School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Minors
Students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor, 12 of which must be upper-division semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). Semester credit hours may not be used to satisfy both the major and minor requirements; however, free elective semester credit hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor. The minors in the School of Behavioral and Brain Science are listed below:
Minor in Child Development: 18 semester credit hours
This minor is well suited for students pursuing Elementary Teacher certification and for those generally interested in the psychological development of children. Students must complete 18 semester credit hours including 9 required semester credit hours of foundation coursework and 9 semester credit hours of guided electives. At least 12 semester credit hours must be upper-division courses, of which at least 9 semester credit hours must have been completed at UT Dallas. Students majoring in Psychology or Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences may minor in Child Learning and Development provided that no course is used to satisfy both major and minor requirements.
Foundation Courses: 9 semester credit hours
Choose three courses from the following:
PSY 3310 Child Development
or PSY 3339 Educational Psychology
PSY 3332 Social and Personality Development
PSY 3362 Cognitive Development
Guided Elective Courses: 9 semester credit hours
Choose three courses from the following:
PSY 3342 Exceptional Children1
PSY 4344 Child Psychopathology
PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
PSY 4394 Internship in Psychology
or ED 4693 Student Teaching - Elementary (approval of the Teacher Development Center required)
SPAU 3303 Normal Language Development1
SPAU 3305 Language and Literacy Development
SPAU 4308 Language Disorders in Children
Other courses as approved by the Associate Dean
1. Required for EC-6 Teacher Certification.
Minor in Cognitive Science: 18 semester credit hours
Students who are not majoring in Cognitive Science may minor in Cognitive Science by completing 18 semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). At least 12 of the 18 semester credit hours required by the minor in Cognitive Science must be satisfied by completing two upper-division courses from each of two different Cognitive Science specialization areas. In addition, 9 of the 18 semester credit hours required for the minor in Cognitive Science must have a Cognitive Science (CGS), Psychology (PSY), or Neuroscience (NSC) prefix and be upper-division courses. No semester credit hours may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements; however, free elective semester credit hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor. At least one-third of the semester credit hours for a minor must be taken at UT Dallas.
Minor in Neuroscience: 18 semester credit hours
Students who are not majoring in Neuroscience may minor in Neuroscience. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average).
Students should take 9 semester credit hours (3 courses) from the Neuroscience Core courses:
NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
NSC 4352 Cellular Neuroscience
NSC 4354 Integrative Neuroscience
NSC 4356 Neurophysiology
NSC 4363 Neuropharmacology
NSC 4366 Neuroanatomy
Plus 9 semester credit hours (3 courses) from one of the Neuroscience career tracks:
Medical Neuroscience (9 semester credit hours)
NSC 4350 Medical Neuropathology
NSC 4351 Medical Neuroscience
NSC 4358 Neuroscience of Pain
NSC 4362 Molecular Neuroscience
NSC 4364 Journey into Medicine
NSC 4372 Neuroimmunology
NSC 4373 Sensory Neuroscience
NSC 4382 Neurobiology of Emotion
Research Neuroscience (9 semester credit hours)
NSC 4353 Neuroscience Laboratory Methods
NSC 4357 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
NSC 4358 Neuroscience of Pain
NSC 4362 Molecular Neuroscience
NSC 4367 Developmental Neurobiology
NSC 4371 Neural Plasticity
NSC 4372 Neuroimmunology
NSC 4373 Sensory Neuroscience
NSC 4382 Neurobiology of Emotion
Industrial Neuroscience (9 semester credit hours)
NSC 4360 Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Neuroscience
NSC 4361 Pathway Into Industrial Neuroscience
NSC 4391 Writing and Independent Study
NSC 4193 Internship Preparation
NSC 4394 Internship in Neuroscience
NSC 4395 Internship in Neuroscience II
NSC 4397 Thesis Research
NSC 4V99 Independent Study
Minor in Psychology: 18 semester credit hours
Students who are not majoring in Psychology may minor in Psychology by taking 18 semester credit hours of Psychology courses (i.e., those with a PSY prefix, excluding those listed under Independent Study in the Catalog). Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). At least 12 semester credit hours must be upper-division courses, of which at least 9 semester credit hours must be Psychology major core courses taken at UT Dallas (see list below). No semester credit hours may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements; however, free elective semester credit hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor.
