The Department of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage offers undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs aimed at preparing students 1) for advanced study in the social and health sciences and 2) to become members of the behavioral health workforce. The department also maintains the Psychological Services Center, a clinic that provides low cost mental health services to campus and community members. The department strives to offer degree and certificate programs that meet the needs of the state of Alaska.
Licensure and/or Certification
The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Concentration in Behavior Analysis is designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in the State of Alaska. However, the program might not meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in other states. Please see UAA's Licensure and Certification website for more information.
Admission Requirements
- Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Students wishing to declare psychology as a major must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.50.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
- All psychology majors are also required to take the exit examination, a standardized test of knowledge of psychology approved by the Department of Psychology. There is no minimum score required for graduation. This exam is taken in the UAA Testing Center, and a fee will be charged to students.
- Complete the following major requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 (C):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PSY A111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY A150 | Lifespan Development | 3 |
| PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| PSY A260 | Statistics for Psychology | 3 |
| PSY A260L | Statistics for Psychology Lab | 1 |
| PSY A261 & A261L | Research Methods in Psychology and Research Methods in Psychology Laboratory | 4 |
| PSY A345 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY A370 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSY A375 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY A468 & A468L | Learning and Behavior and Learning and Behavior Laboratory | 4 |
| Psychology Capstone Requirement 1 | 3 | |
| Each capstone option is designed to synthesize and apply material from the psychology major. Choice of a capstone should be based, at least in part, on the student’s future career plans. Students planning to work in human service jobs following graduation should consider taking PSY A495A. Students planning on graduate work in psychology should consider taking PSY A412, PSY A428, or PSY A499. Students may elect to take all of these courses as upper-division electives. | ||
| History of Psychology | ||
| Evolutionary Psychology | ||
| Psychology Practicum | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Psychology Electives | 9 | |
Complete an additional 9 credits of upper-division psychology courses. | ||
| Writing | 3 | |
| Writing and the Sciences | ||
| Mathematics and Statistics | 3 | |
| Applied College Algebra | ||
or STAT A200 | Elementary Statistics | |
| Biology | 3-6 | |
| Introductory Biology | ||
or BIOL A108 | Principles and Methods in Biology | |
| Additional Electives | 6-8 | |
Complete any two-semester sequence in humanities or any language | ||
| Total | 57-62 | |
- 1
All of the psychology capstone courses have rigorous prerequisites. Minimum grades of C in these prerequisites are required for admission into the capstone courses. See course descriptions of each capstone course for more details.
A minimum of 120 credits is required for this degree, of which 39 credits must be upper-division.
Concentration in Behavior Analysis
This concentration provides foundational knowledge and professional skills to apply the science of behavior analysis across a range of settings and client populations, including staff in the workplace, children and adults with intellectual and cognitive disabilities, and individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Completing the coursework below, in addition to required supervised practicum experience with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, helps prepare students to apply for the Behavior Analysis Certification Board examination for becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY A200 | Introduction to Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| PSY A400 | Strategies of Behavior Change | 3 |
| PSY A495A | Psychology Practicum | 3 |
| Complete a minimum of 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Behavioral Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | ||
| Interventions for Challenging Behavior | ||
| Organizational Behavior Management | ||
| Applications of Behavior Analysis | ||
| Total | 15 | |
Honors in Psychology
The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology recognizes distinguished achievement by conferring programmatic honors in psychology. In order to receive honors in psychology, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Satisfy all requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology;
- Maintain a minimum overall and psychology specific GPA of 3.50;
- Complete a total of three capstone courses:
- Students intending to graduate with departmental honors must notify the Departmental Honors Committee in writing on or before the date they file their Application for Graduation with the Office of the Registrar.
Honors Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with departmental honors in psychology will possess:
- An advanced understanding and application of descriptive and inferential statistics and use of statistical software in data analysis.
- A broad knowledge of psychology’s historical foundation.
- The ability to conduct a critical review and analysis of existing psychological literature.
- The ability to design and execute empirical research that tests clearly stated hypotheses or addresses clearly articulated research questions.
- A clear understanding of research ethics and the responsible conduct of research in the field of psychology.
- The ability to communicate effectively in writing, in poster format, and in oral presentations, including mastery of APA style.
- The ability to draw conclusions from research findings, including recognition of the limitations, applications, and implications of the data, and a discussion of alternative explanations of the results.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology will be able to:
- Possess a broad knowledge of contemporary psychology.
- Have experience conducting psychological research.
- Be able to demonstrate skills in research design and data analysis.
- Be prepared for advanced study in psychology and related disciplines.