Psychological & Brain Sciences > Undergraduate > Requirements

Declaring a Major or Minor

To declare a psychology major or minor, submit an electronic request in SIS.

Major Requirements

Note: Students who entered JHU in prior years may follow old requirements as detailed in the catalog based on their year of entry to the institution or may follow these revised requirements. Please check the archive for older versions.

Please refer to the Academic Catalog, maintained by the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Academic Advising, for the formal listing of Psychology major and minor requirements. All classes taken for the major must be taken for a grade and be completed with a C- or better. Courses taken during Intersession or through the School of Business and Professional Studies may not be used to satisfy the requirements for the psychology major, although JHU summer credits may be accepted to satisfy these requirements. View the Psychology Undergraduate Handbook for additional information about these programs.

  • Intro-level course requirement: Three 100-level psychology courses. These are typically taken during Year 1 and Year 2.
  • Experimental Methods, Design & Analysis: AS.200.200 Research Methods Psychology and AS.200.201 Design and Analysis for Psychology should be taken as a two-course sequence in Fall and Spring of Year 2.
  • Upper-level course requirement: Five upper-level psychology courses (200- or 300-level), three of which must be at the 300-level. These are typically dispersed through Years 2–4.
  • Small group experience: 3 credits of either research, internship, independent study, or an additional 300-level psychology course with an enrollment cap of 19 students or less. Students who are interested in graduate work in psychology are encouraged to get involved in research/internship activity starting in Year 2 and to continue throughout their time at Hopkins.
  • 9 Science and Data Credits: Students must complete 9 additional Science and Data credits using courses not taught within the psychology department (AS.200.XXX) and not counting otherwise toward the psychology major.

Minor Requirements

Undergraduates majoring in any department can minor in psychology. Students electing to minor in psychology should declare their intention directly to the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences by the end of junior year. All classes taken for the minor must be taken for a grade and be completed with a C- or better.

The minor requires successful completion of the following:

  • Three introductory-level psychology courses from the following:
    • AS.200.101 Introduction to Psychology
    • AS.200.110 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology or AS.050.101 Cognition
    • AS.200.132 Introduction to Developmental Psychology
    • AS.200.133 Introduction to Social Psychology
    • AS.200.141 Foundations of Brain, Behavior, and Cognition
  • Three additional psychology courses, including at least two at the 300- or 600-level, and one at any level.

Courses taken during Intersession or through the School of Business and Professional Studies may not be used to satisfy the requirements for the psychology minor, although JHU summer credits may be accepted to satisfy these requirements.

Double Major

Students wishing to double major in psychology and another field (e.g., biology or philosophy) are encouraged to meet with a faculty advisor in each department as early as possible to devise an appropriate plan of study. Check with the Office of Academic Advising about procedures for declaring a double major.