Psychology Major Core courses: 9 semester credit hours:
Choose three courses from the following:
PSY 3310 Child Development
PSY 3331 Social Psychology
PSY 3360 Historical Perspectives on Psychology: Mind and Machines since 1600
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
PSY 3393 Experimental Projects in Psychology
PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 4359 Cognitive Neuroscience
NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
Because Psychology is concerned with a wide range of social behaviors, it provides a strong foundation for all careers involving people. Students considering careers in business, education, law, medicine, clinical psychology, and counseling or social work can benefit from minoring (or majoring) in psychology.
Upper-Division Courses: 9 semester credit hours from one of the career tracks
Business Careers
Graduate programs for business often look for students who have writing and quantitative skills and a strong background in liberal arts. Suggested courses are the following:
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 4331 Personality
PSY 3331 Social Psychology
PSY 4332 Psychology in the Workplace
PSY 4370 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
PSY 4333 Human Relations
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
Education Careers
Psychology courses are especially relevant for students pursuing careers in child development, educational psychology, education counseling, and school psychology. Suggested courses are the following:
PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
PSY 3310 Child Development
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3339 Educational Psychology
PSY 3362 Cognitive Development
PSY 3342 Exceptional Children
PSY 3332 Social and Personality Development
PSY 3338 Adolescence
PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
Law and Crime and Justice Careers
A background in psychology can be quite useful for the study and practice of law and law enforcement. Suggested courses are the following:
PSY 4372 Forensic Psychology
PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 4331 Personality
PSY 3331 Social Psychology
PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
Medical Careers
Psychology is highly recommended as a major or minor for pre-medical students interested in psychiatry or for neurology, or any student wishing to practice medicine. The intended area of medical specialization should influence the choice of courses; for example, a future pediatrician would benefit from courses in developmental psychology. In general, suggested courses are the following:
PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
PSY 4328 Health Psychology
PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3338 Adolescence
PSY 3333 Approaches to Clinical Psychology
PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
Careers in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, or Social Work
Although all courses in psychology are good preparation for careers in these areas, it is especially important that students take the following courses:
PSY 2314 Lifespan Development
NSC 3361 Introduction to Neuroscience
PSY 3361 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 4331 Personality
PSY 4343 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology
PSY 3392 Research Design and Analysis
Other courses of interest include:
PSY 3333 Approaches to Clinical Psychology
PSY 3350 Psychology of Communication
PSY 4333 Human Relations
PSY 4328 Health Psychology
PSY 4373 Psychological Assessment
PSY 4344 Child Psychopathology
PSY 4345 Violence in the Family
Minor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences: 18 semester credit hours
Students interested in communication sciences and disorders may elect to minor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Students complete 18 semester credit hours including 12 required semester credit hours of foundation coursework and 6 elective semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). No semester credit hours may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements; however, free elective semester credit hours or major preparatory classes may be used to satisfy the minor. At least one-third of the semester credit hours for a minor must be taken at UT Dallas.
Students majoring in Psychology, Neuroscience, or Cognitive Science, or students with interests in the health sciences may find that a minor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences adds a valuable interdisciplinary dimension to their overall plan of study and may enhance their opportunities for graduate study.
Foundation Courses: 12 semester credit hours required
SPAU 3301 Communication Disorders
SPAU 3303 Normal Language Development
SPAU 3343 Phonetics and Phonology
SPAU 3344 Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
Elective Courses: 6 semester credit hours
Choose two courses from the following:
SPAU 3304 Communication Sciences
SPAU 3340 Articulation Disorders
SPAU 3341 Audiology
SPAU 3345 Neural Basis of Communication
SPAU 4308 Language Disorders in Children
SPAU 4393 Language in Culture and Society
SPAU 4395 Issues in the Management of Persons with Hearing Impairment