Design and Psychology, Integrated, B.A.

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BA in Design and Psychology, Integrated

DESCRIPTION

The Design and Psychology major involves designing, researching, and programming technological interfaces and products in a way that is easy and intuitive for people to adapt to and use. Design and Psychology curriculum integrates software skills with creative decision-making as well as integrating human perspective into the design process.

WHAT CAREERS CAN THIS MAJOR PREPARE YOU FOR?

User experience design (UX) / design research, User interface design (UI), Interaction design (IxD), Programming, Web/mobile app development, Motion/animation, 3D modeling, Data analyst, Computer system analyst, Related fields that include extended reality technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality)

WHAT SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED WITHIN THIS MAJOR?

Skills developed within this major include learning the ability to apply a broad range of psychological concepts that describe and explain the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of humans; apply basic statistical concepts; create psychological research designs; evaluate psychological research; typography; design principles; motion graphics animation; web coding; user experience design and user interface design (including the design of mobile and web apps); data visualization; design research methods; analytical skills; communication skills; time management skills; problem solving skills

Hours Required for Degree

Minimum hours required for degree: 120 credits

Minimum hours required for major: 52 credits

College Requirements

See college page for college requirements.

Major Requirements

A grade of C or better must be earned in all courses used to fulfill requirements for the major.

Required Courses (43 Credits)

Design Courses (21 Credits)

Design Foundations (12 Credits)

Advanced Coursework (9 Credits)

Psychology Courses (22 Credits)

Required Coursework (13 Credits)

Advanced Coursework (9 Credits)

Elective Courses (6 Credits)

Must choose one ART and one PSY 300/400-level course

Capstone (3 Credits)

Choose one of the three capstone options.

Honors Requirements

Students can choose either the Psychology Honors track or the Design Honors track.

Psychology Honors Track

University Honors and University Scholars students register for PSY 495H - Honors Seminar in Spring of their junior year, during which they (a) develop proposals for research that they conduct under faculty supervision during the following year (both Fall and Spring semesters) while registered for PSY 497H - Honors Project and/or PSY 498H - Honors Project and Defense or (b) complete additional advanced coursework thorough which they earn a total of 6 credits from graduate-level courses during the following year. To complete the Honors program curriculum, students must follow one of two tracks:

Thesis Option. Students following this track complete PSY 495H , PSY 497H , and PSY 498H . Students in this track do not need to complete the PSY 412 /PSY 415 Capstone requirement, as PSY 498H will function as their Capstone course.
Non-Thesis Option. Students following this track complete PSY 495H , followed by 6 credits of graduate-level courses. Students in this track, like all other majors, will be required to complete either PSY 412 or PSY 415 in order to satisfy their Capstone requirement.

Design Honors Track

Attain and maintain CSU Honors Program status. Attain and maintain an average 3.5 GPA in all Art courses. Students may fulfill the honors requirement by taking a minimum of 9 hours of Art courses required for the major at the 300 - 400 level as Honors Contract courses (which requires approval of an honors contract petition, signed by both the instructor and the student).

In courses that are cross listed at the graduate level, students would register for the graduate version of the course and follow the course outline for the graduate level. Finally, the capstone requirement for the student’s major area would also be an Honors Contract course, with additional requirements agreed upon by the student and the instructor.