Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BS) prepares you for many different career paths. Although a master's degree or doctoral degree is required  to pursue a career as a clinical or experimental psychologist, students with a bachelor's degree in psychology are well qualified for careers that value strong analytical skills, problem solving skills, written and oral communication skills, and people skills.

Students majoring in psychology at Barry University enjoy the advantages of small classes, personalized academic advising, and experiential learning opportunities through independent research and community-based service learning. Alumni of Barry University's Department of Psychology have been successful in gaining admission into a variety of master's and doctoral programs. They are also employed in a number of agencies and business organizations.

The Department of Psychology and the Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law provide qualified psychology students an opportunity to earn a combined Bachelor of Science degree and a Juris Doctor Degree. The Accelerated 3 + 3 Program allows psychology students to complete both undergraduate psychology degree and a law degree within six years rather than the traditional seven-year time period. 

Qualified students would complete the core undergraduate requirements within the first three years of study. The fourth year of undergraduate would also be the first year of law school. At the satisfactory completion of the first year of law school, the student would officially receive their BS in Psychology.

The Department of Psychology provides qualified Barry University psychology majors the opportunity to earn a combined Bachelor of Science Degree and an MS Clinical Psychology Degree. The Accelerated BS/MS Degree Program allows psychology majors to complete both an undergraduate psychology degree and a master’s degree (60-credit option) within six years rather than in the traditional seven years. Qualified students would complete the core undergraduate requirements in the first three years of study. The fourth year of the undergraduate program would also be the first year of the MS Clinical Psychology Program.

After the satisfactory completion of the first year of the graduate program, the student would officially receive a BS in Psychology. The MS in Clinical Psychology would be awarded after the successful completion of all requirements in the 60-credit master’s degree program. The accelerated program saves one year of undergraduate college expenses and provides an accelerated entry into the professional career. Students who opt out or fail out of the first year of the graduate program have the option to complete the regular BS degree.

The BS Psychology Program at Barry University prepares students to go into the world and to be successful. Some of our alumni go to graduate school before entering the work force while others go directly into employment.

The Department of Psychology coordinates activities to give students experience outside of the classroom.

The Psychology (BS) Program at Barry University offers two options for experiential learning. 

The first option for experiential learning is through psychology courses that contain a service-learning component. Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with course work and critical reflection to enrich the learning experience, foster civic responsibility and strengthen communities. Psychology service-learning courses provide students with hands-on experience and an opportunity to integrate theory with practice in order to develop appropriate knowledge, skills, values and professional competencies. Students are matched with a service agency and work with a field/service advisor who serves as a liaison between the course professor and the service-learning agency. Our students work with a range of individuals from preschoolers in academic and social enrichment programs to the elderly in nursing facilities.

The second option for experiential learning is through a series of independent research courses: PSY 295, PSY 395, and PSY 495. Students earn 3 credits per class and work one-on-one with a professor on a research project. In PSY 295 the student researches a topic of interest. In PSY 395 the student writes a research proposal and designs the study. In PSY 495 the student conducts the study, analyzes the data and reports the results. The student presents the study at the Department’s Annual Psychology Student Research Forum. The student will also be encouraged to present the study in a professional venue such as the annual convention of the Florida Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association or the Association for Psychological Science. The College of Arts and Sciences and the Psychology Department provide financial support to help students attend conferences where they are presenting. The independent research project offers students the opportunity to develop the research, writing, and presentation skills that will make them good candidates for graduate school and employment.

All departmental faculty are actively engaged in research and other scholarly activities and supervise undergraduate research. Areas of specialization represented by departmental faculty include the following: child development, lifespan development, developmental risk factors, evolutionary psychology, psychophysiology, neuropsychology, cognition, social psychology, health psychology, clinical psychology, acculturation, industrial organizational psychology, forensic psychology, and human sexuality. The department’s commitment to undergraduate research is best reflected through the Annual Psychology Student Research Forum that takes place every Spring semester.

The Forum provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research. Proposals and literature reviews are presented as posters and completed projects are presented orally. Consequently, students who complete a research project have had the opportunity to present in both formats over two years. In addition to basic presentation skills, students learn the technological skills required to prepare supporting visual materials. In addition, students are encouraged to submit their research for publication and presentation at regional, state, and national conferences as appropriate.

In the time it takes to watch a movie, you can apply to attend Barry University. From application to graduation, we support you every step of the way. Apply anytime, anywhere. Barry University accepts applications on a rolling basis. However, it is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible. Some majors require extra information for acceptance into specific programs. See what you need to apply, since general admission doesn't guarantee acceptance into all majors.

As part of Barry's diverse, close-knit community of 3,000 undergraduates, you’ll grow and build lifelong relationships. With a 15:1 student to faculty ratio, you'll thrive thanks to individualized instruction and professors who are experts in their fields. The best part? You’ll leave college with the skills you need to succeed and little debt; we work to make school affordable through merit-based scholarships and financial aid.

If you’re a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate, you may qualify for our merit-based scholarships with awards up to $17,000, based on your cumulative GPA and standardized test scores. Scholarships are available for freshmen (including test optional), transfers, and international applicants. Using your admissions application, we automatically determine your eligibility.

More than 90% of our students receives some form of financial assistance. Apply to see if you qualify for a full array of federal and state financial aid programs. Just submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete it as soon as possible since funds may be limited. Barry's federal school code is 001466. Curious about qualifying? Take a look at our Net Price Calculator.

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