On-Campus Bachelor's in Psychology
Why should you get this degree?
Are you curious about the human mind, or why people do the things they do? Are you committed to the idea that you want to be a responsive, considerate mental health professional, or an advocate for your community? Are you passionate about engaging in innovative research on the mind and human behavior? If so, a bachelor's degree in psychology may be right for you. The Department of Psychology at Fort Hays State University provides compelling, hands-on experiential programs that will arm you with practical skills and theory.
The Psychology Department is pleased to offer a faculty-student mentoring program. This program is designed to enhance collaboration between faculty and students and provide guidance about career opportunities for future professionals in the field of psychology. To access mentoring and career resources, click here.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology
- Completion of 10 hours of a single foreign language.
| General Education Requirements | 34 credit hours |
| Psychology Major Requirements | 36 credit hours |
| Foreign Language | 10 credit hours |
| Free Electives | 40 credit hours |
| Total | 120 credit hours |
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology
- A candidate for the BS in Psychology must complete 20 hours of course work in Natural Science and/or Mathematics.
- We recommend the BS option for students who intend to go to graduate school.
| General Education Requirements | 34 credit hours |
| Psychology Major Requirements | 36 credit hours |
| Additional Math & Science Courses | 13 credit hours |
| Free Electives | 37 credit hours |
| Total | 120 credit hours |
What can I do with the BA or BS degree?
Students earning a bachelor's degree in psychology will have a foundation to enter a specific career or to pursue additional graduate work. The first question to ask yourself is "what do you want to do?" The second question is "do you want to pursue graduate work?"
Psychology is a diverse discipline, grounded in science, with extensive applications in everyday life. Some psychologists do research to develop theories and test their ideas through carefully crafted research methods involving observation and experimentation. Other psychologists apply the discipline's scientific knowledge to help people, organizations, and communities obtain optimal functioning. Psychologists support people with mental, behavioral, and emotional problems. They also study and encourage behaviors to enhance wellness.
As psychological research continues to yield new information, whether it’s improved interventions to manage depression or how humans interact with artificial intelligence, these findings become part of the discipline’s body of knowledge and are applied in clinical, school, and corporate settings, within the judicial system, and even in professional sports.
Psychology Major Requirements
Our undergraduate psychology curriculum for both the BA and BS emphasizes scientific and theoretical knowledge as well as hands-on experiences. Students complete core courses that provide a framework for the foundations of psychology as a science as well as a broad introduction to the various sub-disciplines (e.g., General Psychology; Science of Psychology; Psychology as a Discipline and Profession).
Our elective classes are designed around three content emphasis areas:
- Social Cognitive Emphasis: This emphasis area focuses on social influence and cognition as well as environmental factors that influence the way we think, feel, behave, and make decisions.
- Developmental Cultural Emphasis: This emphasis area connects the developmental process of an individual to culture to identify how are social, emotional, and neurological development is shaped.
- Applied Mental Health Emphasis: This emphasis area focuses on the application of psychology within the fields of clinical psychology (mental health), sports psychology, and forensic psychology.
BA & BS Coursework - Total 36 credit hours:
Required Courses:
- PSY 100 General Psychology (3)
- PSY 101 Psychology as a Discipline & Profession (1)
- PSY 201 The Science of Psychology (3)
- PSY 480 Applied Statistic (4)
- PSY 498 Experimental Lab (4)
- PSY 668 Neuropsychology (3)
Students will choose 1 course from each emphasis area below:
- Social Cognitive Emphasis Area
- PSY 334 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (3)
- PSY 340 Social Psychology (3)
- PSY 425 Personality (3)
- Developmental Cultural Emphasis Area
- PSY 400 Child and Developmental Psychology (3)
- PSY 415 Adolescensce (3)
- PSY 420 Psychology of Aging (3)
- Applied Mental Health Emphasis Area
- PSY 300 Abnormal Psychology (3)
- PSY 310 Introduction to Therapeutic Skills (3)
- PSY 355 Drugs and Behavior (3)
Students will choose 3 or more courses from 1 emphasis area below:
- Social Cognitive Emphasis Area
- PSY 315 Industrial Psychology (3)
- PSY 330 Elements of Learning (3)
- PSY 334 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (3)
- PSY 340 Social Psychology (3)
- PSY 359 Evolutionary Psychology (3)
- PSY 422 Intimate Relationships (3)
- PSY 425 Personality (3)
- PSY 450 Perception (3)
- PSY 452 Judgment & Decision Making (3)
- PSY 350 Special Topics (3)
- PSY 376/476 Apprenticeship (1-3)
- Developmental Cultural Emphasis Area
- PSY 312 Introduction to School Psychology (3)
- PSY 325 Human Sexuality (3)
- PSY 400 Child and Developmental Psychology (3)
- PSY 412 Social & Emotional Development (3)
- PSY 415 Adolescensce (3)
- PSY 420 Psychology of Aging (3)
- PSY 350 Special Topics (3)
- PSY 376/476 Apprenticeship (1-3)
- Applied Mental Health Emphasis Area
- PSY 300 Abnormal Psychology (3)
- PSY 310 Introduction to Therapeutic Skills (3)
- PSY 355 Drugs and Behavir (3)
- PSY 357 Forensic Psychology (3)
- PSY 369 Criminal Psychology (3)
- PSY 375 Case Management (3)
- PSY 430 Sports Psychology (3)
- PSY 460 Behavioral Addictions (3)
- PSY 462 Eating Disorders (3)
- PSY 685 Behavior Therapy (3)
- PSY 350 Special Topics (3)
- PSY 376/476 Apprenticeship (1-3)
Recommended Course Sequence
The faculty in the Department of Psychology have put considerable thought into recommending the following sequence of required courses. In our experience, students who take courses in this order maximize their chances of success. PSY 100 (General Psychology) serves as a prerequisite for all of our courses. Next, we recommend students take PSY 101 and PSY 201, followed by PSY 480, then PSY 498 and PSY 668.
How much does on-campus tuition cost?
| Credit Hour Rate | Credit Hours for Degree | Total Estimated Cost | |
| Resident/Regional | $197.46 | 120 credit hours | $23,695.20 |
| Non-Resident | $592.40 | 120 credit hours | $71,088 |
| MSEP | $275.87 | 120 credit hours | $33,104.40 |
*Tuition and Fees are subject to change at any time by the Kansas Board of Regents. Cost of attendance - Fort Hays State University (FHSU)
- A Resident/Regional student will be charged On-Campus tuition and fees for On-Campus courses.
- A Non-Resident student will be charged Non-Resident tuition and fees when taking both On-Campus and FHSU Online courses. An international student is a Non-Resident student for tuition calculation purposes.
- Students who meet eligibility requirements for the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) qualify for the MSEP rate for On-Campus courses. An MSEP student will be charged MSEP tuition and fees when taking both On-Campus and FHSU Online courses. More information can be found at Midwest Student Exchange Program - Fort Hays State University (FHSU)
Interested in this program?
Please contact the Department of Psychology at 785-628-4405.