Awards and Scholarships

The Department of Psychology sponsors several undergraduate awards, and scholarships are also available through the College of Arts and Sciences and the University.

Ost Research Award

Each year the department hosts the John Ost Undergraduate Research Competition to honor the memory of Professor John W. P. Ost. He served as department chair (1973-1977) and continued as an active faculty member until his untimely death in 1988. The competition commemorates his dedication to undergraduate research training.

At the Ost competition, you present a poster representing research that you have conducted with a faculty mentor. The competition is public, and is always attended by faculty and other students. A panel of faculty judges picks the winner (and sometimes a second place). All students conducting research with a faculty member are highly encouraged to participate.

Win or lose, experience in presenting research is one of the most valuable experiences you can gain as a beginning researcher. This competition is an opportunity for you to consolidate material learned in classes and while conducting the research, receive useful feedback, and begin to build a vitae.

Eligibility and Prizes

Eligible presenters are undergraduates who are working on research under the supervision of a faculty member with a primary or secondary appointment in Psychology. Psychology majors conducting behavioral research with faculty outside of the Department of Psychology may also participate. Former UAB Psychology undergraduate students may participate within 10 months after their graduation. Winners receive a $300 scholarship and are listed below.

Passey Prize/UAB Psychology Department Achievement Award

The Passey Prize for the Outstanding Student in Psychology at UAB is awarded to the student judged to have shown the best overall level of accomplishment in psychology — not just in terms of grades, but also in terms of participation in other opportunities offered by the department, especially research. The Passey Prize includes a cash award.

The UAB Psychology Department Achievement Award is awarded to the psychology major judged to have shown the most outstanding achievement during his or her years in college. This award emphasizes academic performance and accomplishments, but it also considers participation and leadership in department and university activities, service to the community, and hardships or adverse life situations that the student has overcome.

Winners of these awards are selected by a committee. In any given year, the committee may decline to name a winner of either award; give both awards to the same individual; or name more than one winner of either award.

Department of Psychology Distinguished Alumni Award

The Department of Psychology offers Distinguished Alumni Awards to recognize alumni for their professional achievements and contributions to the field and community. The specific awards include the Distinguished Scholar Alumni Award for research and scholarly accomplishments, and the Distinguished Alumni Service Award for community service. The department accepts nominations for these awards annually.

Travel Scholarship

To encourage and reward our undergraduate students who are active in research, the UAB Department of Psychology offers a $300 travel scholarship to undergraduate students who attend national or international psychology conferences to present their research. Presentations at undergraduate research conferences and state research conferences are not eligible. Students are limited to receiving one travel scholarship per academic year.

Eligibility

• You must be currently enrolled and in good academic standing.
• You must be a psychology major.
• You must conduct research in the lab of a primary Department of Psychology faculty member or conduct psychology-related research in the lab of a faculty member in another department.
• You should present your work as a poster at the Ost Research Competition in April (encouraged, but not required.)

UAB & College of Arts and Sciences Scholarships

The university and UAB's College of Arts and Sciences offer many scholarships to incoming and current students. You can explore these options and apply through the UAB BSMART scholarship system.

Psychology Honors Program

Participation in the Psychology Honors Program provides an enriched learning environment for psychology majors with excellent academic records who are interested in pursuing graduate study and a career in psychology, medicine, or other health-related professions.

The program provides you with a strong foundation in behavioral science through an enhanced program of study and the opportunity to conduct research with an individual member of the faculty. Students who complete the program will qualify for the BS in psychology and graduate “With Honors in Psychology.”

Program Requirements

• Completion of an honors thesis. The thesis will examine a research project conducted by you under the supervision of a faculty member in psychology or a related field.  For more information on faculty research interests, see the faculty directory.
• Participation in 3 semesters of PY 399: Honors Seminar. PY 399 is a small-group 1-semester-hour seminar aimed at professional development and in-depth discussion of theory and research in the behavioral sciences.
• Completion of advanced coursework. You are required to take additional upper-level courses in Psychology. A complete list of requirements is available in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog.
• Maintain appropriate GPA. You must have and maintain a cumulative, institutional, and psychology GPA of 3.5 or above in order to be admitted to and graduate from the program.

Questions?

If you have specific questions, email honors program director Dr. Michael Crowe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How To Apply

You should apply to the honors program during your sophomore year (though exceptions can be made). This provides sufficient time to complete your thesis and honors seminar requirements during your junior and senior years.

