Degree Majors and Programs - B.A. Degree
Social Sciences Division
The Social Sciences Division offers majors in Psychology, Social Sciences and Social Work. Admission to the Social Work program, however, is suspended until further notice.
In addition to the above existing degree-granting programs, the Social Sciences Division also offers the Legal Assistance Program Certificate. Further information may be obtained from the Social Sciences Division.
While the social sciences are divided into a number of fields — each with its own theories, terminology and professional history — they have in common the use of the scientific method to study and interpret human behavior.
The overall objective of the Psychology major is to assist in meeting the increasing manpower needs of the Caribbean in two critical and expanding occupational areas — the delivery of human services and the development, exchange and processing of information. The specific objectives of the major are two-fold. The first is to provide the appropriate curriculum and the critical skills that will enable psychology graduates to qualify for entry-level professional positions in human services and informational services such as research and the management and analysis of data. The second is to provide the program's participants with a multicultural perspective on human perception, thinking and behavior along with the conceptual and practical skills needed to work effectively in multicultural settings. A comprehensive program provides a solid foundation in the fundamental principles of psychology as well as an insight into the practical work involved in being a psychologist.
The Social Sciences major is an interdisciplinary one, requiring the student to take courses in all of the major disciplines of the social sciences, namely economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology.
Students may select the Social Sciences major as preparation for teaching the social sciences at the secondary or college level; as preparation for law school or graduate study in one of the social sciences, public administration, diplomacy or international relations; and/or as preparation for employment in governmental or private sector professions that do not necessarily require graduate study.
The students interested in teaching the social sciences at the secondary school level should major in Social Science and also satisfy the secondary education requirements of the Education Division. College teaching in the social sciences requires at least a master's degree, but a Ph.D. is preferred.
Students who intend to do graduate work in one of the social sciences should take as many courses as possible in the area they intend to pursue in graduate school. However, electives in other social sciences, the humanities, sciences or mathematics are strongly encouraged depending upon the specialization one intends to pursue in graduate school. In planning for graduate work, students should consult with their advisor and investigate minimum requirements for admission to the graduate school of their choice. They can then plan to meet these requirements while at the same time expanding their knowledge in other fields. University graduates may enter law school from any undergraduate field of concentration. However, familiarity with the basic concepts of economics, history, political science, psychology, and sociology is desirable.
The Social Work major prepares baccalaureate level social work professional practitioners to meet the social work manpower needs in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Caribbean as a whole. The aim is to prepare graduates who are social work generalists, to social welfare needs, and to intervene under supervision (or with consultation) with individuals, groups, families and local communities. The curriculum is also designed to enable graduates to enter graduate schools of social work at an advanced level. Admission to this program has been suspended until further notice.
The following table summarizes the requirements for the majors in the Social Sciences Division.
Psychology Major
Three concentrations are offered:
1) an academic concentration in Psychology offering a comprehensive foundation in the fundamental principles of psychology, with broad introduction to and a multicultural perspective on normal and abnormal human development, cognition, and behavior. This concentration should be selected by persons interested either in continuing on to graduate study in clinical, counseling, developmental, neuropsychology, health or experimental psychology, or in obtaining entry-level professional positions in the workplace after graduation with a B.A. degree, in roles such as information management or administrative positions which will require skills in research and the management and analysis of data.
2) a crossdisciplinary academic concentration in Social Relations, with an emphasis on the analysis of social institutions and social problems across cultures. Students with this concentration may be interested in graduate study in areas other than psychology, such as sociology, criminology or law school, or in obtaining entry level positions in the workplace after graduation with a B.A. degree in administrative or information management roles.
3) an applied concentration in Human Services, with a cross-disciplinary focus on human and social problems, and methods of intervention. This concentration should be chosen by students interested in graduate study in Social Work, or in obtaining entry level positions in human and social service institutions in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean, in order to provide direct social services to individuals, groups and families under appropriate professional supervision. It should be understood that this concentration does not qualify the student to provide direct social or counseling services independently of supervision. In order to progress in this concentration students must achieve a minimum grade of C (2.0) in the Introduction to Human Services and Field Placement and Seminar courses taken concurrently. Students who fail to achieve these grades may repeat the courses once for credit, or switch to another concentration in Psychology.
