Transfer questions

How do I transfer to UNM?
The transfer process should begin with the admissions office. Call (505) 277-2446 or visit http://www.unm.edu/preview/na_tran.htm or http://www.unm.edu/preview/tr_how.htm for information on how to transfer to UNM. If you wish to major or minor in psychology the department advisor or associate chair must evaluate your transfer psychology course work for UNM equivalent. Please call the psychology advisor to schedule an appointment.

What courses can I take at CNM towards a major in psychology
Any psychology course taken at CNM will transfer to UNM. However, due to the residency requirement and upper division requirement for a Bachelors degree, you shouldn’t take more than 18 credits of psychology courses at CNM. Recommended courses to take at CNM include PSY 105, 200, 220, 240, 260, 265, and 271. These courses will transfer to UNM with the same course number. CNM offers other 200 level courses that are considered electives at UNM. These courses will transfer, however you may only apply one 3-credit elective towards a major in psychology, if you plan to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts. If you plan to graduate with a Bachelor of Science, the elective must be a 300/400 Psychology Lab. When choosing courses at CNM, take into consideration that 18 credits must be completed at UNM towards the major, and upper division courses must be taken at UNM. CNM electives will not satisfy the upper division elective requirements.

Major questions

When and where are advising hours for psychology? What would I need to bring?
We are in Logan Hall.

Advisement hours are posted on the web site, Listserv, and in the Department of Psychology.

If you need forms signed by an advisor for the college, you need to bring the form and your transcripts.

If you have transfer coursework, you will also need to bring your transfer evaluation.

Sign in for advisement in the psychology main office.

What do I have to do to get a degree in Psychology?
The requirements for a degree in Psychology consist of three parts: those set by the College of Arts and Sciences, those set by your minor department, and those set by the Department of Psychology. Students must complete at least 128 hours of course work; 42 credits must be upper division (300/400); 35/36 of these hours must be in psychology. The psychology classes students take are determined in part by whether they are pursuing a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

How do I declare my major in psychology?
To major in psychology, you must be admitted to the College of Arts & Sciences (http://www.unm.edu/~artsci/advise/advise.html) where you officially declare psychology as a major.

I have a hold on my account, what do I do?
If you have an academic hold, contact an advisor at the College of A&S; financial holds: contact the Bursar’s office for Financial holds.

What is the difference between the A&S advisor and the psychology department advisor?
The A&S college advisor will explain the core/group requirements, since they are the degree granting college. The department advisor will review psychology major or psychology minor requirements, psychology courses you need for the major/minor, psychology transfer evaluations, distributed minor petitions, and research opportunities. The department advisors do not advise students on University core or A&S group requirements. This is not our area of expertise. Department advisors do not update progress reports, place or remove holds on student’s accounts, or process degree audits.

Are there many classes that all psychology students must take regardless of whether they pursue the BA or BS?
Yes. The courses needed to fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Requirements are the same for both BS and BA students (refer to the A&S web page or UNM catalog for details) and the courses needed to fulfill the Psychology major are similar.
• 105 General Psychology
• 200 Statistical principles
• 302 Research Techniques
• 4 courses from Psychology core: 220, 240, 260, 265, 271 or 280
• 4 upper division electives (300/400 level)
• BA students need to take an additional elective
• BS students need to take a psychology lab (300/400 level)

What's the difference between a BS and a BA?
BA - Bachelor of Arts; BS - Bachelor of Science. The difference between the two degrees is basically the number of science and math credits that you have earned vs. the amount of other classes. To earn a BS Degree, you must have a majority of coursework in a science field. Thus a minor in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics or Anthropology (Biological Anthropology or Human Evolutionary Ecology) with a major in psychology constitutes a BS.

BA: 36 credit hours in psychology. 18 of these hours MUST be taken at UNM.
BS: 35 credit hours in psychology, student must take a 300/400 level psychology lab. 18 of these hours MUST be taken at UNM.
See major checklist for specific courses.

Most employers will not distinguish between a BA and BS if a degree is required. If a student is strong in the math and science areas, then the B.S. is the appropriate choice. However, if a student is not strong in math and science courses, then the B.A. degree is most probably the better choice.

