Introduction

The course offerings have been designed to meet the needs and interests of four groups of students:

• those who wish to explore a few topics in psychology
• those who wish to major or concentrate psychology
• those who wish to major in neuroscience and behavior
• those seeking to fulfill the science requirement

Many opportunities exist for becoming involved in research projects in the Department of Psychology. All qualified students are welcome. Students may volunteer to work in a lab, register for supervised individual research (W3950), or participate in the Department's two-year Honors Program. Information on faculty research is available on the Department's web site. You are invited to read about the research laboratories on faculty webpages and go to the professor's office hours to discuss potential research opportunities.

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Planning Your Program

Majors and concentrators in psychology, and majors in neuroscience and behavior, should begin planning a program of study as early as possible. All necessary forms and information are available outside 406 Schermerhorn or online at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/dept/ugrad/infopack.html. You should complete a Major Requirement Checklist before consulting an advisor. Returning students should check the department web pages for recent updates to the curriculum.

Please see the Program Planning Tips page for more suggestions regarding program planning.

Program Advisors and Assistants See a Program Advisor when you have questions regarding degree requirements, transfer credit, or other administrative aspects of your major.
Directors of Undergraduate Studies for Psychology Majors and Concentrators in CC & GS
A-K	Prof. Patricia Lindemann	354A SchX	x4-8285	pgl2@columbia.edu
L-Q	Prof. Carl Hart	316 Sch	x4-5313	clh42@columbia.edu
R-Z	Prof. Betsy Sparrow	355C Sch	x4-1348	sparrow@psych.columbia.edu
Advisors to the Neuroscience and Behavior Major
Psych	Prof. Frances Champagne	315 Sch	x4-2589	fchampag@psych.columbia.edu
Psych	Prof. Sarah Woolley	317 Sch	x4-5448	sw2277@columbia.edu
CC Bio	Prof. Stuart Firestein	923 Fairchild	x4-4531	sjf24@columbia.edu
GS Bio	Prof. Debby Mowshowitz	744D Mudd	x4-4497	dbm2@columbia.edu
Advisor to the Psychology Post-Bac and Second Majors Programs
Prof. Patricia Lindemann		354A SchX	x4-8285	postbac@psych.columbia.edu
Undergraduate Curriculum Assistant
Pamela Jackson		406 Sch	x4-8859	pjj2103@columbia.edu
Dept. Administrative Coordinator
Joanna Borchert-Kopczuk		406 Sch	x4-3940	jb2330@columbia.edu
Psychology Faculty and Peer Advisors
See the Faculty Advisors and Peer Advisors web pages

Guide to Course Numbers

Subcategories within the 2000, 3000, and 4000 levels correspond to the three groups in our Distribution Requirement for undergraduate psychology majors:
(1) Perception and Cognition (2200s, 3200s, and 4200s),
(2) Psychobiology and Neuroscience (2400s, 3400s, and 4400s), and
(3) Social, Personality, and Abnormal (2600s, 3600s, and 4600s).

Science Requirement: PSYC 1001, 1010, and any course numbered in the 2200s or 2400s may be used to fulfill the science requirement. 2600-level and some other psychology courses may not be used to fulfill the science requirement. For psychology courses that may be applied toward the science requirement, see Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in your College or General Studies Bulletin, or see the "Sci" column in the Table of all Courses.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

For a Major in Psychology

• One Introductory Psychology Course (Psychology W1001 or BC1001)
• One Laboratory Course (Psychology W1420, W1440, W1450, W1455, W1480, W1490)
• One Statistics Course (Either Psychology W1610 or Statistics 1001, 1111, or 1211)

  Majors are advised to complete the laboratory and statistics requirements by the junior year. We recommend that statistics be taken before, or concurrently with, the laboratory course.

  
  
• Three Courses meeting the Distribution Requirement.
  In addition to the introductory, laboratory, and statistics courses described above, one course must be taken from each of the following three groups. Barnard courses will not fulfill this requirement.
  
  • Group I - Perception and Cognition: (Courses numbered in the 2200s, 3200s, or 4200s. Also W1420, W1480, or W1490.)
    
  • Group II - Psychobiology and Neuroscience: (Courses numbered in the 2400s, 3400s, or 4400s. Also W1010 or W1440.)
    
  • Group III - Social, Personality and Abnormal: (Courses numbered in the 2600s, 3600s, or 4600s. Also W1450 or W1455.).
    
    
• Additional Courses ("electives") for a total of 30 points. These may include Barnard psychology courses, as described below.

No course may be counted twice in fulfillment of the above requirements.

Grades: A grade of C-, or higher, must be earned and revealed on your transcript in any Columbia or Barnard course-- including the first-- that is used to satisfy the major or concentration requirements. The grade of P will not be accepted for psychology majors or concentration credit; only if the P is uncovered by the Registrar's deadline will the course be applicable towards the major or concentration requirements.

Research credits: No more than 8 points of Supervised individual research (PSYC W3950) may be applied toward the major, and no more than 4 pts may be taken in any one term.

