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What do  I
have to do to get a degree in Psychology?
What's the difference between a BS and
a BA?
Are there any classes which all psychology
students must take, regardless of whether they pursue
the BA or BS?
I want to go to graduate school in psychology.
What steps should I be taking now to increase my chances
of being admitted?
What do I have to do to get
a degree in Psychology?
The requirements for a degree in Psychology consist
of two parts, those set by the College of Arts and Sciences
and those set by the Department of Psychology.
Students must complete at least 128 hours of course
work; 30 of these hours must be in psychology classes.
The psychology classes students take are determined
in part by whether they are pursuing a Bachelor of Science
(BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. These requirements
are outlined in the LSU
General Catalog.
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What's the difference between
a BS and a BA?
A BS degree is designed for students who intend to pursue
careers in psychology and who desire to attend graduate
school. The BA degree is more suited for students
who are interested in psychology but who do not intend
to have a career in psychology. BA students are
allowed more freedom to choose which psychology classes
they prefer. BS students adhere more closely to
a curriculum designed to prepare them for graduate study.
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Are there any classes which
all psychology students must take, regardless of whether
they pursue the BA or BS?
Yes. The courses needed to fulfill the College
of Arts and Sciences Requirements are similar for both
BS and BA students (refer to the LSU
General Catalog for details). Also, all psychology
students must complete these basic courses:
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I want to go to graduate school
in psychology. What steps should I be taking now
to increase my chances of being admitted?
The American
Psychological Association web site provides some
useful information on this topic. In addition,
here are some suggestions which will help:
- Maintain a high GPA. One of the important
deciding factors in graduate program selection is
GPA. How high your GPA needs to be depends on
the school you are applying to and the specialty area
you select.
- Do well on the GRE. GRE scores are critically
important. Again, standards vary from program
to program. You might consider purchasing one
of the numerous GRE preparation manuals or enrolling
in a GRE prep course.
- Get research experience. Graduate schools
value hands-on experience, which is why many look
to see if the student has participated in some form
of research outside the standard classroom.
At LSU, students may enroll in 2999 or 4999 courses
to obtain research experience with the professor of
their choice.
- Letters of recommendation are important. The
better a professor knows you, the more personalized
their letter can be. Working with professors
through 2999 or 4999 courses is a good way for professors
to get to know you personally.
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