Programs

Major 

Required Courses 

Declaring the Major 

Honors

Thesis Option

Business Option

Minors

Psychology Minor 

Computation & Cognition Minor

Science of Mental Health & Well-Being Minor 

Joint BSMS Degree

Study Abroad

Scotland

Barcelona

All Undergraduate Courses 

Courses by Semester & Syllabus Repository 

Link to GT Catalog

Major

The undergraduate program of the Georgia Tech School of Psychology is technically oriented and emphasizes quantitative and experimental approaches to the study of behavior. It has a strong emphasis in the sciences and mathematics and provides an excellent preparation for graduate school in psychology, medical school, law school, and other professional and academic graduate programs. In addition, many graduates choose to enter a variety of fields including computer software design, human resources, marketing, human factors, system design, personnel selection and training, and management.

Students can earn:

• a Bachelor of Science in Psychology,
• a minor in general psychology
• area-specific certificates in psychology

For students not currently enrolled at Georgia Tech and who wish to apply as a Psychology major, click on the Office of Undergraduate Admission and declare Psychology as your major.

If you have specific questions, please contact Dr. Christopher Stanzione, the Undergraduate Coordinator, at christopher.stanzione@psych.gatech.edu

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Required Courses

The curriculum is technically oriented and stresses quantitative and experimental approaches to the study of behavior. The undergraduate curriculum is based on a strong emphasis in the sciences and mathematics and provides an excellent preparation for graduate school in psychology, medical school, law school, and other professional and academic graduate programs. In addition, many students with the BS degree in psychology choose to enter a variety of fields, including computer software design, human resources, marketing, human factors, system design, personnel selection and training, and management.

Students interested in declaring Psychology as their major are encouraged to review in careful detail the following information:

• Psychology Requirements

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Declaring the Major

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Honors

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Thesis Option

Doing a senior thesis is the ideal way to put your course work to use, but it is up to the student to find a faculty member to supervise his or her thesis. Some theses are based on hypotheses that undergraduates develop from course work or other readings but more often they are based on other research taking place in a faculty member's lab. Because research is time consuming, students should plan on thesis research and writing taking at least 2 semesters.

Nomination

A faculty member nominates a student to do a senior thesis by filling out the Senior Thesis Nomination form (download for fillable form) and turning it in to the Undergraduate Coordinator. This does not preclude a student from initiating this process by approaching a faculty member and asking the faculty member if he or she is willing to supervise a thesis. The nomination form must be signed by the nominator – who presumably will be the supervisor of the thesis – as well as a second reader. The nomination should take place the semester before the student would take Psyc 4601 (Senior Thesis).

A faculty member can withdraw his or her nomination prior to the semester in which Psyc 4601 would begin if the nominator believes the student is not prepared to carry out the thesis. A student may also elect to drop Psyc 4601.

Readers of Senior Thesis

There must be two readers of a senior thesis; the first reader must be the supervisor of the thesis. The supervisor and second reader must be regular or adjunct faculty in the School of Psychology. The grade for Psyc 4601 is determined by the supervisor of the thesis as long as the second reader agrees that the thesis deserves at least a "D."

The second reader must be given the thesis document at least two weeks prior to the end of the term (in which the student is taking Psyc 4601) to read the thesis and provide feedback for possible revisions that would need to be completed before the end of the term.

Credit Hours for Senior Thesis

Students are advised to make their senior thesis a two-semester sequence.

For the first (typically, Fall) semester, the student would register for 3 hours of Psyc 4600 (Senior Thesis). The product of Psyc 4600 is a research proposal for the work to be completed in Psyc 4601 (Senior Thesis II).

For the second (typically, Spring) semester, the student would register for 4 hours of Psyc 4601 (Senior Thesis).

This approach would recognize the reality of the time involved in preparing and carrying out a senior thesis. It would also allow for the possibility that a student might be assigned an incomplete or a failing grade for Psyc 4601 (for example, for not completing the thesis) while still receiving credit that recognizes the preparatory work (by presumably receiving a passing grade in Psyc 4600).