Barnard courses: No more than 9 points from Barnard psychology courses, including BC1001, may be applied as credit toward the major. Barnard courses may not be applied toward the laboratory or statistics requirements, nor will they satisfy the major distribution (Group I, II, and III) requirements.

Transfer Credits: No more than 9 transfer credits (including any Barnard credits) will be accepted toward the psychology major. Columbia College's approval of transfer credits on a student's Entrance Credit Report toward general requirements for the bachelor's degree does not grant approval of these credits toward the psychology major. Approval of transfer credits to fulfill psychology requirements must be obtained in writing from a psychology program advisor. To be approved for the major a course taken at another institution should be substantially similar to one offered by the department and the grade received must be B- or better.With the exception of Barnard courses, students should consult their Program Advisor before registering for psychology courses offered outside the department.

If you completed an Introductory Psychology course at another institution prior to declaring a psychology major, you should consult a Program Advisor to verify whether or not this course meets departmental standards for major transfer credit. If transfer credit toward the major is not approved, you must enroll in PSYC W1001 or PSYC BC1001 to complete this major requirement.

Overlapping Courses: Students will not receive credit for two courses--one at Columbia and one at Barnard--whose content largely overlaps (e.g., PSYC BC1001--Introduction to Psychology and W1001--The Science of Psychology or PSYC BC1138--Social psychology and W2630--Social psychology).

In planning your Psychology Major, please refer to the Program Planning Tips page and use the appropriate Major Requirement Checklist from the Undergraduate InfoPack.

For a Concentration in Psychology

A concentration in psychology requires a minimum of 18 points, including an introductory psychology course (W1001 or BC1001) and courses in at least two of the three groups listed under Distribution Requirements above. Restrictions on research credits (PSYC W3950), Barnard credits, and transfer credits are modified from those of the major as follows: (1) only 4 points of W3950, (2) only 5 points from Barnard (including BC1001), and (3) only 5 points total (including any Barnard points) from psychology courses taken outside the department may be applied toward the concentration. Except as noted above, other regulations outlined in the Psychology Major section regarding grades, transfer credits, and overlapping courses also apply toward the concentration.

In planning your Psychology Concentration, please refer to the Program Planning Tips page and use the appropriate Major Requirement Checklist from the Undergraduate InfoPack.

For a Major in Neuroscience & Behavior

• (CC) - Prof. Stuart Firestein, 923 Fairchild, 854-4531, sjf24@columbia.edu
• (GS) - Prof. Debby Mowshowitz, 744D Mudd, 854-4497, dbm2@columbia.edu

• Prof. Frances Champagne , 315 Sch, 854-2589, fchampag@psych.columbia.edu
• Prof. Sarah Woolley, 317 Sch, 854-5448, sw2277@columbia.edu

I. Required Biology Courses

(See Biology Dept. for the Definitive List of Biology Requirements)

• B.1 and 2. Biology C2005 and C2006 -Intro. to Molecular and Cellular Biology I and II
  
  
• B.3. W3004 - Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
  
  
• B.4. W3005 - Developmental and Systems Neurobiology
  
  
• B.5. One additional 3000 or 4000 level biology course from a list approved by the Biology Department advisor to the major.

II. Required Psychology Courses

• P. 1. W1001* or S1001* The Science of Psychology (summer 2008)
  
  
• P. 2.
  • W1010* or S1010* Mind, Brain, and Behavior (summer 2008) or
  • W2450 - or S2450* Behavioral Neuroscience (summer 2008)
  
  
• P. 3. A statistics or lab course:
  • W1610 * Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Scientists or
  • S1610 * Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Scientists (summer 2008), or
  • STAT 1111 * or STAT 1211 *
  • W1420 - Exp. Psych.: Human Behavior or
  • W1440 - Exp. Psych.: Learning & Motivation or
  • W1450 * Exp. Psych.: Social Cognition and Emotion or
  • W1480 - Exp. Psych.: Perception & Attention or
  • S1480 * Exp. Psych.: Perception & Attention (summer 2008) or
  • W1490 * Exp. Psych.: Thinking & Decision Making
  
  
• P. 4. One additional 2000 or 3000 level Psychology course from a list approved by the Psychology Departmental Advisor to the program. Possible courses are listed below.

• W2210 - Cognition: Basic Processes
• S2210 - Cognition: Basic Processes
• W2215 * Cognition: Mind & Brain
• W2220 * Cognition: Memory & Stress
• W2225 * Attention & Perception
• W2230- Perception & Sensory Processes
• S2230 * Perception & Sensory Processes (summer 2008)
• W2235 * Thinking and Decision Making
• W2240 - Human Communication
• W2250 * Evolution of Cognition
• W2280 * Intro to Developmental Psychology
• S2280  - Intro to Developmental Psychology
• S2410 - Learning & Motivation
• W2420 * Animal Behavior
• W2440 - Language and Brain
• S2450 * Behavioral Neuroscience (summer 2008)
• W2460 * Drugs and Behavior
• S2460 * Drugs and Behavior (summer 2008)
• W2480 * Developing Brain
• W2620 * Abnormal Behavior
• W3615 - Children at Risk

• P. 5. One advanced psychology seminar from a list approved by the Psychology Department Advisor to the program. Possible courses are listed below.
  
