Enrollment Priorities:
These procedures will be in place during advanced registration (some policies may ease during open enrollment):
- If you are enrolled in, or have received credit for, Psyc 492, 495, 497, or 499C, then you may not enroll in Psyc 497 or Psyc 492.
- If you are enrolled in, or have received credit for, two specialty content courses, then you may not enroll in another one.
- If you are enrolled in, or have received credit for, three social science content core courses, then you may not enroll in another one.
- If you are enrolled in, or have received credit for, three natural science content core courses, then you may not enroll in another one.
- If you received a D, D-, or D+ in any of these courses, reach out to your faculty advisor for assistance with enrollment.
Information about declaring the Psychology Major
View Catalog description of Psychology courses.
View the list of courses that can satisfy BS or BA degree requirements.
Fall 2026 Registration Dates and Assistance
Registration begins April 10, 2026.
Check the Student Center on MyMadison for your exact enrollment appointment date and time.
Enrollment details and tips from the Registrar are available online.
Information about the waitlist is available online. Most Psychology courses are reserved for Admitted Psychology Majors only. If a class is closed, please add yourself to the waitlist on MyMadison.
Course Notes
PSYC 250. Introduction to Abnormal Psychology. This course is not open to Psychology Majors. Psychology majors interested in this content should take Psyc 335, Abnormal Psychology. Credit cannot be earned for Psyc 335 by students who have previously taken Psyc 250. Psyc 250 is a course designed for non-psychology students who need a brief exposure to this content for their non-psychology academic program.
Psyc 400, Section 1. Justice & Injustice. This course explores how psychological science helps us understand fairness, punishment, morality, and inequality through close attention to primary sources. Drawing on research from social, developmental, cognitive, clinical, and neuroscience perspectives, students examine questions such as why people seek justice, how moral judgments develop, psychological aspects of how the U.S. justice system operates, and how justice issues appear in relationships, communities, and professional practice. This course is offered by Dr. Jessica Salvatore.
Sociocultural Awareness Courses
Psychology Majors are required to complete at least one "Sociocultural Awareness" course as part of their academic program. The following courses being offered during the Fall semester fulfill this requirement:
- Psyc 220. Psychology and Culture
- Psyc 308: Health Psychology
- Psyc 310. Psychology of Women and Gender
- Psyc 325. Counseling Psychology
Capstone Courses
The prerequisites for all capstone courses are two courses from the Social Science Content core and two courses from the Natural Science Content core. Email ugpsyc@jmu.edu if you are having trouble registering for your final semester coursework.
Psyc 497, Section 1. Motivation in Education. Why do some students thrive in school while others struggle? What truly motivates people to learn, achieve, and keep going when things get tough? And how can we use psychological science to create better learning environments—for ourselves and others? In this senior seminar, we’ll dig into the big questions behind human motivation. You’ll explore classic and contemporary theories, critically evaluate what the research actually tells us, and examine how that research is being used in real-world educational settings—from federal policy to local classrooms. We’ll challenge assumptions, wrestle with complex ideas, and connect the science of motivation to your own experiences—in school, work, and beyond. Expect lively discussions, thought-provoking readings, and plenty of opportunities to apply what you learn in meaningful ways. If you're curious about what makes people tick—and how to use that knowledge to make a difference—this course is for you. This course is offered by Dr. Kenn Barron.
Psyc 497, Section 2. Leadership & Service. Leadership and Service will study the experience of leadership and service from a psychological perspective. The course will assist students with identifying their personal leadership skills and styles as well as how to adapt these to various situations related to service in the community. The course will enable students to integrate concepts of service learning into leadership development. Emphasis will also be on developing an effective leadership approach to service learning. 40-hours of service-learning will be required. This course is offered by Dr. Bill Evans.
Psyc 497, Section 3. Choice Behavior. Choice Behavior will survey modern ideas in choice behavior, with attention to the historical origins of this work, its development as a specialty within psychology, and its impact on our everyday lives. With a focus on psychology, students will learn to rely on empirical information to understand situations under which choice behavior is often irrational – yet predictable. Students will also learn to apply their understanding of the various factors that influence choice behavior to everyday contexts. This course is offered by Dr. Dan Holt.
Psyc 497, Section 4. Scientific Literacy. Scientific Literacy will focus on developing and refining the skills necessary to engage in vetting information of all kinds including science (e.g., empirical research), popular media (e.g., news outlets), organizational content (e.g., FDA guidance), and other sources of information (e.g., social media). Through the process of practicing scientific literacy, we will consider and discuss various scientific, ethical, and social issues. Empirical work, theoretical content, and other sources will be used in conjunction with knowledge and skills garnered as psychology majors to engage in the process of vetting information to further understanding across a variety of domains. This course is offered by Dr. Jessica Irons.
Psyc 497, Section 5. Health behavior Change. This course will include exploration of empirical and theoretical work related to health behavior change with particular focus on health-risk behaviors. Behavior change will be considered at individual, group, and epidemiological levels and across demographic characteristics most relevant to health. This course is offered by Dr. William Riley.
Psyc 497, Section 6. Neuroscience of Memory. Our memories shape how we describe and understand ourselves and they can alter our personality, emotions, and cognition. In short, memory is central to our everyday experiences. The purpose of this course is to explore memory, particularly memory dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease, from the perspective of neuroscience. We will base class discussions around empirical articles and other literature which examine different types of memory, how we quantify memories, and the effect disruptions of memory have on our brain and behavior. In addition, this course will focus on integrating information from other psychology courses with the neuroscience perspective presented in the course. You will be required to integrate information from courses such as research methods, biopsychology cognition, learning, social, and others, likely including courses outside of psychology. Because many of you will have different backgrounds, you will each be able to contribute unique information to our discussions. This course is offered by Dr. Janna Taft Young.