Requirements for all majors
A. The general education requirements. 64 - 70 credits
B. Required courses in Psychology, Sociology, Social Science and Psychology:
Credits
Psychology 120 General Psychology 3
Sociology 121 Introduction to Sociology 3
Psychology 202 Life Span Development 3
Psychology 240 Biopsychology 3
Social Science 327-328 Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences 3-3
Psychology 440 Applied Research Methods 3
Psychology 496 Practicum in Psychology 3
or
Sociology 469 Practicum in Sociology 3
Social Science 497 - 498 Social Sciences Senior Seminar 1-3
C. Required courses in other fields:
Mathematics 140 College Algebra With Applications 4
Mathematics 235 Introductory Statistics with Applications 4
Computer Information
Systems 210 Introduction to Computers and Applications 3
Psychology Concentration
Credits
D. The student must choose 12 credits from the
following Psychology courses:
Psychology 203 Introduction to Personality 3
Psychology 223 Social Psychology 3
Psychology 301 History and Systems of Psychology 3
Psychology 302 Culture and Behavior 3
Psychology 304 Cognitive Psychology 3
Psychology 327 Psychology of Women 3
Psychology 332 Industrial/Organizational Psychology 3
E. The student must choose 12 credits from the following Psychology courses:
Psychology 321 Child Development 3
Psychology 325 Adolescent Development 3
Psychology 322 Adult Development 3
Psychology 432 Theories of Personality 3
Psychology 434 Abnormal Psychology 3
Psychology 433 Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy 3
Psychology 435 Tests and Measurements 3
Psychology 465 Selected Topics in Psychology* 3
Social Relations Concentration
Credits
D. The student must choose 12 credits from the following Psychology and
Sociology courses:
Psychology 223 Social Psychology 3
Psychology 302 Culture and Behavior 3
Psychology 327 Psychology of Women* 3
Psychology 332 Industrial/Organizational Psychology* 3
Sociology 124 Social Problems 3
Sociology 224 Introduction to Social Welfare 3
Sociology 236 Marriage and the Family 3
E. The student must choose 12 credits from the following Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology courses:
Anthropology 225 Introduction to Cultural and Physical Anthropology 3
Sociology 257, 258 The Black Experience in the New World 3, 3
Sociology 332 Comparative Institutions 3
Sociology 333 Criminology 3
Sociology 335 Contemporary Issues in Social Gerontology 3
Sociology 345 Race and Ethnic Relations 3
Sociology 381 Contemporary Caribbean Society 3
Psychology 465 Selected Topics in Psychology* 3
Human Services Concentration
Credits
D. The student must take the following Sociology, Human Services and
Psychology Courses:
Sociology 224 Introduction to Social Welfare 3
Psychology 203 Introduction to Personality 3
Human Services 310 Human Service Intervention Methods* 3
Human Services 375 Field Instruction and Seminar* 3
Psychology 434 Abnormal Psychology 3
Psychology 433 Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy 3
E. The student must choose 9 credits from the following courses in Psychology, Sociology and Psychology:
Psychology 223 Social Psychology 3
Psychology 321 Child Development 3
Psychology 325 Adolescent Development* 3
Psychology 322 Adult Development 3
Psychology 327 The Psychology of Women* 3
Sociology 124 Social Problems 3
Sociology 236 Marriage and the Family 3
Sociology 333 Criminology 3
Sociology 335 Contemporary Issues in
Social Gerontology 3
Sociology 381 Contemporary Caribbean Society 3
Psychology 465 Selected Topics in Psychology* 3
Social Sciences Major
A. The general education requirements:
B. Required courses in Social Sciences:
Credits
ANT 225 Introduction to Cultural and
Physical Anthropology 3
ECO 221 Introduction to Macro-Economics 3
GEO 121 Physical Geography 3
HIS 181,182 World Civilization 3,3
HIS 320 History of the United States 3
HIS 341 Caribbean History 3
HIS 342 History of the Virgin Islands** 3
POL 120 Introduction to Political Science 3
POL 351 Comparative Government
or
POL 352 International Politics 3
PSY 120 General Psychology 3
SOC 121 Introduction to Sociology 3
SSC 327-328 Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences 4-4
SSC 497-498 Social Sciences Senior Seminar 1-3
**Students who do not plan to teach in the U.S. Virgin Islands may substitute a course in D below.
C. The required courses for Secondary Teacher Preparation 21
or
D. Students who are preparing for law school; graduate study in social sciences,
public administration, diplomacy or international relations; or for employment in
governmental or private sector professions not requiring graduate study should choose four (4) of
the following courses: 12
CAR 465 Caribbean Studies: Selected Topics 3
ECO 222 Introduction to Micro-Economics 3
HIS 330 United States-Caribbean Relations 3
POL 151 American Government 3
POL 340 Caribbean Government and Politics 3
POl 351 Comparative Government 3
POL 352 International Politics 3
PSY 223 Social Psychology 3
SOC 124 Social Problems 3
SOC 345 Race and Ethnic Relations 3
SOC 381 Contemporary Caribbean Society 3
E. Required Courses in other Fields: (These courses also count toward satisfaction of A above.)
MAT 140 College Algebra with Applications 4
MAT 235 Introduction to Statistics with Applications 4
Social Work Major (Admission to this program is suspended until further notice.)
A. The following courses in Social Work are required:
Credits
Social Work 224 Introduction to Social Welfare 3
Social Work 325 Social Welfare as a Social Institution 3
Social Work 331 Social Work Methods I 3
Social Work 332 Social Work Methods II 3
Social Work 333 Field Instruction I and Field Seminar 3
Social Work 334 Human Behavior and Social Environment Framework 3
Social Work 425 Social Work Methods III 3
Social Work 426 Social Work Methods IV 3
Social Work 427 Field Instruction II and Field Seminar 6
Social Work 428 Field Instruction III and Field Seminar 6
Social Work 430 Social Welfare: Policies, Programs, Issues 3
B. The following courses in the Social Sciences are required:
Economics 221 Introduction to Macro-Economics 3
Economics 222 Introduction to Micro-Economics 3
History 181, 182 World Civilizations 3-3
Psychology 120 Introductory Psychology 3-3
Social Science 327-328 Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences 4-4
Social Science 497-498 Social Sciences Senior Seminar 1-1
Sociology 121 Introduction to Sociology 3
C. The student must choose three to nine credits from among the following Social Sciences courses:
Psychology 432 Psychology of Personality 3
Political Science 151-152 American Government 3-3
Psychology 223 Social Psychology 3
Social Work 465, 466 Selected Topics 3,3
Sociology 236 Marriage and the Family 3
Sociology 257, 258 The Black Experience in the New World 3,3
Sociology 345 Race and Ethnic Relations 3
Sociology 381 Contemporary Caribbean Society 3
D. Required Courses in Other Fields:
Social Science 100-200 Social Science I - II
or
Biology 151-152 Human Anatomy and Physiology I - II 4-4
Mathematics 140 College Algebra With Applications 4
or
Mathematics 235 Introductory Statistics with Applications 4