Programmes

Psychology (BSc)

Programme Overview

Psychology is the field of study that helps us to understand the world in which we live. We study people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour as individuals, as members of small groups like the family and as members of larger groups like Jamaicans or Caribbean people. Our programme recognizes that people’s thoughts, feelings and actions both shape and are shaped by their surroundings and so we include various areas of psychological study that cover these different viewpoints. By understanding the person both from within and as influenced by external factors, we are better able to analyze, explain, and predict behaviour. Psychology therefore, is extremely applicable to helping alleviate social problems.

The Psychology Unit offers five undergraduate programmes designed to meet students' preferred focus. Students can pursue these programmes on a full-tiime or part-time basis. These are:

  • a Major in Psychology (30 upper level credits)
  • a Minor in Psychology (15 upper level credits)
  • a Minor in Social Psychology (15 upper level credits)
  • a Minor in Human Resource Development (15 upper level credits); and
  • an Undergraduate Diploma in Psychology (30 upper level credits)

Through a range of substantive content areas, research methods and statistics courses, these programmes cover core areas in Psychology. Training through these programmes prepares students for entry into graduate programmes and for career development. Given the range of programme offerings focused training in Psychology is available to non-Psychology majors and to graduates wishing o pursue graduate programmes in Psychology. Simultaneously, basic training can be gained by those students who only wish to pursue a few general courses in Psychology. For select minors (i.e. Social Psychology and Human Resource Development) courses focus on specialized areas.

Programme Objectives

At the completion of the Major in Psychology graduates are expected to:

  1. demonstrate critical thinking and analysis
  2. demonstrate familiarity with knowledge on a wide range of theories, major concepts, findings of empirical studies and historical developments in Psychology and research methods
  3. understand and apply research methods and statistics to the scientific study of Psychology.
  4. understand the relevance of Psychology to Caribbean issues and problems.
  5. demonstrate appreciation for values central to the scientific enterprise of Psychology including acting ethically, protecting human dignitu, maintaining integrity in academic endeavours and exercising personal and social responsibility.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements in (a) or (b) or (c) below: 
(a) Five (5) CXC/CSEC (General Proficiency Grades I-III from June 1998) or GCE/BGCSE O’Level (Grades A-C) with compulsory subjects: Mathematics and English Language and two (2) CAPE subjects (Units 1 and 2) or GCE/BGCSE A’Level passes in a minimum of two (2) subjects; or
(b) An Associate degree, Diploma and/or Certificate from other approved tertiary institutions having attained a B+ average or a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Programme Structure

YEAR I

Semester I

PSYC1005  Research Methods in Developmental, Social and Abnormal Psychology   
FOUN1201  Science, Medicine and Technology   
SOCI1002  Introduction to Sociology I  
PSYC1000  Introduction to Developmental, Social and Abnormal Psychology   
FOUN1013  Critical Reading and Writing in the Social Sciences OR FOUN1019  
     
Semester II
SOCI1005  Introductory Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences   
FOUN1101  Caribbean Civilization   
PSYC1001  Introduction to Cognitive and Physiological Psychology   
PSYC1006  Research Methods in Cognitive and Physiological Psychology   
     
Also choose one ‘out-of-department’ course from either: Economics, Government or Management or an approved elective

 

Year II
PSYC2000 Social Psychology (semester 1 or 2) 
PSYC2019  Experimentaland Applied Psychology (semester 2)  
SOCI2008  Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences (semester 1 or 2)  
     
Any three of the following:
PSYC2002 Abnormal Psychology 
PSYC2003 Physiological Psychology 
PSYC2012 Developmental Psychology 
PSYC2004 Personality Theory 
PSYC2007 Psychometrics 
Four (4) free electives. These may include Psychology courses if so desired.;

 

Year III
Choose Either:
PSYC3007 Applied Social Psychology (semester 1) 
PSYC3001 Social Cognition (semester 2) 
     
PSYC2008  Cognitive Psychology  
Select three Psychology electives [any level 2 or 3 psychology courses]
Five (5) free electives. (These may include Psychology courses if so desired)

Careers after Graduation

Graduates with a Psychology major from the University of the West Indies are employed in a wide range of fields given the relevance of psychology to all areas of work. While further training in psychology is needed before being able to work independently as a psychologist, our graduates are often able to shape careers related to psychology. Typical careers paths that psychology graduates follow are psychologists in academia and/or in private practice, Human Resource managers, Statisticians, Researchers in the public and private sectors, Marketers, and careers in the Justice system.  

Further Information:

Please contact the Psychology Student Services Unit for additional information about the Psychology programmes through one of the following means:
•    Address: Room 35, Social Sciences Building
•    Telephone Number: 970-3896
•    Electronic mail: sharon.robinson@uwimona.edu.jm; joan.williams@uwimona.edu.jm