  
  • W3205 - Models of Cognition
  • W3210 / G4250 - Language and Cognition Seminar
  • W3215 - Memory without Awareness
  • S3240 - Seminar in Language and Communication
  • W3250 /G4230 * Seminar in Space Perception / Sensation and Perception
  • W3255/G4255 * Modern Classics in Visual Percept., Vis. Science, and Vis Neuroscience
  • W3265 * Auditory Perception
  • W3270 * Computational Approaches to Human Vision
  • S3280 * Seminar in Infant Development (summer 2008)
  • W3410- Seminar in Emotion
  • S3410 * Seminar in Emotion (summer 2008)
  • W3420-/G4420 * Animal Cognition Seminar
  • W3435 * Neurobiology of Reproductive Behavior
  • W3440 - Issues in Brain and Behavior
  • W3450/G4450 * Evolution of Intelligence and Consciousness
  • W3460 * Evolution of Behavior
  • W3475 - Psychology and Neuropsychology of Language
  • W3480 - Seminar in Cognitive Neuropsychology
  • W3485*/G4485 - Neuroscience of Cognitive and Emotional Control
  • W3620 * Seminar in Developmental Psychopathology
  • W3680/G4685 * Social Cognitive Neuroscience
  • W4210 - Visual Cognition
  • G4215- Memory Representations
  • G4220 - Fundamentals of Cognitive Neuropsychology
  • G4225 * Consciousness and Attention
  • G4227 * Philosophical and Empirical Issues of Consciousness
  • G4232 - Production and Perception of Language
  • G4233 * Language and Music (MUSI-PSYC)
  • G4235 * Special Topics in Vision
  • G4270 * Cognitive Processes
  • G4272 - Advanced Seminar in Language Development
  • G4275 - Contemporary Topics in Language & Communication
  • G4280 - Probability in Human Reasoning
  • G4410 - Human Psychophysiology
  • W4415 * Methods and Issues in Cognitive Neuroscience
  • G4430 - Neural Basis of Behavior
  • G4440 * Topics in Neurobiology and Behavior
  • G4470 - Psychology and Neuropsychology of Language
  • G4490 * Inheritance
  • G4690 - Soc. Factors & Psychopathology

* Offered in 2008-09. Click on course number to see course description, prerequisites, term, and time offered. Also see the Table of All Courses and the Psychology Information Packet. For assistance in planning the psychology portion of your Neuroscience and Behavior Major, please refer to the Program Planning Tips page and use the appropriate Major Requirement Checklist from the Undergraduate InfoPack.

Transfer Credit for Psychology Courses taken elsewhere. Students should consult the psychology advisor before registering for psychology courses offered outside the Department. With the advisor's approval, one Barnard psychology course, but not more than one, may be applied toward the 1st, 3rd, 4th, or 5th psychology requirement. Alternatively, a student may apply to the advisor to have one course from another institution applied toward the psychology portion of the Neuroscience and Behavior major. To be approved for transfer credit a course taken at another institution should be substantially similar to one offered by the department and the grade received must be B- or better.

NOTE: No course may be counted twice in fulfillment of the above biology or psychology requirements. A grade of C-, or higher, must be earned and revealed on your transcript for any Columbia or Barnard course --including the first-- that is used to satisfy the major requirements. The grade of P will not be accepted for neurosciene and behavior credit; only if the P is uncovered by the Registrar's deadline will the course be applicable toward the major requirements.

Most graduate programs in Neuroscience require one year of calculus, one year of physics, and chemistry through organic.

Double Majors/Concentrations

All students attempting to complete double majors, double concentrations, or a combination of a major and a concentration should keep in mind that they must complete separate sets of required and related courses for each field. A single course may not be counted twice. Please consult with one of the Directors of Undergraduate Studies or Program Advisors if you have questions. Statistics courses are special cases; see an explanation and examples of how to deal with them.

Evening and Summer Courses

Any "S" course offered by the Psychology Dept. in the Summer Session is applicable toward the same degree requirement(s) as a "W" course of that same number offered during the academic year. (For instance, S1001D meets the same requirements as W1001X or W1001Y.) To see what requirements each course may be applied toward, please see the relevant Table of Courses in the Psychology Information Packet.

Honors Program

For additional information, see the Department of Psychology Honors Program

Requirements for Admission to Graduate Programs in Psychology

Students interested in clinical psychology should obtain experience working in a community service program, in addition to supervised research experience. Consult the department's pre-clinical advisor, Dr. Catherine Monk, if you need additional information. Dr. Monk is available by e-mail appointment. A handout on preparing for a career in clinical psychology is available on the web and in the department office. Undergraduate courses in clinical psychology (e.g., Psychology W2620) are available in the department.  

For additional web-based resources, be sure to consult "How to Get In: Your guide to applying to graduate schools in psychology." Also see "Applying to Grad School" in the Post-bac Psychology Program web site.

Additional Information & Updates