ADDITION OF A FOCUS GROUP TO THE WHP DEGREE TO
ACCOMMODATE A DOUBLE MAJOR WITH PSYCHOLOGY
AND
CONSEQUENT AMENDMENT OF THE EXISTING
GENERAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOCUS
RATIONALE, PROPOSED CATALOG COPY
AND CURRICULUM CHECKLISTS
Stafford C. Rorke
March 30, 2004
Background: A compromise between CAS and SHS to create a new focus in WHP
facilitates the exciting opportunity for students to obtain a double major in WHP and
Psychology. There is current student demand for such an option and this initiative
addresses the need. In addition, this combination of majors will inevitably be attractive to
both future students and employers. Students will be eminently more marketable with
such a combination of majors.
The short agreement reached between CAS and WHP was to create a new focus area as
follows:
1. Students declare WHP as their first major in the School of Health Sciences and
complete the 92 credit-hour core curriculum for WHP.
2. A new 36-hour focus ("seventh focus," but I suggest listed as the first focus in the
catalog, as a) will require: "a further 28 credit hours of psychology and 8 elective hours
from either WHP or PSY." (There are 12 credit hours of PSY in the WHP core minimum total 40 credit hours of PSY).
3. The College of Arts and Sciences distribution requirements will not need to be taken
because students will graduate with a BS in WHP in the School of Health Sciences, and
their second major will be in PSY. (However, if a student wants both the BS and BA they
will have to do a double degree).
4. All other expectations for the psychology major have to be fulfilled.
The new focus group catalog language and checklist appears below for review and
approval by CAS and the COI of SHS.
Amendment of the Existing General Health Promotion Focus: As a consequence of
the addition of a new focus the existing General Health Promotion Focus needs to be
amended. The proposed change retains the behavioral psychology core, but the focus now
shifts to facilitate a broader range of student options to permit minors from the College
and other Schools across campus, but with a focus on the health and behavioral (social)
sciences. Prior approval will be required by students to ensure that students offer a course
of study, or minor, that complements the WHP core curriculum. The proposed change
also facilitates more flexibility for transfer students. The proposed catalog entry and
checklists appear below, for approval by COI.
PROPOSED CATALOG ENTRY: (See current catalog bottom of page 417):
6. Complete the required credit hours of program elective work for one of the chosen
focus specialization areas below:
a. Additional major in psychology: Students intending to earn a psychology major must
consult with a Department of Psychology faculty adviser and complete the required
40 credits for the psychology major as detailed below. Note that courses in bold
italics are satisfied in the WHP core curriculum, namely 12 credits of psychology.
Therefore, in this focus students must complete an additional 28 credit hours of
psychology, and two additional courses for 8 credits in either PSY or WHP, for a total
of 36 credit hours. Students must declare the additional major in psychology by
completing an additional major form, and must attain a minimum GPA of 2.00 over
all psychology courses. Required courses: PSY 100, 250, 251 with a minimum course
grade of 2.0. Eight hours from PSY 215, 225, 235, 245. One course each from three
of the following four groups: Basic processes: PSY 311, 316, 317, 318, 319, 415;
Developmental: PSY 321, 322, 323, 327, 425; Social: PSY 330, 333, 337, 338, 339,
435 (338 is in WHP core); and, Personality and individual differences: PSY 341, 342,
343, 344, 445. Complete an additional 8 credit hours of psychology courses; plus, 8
elective credit hours that must be offered from either PSY or WHP. Students should
refer to the catalog section for College of Arts and Sciences and note any additional
regulations applicable to the psychology major, such as graduate school expectations,
and that PSY 399 may not be counted toward the psychology major.
b. General health promotion focus: PSY 225. One of PSY 325 or 245. Four hours from
either PSY 318, 333 or 342. With the prior permission of the WHP Program Director,
a minimum of a further 24 credit hours from any course offered in the School of
Health Sciences; or, any health-related or social science course offered within the
College of Arts and Sciences; or from other Schools in the University, preferably
leading to the attainment of a complementary minor.
c. … through g – per existing catalog entry for other focus areas.
FOCUS GROUP CHECKLIST FOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR
ADDITIONAL MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY: Students intending to earn a psychology major must
consult with a Department of Psychology faculty adviser and complete the required 40 credits for the
psychology major as detailed below. Note that courses in bold italics are satisfied in the WHP core
curriculum, namely 12 credits of psychology. Therefore, in this focus students must complete an
additional 28 credit hours of psychology, and complete two additional courses for 8 credits in either
PSY or WHP, for a total of 36 credit hours. Students must declare the additional major in psychology
by completing an additional major form, and must attain a minimum GPA of 2.00 over all psychology
courses.
ADDITIONAL FOCUS GROUP HOURS ABOVE THE WHP CORE
Course(s) Grade
CURRICULUM MUST TOTAL 36 HOURS
REQUIRED COURSES (12 CREDIT HOURS)
The following 3 courses must be obtained with a minimum of 2.0
PSY 100: Foundations of contemporary psychology (4)
PSY 250: Introduction to research design (4)
PSY 251: Statistics and research design (4)
Plus: 8 credits from:
PSY 215: Introduction to basic psychological processes (4)
PSY 225: Introduction to lifespan developmental psychology (4)
PSY 235: Introduction to social psychology (4) or,
PSY 245: Introduction to individual differences and personality (4)
Plus: One course from three groups (12 hours):
1. PSY 311, 316, 317, 318, 319, 415
2. PSY 321, 322, 323, 327, 425
3. PSY 330, 333, 337, 338, 339, 435 (note 338 is in WHP core)
4. PSY 341, 342, 343, 344, 445
Plus: 8 elective hours of psychology credits at any level, except PSY 399
Plus, a further 8 credit hours that must be offered from either WHP or
PSY electives
GENERAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOCUS (36 HOURS)
REQUIRED CORE COURSES (12 CREDIT HOURS)
PSY 225: Introduction to lifespan developmental psychology (4)
Plus: A minimum of 4 hours from:
Course(s)
Grade
PSY 235: Introduction to social psychology (4) or,
PSY 245: Intro to individual differences and personality (4)
Plus: 4 hours from:
PSY 318: Physiological psychology (4)
PSY 333: Motivation (4), or
PSY 342: Coping strategies (4)
A MINIMUM OF AN ADDITIONAL 24 CREDIT HOURS: With the
prior permission of the WHP Program Director, any course offered in the
School of Health Sciences; or, any health-related or social science course
offered within the College of Arts and Sciences; or from other Schools in
the University, preferably leading to the attainment of a complementary
minor.