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 Science 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 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. The 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 | 6-8 | |
| Complete two of the following: | ||
| Applied College Algebra | ||
or MATH A151 | College Algebra for Calculus | |
| Applied Calculus for Managerial and Social Sciences | ||
| Social Science Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Applied Statistics for the Sciences | ||
| Biology | 7-16 | |
| Introductory Biology | ||
or BIOL A108 | Principles and Methods in Biology | |
Complete at least two of the following courses: | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II and Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lab | ||
| Introduction to Complexity | ||
| Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences and Introductory Microbiology for Health Sciences Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Cell Biology | ||
| Principles of Genetics | ||
| Experiential Learning: Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Principles of Evolution | ||
| Experiential Learning: Animal Physiology | ||
| Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Experiential Learning: Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Behavioral Endocrinology | ||
| Neurophysiology | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Applied Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology | ||
| Fish Physiology | ||
| Sleep and Chronobiology | ||
| Ichthyology | ||
| Experiential Learning: Ichthyology | ||
| Marine Invertebrate Biology | ||
| Marine Mammal Biology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Experiential Learning: Animal Behavior | ||
| Human Genome | ||
| Experiential Learning: Bioinformatics | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Molecular Biology of Cancer | ||
| Wildlife Ecology | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Ecotoxicology | ||
| Tundra and Taiga Ecosystems | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
| Exploration Ecology | ||
| Experiential Learning: Exploration Ecology Field Study | ||
| Evolutionary Ecology | ||
| Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates | ||
| Experimental and Scientific Foundations | 6-7 | |
| Complete two of the following: | ||
| Biological Anthropology | ||
| Culture and Human Biodiversity | ||
| Culture and Health | ||
| Introduction to General Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Principles of Biochemistry I | ||
| Principles of Biochemistry II | ||
| Computer Programming (Languages Vary) | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Experimental Economics | ||
| Behavioral Economics | ||
| Total | 64-76 | |
- 1
All of the above psychology capstone courses have rigorous prerequisites. Minimum grades of C in these prerequisites are required for admission into psychology's capstone courses.
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.
This program is designed to meet the 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration requirements: | ||
| 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 of 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 Science 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 Science 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 Science 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.