Please submit your application at least one month before the end of Fall or Spring semester. Interviews will be scheduled in the last month of each Fall and Spring semester.

Hands-on Learning

One of the best ways to set yourself apart from other college graduates is to have research experience on your resume. The Department of Psychology offers our students several ways to get that experience through courses called Practica, in ways that fits your interests best:

• Interested in teaching? The Teaching Practicum gives you the opportunity to get credit for supervised teaching of undergraduate courses.
• Interested in working in the community? The Community-based Practicum lets you apply your knowledge in clinics, centers, courtrooms, and other community settings.
• Interested in research? The research Practicum will place you in a faculty-led research lab.

UAB’s large psychology course catalog allows for numerous teaching opportunities. Its connection to University clinics and community organizations offers you a wide range of community-based positions. The department’s research opportunities are one of its greatest strengths, with primary, secondary, and adjunct faculty all across campus.

While research, teaching, and community practicum experiences are extremely valuable, they do not substitute fully for other course work. Three credit hours can be applied toward the department requirements for a major or minor. This limit should not, however, discourage you from taking additional hours and continuing with a valuable research or community project. Credits beyond the three can be applied to your general elective pool, and can give you an advantage in your future career or graduate work (continued and extensive practical experience is valued by employers and graduate programs).

Students cannot receive payment for participating in practica.

Questions?

Contact the Practicum coordinator, Dr. John Eric Gampher.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology - 100% Online

The B.S. degree in psychology at UAB can be taken completely online without any on-campus requirements. This gives you the flexibility to complete coursework when and where you want, and makes the program available to you if you're outside of UAB’s geographic area. You'll benefit from interacting with peers from other states and even other countries. This will add to your perspective and broaden your network of colleagues. Questions?

About Our Online Courses

UAB’s online psychology courses are delivered 100 percent online. The online courses count for the same credit and appear on your transcript in the same manner as campus-based courses.

The format of courses can vary depending on the teaching style of the instructor and the course content. Instruction can take place:

• synchronously — all participants in the course log on at the same time;
• asynchronously — participants log on and participate as their schedule permits; or
• a combination of both.

Course content is accessed through UAB’s learning management system. You'll have access to tools to make the course experience more engaging, including virtual classroom lectures, multimedia, chat, and discussion boards.

Program and Admissions Requirements

The program requirements for the online degree are the same as the campus-based degree program. All program requirements and courses are outlined in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog. Read the program's admissions requirements on the UAB Students website.

Ready to Apply?

Information about financial aid, scholarships, transcripts, and more can be found on UAB’s Admissions website. You can also explore available scholarships for UAB College of Arts and Sciences students on the UAB BSMART scholarship system.

Get Started

Have questions? This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Bachelor of Science with a Major in Psychology

What is psychology, and why should you major in it?

Dr. Phil and Sigmund Freud might be the first thing you think of, but as the science of mind and behavior, psychology is much more than that. While some are devoted to diagnosing and treating mental illness, psychologists have diverse specialties and a variety of professions. A degree in psychology equips you with the critical thinking, communication, and quantitative skills that help you be successful in the many career paths our students choose.

Psychologists help patients recover after stroke, keep pedestrians and motorists safer, employ neuroimaging to understand how emotions and traumatic memories affect the brain, and study the visual process. They figure out better treatments for conditions such as eating disorders, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, cancer survivorship, and sleep disorders. They help major companies hire better employees, make advertising campaigns more appealing to their target audience, and create work environments that reduce stress and boost productivity. They serve as expert witnesses.

Why Study Psychology at UAB?

One word: Research.

Our program is part of a world-class research institution that provides interdisciplinary work not found anywhere else in the state. UAB is one of the largest research institutions in the Southeast and consistently ranks among the best in the nation. Our multidisciplinary faculty hold secondary or joint positions in departments such as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vision Sciences, Anesthesiology, Rheumatology, Neurology, Gerontology, and Preventive Medicine.

How does this help you? It gives you the chance to work in a research laboratory. Working in a lab allows you to take the material you are learning in the classroom and use it to help solve real-world problems. This shows graduate schools and future employers that you can excel outside as well as inside the classroom. More than 30 percent of our students conduct independent research with a faculty member.

In addition, UAB also offers a number of different honors programs to help students get the most out of their classroom and laboratory experience including the Psychology Honors Program, the Science and Technology Honors Program, and the University Honors Program. We offer opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience in clinical settings through our practicum courses. We have placed students in agencies such as the Crisis Center, Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center, and Youth Villages.

Program and Admissions Requirements

All program requirements, courses, and a proposed four-year plan of study are outlined in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog. Read the program's admissions requirements on the UAB Students website.

Available On-Campus and 100% Online

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in psychology is offered in both on-campus and online formats to best fit what you need. We invite you to explore the site to learn who we are. Take a look at our courses and our research. Get to know our faculty. Once you're done, we hope to see you in the classroom next semester!

Online Degree Program

Research

Careers

Careers

Some of our students will go on to pursue graduate studies in psychology, while others will pursue careers in business, law, education, medicine, politics, counseling, and human resources to name a few.

Psychology is a relatively young field ripe with opportunities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics ranked psychology as a fast-growing occupation for 2016-2026. The rise in preventable chronic illnesses, such as lung cancer, obesity, and heart disease, in the United States has increased the demand for individuals familiar with behavior modification. The MCAT includes a section devoted to social sciences because medical schools are recognizing the importance of psychosocial factors in healthcare.

Other private and public sector employers value psychology graduates ability to interpret and analyze data, communicate effectively, and write proficiently.

Because the field of psychology is so vast, it is important that students have a clear idea of where they want to go next. Students must be especially proactive in their education. Luckily, UAB has resources to make this happen. UAB Career and Professional Development Services is one resource that informs students and helps guide them on their career path.

Our Department also sponsors student groups that host career events for students, such as the UAB chapter of Psi Chi: the International Honor Society in Psychology and the UAB Psychology Club. Members of the Psychology Honors Program have additional exposure to the opportunities available to psychology students. Talk to advisors and make an appointment with the program director for additional guidance. Browse through the APA website to see all of the different areas of psychological practice and research.

Start with these websites for additional information:

• American Psychological Association
• Association for Psychological Science
• Careers in Psychology
• Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology

Careers in Psychology

Below you'll find some of the many careers and fields you can pursue with a degree in psychology.

International Students

One of the best things about UAB is its amazing diversity of its students. We value every student and the richly different perspectives, characteristics, and life experiences that contribute to UAB’s unique environment. We want you to have every opportunity to succeed in your course work and college life. Here are eight easy tips for you to follow:

• Visit the UAB International Student and Scholar Services website. They have all sorts of forms, guides, and helpful links to make your life easier.
• Don’t be shy. Let your instructors know that English is your second language.
• Take advantage of class study groups. They let you go over material at your pace.
• Record lectures (with your instructors’ permission). Transcribe your recording to notes.
• Meet regularly with your advisor. They are experts and can help!
• Visit the UAB English Language Institute. They will give you assistance with both oral and written English.
• Visit the UAB Writing Center. They have tutors and instructional workshops.
• Frustrated and out of options? UAB counselors are there for you.

We invite you to explore all of the programs and services offered to international students. International Student and Scholar Services will be able to advise you about how to apply and who to contact for information. Please visit their website, or send general questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

And remember — you are not alone! There are other international students/non-native English speakers in just about every class you take! Share your stories and help each other!

Advising

No matter how good a student you are, having good advice is essential to your academic success. Students are assigned College of Arts and Sciences advisors based on their status as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior.

The College of Arts and Sciences' Academic Advising website has everything you need — advice, contact information, and all kinds of helpful links.

Visit CAS Advising

Incoming and Transfer Students

If you are a new student, meet with your advisor before signing up for classes. The hardest part of your first year should be your classes, not deciding what they should be. Take the easy way out: Make an appointment to talk or meet with your academic advisor before you attend New Student Orientation.

Contact the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office at (205) 934-6135 for help with registering but also with making the most of your choice to attend UAB!

Current Students

You can rely on your academic advisor for information, assistance, and encouragement throughout your time at UAB. In general, advisors will:

• help you identify your goals and develop educational plans to reach them
• help you understand degree requirements, course selection, and schedule planning
• refer you to resources across campus that can boost your academic performance
• help you understand academic policies and procedures
• provide information about potential areas of study

Visit the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office to find contact information for the Psychology advisor.