Plan For Completing the Psychology Major
Name: ________________________________________
Requirements: (circle those completed and fill out grid on other side for those to be taken)

Psych 100
Students who scored a 4 or 5 on the AP Psych Exam or who scored 5 or higher on the IB
Psych exam may not take Psych 100, but must still take 9 courses to complete the major.

Psych 122 (or AP Stats with score of 4 or 5; Math 130; or Econ 360)
Note: At least a B- grade is required in both Psych 100 and 122 to pursue the psychology
major and both courses must be completed by the end of sophomore year; students who
place out of Psych 100 and/or 122 must still complete 9 psychology courses. Beginning
with the class of 2018, students who wish to major in Psychology but did not receive a Bor better in Psych 100 can take a makeup examination and a passing grade on this exam
will allow them to place out of this requirement. Students will not be allowed to major in
Psychology if they fail to earn a grade of B- or better in Psych 100 and do not take or
pass the Psych 100 makeup exam. The Psych 100 makeup exam may only be taken by
students that received a C+ or lower in Psych 100 at Amherst. There is currently no
makeup exam for students that receive a C+ or lower in Psych 122.

Psych 123 (Methods), by the end of junior year

Distribution course in Biological Psychology (212 - Behavioral Neuroscience; 226 Intro Neuroscience)

Distribution course in Cognitive/Developmental Psychology (227 – Developmental;
233 – Cognitive; 236 – Aging)

Distribution course in Social/Personality/Clinical Psychology (220 – Social; 221 –
Personality; 228 - Abnormal)

A seminar in at least TWO of the groups below:
o Area 1: Biological – Psychopharmacology (325); Motivation (356); Hormones &
Behavior (359)
o Area 2: Clinical – History of Psychiatry (357); Child and Adolescent
Psychopathology (364); Psychopathology (371)
o Area 3: Cognitive – Music Cognition (366); Autobiographical Memory (368)
o Area 4: Personality – Personality and Political Leadership (338); Psychological
Assessment (353)
o Area 5: Social – Close Relationships (354); Psychology and the Law (363);
Stereotypes & Prejudice (337)
o Area 6: Developmental – Adolescence (332); Nonverbal Communication (362);
Social development and Peer relations (355)
Note: Each of these seminars has a distribution area course as a prerequisite that must
be taken prior to enrolling in the seminar.

One additional course (an additional distribution or seminar; special topics/honors
work; an elective – see complete list at:
https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/psychology/major)
Note: Psychology classes taken at the other Five Colleges or on a study abroad
program may count towards the major. Talk to your adviser to get specific information
about how a particular class could be included in the major.
Complete the table below with courses you will take to complete the psychology major.
Fall
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Spring