Major coursework, the classes focused on the fundamentals of psychology, is the core of any psychology department. Students can expect to finish a curriculum that ranges from broad introductory classes to specialized seminars. Cornell University's Department of Psychology requires 40 credits in the major, with the students earning a C-minus or better in the class. That program, like many others, also stipulates that degree candidates achieve proficiency in statistics by the end of their senior year.
Because the field of psychology can be so expansive, many departments afford students the opportunity to focus on a specialized area, which requires certain courses. For example, Mills College offers a range of specializations from general psychology to infant mental health. In order to complete the infant mental health focus, students enroll in an infant-toddler practicum and area courses like "Infancy" and "Attachment and Loss."
In addition to psychology courses, some universities require additional coursework in the humanities, social sciences or hard sciences. Additionally, programs awarding a bachelor of arts in psychology usually require proficiency in a foreign language, and programs awarding a bachelor of science require the completion of a course in statistics or calculus. Before graduation, some colleges expect undergraduates to complete an independent thesis or an oral or written comprehensive exam.