• The Major and Minor in Psychology

  • Psychology Major Degree Requirements
  • Psychology Minor Requirements
  • Declaring Your Major or Minor in Psychology
  • Tips for Course Selections in the Psychology Major
• Working in Psychology
• Graduate School
• Student Resources
• Contact Us

If you are ready to declare your major or minor in Psychology, please use the Program of Study Management (POSM) system in MyCharleston under the Academic Services tab. Should you have any trouble navigating POSM, look for the procedure guide under the Help & Training tab.  Otherwise, keep reading - and we recommend that you do so!

Would a major or minor in Psychology contribute to your plans for the future? If you decide that Psychology is for you, then by all means declare a major or minor as soon as possible.

Selecting an area of study is an important step in your college career. Although changing majors is always possible, the farther along you are in your college career, the harder it becomes to accumulate the necessary courses in a given period of time. Therefore, before you declare a psychology major, we suggest that you:

• Pay close attention to the content of your PSYC 103 (Introduction to Psychological Science) course. Did you find the subject matter interesting? Exciting? Challenging?
• Do some reading about psychology on your own. Visit the Psychology Department web page resources - there are many links to excellent resources in our field. Browse journals such as the American Psychologist and Current Directions in Psychological Science in the library, or borrow a copy of the APA Monitor or APS Observer (monthly publications for psychologists) from a faculty member. Intelligent reading and web surfing will give you an idea of the current interests and concerns of psychologists.
• Discuss your interest in becoming a psychology major or minor with your instructors and advanced psychology majors. Ask your psychology instructor about his or her courses, research interests, and view of the field. Attend a meeting of the Psychology Club and strike up a conversation with a peer about his or her view of the field. Psychology faculty and advanced majors will be able to answer many of the questions you may have; when they can’t, they will refer you to someone or to a resource who can.
• Consider, but don’t be overly swayed, by current estimates of career incomes, job projections, and the like. Focus on what you enjoy, what you are good at, and what's important to you. Your interests, abilities, skills, and values are the keys – try to match your choice of major with these.

Changing Your Psychology Advisor

If you are already a Psychology major and would like to change your advisor, please contact our office via phone (843.953.5590). Please be sure to know your CWID and if you have any faculty member preference for your new advisor.