2026-2027 Course Catalog

Source: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/las/psychology-bslas/ Parent: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Psychology

The Psychology major is a broad-based curriculum within a research-focused department. The program is designed both for students interested in a liberal arts education with psychology as a focal area and for students who plan to attend graduate or professional school either in psychology or in a different field such as medicine, law, social work, business administration, counseling, labor relations and many others.

The Psychology major provides both depth and breadth of knowledge in Psychology. The major consists of an introductory course, a statistics course, a breadth of knowledge or foundation in the different areas of psychology that comes from a set of core courses, a research methods course, and elective courses that give students a depth of knowledge. Each concentration, except for intradisciplinary psychology, has a core course specific to that area of psychology with a research methods course designed for that concentration. In formulating their Plan of Study, students can decide either to undertake a concentration in Intradisciplinary Psychology and select courses that focus on their own unique interests or to specialize in a particular area of Psychology by fulfilling the requirements for one of the other concentrations listed below. As undergraduate students fulfill the requirements, they also have the opportunity to participate in current research projects by working in labs. Students should contact our Undergraduate Advising Office for help in creating a plan of study and research that best meets their goals and interests.

The Department of Psychology also offers a BSLAS in Brain & Cognitive Science.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Psychology

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

University Requirements

Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree.  Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Composition I | | 4-6 | | Advanced Composition | | 3 | | Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | | 6 | | Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | | 6 | | Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | | 6 | | fulfilled by PSYC 100 and any other course approved as Social & Behavioral Science | | | | Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | | 6-10 | | fulfilled by PSYC 235 and any other course approved Quantitative Reasoning | | | | Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required) | | 0-20 |

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Orientation and Professional Development | | | | LAS 101 | Design Your First Year Experience | 1 | | OR | | | | LAS 100 & LAS 101 | Success in LAS for International Students and Design Your First Year Experience | 3 | | OR | | | | LAS 102 | Transfer Advantage | 1 | | Total Hours | | 1 or 3 |

Major Requirements

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Introductory Psychology | | 4 | | PSYC 100 | Intro Psych | | | Psychological Statistics | | 3 | | PSYC 235 | Intro to Statistics (or equivalent) | | | Concentration Coursework: | | 28-29 | | Students choose from the following concentrations: | | | | Behavioral Neuroscience | | | | Clinical/Community Psychology | | | | Cognitive Neuroscience | | | | Cognitive Psychology | | | | Developmental Psychology | | | | Diversity Science | | | | Intradisciplinary Psychology | | | | Organizational Psychology | | | | Personality Psychology | | | | Social Psychology | | | | Total Hours | | 35-36 |

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Psychology

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements.

Total Hours: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Psychology

Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes are adapted from the American Psychological Association’s (APA) “Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major” (2013). These guidelines consist of general learning outcomes along with specific indicators that can be assessed. Two sets of indicators are provided by the APA depending on whether a student has completed just the foundational courses (100‐ and 200‐ level classes) or is finishing the elective courses (300‐ and 400‐ level classes) necessary for each concentration within the Psychology major. The four learning outcomes that we will be evaluating are:

1. Students will demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavioral phenomena. This includes:
2. describing key concepts, principles and overarching themes
3. developing a working knowledge of the different content or program areas in psychology, and
4. describing the application of psychology to everyday life.
5. Students will develop scientific reasoning and problem solving skills, including effective research methods. This includes:
6. using scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena; 2.2) demonstrating psychology information literacy;
7. engaging in innovative and integrative thinking and problem solving;
8. interpreting, designing, and conducting basic psychological research; and
9. incorporating sociocultural factors in scientific inquiry when appropriate.
10. Students will develop ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity. This goal encompasses:
11. applying ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice;
12. building and enhancing interpersonal relationships; and
13. adopting values that build community at local, national, and global levels.
14. Students will be prepared to apply psychology‐specific content and skills, effective self-reflection, project‐management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation to optimize their competitiveness for securing places in a graduate school, professional school, or in the workforce. For example, students should be able to:
15. apply psychological content and skills to career goals;
16. demonstrate project‐management skills and teamwork capacity; and
17. develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation.

for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Psychology

Department of Psychology

Psychology faculty\ Psychology advising\ psych-advising@illinois.edu

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Overview of College Admissions & Requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences