Requirements Chart
Requirements Chart for Classes of 2024 and Beyond*
All courses must be taken for a letter grade, with the exception of First-Year Seminars, PSY 985, and PSY 991, which are graded SAT/UNSAT.
Please note that Psychology does NOT permit joint concentrations, but we do encourage other pathways to interdisciplinary work!
Click here to view the Requirements Chart for all concentration tracks & the secondary field!
| Requirement | General Track | Life Science Track | Mind/Brain/Behavior Track | Secondary Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PSY 1 | PSY 1 | PSY 1 | PSY 1 | |
PSY 1900 (minimum grade C-) | PSY 1900 (minimum grade C-) | PSY 1900 (minimum grade C-) | PSY 1900 or STAT 100/102/104 (minimum grade C-) | |
2 courses | 2 courses (1 must be NEUR0 80 or PSY 14) | 2 courses (1 must be NEURO 80) | 1 course | |
PSY 971 | PSY 975 | PSY 971 | - | |
PSY 1901 | PSY 1901 | PSY 1901 & 1 lab course | - | |
6 Departmental courses (2 may be Non-Departmental by petition) | 3 Departmental courses (1 may be Non-Departmental by petition) | 4 courses (1 must be Departmental; 3 should be MBB Advanced Courses from list, 1 of these may be Non-Departmental by petition) | 3 courses | |
Track-Specific Courses | - | 3 Life Science courses from list (1 must be LPS A, LS 1A, LS 1B, or LS 50A) | - | |
Additional Requirements for the Thesis Track | PSY 991A & 991B (full year thesis seminar); 1 lab course replaces 1 advanced course | PSY 991A & 991B (full year thesis seminar); 1 lab course replaces 1 advanced course | PSY 991A & 991B (full year thesis seminar); thesis is required for track | - |
For more information on the different types of courses required, please see the "Courses" tab in the sidebar to the left of this page! You can also click here for more Psychology Concentration Information in the Harvard College Handbook.
* Non-thesis students from the Classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and students returning from leave may count either PSY 1901 or a lab course towards their Research Methods requirement. Please reach out to the Undergraduate Office with questions at psychology@wjh.harved.edu.
Note: Elsewhere on Harvard websites, you may come across the term "half-course." A half-course is a course that takes one semester to complete (rather than a full year), and is typically worth 4 credits. Because most Psychology courses are technically "half-courses," we find it easier to simply use the term "course" to refer to these.
If you intend to declare a concentration in Psychology, please review the requirements and then see our declaration instructions, including all required forms.