Advising
Psychology Department Advisors
Open advising hours held by psychology faculty and our undergraduate program coordinator are posted in the reception area on the third floor of Meliora Hall.
The psychology department advisors can help students with:
- Majoring in psychology
- AP and transfer credits
- Overlap courses
- Exceptions to major/minor/cluster
- Creating your own major
- Studying abroad
- Working with a psychology professor
Advisors are not assigned at this time. Students can pick an advisor from the list below. Students can change advisors as needed to fit their curriculum and scheduling needs.
| Summer 2025 Psychology Advising Hours | |||
| Advisor | Day | Time | Schedule |
| Erin Sefca | Days Vary | Times Vary | sign-up link |
Committee on Undergraduate Studies in Psychology (CUSP)
The Department of Psychology's Committee on Undergraduate Studies in Psychology (CUSP) administers the major, honors program, minors, and clusters in psychology.
Support for CUSP is provided by our academic administrator (PsychAcademics@ur.rochester.edu) whose office is located in Meliora Hall, room 356.
Majoring in Psychology
To declare your major officially, you will fill out a major declaration form. Forms are typically processed within one week. Please be sure that the courses you enter in your major declaration form fulfill all of the major requirements to avoid having your form sent back to you for correction. You are welcome to meet with an advisor to plan out your courses. The list of advisors and their hours can be found above.
To major in psychology you will need to complete all of the requirements outlined on the major requirements page.
If you’ve already declared your major, but would like to change it, you can do so at any time by filling out a Rochester Curriculum change form.
AP and Transfer Credits
AP Credits
Transfer of AP credit can be accomplished by contacting CCAS. If you received a 4 or 5 on the AP psychology exam, then you will receive a four-credit equivalent for PSYC 101 and this requirement will be waived.
A score of 4 or 5 on the AP statistics test will result in a four-credit equivalent of STAT 180 (formerly STAT 212). This will fulfill the statistics requirement for the psychology major.
IB Credits
Transfer of IB credit can be accomplished by contacting CCAS. If you received a 6 or better on the higher-level IB psychology exam, then you will receive a four-credit equivalent for PSYC 101 and this requirement will be waived.
Transfer Credits
Students can transfer up to two psychology courses in addition to an Introduction to Psychology course and an acceptable statistics course. Transfer courses need to meet the College’s rules for acceptability.
Receiving college credit for a course does not automatically grant credit toward the major. In most cases, courses should be reviewed and approved by the instructors of the comparable courses. A syllabus is required to provide sufficient information for a judgment. The College has a Course Approval Form, and courses in your psychology program can be approved on this form in consultation with your psychology advisor.
To earn transfer credit for an introductory course, it must be taught at a college by regular college faculty. Courses taught in high school will not be granted transfer credit.
Electives
If you want to substitute a course for an elective not offered by the University of Rochester, you can see any faculty advisor with a copy of the full syllabus and ask them to review and, if approved, sign off on the course approval form.
Course Substitution
If you want to use a transfer course to substitute for a course that is currently being offered at the University of Rochester, you will need a copy of the full syllabus. Take it to the professor who teaches the equivalent class at University of Rochester and ask them to review and, if approved, sign off on the course approval form.
After receiving approval from the course instructor, take the course approval form to a psychology advisor for approval. It is important to obtain written approval from the person who teaches the equivalent course at the University of Rochester attesting to its equivalency before meeting with an advisor in psychology.
Overlap Courses
Students who are working towards two majors can have up to three courses overlap between majors.
Students can also have up to two classes overlap between two minors or a major and a minor.
One course can overlap between a cluster and a major or minor.
Note 1: The introductory statistics course does not count toward the overlap rules.
Note 2: Students who major in psychology and are interested in a major, minor, or cluster in brain and cognitive sciences (BCS) should take extra care in identifying courses that overlap. BCSC/PSYC 110 and BCSC/PSYC 111 are required for the psychology major, BCS major, and BCSC minor. There are several BCS clusters that require BCSC/PSYC 110 or BCSC/PSYC 111, or both, as well. If you have any questions about this, reach out to an advisor by email or make an appointment.
See the College Overlap Policy for more information.
Exceptions to Major/Minor/Cluster
Students who would like to substitute a requirement within the psychology major, minors, or clusters must submit an appeal in writing and stop by and give it to an advisor during their advising hour. The advisor will take it to the committee and return with a verdict on whether or not the class is viable. Please note that approvals are rarely made and appeals cannot be resubmitted.
Create Your Own Major
If you want to propose your own major involving psychology, you will need to seek out two faculty members (one from psychology and one from the other field you’re looking to study).
For each advisor, have an outlined list of classes you’d like to take and why, and be prepared to discuss the rationale for your selection with your advisor. If your faculty advisors agree with your plan, they will sign off on the form to be submitted to the department of inter-departmental studies.
The inter-departmental studies program will have the final say as to whether the proposed program is valid or not.
There are strict deadlines and you must apply before March of your junior year.
For more information on creating your own major, see the interdepartmental degree program page.
Studying Abroad
When studying aboard, it is important to make sure that your courses are going to transfer into your major or minor before you go abroad. If you participate in an accredited study abroad program, your credits will transfer as electives. You must seek additional approval with a psychology advisor to receive psychology program credit.
If you want to transfer courses to be used in place of ones currently being offered by the University, please follow the same guidelines outlined above in “Course Substitutions”.
For more information about going abroad, see our study abroad page.
Working with a Psychology Professor
You have several options available to work with a professor:
- Working as a research assistant in a faculty member’s lab—Responsibilities include running experiments, data entry/management, coding, literature reviews. You must meet with the faculty member to outline responsibilities, hours, and credits. See our list of open RA positions to get started.
- Doing an independent study—A more flexible option that can take various forms such as readings, research, specialized class, internship, etc. Must meet with a faculty member to outline responsibilities, hours, and credits.
- Teaching/TAing with a faculty member for a class—Assist a faculty member in conducting his/her class. Responsibilities can range from leading your own lectures, grading, office hours, proctoring exams, grade entry, etc. Must meet with the faculty member to outline responsibilities, hours, and credits.
- Honors project—Conduct your own proposed research project under the supervision of a faculty member. See the honors page for more information.