Information on this page is designed to address frequently asked questions about Duke’s Undergraduate Programs in Psychology. Select the heading from the list below that is most relevant to your question.

• General Questions About the Major
• Questions About the B.S. Degree in Psychology
• Questions About Independent Study
• Questions About Certificate Programs and the Psychology Major

General Questions About the Major

Can you have more than one "area" in the Psychology major?
Yes, you can have more than one "area" in psychology. As long as you have taken the Introductory/Survey course and two other courses in a particular area, you are considered to have a concentration in that area. Our requirement is that you have at least one fulfilled by the time you graduate. There is no problem switching "areas" or concentrations.

Can my PSY 180 methods courses (e.g., 181AS, 183BS, 185CS, etc) satisfy both my Psychology major seminar requirement and my Psychology methods requirement?
No, the PSY 180 research methods courses do not satisfy the Psychology requirement for a seminar. It does satisfy the Psychology requirement for a research methods course. However, the PSY 180 courses do satisfy the University small group learning experience requirement. Therefore, by taking one of the PSY 180 courses and a Psychology seminar during your junior or senior year, you will have satisfied the junior/senior small group learning requirement.

Can an Independent Study count toward the three courses in my area of concentration? How many Independent Study credits can I use toward my Psychology major?
One Independent Study can count toward your "area" and you may count a total of two toward the major. Additional Independent Studies (up to 4 total) may count toward your 34 credits for graduation.

I am planning on double majoring in both Psychology and Biology. Can I count a Psychology course cross-listed with Biology toward both majors?
Yes, you can use courses cross-listed in both departments to count toward both majors. Since Biology also accepts some other psychology classes toward its major that are not cross-listed, you could end up with several "cross-overs". Just a word of warning though--make sure that your choice of courses is driven by your future goals and not by which courses will count toward both majors. Anyone looking at your record in a thoughtful fashion (graduate school, prospective employer) will be looking at the specific courses you took, not just the fact that you double majored.

Questions About the B.S. Degree in Psychology

What courses can count toward the B.S. degree in Psychology?
Only courses from the following departments will count toward the B.S. degree:

• Biology courses labeled NS
• Biological Anthropology and Anatomy courses labeled NS
• Chemistry
• Computer Science courses over the 100 level
• Mathematics courses over the 100 level
• Physics
• Zoology

Questions About Independent Study

What is the difference between an Independent Study and a Research Practicum (PSY 103)?
Independent Study courses are more academic in nature than the Research Practicum courses. Independent Study students must be supervised by a faculty member (not a graduate student, post doc, or a lab technician), they must meet weekly with their faculty mentors, they should engage in discussions of assigned readings, hypotheses, etc. with their mentors to better understand the context of the work they are engaged in, and finally they must write a substantial paper as the culmination of their Independent Study. Students taking Independent Studies are customarily juniors and seniors. A sophomore who has had considerable background in psychology may get special permission to enroll in Independent Study, but a letter of justification must be written to the Dean for that student to be enrolled.

In contrast, the Research Practicum courses are 1/2 credit Pass/Fail courses that are seen as perhaps forerunners of Independent Studies. In the Research Practicum courses students serve as research assistants basically learning by doing. They do not have to be supervised by their faculty sponsors, but can be supervised by whoever is in charge of the research project they are working on, and they are expected to be heavily involved in the act of research (e.g., data collection, data analysis, etc). At the end of the research Practicum a final paper is required in the form of an Independent Study proposal using the Independent Study form for this purpose. This does not oblige the student to take the Independent Study.

Do I have to actually write a phrase on the proposal form showing my intent to write a paper for my Independent Study?
Yes. If students submit their Independent Study proposals and simply describe the research project and only mention that they will be collecting data or analyzing data, there is no way of knowing whether this experience goes beyond simply being a research assistant who is naïve as to why certain decisions are being made, why certain procedures are being followed, what hypotheses are being tested, etc. It is also a way of ensuring that both students and their faculty mentors are aware that a requirement of the Independent Study is that it culminates in a substantial paper.

I have heard that doing an Independent Study and getting research experience is very important for a Psychology major, but how exactly does an undergraduate go about finding these opportunities?
You are absolutely right that gaining research experience is a very important part of a Psychology major. In addition to the required research methods course, undergraduates can acquire research experience through Independent Study (PSY 191, 192, 193, 194) and/or by taking a Research Practicum (PSY 103). Some students also gain research experience through working as paid research assistants or volunteering to work on professors’ projects or in professors’ labs. There are a number of such opportunities posted on the Bulletin Board across from the Undergraduate Psychology office, room 245 Soc/Psych.

What is the difference between the Independent Study courses (PSY 191, 192, 193, 194) and the Tutorial Independent Study courses (PSY 196, 197, 198, 199)?
The Independent Study courses (PSY 191, 192, 193, 194) are individual research projects in a field of special interest under the supervision of a faculty member, the central goal of which is a substantive paper or written report containing significant analysis and interpretation of a previously approved topic. They meet the general requirement of a Research (R) course for curriculum needs purposes. The second type is called Tutorial Independent Study (PSY 196, 197, 198, 199). They are an in-depth historical or theoretical analysis in a field of special interest under the supervision of a faculty member, the central goal of which is a substantive paper or written report containing significant analysis and interpretation of a previously approved topic. The Tutorial Independent Study courses do not meet the general requirements for a curriculum Research (R) course.

I am planning on working in a Psychology lab over the summer. Can I then continue working with this same professor in the fall as an Independent Study?
You may be able to continue your lab work from the summer as an Independent Study if the professor has an appointment in Psychology or if someone who does have an appointment in Psychology will sponsor it. You cannot get paid for work and count it as an Independent Study at the same time. The study would have to be written up in the form of a proposal and submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for approval. Independent Study forms are available on the Psychology Undergraduate Office door, Room 242 Soc/Psych and on-line.

Questions About Certificate Programs and the Psychology Major

I am a Psychology major and I am also getting my certificate in Human Development. Will some courses satisfy both my major and the certificate?
There are some courses that count toward both the Psychology major and the Human Development program. You can use two courses this way. So if you take PSY/SOC/HDV 124 (required for the HDV certificate), it can count toward both the Psychology major and the HDV certificate. The same is true of PSY 159S or PSY 130 (and you must take one of these for HDV). But two courses "co-counting" between a certificate and a major is the limit.

Are there different rules for the "co-counting" of courses toward certificates than for other majors or minors?
Yes, the rules governing co-counting classes between majors and certificates differ from those governing co-counting classes between major/minor or major/major. The limit of 2 courses co-counted applies only to the major/certificate/program combinations. There is no limit to co-counted classes for major/minor or major/major combinations. However, a word of caution—Beware of trying to fulfill two majors by using as many co-counted classes as possible. Make sure you first consider what classes you should take to realize your post graduation goals. Employers and graduate schools are going to examine your record beyond the fact that there are two majors (or a minor, or a certificate, etc). They will be looking to see if you selected challenging, thoughtful and purposeful courses.