Frequently Requested Forms

After reviewing requirements for the Psychology major,  make an appointment on Navigate to meet with one of our Psychology major academic advisors.  An advisor will work with you to determine which courses you should take and which requirements you have already fulfilled.

What is your goal? You should choose a B.A. or B.S. based on what you wish to do after graduation. See B.A. versus B.S.

You can familiarize yourself with the requirements located on the Undergraduate Catalog, find a major checklist above.

It is also important for you to make an appointment with a major advisor so they can go through your major requirements with you. Please make an appointment on Navigate.

Go to your SOLAR account under Student Records and Registration then Enrollment. Here you will see the Major/Minor declaration Google form. Click the link (make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled for SOLAR). (Fill out the form and submit.)
This form closes periodically during the year, see Academic Calendars for deadlines. 

Your degree type is always based on your first major. For instance, if PSY BS is your first major and Music BA is your second major, you will receive a Bachelor of Science degree.

We recommend meeting with your advisors at least once per semester, ideally with plenty of time (i.e., about 1-2 months) before an upcoming registration period. This timing is especially crucial for students in their first or second semester of Senior Year.

It's common for Psychology majors to consult with an Advisor every semester, particularly after their Sophomore Year.  Make an appointment with a Psychology Advisor via Navigate

For assistance with semester scheduling, start by consulting your Major Advisors for major course requirements, then see your general Academic Advisor.

You can schedule an advising appointment through Navigate, use this video for further instruction. 

Visit the Transfer Student Advising website for information regarding this question.

You can use the online Course Equivalency Database to find transferable courses at other schools. Always confirm with your major and general advisors BEFORE taking courses at other schools to ensure they will transfer into your degree accordingly.

If you need assistance navigating the Database, contact Credit Evaluation Services at Credit_Eval@stonybrook.edu 

Email your PSY course(s) syllabus to both of our Undergraduate Academic Advisors (CC them both on the single email) for evaluation. Always remember to include your SBU ID on email correspondence with SBU Faculty and Staff.

• Unless you scored a “4” or higher on the Math Placement Exam or received a “C” or higher in an equivalent mathematics course to MAT 118 or higher, the answer is “yes”.
  
  The statistics and mathematics requirements are separate requirements. If you are a transfer student, a Psychology Academic Advisor must certify that your transfer course meets the criteria for the mathematics requirement. Please make an appointment with them via Navigate.

• On SOLAR, go to “Student Records & Registration” > “Enrollment” > “Enrollment Dates." This will provide you with your Registrar-assigned date based on cumulative credits/academic standing. Here is a Video Walkthrough for finding your enrollment time.

See the Google Drive of past syllabi to get an idea of what is covered during the course. Note that the syllabus may vary based on the instructor and semester, and the previous syllabus should be used as an example only.

Most students earn WRTD through PSY 310; however, in special cases, co-registration for the 0-credit PSY 459 while completing a substantial paper or writing sample in another Psychology course will satisfy the WRTD requirement.  Students must obtain the permission of the course instructor prior to registering for PSY 459.  

PSY 459 - Write Effectively in Psychology

A zero credit course that may be taken in conjunction with any 300- or 400-level PSY course, with permission of the instructor. The course provides opportunity to practice the skills and techniques of effective academic writing and satisfies the learning outcomes of the Stony Brook Curriculum’s WRTD learning objective.

0 credit,

Prerequisite(s): WRT 102; permission of the instructor

SBC: WRTD

Graded S/U grading

The most common path for students within the Psychology Major to fulfill the WRTD requirement is through PSY 310: Research and Writing in Psychology (taken during your Senior Year).

Students should consult with the Psychology department advisor (Make an appointment via Navigate) to ensure that their plan for completing the Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent with university graduation requirements for General Education.  Students completing the Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) must complete a course that satisfies the "Write Effectively within One's Discipline" (WRTD) learning objective to graduate.  The Upper Division Writing Requirement is consistent in most cases with the SBC learning outcomes for WRTD. 

No. You shouldn't contact any instructors about enrollment. You should put your name on the waitlist for the class instead. Instructors do not handle enrollment. PSY course enrollment is handled centrally by the Psychology Undergraduate Program Coordinator (diane.desimone@stonybrook.edu).

Ultimately, this depends on the course and if it is a high-demand course. If you are at the top of the waitlist (spots 1-10), you have a good chance of getting into the class. Check the Undergraduate academic calendar to see the specific date the waitlist process ends for the semester. 

Make an appointment with a Psychology Advisor via Navigate

Visit the Undergraduate academic calendar for the specific date and time according to the semester. Learn more about the Course Load Policy here.  

To be considered a full time student, you need to take 12 credits per semester. Note that some financial aid requires you to take 15. 

Contact the Registrar.

Faculty are always available during office hours to give extra help with information covered during class time, and the Academic Success and Tutoring Center offers tutoring and academic success services free of charge to all Stony Brook undergraduates.

Review the Department website to learn about faculty members’ research. Keep in mind that the number of students who can participate in research with a given faculty member is limited, and a faculty member may not have openings at a particular time. Note that you can earn academic credit for your research involvement such as through PSY 273.  PSY 273 involves working as a Research Assistant with a Professor (sometimes in collaboration with a graduate student in his/her laboratory) in the Psychology Department.  Students must receive approval to work in the laboratory of a Professor in the Psychology Department. PSY 273 is not a course for which students simply sign up. Faculty and graduate students who are recruiting undergraduates to become involved in their research may post announcements around the Department as well as on the Department website. If you see an opportunity of interest, you can contact the investigator to see if they need any more help.

Visit the Center of Service Learning & Community  Service's Volunteer Opportunities by Interests Page

You should consult with the Internship Office in the Career Center, in Melville Library, W-0550. The Internship Office will provide you with a list of pre-approved psychology internships as well as a list of requirements for obtaining credit. Note that you must have a faculty sponsor within the Psychology Department for the internship. Therefore, if you wish to do an internship, you should start making plans at least one semester in advance, to arrange for a sponsor.