Psychology BS / Psychology MS

Major: Psychology
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) & Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 225.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five Years) or No Co-op

 

About the Program

The Accelerated Master of Science in Psychology (BS/MS) program provides an opportunity for select undergraduate students to complete their undergraduate education and psychology MS curriculum classes in an accelerated fashion. Through this program, potential BS/MS students may be identified when first admitted as entering freshmen psychology majors. Students may also enter as transfers or up until the spring of their junior year. 

During the course of their undergraduate study, students will need to seek out and establish a faculty member to serve as their mentor and program advisor, and with whom they wish to continue working during their graduate training and completion of their graduate thesis. 

The Accelerated Master of Science in Psychology program allows accelerated entry into graduate level courses during the student's fourth undergraduate year with planned entry into graduate school upon completion of their BS degree at the end of year four. Because students have received a “head start” by completing a structured curriculum in their senior year, their graduate coursework for the MS degree can be completed in one year post-BS. The BS/MS curriculum is designed to include a four-year undergraduate or four-year undergraduate co-op program. Students in the program cannot be enrolled in a five-year co-op. 

For more information, visit the Drexel University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences degree offering web page.

Admission Requirements

Prospective freshman criteria:
• Combined SAT score of 1300 (Quantitative and Verbal scores only)
• High school GPA of at least 3.5
• Top 10% of graduating class
• If these admission requirements are met, an additional application essay is requested via email and evaluated by the program director for final admission decisions.

Third year Psychology student criteria:
• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher with no grade lower than a "C" in any class
• Enrollment in a 4-year, 1 co-op or 4-year, no co-op (some exceptions may apply)
• Completion of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with a minimum score of 302 (Quantitative and Verbal scores)
• Identification of and commitment from Psychology faculty mentor to advise student’s MS research

Degree Requirements

University Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
UNIV H101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV H201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum **
Developing Quantitative Reasoning **6.0-8.0
Introduction to Analysis I
Calculus I
Any additional MATH course OR
Symbolic Logic I
Symbolic Logic II
Engaging the Natural World **6.0-8.0
Analyzing Cultures and Histories **6.0-8.0
Understanding Society and Human Behavior **6.0-8.0
Cultivating Global Competencies **6.0-8.0
Perspectives in Diversity **3.0-4.0
Departmental Requirements
Business Elective ***4.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
Fine Arts Elective ****3.0
General Psychology Course Requirements
PSY 111Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors I 3.0
PSY 112Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors II 3.0
Select two of the following:6.0
Developmental Psychology
Approaches to Personality
Introduction to Social Psychology
Required Psychology Courses
PSY 212Physiological Psychology3.0
PSY 240 [WI] Abnormal Psychology3.0
PSY 264Statistical Methods in Psychology I3.0
PSY 265Statistical Methods in Psychology II3.0
PSY 280Psychological Research 3.0
PSY 290History and Systems of Psychology3.0
PSY 325Psychology of Learning3.0
PSY 330Cognitive Psychology3.0
PSY 360 [WI] Experimental Psychology3.0
PSY 380Psychological Testing and Assessment3.0
Advanced Psychology Electives 12.0
Any non-required PSY course at the 200-level or above.
Senior Thesis Sequence ††
PSY 490 [WI] Psychology Senior Thesis I4.0
PSY 491 [WI] Psychology Senior Thesis II4.0
PSY 492 [WI] Psychology Senior Thesis III4.0
Free Electives58.0
Psychology Master's Requirements
PSY 510Research Methods I3.0
PSY 511Research Methods II3.0
PSY 512Cognitive Psychology3.0
PSY 624Behavior Analysis3.0
PSY 680Data Analysis in Psychology I 3.0
PSY 681Data Analysis in Psychology II 3.0
PSY 682Data Analysis in Psychology III 3.0
PSY 898Master's Thesis in Psychology9.0
Additional Electives †††15.0
Total Credits225.0-236.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

See Core Curriculum List for a complete list of course options.

***

Any course from the following programs will count towards meeting this requirement: ACCT, BLAW, BUSN, ECON, FIN, INTB, MGMT, MIS, MKTG, ORGB, SMT, and STAT 

****

Any course from the following programs will count towards meeting this requirement ARTH, DANC, MUSC, PHTO, THTR, and VSST.

Students with AP psychology, or transfer students with PSY 101 credit, should check the AP Student Placement Exam Crosswalk or check with their advisor.

††

Students who do not wish to complete the senior thesis sequence are required to complete an additional 12.0 credits of advanced Psychology electives at the 200 level or above

Students are required to complete all undergraduate credit requirements by end of the fourth year.

†††

Electives can be any graduate Psychology (PSY) course. Other graduate courses outside of Psychology might be taken pending approval from the graduate advisor or program director. 

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4 + 1 (5 years), 1 coop

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0COOP 101*1.0VACATION
MATH 101 or 1214.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
PSY 1113.0PSY 1123.0PSY 120, 140, or 1503.0 
UNIV H1011.0PSY 120, 140, or 1503.0PSY 2403.0 
(UG) Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0(UG) Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0UNIV H2011.0 
 (UG) Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0(UG) Cultivating Global Competencies3.0-4.0 
  (UG) Fine Arts Elective3.0 
 14-15 16-18 17-18 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
PSY 2643.0COM 2303.0PSY 2123.0PSY 3253.0
PSY 2903.0PSY 2653.0PSY 2803.0PSY 3803.0
(UG) Analyzing Cultures and Histories3.0-4.0PSY 3303.0PSY 3603.0(UG) Psychology Elective3.0
(UG) Cultivating Global Competencies3.0-4.0(UG) Free Elective3.0-4.0(UG) Business Elective4.0(UG) Understanding Society and Human Behavior3.0-4.0
(UG) Understanding Society and Human Behavior3.0-4.0(UG) Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0(UG) Psychology Elective3.0(UG) Free Elective3.0
 15-18 15-17 16 15-16
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
(UG) Analyzing Cultures and Histories3.0-4.0(UG) Free electives18.0COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCE
(UG) Psychology Electives6.0   
(UG) Free Electives6.0   
 15-16 18 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
PSY 490**4.0PSY 491**4.0PSY 492**4.0Student Classified as Graduate Status
(UG) Free Electives9.0(UG) Free Electives9.0(UG) Free Electives9.0 
PSY 512***3.0PSY 510***3.0PSY 511***3.0 
PSY 680***3.0PSY 681***3.0PSY 682***3.0 
 19 19 19 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
PSY 8983.0PSY 6243.0PSY 8983.0 
(GR) Psychology Master's-Level Electives6.0PSY 8983.0(GR) Psychology Master's-Level Electives6.0 
 (GR) Psychology Master's-Level Elective3.0  
 9 9 9 
Total Credits 225-236
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Students who do not wish to complete the senior thesis sequence are required to complete an additional 12.0 credits of advanced Psychology electives at the 200 level or above

BS/MS students are advised against taking senior thesis credits. Because students complete a master's thesis while enrolled in the BS/MS program, it is not feasible to also complete a senior thesis/research project. Consult with your advisor if you have any questions.

***

Graduate-level credits for master's program may not count toward any part of the bachelor's degree requirements.