Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Get Started on Your Online Degree Today!

The Department of Psychology at Mississippi State University (MSU) offers rewarding opportunities for students thanks to our world-class faculty and their research into the scientific application of psychology. With an online bachelor's degree in psychology the potential career paths are endless.

Whether you are starting as a freshman with core classes or transferring to the degree from a community college or from a break from school, you can earn your BS in Psychology completely online.

Complete your freshman and/or sophomore year requirements through MSU online, at an accredited community college, or at any other accredited four-year institution. Students may transfer up to 62 hours of community college course work to MSU.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition per credit hour	$419.00
Instructional Support Fee per credit hour	$25.00

Tuition and fees listed are subject to change and do not include all possible charges. Additional fees may apply. Please refer to the master class schedule for individual course charges.

What's next?

Take the classes from the following categories to complete the major:

27 hours of Required Psychology Courses
18 hours of Elective Psychology Courses
Enough General Elective Courses to make 124 hours to graduate

Every class you will need is available ONLINE! Students may begin taking courses at the start of any semester. Courses are not sequenced except for one or two exceptions.

By completing a bachelor's degree in psychology online there is a chance to find:

Immediate Employment:

Community Mental Health
Government
Case Management
Social Work
Human Resources
Management Training
Marketing Research
Corrections Counseling

Pursue Advanced Training:

Medical School
Nursing
Physical/Occupational Therapy
Dental School

Pursue Advanced Degrees:

MS or PhD in Psychology
- Clinical
- Counseling
- Cognitive
- Social
- Developmental
- Forensic

Other Areas:

Law School
School Counseling
Rehabilitation
Criminology
Social Work
Marketing
Educational Psychology

A BS degree in Psychology opens up doors to a variety of career opportunities! Below are links to several resources to start your investigation:

“My professors really put their heart and soul into everything. You could see it in their presentations and hear it in their voices. It felt like a family environment. They were rooting for us. I was not just a number. That made such a difference.”

Candice Tetlow Cox, Natchez, MS

What are some potential careers?

Degree Requirements

To graduate with the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree:

Complete a minimum of 124 hours
- Up to 62 hours may be transferred from an accredited community college
- 27 hours must be from Required Psychology Courses
- 18 hours must be from Elective Psychology Courses
Students must have a GPA of 2.00 on all college work prior to entering the major
A grade of C or better is required for all Psychology courses to count toward the degree

For more details, please view the Psychology Graduation Checklist.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to 62 hours from an accredited community college.
You may not transfer any credits from a community college after you have a total of 62 credits accepted by and/or earned at Mississippi State University.
Last 32 hours must be from Mississippi State University.
Transfer students must have an average GPA of 2.00 to be admitted.
Upon admission to the university, the Registrar's Office will evaluate transfer credit to determine how it transfers to Mississippi State University.

Program Structure

39-48	Hours of University and College Core Courses
+45	Hours of Required Psychology and Elective Courses
+	General Electives to make 124 credit hours
124	Hours to Graduation

Core Curriculum

All students who enter MSU must meet the common core curriculum requirements as set by the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning of the State of Mississippi to qualify for any bachelor's degree.

English Composition (6 hours)
Mathematics (6 hours)
Foreign Language (6 hours)
Fine Arts (3 hours)
Public Speaking (3 hours)
Natural Sciences (9-12 hours)
Humanities (6 hours)
Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)
- 3 hours must be PSY 1013 General Psychology

Required Psychology Courses

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
PSY 1021	Careers in Psychology	1
PSY 3104	Introductory Psychological Statistics	4
PSY 3213	Psychology of Abnormal Behavior	3
PSY 3314	Experimental Psychology	4
PSY 3343	Psychology of Learning	3
PSY 3623	Social Psychology	3
PSY 3713	Cognitive Psychology	3
PSY 3803	Introduction to Developmental Psychology	3
PSY 4403	Biological Psychology	3
Total Hours Needed:		27

Elective Psychology Courses

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
PSY 3353	Motivation	3
PSY 3363	Behavior Modification	3
PSY 3413	Human Sexual Behavior	3
PSY 4223	Drug Use and Abuse	3
PSY 4203	Theories of Personality	3
PSY 4353	Psychology and the Law	3
PSY 4733	Memory	3
PSY 4813	Positive Psychology	3
Total Hours Needed:		18

Required Psychology Courses

PSY 1013 General Psychology
Three hours lecture. The study of human behavior, heredity and growth; motivation: feeling and emotion; frustration; conflict; learning; language; thinking, attention; sensation; perception; intelligence; aptitudes; social influences.

PSY 1021 Careers in Psychology
(Prerequisite:PSY 1013) One hour lecture. Introduction to professions and career opportunities in the field of psychology by University faculty and practicing professionals.

PSY 3104 Introductory Psychological Statistics
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013, MA 1313) Three hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. An introduction to the techniques and practices in statistical analyses used in psychological experimentation and evaluation along with practical experience in statistical software packages.

PSY 3213 Psychology of Abnormal Behavior
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Behavioral patterns and causes of deviant behavior from childhood through later maturity. Etiology and symptomatology are emphasized.

