Psychology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Associate of Science in Social Sciences
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
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.
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.
- 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
- Attorney
- Counselor
- Higher Education Administrator
- Psychologist
- Researcher
- Therapist
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of the associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), accelerated Bachelor's-to-Master's (counselor education)
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in addiction studies
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in applied psychology
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in life science
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in pre-graduate school
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in urban psychology
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), accelerated Bachelor's-to-Master's (counselor education)
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in addiction studies
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in applied psychology
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in life science
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in pre-graduate school
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in urban psychology
- STAT 210
- Natural Sciences requirement only
- Yes
- No
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Social Sciences)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the VCU Psychology department website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to psychology.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Explore the concentrations in psychology.
- Explore the accelerated B.S. and M.Ed. in Counselor Education program.
- Explore options for a minor or second major at VCU.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Submit the NEXT Step Interest Form.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Psychology department.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Psychology, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Social Sciences)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ITE 152 | Introduction to Digital Literacy | BUSN 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| World Language | Select one: ASL 101 Beginning American Sign Language I, or FRE 101 Beginning French I, or SPA 101 Beginning Spanish I Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. | VCU equivalent | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| MTH | Select one: MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning or MTH 161 Precalculus I | MATH 131 or MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
| BIO 101 | General Biology I (substitutes for VCU's BIOL/Z 101 requirement) | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| World Language | Select one: ASL 102 Beginning American Sign Language II, or FRE 102 Beginning French II, or SPA 102 Beginning Spanish II. | VCU equivalent | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| History | Select one: HIS 101 Western Civilizations Pre-1600 CE or HIS 121 United States History to 1877 | HIST 101 or HIST 103 | 3 | General education |
| Select one: ART 100 Art Appreciation, or HUM 202 Modern Humanities, or MUS 121 Music in Society, or PHI 220 Ethics. | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| Year 2 | ||||
| History | Select one: HIS 102 Western Civilizations Post-1600 CE or HIS 122 United States History since 1877 | HIST 102 or HIST 104 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 245 | Statistics I | STAT 210 | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| BIO 102 | General Biology II (substitues for VCU's BIOL 103/BIOL 201 requirement) | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Literature | Select one: ENG 246 American Literature or ENG 258 African American Literature | ENGL 205 or ENGL 291 | 3 | General education |
| PSY 200 | Principles of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | Major (Ancillary) |
| Literature | Select one: ENG 225 Reading Literature: Culture and Ideas, or ENG 245 British Literature, or ENG 246 American Literature, or ENG 250 Children’s Literature, or ENG 255 World Literature, or ENG 258 African American Literature, or ENG 275 Women’s Literature | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective |
| PSY 230 | Developmental Psychology (fulfils VCU's Developmental Psychology domain requirement) | PSYC 304 | 3 | Major |
| PSY 215 | Psychopathology (fulfils VCU's self-development/applied psychology domain) | PSYC 407 | 3 | Major |
| Select two: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking, or CST 110 Introduction to Human Communication, or PLS 135 U.S. Government and Politics, or GEO 210 People and the Land | VCU equivalents | 6 | General education | |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 62 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| PSYC 214 | Applications of Statistics | 3 | Major |
| PSYC | Course in social/personality psychology domain | 3 | Major |
| PSYC | PSYC elective (upper-level) | 3 | Major |
| Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 6 | Elective | |
| PSYC 317 | Experimental Methods | 3 | Major |
| PSYC | Course in physiological/learning psychology domain | 3 | Major |
| Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 9 | Elective | |
| Year 4 | |||
| PSYC 451 | History of Psychology | 3 | Major |
| PSYC | PSYC electives (upper-level) | 6 | Major |
| Open electives (consider a minor or second major) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. | 19 | Elective | |
| Credits completed at VCU | 58 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||