Thesis Content and Format

A senior thesis will ordinarily be an empirical study although in certain cases it can be an integrative review paper. Theses must be written in APA format.

Collecting Senior Theses

A PDF copy of the thesis must be given (e.g., via e-mail) to the Undergraduate Coordinator. The PDF copy will be uploaded to the School of Psychology web page and will become part of the repository of senior theses that can be accessed by interested people – especially psychology majors and their advisors – who wish to get a sense of what might constitute a reasonable senior thesis.

Certificate of Approval

A Certificate of Senior Thesis Approval form must be completed by the student and signed by the two readers of the thesis and the Undergraduate Coordinator.

The readers will not sign the form until both are satisfied with the thesis document. The Undergraduate Coordinator will sign the form after the form has been signed by the readers and the Undergraduate Coordinator has received a PDF copy of the final version of the thesis. The original signed form is kept by the supervisor of the thesis and a copy is kept by the Undergraduate Coordinator.

A grade will be turned in for Psyc 4601 (by the supervisor of the thesis) when the approval form has been signed by both readers and the Undergraduate Coordinator.

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Business Option

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Minors

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Psychology Minor

COURSE WORK FOR A MINOR IN PSYCHOLOGY

For an up to date description of the PSYCHOLOGY MINOR please see this website:

http://catalog.gatech.edu/programs/minor-psychology/

and Georgia Tech’s general guidelines for Minors:

http://catalog.gatech.edu/academics/minors/

To add a Psychology Minor, please use Georgia Tech's DocuSign and include Dr. William Stern as the Minor School Advisor recipient wstern@gatech.edu

DocuSign

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Computation & Cognition Minor

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Science of Mental Health & Well-Being Minor

The minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being is designed to engage Georgia Tech students in the study of the discrete yet interconnected concepts of mental health, wellness, and the science of mental well-being. Focusing on the latest neuroscience research, students will learn both the neural mechanisms of mental processes and their practical implications for mental wellness. The courses are firmly rooted in neuroscience and span the topics of positive psychology, emotional wellness, and mental illness. Students will learn and participate in positive psychology practice activities that can act as a buffer against stress, prevent illness, and promote general health and well-being. The minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being is available to undergraduate students all majors (including psychology undergraduate majors).

Coursework for a Minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being

For an up-to-date description of the Minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being, please see this website:

and Georgia Tech’s general guidelines for Minors:

To add a Psychology Minor, please use Georgia Tech's DocuSign and include Dr. Tiffiny Hughes-Troutman as the Minor School Advisor recipient (tiffiny.hughes-troutman@psych.gatech.edu):

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Joint BSMS Degree

BS/MS option: 5 years of study leading to both BS and MS degrees

BS/MS Program — School of Psychology

The 5-year combined Bachelor and Masters of Science program in Psychology is a prestigious opportunity for top Psychology and Neuroscience undergraduate students to earn a Masters degree in as little as one year to increase competitiveness and a starting salary. This 5-year program can serve as bridge training to eventual medical, professional, or doctoral program admission because students gain a research specialization, develop a project that may lead to publication in the primary scientific literature, and complete advanced scientific coursework that contributes toward content knowledge and their science GPA.

The School of Psychology at Georgia Tech offers the following 4+1 BS/MS options:

• BS Psychology or BS Neuroscience + MS Psychology (thesis or non-thesis)

Advantages of the Program

• There is no application fee and you do not need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for admission to the program.
• You can use 6 credit hours from your undergraduate degree (4xxx level or higher; not seminar or research credit) towards both your B.S. and M.S. degree.
• There is no obligation to complete your master's degree if your plans change.
• Non-thesis MS degrees only involve course work.

Financial support for students pursuing BS/MS

The School Psychology does not guarantee any financial support to students pursuing the MS degree. Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantships are not typically available for BSMS students. MS students are responsible for paying their own graduate tuition and living expenses.