PSY 3314 Experimental Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 3103) Two hours lecture. Four hours laboratory. Introduction to the methods and techniques of research and design. Practical experience in conducting experiments, analyzing data, and writing scientific reports.

PSY 3343 Psychology of Learning
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Survey of a variety of learning situations. Consideration of the variables and conditions which influence the learning process.

PSY 3623 Social Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor) Three hours lecture. Human behavior as a product of social inter- action; social perception; social norms and roles; group processes, interrelationship of personality, culture, and group.

PSY 3713 Cognitive Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor) Three hours lecture. Introduction to the basic areas of cognitive psychology, including perception, attention, memory, reasoning, and language.

PSY 3803 Introduction to Developmental Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. A survey and evaluation of current theory and research concerning development from infancy to young adulthood. Cognitive, social, and emotional development is emphasized.

PSY 4403 Biological Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Nervous, endocrine, and immune systems of the body as they affect behavior and adjustment. Emphasis upon the role of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Elective Psychology Courses

PSY 3353 Motivation
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Study of the role of motivation in behavior theory; biological and psychological bases; historical and contemporary views.

PSY 3363 Behavioral Modification
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Intensive examination of the principles and procedures used to modify the behavior of humans in contemporary situations.

PSY 3413 Human Sexual Behavior
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor) Three hours lecture. Varieties of sexual behavior. Research methods and findings; typical behaviors; homosexuality; sexual disorders; sexual assault and sexual victims; treatments; pornography and prostitution; sexual risk perception.

PSY 4223 Drug Use and Abuse
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Study of basic principles of drug use and abuse. Includes an introduction to psychopharmacology and basic treatment strategies.

PSY 4203 Theories of Personality
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. Current theories of personality. Structure, development, dynamics, acculturation processes. Methods, techniques, and research in personality assessment.

PSY 4353 Psychology and the Law
(Prerequisite PSY 1013 and Junior Standing) Three hours lecture. Examination of the roles of psychologists in the legal system; application of psychological theory and research to issues in the legal system.

PSY 4733 Memory
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 and PSY 3713) Introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of memory. Discussion of laboratory memory, computer models of memory, memory self-concepts, everyday memory, and clinical memory problems.

PSY 4813 Positive Psychology
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013) Three hours lecture. The scientific study of how human beings prosper in the face of adversity; become satisfied and content with their past; find happiness in the present; and become optimistic about the future.

New Admissions

If you have never attended Mississippi State University, please complete the online Undergraduate Admissions Application. All new admits will pay a non-refundable application fee online.

You will choose Psychology (BS) as your major and Online Education as your campus.
Request that official ACT or SAT scores be sent to MSU.
Request that your high school send your official transcript. Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.
Submit a separate official final transcript from each college or university attended; faxed transcripts will not be accepted. An applicant may not ignore previous college attendance and must list all colleges attended on the application for admission. You must be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
If you are able to submit official transcripts and other documentation electronically, you may send them to admit@msstate.edu.
If you are unable to submit official transcripts and other documentation electronically, you may send them via U.S. Postal Service to:
Office of Admissions & Scholarships
P.O. Box 6334
Mississippi State, MS 39762

Readmissions

If you have previously attended MSU, you will need to apply for Readmission. There is no fee for readmission applications.

Once you are readmitted, if you are not a former Psychology (BS) student, please contact your advisor so he or she may change your major and campus as well as advise you for the upcoming semester.
Submit a separate official final transcript from each college or university attended; faxed transcripts will not be accepted. An applicant may not ignore previous college attendance and must list all colleges attended on the application for admission. You must be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
If you are unable to submit official transcripts and other documentation electronically, you may send them via U.S. Postal Service to:
Office of Admissions & Scholarships
P.O. Box 6334
Mississippi State, MS 39762

Academic Advising

After gaining admission to the university, you must contact your advisor to determine the courses that are most appropriate for you to take. Approximately two months prior to the upcoming semester, your advisor will send an email to your MSU email account, making course recommendations based on your program of study.

Mississippi State University uses email as its official means of communication with all MSU students. Please check your MSU email account (NetID@msstate.edu) daily. Information on setting up your MSU email can be found at the link for student services.

Dr. Deborah Eakin

Department of Psychology

Coordinator/Advisor

psyonline@psychology.msstate.edu 662.325.7949

Program Reminders

If you want to deviate from the program of study recommended for you, check with your advisor
If you take courses not on your recommended program of study, there is a risk that the classes will not count toward your BS degree
You must get a grade of "C" in all classes required in the Psychology Major Core

All programs of study are subject to review by the Registrar's Office for graduation, even from a signed program of study. Courses that do not equal MSU courses exactly may or may not apply to your program as core courses. You can see these course translations through the CAPP report found at my.msstate.edu. To access the report, log into your myState account and click on the "hamburger" icon in the top left corner in order to access the Banner tab; click or hover over the myBanner for Students tab in order to view the Academic Records column where you can click on the CAPP Compliances link.

Undergraduate Catalog