Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Psychology, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Social Science (Thomas Nelson Community College)
Thomas Nelson Community College
Thomas Nelson Community College
Program description

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology curriculum reflects the discipline’s major functions- scientific research, teaching, acting as a healing profession and raising philosophical questions about the assumptions, values, and ideals of human beings and their societies, which reflects psychology’s origin in philosophy. Through a core set of requirements, the student systematically develops understanding and skill in scientific methods of inquiry, focusing on the human mind and behavior. To fulfill degree requirements, students may pursue the standard curriculum by selecting courses from four content areas that introduce students to the healing and philosophical sides of psychology and provide a broad understanding of the field as a whole; or the student may apply to one of several more focused concentrations that draw upon the special strengths of the VCU Department of Psychology.

Career opportunities

Some students may choose to study psychology because they enjoy the subject and wish to pursue careers requiring “any major.” In this scenario, it is critical to develop desirable skills through internships, part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer experiences. Some skills valued most by employers include communication, interpersonal leadership, teamwork, and computer skills. Other students may major in psychology because they want to work in a related field.


Many entry-level helping positions are available, however the amount of direct client contact is limited for those who only have a bachelor’s degree. Students may wish to pursue graduate education in psychology, social work, counseling, college student personnel, or other fields to increase opportunities and earning potential. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Americorps, PeaceCorps, Fulbright Student Program, or City Year.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Adult Learning and Instruction
  • Human Resources Specialist
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Marketing Specialist
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Recruiter
  • Sales Representative
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Training and Development Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Counselor
  • Higher Education Administrator
  • Psychologist
  • Researcher
  • Therapist
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Highest level of math required
  • STAT 210
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Psychology, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

Thomas Nelson Community College (Associate of Science: Social Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend New Student Orientation.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Psychology through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
Experience Year 2
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Psychology department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend New Student Orientation.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Start your math sequence and pass ENG 111-112.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Psychology through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Psychology department-related events.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Psychology, Bachelor of Science (accelerated masters degree option)

Thomas Nelson Community College (Associate of Science: Social Science)

Thomas Nelson Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Social Science PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
Humanities Select 1: PHI 101, 111, 220; ART 101, 102; MUS 121; REL 231, 232 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Wellness elective Wellness elective VCU equivalent 1 Elective
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
Social Science PSY 230 Developmental Psychology PSYC 304 3 Major
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Laboratory Science BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
Elective Transfer Elective (recommend taking World Language I; see note below about foreign language requirement at VCU) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
History Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Social Science Select 1: ECO 120, 201, 202, GEO 200, 210, SOC 200, PLS 135, 241 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Elective Transfer Elective (recommend taking World Language II; see note below about foreign language requirement at VCU) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
Laboratory Science Select 1: BIO 102 or BIO 107 BIOL 4 Major (Ancillary)
History Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Humanities Select 1: PHI 101, 111, 220; ART 101, 102; MUS 121; REL 231, 232 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Literature Select 1: ENG 200-level literature ENGL 3 General education
Social Science Select 1: ECO 120, 201, 202, GEO 200, 210, SOC 200, PLS 135, 241 VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Thomas Nelson credits transferred to VCU 61 to 63
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level (if not completed at TNCC) (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education
PSYC 214 Applications of Statistics 3 Major
PSYC 317 Experimental Methods 3 Major
PSYC 451 History of Psychology 3 Major
PSYC Social/personality psychology requirement (select 1): see VCU advisor for course options 3 Major
PSYC Physiological/learning psychology requirement (select 1): see VCU advisor for course options 3 Major
PSYC Self-development/applied psychology requirement (select 1): see VCU advisor for course options 3 Major
PSYC Select three Psychology upper-level elective(300- or 400-level courses) 9 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 18 Elective
Open electives 12 to 14 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 57 to 59
Bachelor's degree total 120