MS PSYC (thesis option)

If an applicant wishes to pursue the MS PSYC thesis option, they must first identify a faculty member in the School of Psychology (or a faculty member at Georgia Tech Who is doing psychology or neuroscience research) who is willing to serve as the supervisor for the thesis work prior to the submission of an application to the BS/MS program. It is strongly recommended that students view the research for an MS PSYC with thesis degree as an extension of their undergraduate research. All students are encouraged to conduct research during your undergraduate tenure. Please note that the MS thesis will be an original study, separate from or in addition to what you’ve done as undergrad.

Academic Planning

Students interested in our BS/MS program should seek the advice of their undergraduate research advisor (if interested in the MS thesis option) early in their consideration of BS/MS as an option, and certainly before submitting an application. Many graduate courses are only offered once every two years, so careful planning of the graduate courses to be taken before completion of the BS degree and during the MS year is required so that the courses complement one another and are most beneficial to the student.

Example Schedule of Classes during your MS

Thesis Option:

*A minimum of 12 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher on letter-grade basis. A maximum of 3 credits can be on pass-fail basis. Students must complete an approved thesis describing original research.

Non-Thesis Option:

**A minimum of 21 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher on letter-grade basis. A maximum of 3 credits can be on pass-fail basis.

To Apply: BS/MS Application Requirements and Process

• To apply to the BS/MS program, you must be an undergraduate student pursuing either BS PSYC or BS NEUR at Georgia Tech.
• Applicants must have a GPA of 3.3 or higher in courses required for the BS PSYC or BS NEUR degrees.

Students must apply to the BS/MS program after the completion of 45 undergraduate credits, including credits accrued through transfer, advanced placement, IB, etc. and have fulfilled BSMS core competencies in the following areas: statistics, research methods, and calculus. Below is a list of courses, although not comprehensive, that serve as having fulfilled core competencies for consideration:

• Statistics Competencies: ECE 3007, ISYE 3770, MATH 3215, MATH 3225, MATH 3670, or PSYC 2020,
• Research Methods Competencies: NEUR 3010 or PSYC 2012/2015
• Calculus Competencies: MATH 1550/1551 and MATH 1552

It is recommended that students delay formal application to the BS/MS program until they have a reasonable estimate of the semester in which they will complete all the requirements for their BS degree.

Submit a standard BS/MS graduate application at https://gradapp.gatech.edu/apply/. The deadline for applications is April 15th.

• The MS program admits in Fall semesters only. You must graduate with your BS degree in either Spring or Summer semesters ONLY to be admitted to the BSMS program. No more than 1 semester between graduation and the start of your graduate semester is allowed.
• No English proficiency or standardized tests are required.
• Applicants must submit a 1 page statement of purpose explaining why they are interested in pursuing BS/MS. This is done by uploading a file to the application.
• Two letters of recommendation must be submitted on behalf of the applicant. After the applicant enters names and contact information for their recommenders into the application, the recommenders will be contacted by Georgia Tech.
  1. One letter of recommendation must be from a GT faculty member.
  2. The second letter of recommendation must be from either:
     • The applicant's research advisor, indicating that they will serve as the advisor for the MS thesis research (if applying to the MS thesis option)
     • Any GT faculty member or a job/internship/research supervisor (if applying to the MS non-thesis option)

I have additional questions. Who do I contact?

• If you are a BS PSYC student, contact Dr. William Stern (wstern6@gatech.edu)
• If you are a BS NEUR student, contact Dr. Mary Holder (mary.holder@psych.gatech.edu)
• For questions regarding the MS degree, contact Dr. Christopher Stanzione, Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies (christopher.stanzione@psych.gatech.edu)
• For financial aid and tuition related questions, please contact the Registrar (https://registrar.gatech.edu/) and/or Bursar’s Office (https://www.bursar.gatech.edu/)
• For housing, please contact: https://housing.gatech.edu/applicants/grad-family

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Study Abroad

Learn more about experiences abroad through the School of Psychology at Georgia Tech!

Scotland Summer Program

Barcelona Fall Program

Georgia Tech Study Abroad Programs

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Scotland

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Barcelona

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All Undergraduate Courses

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Courses by Semester & Syllabus Repository

View the Three Year Course Plan for 2024-2027 in XLS format

Syllabi for Courses (GT SSO required)

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Link to GT Catalog