Which degree is better?
As far as employers are concerned, whether you have a BA or a BS makes no difference. A BS is recommended for graduate school. You should find out whether the graduate programs you will apply to require a BS for admissions.

How do I declare a minor in psychology?
You declare your minor with your college advisor, not in the department.

What are the requirements for a minor in psychology?
Psych 105 (General psychology or equivalent) plus 15 credits (18 credits total) in psychology with a grade of C or better.

I received a grade of C-, will this count towards a major/minor in psych?
No.

How do I change my grade?
Only the instructor of record can change a grade once posted on your academic record. Contact the instructor to discuss your grade. You can only change a grade one year from the semester it was posted.

What is Psi Chi?
Psi Chi is the national honorary society in psychology with chapters in about 1000 colleges and universities. The purposes of Psi Chi are to recognize outstanding students in psychology, to encourage excellence in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. The University of Dayton chapter of Psi Chi was installed on May 2, 1959, thus making it one of the older chapters of this organization. The national web site for Psi Chi provides a wealth of information and services including past articles from the new magazine Eye on Psi Chi, its predecessor, the Psi Chi Newsletter, and abstracts from the Psi Chi Journal. Information about awards and grants eligibility to Psi Chi members is available also.

What is a psychology lab course?
These courses are designated with a L in the course number or will include Lab in its title if a 450 course.

I took 499, can this be used towards fulfilling the lab requirement?
499 can only be used to satisfy a lab requirement if you worked with a faculty member and they agreed that you have met the requirements for a lab course. If you want to use 499 for a lab requirement, this must be decided prior to starting the 499. Your mentor will need to contact Dr. Hodge to officially give you permission to use the 499 experience as a lab requirement. Also, you will need to write and submit a paper at the end of the semester to your mentor.

How do I find out about 499 opportunities?
Here are a few suggestions on how to find 499 opportunities:

1. Visit our website and view the faculty web pages http://psych.unm.edu/. If you are interested in a faculty member's research, contact them personally to find out what 499 opportunities they or their students have available.
2. Call the department at the beginning of each semester to find out if they know of any opportunities. If a faculty member or student notifies the advisor of a 499 opportunity, that information will be available at the beginning of the semester.
3. Listen for these announcements in your psychology classes.
4. Walk around the department. Some faculty members or graduate students will post flyers around the department

How many credit hours of 499 can I take?
Students may take 1 – 3 credit hours of PSY 499 per semester, to a maximum of 6 credit hours overall.
PLEASE NOTE: Students choosing to enroll in PSY 499 after reaching the 6 credit limit will not receive credit for the course.

What courses should I choose as electives?
In selecting courses you should consider three things. First, you should complete any official prerequisites for the program you will be applying to. Second, you should take those courses that will make you the most competitive. Third, you should take those courses that are most likely to ensure your success once you are in graduate school. Obviously, there is significant overlap in the course work required to achieve each of these goals.

Career questions

What type of job can I get with a Bachelors degree in Psychology?
A Bachelor’s degree in psychology qualifies a person to assist psychologists and other professionals in community mental health centers, vocational rehabilitation offices, and correctional programs; to work as a research or administrative assistants; and to take jobs as trainees in government of business. However without additional academic training their advancement opportunities in psychology are severely limited.

What is the difference between Clinical psychology and counseling?
Articles on the topic:
http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_73.asp
http://www.science.fau.edu/student_services/handouts/counseling%20psychology.pdf
http://www.guidetopsychology.com/cln_cns.htm

What can I do with a major in psychology?
Students frequently ask, "What can I do with a major in psychology?" Regardless of the major, the answer is more or less the same: there are a variety of directions a person can head with a four-year college degree. This is particularly true of liberal arts graduates.

http://www.lemoyne.edu/psychology/PsychSTAC/dopsy.htm from the LeMoyne College Career Services Office
Getting a Job With an Undergraduate Degree In Psychology http://www.bsu.edu/psysc/asp/job.asp [Ball State University]
UNM Career Services http://www.career.unm.edu/index.php