Psychology Bachelor of Science Degree (BS)

Effective for students admitted to UH Mānoa Fall 2014 or later.

The BS degree offers a research-oriented program of study, including an in-depth exploration of psychological principles and sufficient background to enable outstanding students to qualify for graduate programs that have a focus on laboratory research. The curriculum for the BS degree will be useful for students planning to attend medical school and those interested in pursuing biomedical professions or other research careers.


Credit Requirements

  • A minimum of 43 credits in Psychology is required for the major.
  • At least 21 credits must be earned in upper-division (300- or 400-level) Psychology courses.
  • At least 21 PSY credits must be completed at UH Mānoa or Mānoa Outreach College.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement

  • Psychology GPA of at least 2.5.

Note: An undergraduate major GPA is calculated on the basis of all Psychology course grades taken at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, plus other course grades meeting degree requirements (e.g., SOCS 225). A grade of C- or below will not count toward credit requirements and will lower major GPA.


Coursework Requirements

The following provides a guideline of BS degree coursework requirements pertaining specifically to psychology. For more information about UH Mānoa BS core requirements, please contact ACCESS.

Required Pre-Major Courses (9-10 Credits)

  • PSY 100: Survey of Psychology
  • PSY 212: Survey of Research Methods
  • PSY 225: Statistical Techniques or;
    SOCS 225: Statistical Analysis for Social Sciences
    Other statistics courses may be used to meet the requirements. Please check with the Psychology Undergraduate Advising Office.

Biology Foundations (10-11 Credits)

  • BIOL 171/171L - Introduction to Biology/Lab I
  • BIOL 172/172L - Introduction to Biology/Lab II
    • May be prerequisite to PSY 331 or 336 with instructor approval or PSY 230
  • PSY 331: Behavioral Neuroscience or;
    PSY 336: Sensation and Perception

One course from 3 of 4 Psychology Foundation Areas (9 Credits)

  1. Experimental (PSY X2X courses), e.g., PSY 322, 324, 325
  2. Developmental (PSY X4X courses), e.g., PSY 240, 341, 442
  3. Social or Personality (PSY X5X / PSY X6X courses), e.g., PSY 250, 260, 352
  4. Clinical or Community (PSY X7X / PSY X8X courses), e.g., PSY 270, 280, 371

Two courses in the Advanced Topics Series (6 Credits)

  • These courses are numbered 4X9 (e.g., 429, 439, 449, etc.)
  • Visit the Psychology (PSY) Courses page for important Advanced Topics Series details.

One Upper-Division Elective (3 Credits)

  • 300- or 400-level Psychology courses

Research Credits (6 Credits)

  • PSY 499: Directed Reading or Research
  • During one of the two required semesters of PSY 499, students must submit a Research Project Summary.
  • Visit the Psychology (PSY) Courses page for important PSY 499 (Research) details.

Practicum Experience

  • Although not required, students may also receive credit for practicum experiences in the community through PSY 407.

View program sheets and plan templates

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All inquiries regarding undergraduate study should be directed to psyadv@hawaii.edu.