UT Dallas > School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences > Departments > Department of Psychology > Undergraduate Programs > Psychology BS

Psychology BS

Psychology is the study of human behavior, cognition and emotion

Psychology is the study of human behavior, cognition, and emotion. Psychologists want to understand how people think, learn, and interact with others. Such knowledge is then used by those practicing psychology to improve learning, well-being, and mental health.

The psychology major in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) trains students to understand and ask questions about human thinking and behavior from a scientific perspective, emphasizing theories, methods and research findings. Students can gain hands-on experience through various research labs, internship placements, and individualized study with faculty on specialized topics.

Degree Program

The bachelor’s degree in psychology requires 120 credit hours. The psychology minor requires 18 credit hours.

The UT Dallas undergraduate catalog provides an overview of the psychology program, lists the major and minor requirements, and explains the fast-track program which enables undergraduate students to take up to 12 hours of graduate courses that will count toward both UT Dallas bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

The university’s course look-up site will help you find specific classes and times to fit your degree plan and schedule. The CourseBook site includes links to syllabi, class evaluations, and textbooks for all UT Dallas courses.

Students are required to earn two research exposure credits (REC) for each core psychology course in which they are enrolled, for a maximum of six total credits each semester.

Advising

Visit with a BBS academic advisor to create a degree plan. Freshmen must visit with an advisor before registering. All other students should consult an advisor before registering each semester.

To learn more about the BBS advising and mentoring system, visit our advising website.

Career Preparation

Undergraduate degrees in psychology prepare students for many career paths. Knowledge about human behavior and skills in research methods and data analysis are valuable across a range of fields, including law, management, teaching, medicine or social work. Some psychology majors pursue additional study in graduate school that can lead to careers as academic psychologists (e.g., research and teaching professors), clinical practitioners, counselors, and industrial or forensic psychologists, among other professions.

Psychology majors can learn about career options by attending the Guide to Grad School events, visiting with qualified staff at the career center, and by taking the PSY 3100 Careers in Psychology course. Active participation and planning can make students more competitive for admissions to graduate school or entry into the job market.

In addition, upper-level students also may be interested in participating in a BBS internship class.

Research Portal
Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in research laboratories, especially if they are interested in graduate school. Apply to participate in labs using the research portal.

Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities

The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences offers two scholarships for students who are full-time or part-time undergraduate students pursuing degrees in BBS. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a FAFSA on file with the UTD Financial Aid Office. Please read the full criteria and requirements for more information.

The $3,000 Helen Small Scholarship and $1,000 Diane Milot Tucker Scholarship will be awarded annually.

Honors Program

Majors in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences who have junior or senior standing and have completed at least 12 credit hours with a GPA of 3.5 or higher may apply to earn BBS school honors.

Incoming freshmen with high standardized test scores and a high school GPA of 3.6 or higher should consider applying to Collegium V, a University-wide honors program.

Program Contacts

Program Head

Regina Ybarra, PhD
regina.ybarra@utdallas.edu

Program Mailing Address

Psychology Degree Program
The School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 W. Campbell Rd., GR 41
Richardson, TX 75080

Program Resources

Psychology BS Fast Facts
This document provides a quick, printable overview of the program.

Create Your Own Guide to UT Dallas
This site allows potential students an opportunity to learn about what matters most to them.

UT Dallas Library Resources in Psychology
This guide explains various resources and search methods available to facilitate study on this topic as provided by the McDermott library.

Research Exposure Credits (REC)

All students (majors and non-majors) are required to earn two credits for each behavioral sciences core course in which they are enrolled (six credits max per semester). This can be a great opportunity to learn more about psychology research!