Frequently Asked Questions

The requirements for a degree in Psychology consist of two parts, those set by the College Humanities and Social Sciences and those set by the Department of Psychology. Students must complete at least 120 hours of course work; 30 of these hours must be in psychology classes. The psychology classes students take are outlined in the LSU General Catalog or click here to view the requirements.

All psychology students must complete these basic courses listed below. In addition, the courses needed to fulfill the College of Humanities and Social Sciences requirements are listed in the LSU General Catalog.

• PSYC 2000 Introduction to Psychology
• PSYC 2016* Statistics for Behavioral Science 
• PSYC 2017* Experimental (requires a 2.5 GPA for enrollment)
• PSYC 4008 History of Psychology (requires a 2.5 GPA for enrollment)
• PSYC 4005 Psychology Capstone (requires a 2.5 GPA for enrollment)

* PSYC 2016 and PSYC 2017 must be taken sequentially. Therefore, it is desirable to complete PSYC 2016 early in the undergraduate program, but students have until their sixth semester at LSU to complete the course.

The American Psychological Association web site provides some useful information on this topic in their newsletters (click here for a recent example). In addition, here are some suggestions which will help:

1. Maintain a high GPA. One of the important deciding factors in graduate program selection is GPA. How high your GPA needs to be depends on the school you are applying to and the specialty area you select.
2. Do well on the GRE. GRE scores are critically important. Again, standards vary from program to program. You might consider purchasing one of the numerous GRE preparation manuals or enrolling in a GRE prep course.
3. Get research experience. Graduate schools value hands-on experience, which is why many look to see if the student has participated in some form of research outside the standard classroom. At LSU, students may enroll in 2999 or 4999 courses to obtain research experience with the professor of their choice.
4. Letters of recommendation are important. The better a professor knows you, the more personalized their letter can be. Working with professors through 2999 or 4999 courses is a good way for professors to get to know you personally.

The Board of Regents determines the credits needed for transfer of courses. Specifically, to earn credit for PSYC 2000 at LSU if you have taken Introduction to Psychology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), you must have taken both PSYC 110+210; for LA Tech, PSYC 202; for Southeastern (SLU) PSYC 101 + 102; and for SLCC PSYC 1010 + 1020.

For additional transfer equivalencies, students are encouraged to consult the Tiger Transfer Tables to determine how coursework from other institutions transfers to LSU.

Psychology graduates pursue careers in a variety of fields, including human resources, business,
healthcare, social services, education, sales, marketing, and research. Some careers in psychology
require graduate or professional training. Students interested in clinical psychology, counseling,
social work, school psychology, or related professions should discuss graduate school preparation
with a faculty advisor early in their academic career.

Students who wish to major in Psychology should contact their academic advisor or the College of
Humanities & Social Sciences advising office.

Students must meet LSU and College of Humanities & Social Sciences academic standards to
remain in good standing. We require a minimum 2.5 GPA to graduate with a degree in Psychology

Not necessarily. Students have until their sixth semester to enroll in PSYC 2016 (Statistics for
Behavioral Science) without delaying graduation. The typical course progression is:

• PSYC 2016 – sixth semester
• PSYC 2017 – seventh semester
• PSYC 4005 and PSYC 4008 – eighth semester

Additionally, while PSYC 2016 is an important milestone in the major, there are many psychology
courses that do not require PSYC 2016 as a prerequisite. This allows students to continue making
progress toward their degree even if they do not take PSYC 2016 until their sixth semester

Because PSYC 2016 is required for all Psychology majors, the department is actively working on
solutions to address enrollment demand and help students take the course earlier in their academic
careers. In the meantime, students are strongly encouraged to register as early as possible during
their enrollment window and join waitlists whenever available. Students with concerns about their
degree progress should consult their academic advisor.

Students with questions about degree requirements, course planning, transfer credits, graduation
requirements, or academic opportunities should contact the Department of Psychology advising
email, psycadvising@lsu.edu.