer five undergraduate options:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology
• Minor in Psychology
• Minor in Cognitive Science
• Integrated Learning Major (ILM) in Neuroscience

The B.A. in Psychology vs B.S. in Psychology.

Why would I opt for a B.S. degree?
The purpose of the psychology B.S. degree is to provide recognition for students who have taken significantly more physical science, life science, mathematics, and laboratory courses than they have to take for the psychology B.A. degree. If you are one of those students, consult the psychology B.S. degree requirements in the course catalog.

Please note: the B.S. degree is not necessary for graduate study in any branch of psychology or for getting into other graduate programs, including medical school. Whatever your career goals are, a B.A. in psychology will allow you to fulfill them.

The Department of Psychology advises against students taking heavy course loads or missing out on taking other courses that are of interest to them, in favor of pursing a psychology B.S. degree.

What is the difference in coursework?
Generally speaking, students pursuing the B.S. degree must complete the requirements for the psychology B.A., along with the following. Note that the course catalog contains the most up-to-date information:

• One of the psychology lecture-laboratory sequences listed in the course catalog. Note that courses selected to complete the sequence may not be used to satisfy other requirements for the major.
• One of the six biology, chemistry, or physics lecture-laboratory sequences listed in the course catalog.
• Three courses (a minimum of nine credits) of the mathematics and/or natural sciences courses listed in  the course catalog. Note that courses used toward either the natural science lecture-laboratory requirement or the statistics requirement cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

Minor in Psychology

The minor in psychology is purposely designed to meet the diverse interests of students.

Minor in Cognitive Science

The minor in cognitive science offers study in recent interdisciplinary research on cognition. Relevant courses are offered in several departments and colleges, including L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science and the linguistics, philosophy, and psychology departments within the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may pursue study in cognition science either by enrolling in the interdisciplinary minor or by majoring in selected studies in cognitive science (see selected studies).

Integrated Neuroscience Major (ILM)

Neuroscience is a 24-credit integrated learning major(ILM) which requires coursework in at least three academic departments, reflecting the diversity of contemporary neural science. Learn more about the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Group at Syracuse University and its affiliated academic units.