Major/Minor Declaration

Attend a Psychology Major/Minor Declaration Session

Attend one of the Psychology Major/Minor Declaration Sessions, held during the Fall and Spring semesters.  The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Deborah Stearns, will outline the requirements and opportunities of the undergraduate Psychology program and then provide individualized advising.  Students who wish to declare a major in Psychology are required to attend a Declaration Session; prospective minors are encouraged to do so.  After attending the declaration session, those wishing to declare a major in Psychology should email the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Deborah Stearns, and their advising dean to indicate their interest in declaring a Psychology major.  The email approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Deborah Stearns, constitutes departmental approval and must be submitted with the Academic Program Change form to declare the major.

Choose an Advisor

The Major-Minor Declaration form can be accessed through the College Dean’s Office website; complete the Academic Program Change form. Students in other schools who wish to declare a minor in psychology must obtain the proper form from his or her own Dean’s office.

Next, students should think of potential advisors. Think of a professor from whom you have taken a class or whose field of interest corresponds to your own. Advisors can serve many roles including helping students plan their curriculum, provide research and teaching assistant opportunities, or career advice. Guidance for choosing a faculty advisor will be provided during the Psychology Major/Minor Declaration Session. Although a particular faculty member will act as an official advisor, the department strongly encourages students to meet and seek advice from several different faculty members.

Students are not limited – the department strongly encourages students to meet and seek advice from several different faculty members during their time at Georgetown. Not only are these relationships fulfilling, but they become especially important when the need arises for graduate school recommendations. All faculty have scheduled office hours but are willing to see students by appointment as well. 

Plan a Well-Balanced Program

With the assistance of a faculty advisor, students are expected to plan a program of electives and cognate courses in other disciplines to provide the course sequences most appropriate to their specific goals. In planning lecture classes and tutorials, it may be useful for students to know who is likely to be on sabbatical or on leave in coming semesters. Plans for sabbaticals and leaves of absence are subject to change, so confirm with the Department’s main office (306 White-Gravenor), or with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Deborah Stearns.

A well-balanced program refers to more than just psychology courses. One important consideration is the selection of an appropriate minor or a second major. Students are not required to have a minor, but many psychology majors have found that minors such as biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, philosophy, English, sociology, government, cognitive science, or computer science very helpful. A minor broadens one’s perspective of his or her own discipline.

Students may consider taking a double major, which often means having fewer elective courses but a more structured degree program. A number of well-known psychologists have strong backgrounds in other disciplines. One should begin to look for cognate fields in one’s first or second year. A student’s choice of a minor depends heavily upon their professional goals and general interests.

For suggestions of cognate areas appropriate to a particular specialty area consult one of the faculty members with interests in that area. Consult the Faculty page for information about Faculty research and professional interests. Advisors may have further suggestions.

If interested in applying to graduate school in psychology, it is important to follow a broad course of study. Of particular importance is a strong background in research methods and statistics.

Plan for Graduate School

If interested in applying to graduate school in psychology it is important to follow a broad course of study. Of particular importance is a strong background in research methods and statistics. Please see the section on applying to graduate school for more information.

Please Note: Students are responsible for knowing the requirements for the Major or Minor in Psychology. It is also the student’s responsibility to meet those requirements.