Psychology and Design, BS (Boston)

The psychology and design combined major is designed to provide students with a grounding in the theoretical and methodological bases of psychology—focusing on sensation and perception, cognition, and social psychology—which in turn informs and deepens students' knowledge, understanding, and application of design principles. Students in the major are well prepared to study how users perceive and use design artifacts, understand social and emotional valences, and examine the perception of and interaction with others in physical and virtual environments. The program provides instruction in designing visualizations that take advantage of perceptual principles of pattern recognition, collaboration, and critical engagement. The curriculum fosters strong design skills, working knowledge of research and design processes, and development of a comprehensive portfolio. Graduates may contemplate work or graduate study in a wide variety of areas such as user experience research, human-computer interface design, or data and information visualization.

Psychology Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Psychology Foundations
PSYC 1101	Foundations of Psychology	4
Statistics
Complete the following course. Students who receive transfer credit for the Advanced Placement Statistics exam may complete the 1-semester-hour PSYC 2315 course (requires department permission):		4-5
PSYC 2320	Statistics in Psychological Research
Psychology Area Courses
PSYC 3402	Social Psychology	4
PSYC 3466	Cognition	4
Area A
Complete one of the following:		4
PSYC 3400	Personality
PSYC 3404	Developmental Psychology
PSYC 3406	Clinical Psychology and Mental Health
Area B
Complete one of the following:		4
PSYC 3450	Learning and Motivation
PSYC 3458	Biological Psychology
PSYC 3464	Psychology of Language
Psychology Laboratory
Complete one of the following. This requirement may not be fulfilled via transfer credit.		4-8
One PSYC laboratory course numbered 4600–4649
PSYC 4970 and PSYC 4971	Junior/Senior Honors Project 1 and Junior/Senior Honors Project 2
PSYC 4991	Directed Study Research
Psychology Seminar (Capstone)
Complete one PSYC seminar course numbered 4650–4699.		4
Psychology Elective
Complete one PSYC course, numbered 2350–2399 or 3000+, and not counted elsewhere.		4

Design Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Art + Design Fundamentals
ARTF 1220	Elements of Visual Composition	2
Art + Design Fundamentals Electives
Complete 6 semester hours of the following:		6
ARTF 1200	Representational Drawing
ARTF 1210	Abstract Drawing
ARTF 1230	Making with Form and Materials
ARTF 1240	Making with Video, Sound, and Animation
ARTF 1250	Designing Interactive Experiences
Design Required
ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002	Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World and Seminar for Design Perspectives	4
ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271	Design: Process + Practices and Studio for Design: Process + Practices	4
ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291	Typographic Systems and Studio for Typographic Systems	4
Art + Design History Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of ARTH courses.		4
Art + Design Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTG, ARTH, ARTS, or GAME courses as long as prerequisites have been met.		4
If ARTG 5000 Topics in Design is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives.
Degree Project
ARTG 4550	Design Degree Project	4

Design Option

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following options:		8-9
Creative Fabrication
ARTG 2810	Creative Fabrication Design Principles
ARTG 3810	Topics in Creative Fabrication Inquiry
Experience Design Option
ARTG 3462	Experience Design Principles
ARTG 3464	Topics In Experience Design Inquiry
Graphic Design Option
ARTG 2252	Graphic Design Principles
ARTG 3452	Topics In Graphic Design Inquiry
Information Design Option
ARTG 2242	Information Design Principles
ARTG 3444	Topics in Information Design Inquiry
Interaction Design Option
ARTG 2400 and ARTG 2401	Interaction Design Principles and Interaction Design Principles Tools
ARTG 3400	Topics In Interaction Design Inquiry

Integrative Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ARTG 5310	Visual Cognition	4
PSYC 3452	Sensation and Perception	4

Supporting Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Introduction to College
INSC 1000	Science at Northeastern	1
or ARTF 1000	Art and Design at Northeastern
Experiential Learning Introduction
EESC 2000	Professional Development for Co-op	1
or EEAM 2000	Professional Development for Co-op

Mathematics Requirement

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following courses:		4
CS 1800	Discrete Structures
MATH 1213	Interactive Mathematics
MATH 1215	Mathematical Thinking
MATH 1231	Calculus for Business and Economics
MATH 1241	Calculus 1
MATH 1242	Calculus 2
MATH 1340	Intensive Calculus for Engineers
MATH 1341	Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering
MATH 1342	Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering

Writing Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ENGW 1111	First-Year Writing	4
or ENGW 1102	First-Year Writing for Multilingual Writers
ENGW 3307	Advanced Writing in the Sciences	4
or ENGW 3315	Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines

NUPath Requirements

The following NUPath requirements are met by the major:

• Analyzing and Using Data (AD)
• Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone (CE)
• Engaging with the Natural and Designed World (ND)
• Exploring Creative Expression and Innovation (EI)
• Understanding Societies and Institutions (SI)
• Writing Intensive (WI)

Other NUPath requirements may be fulfilled by electives in the program.

Psychology GPA Requirement

Minimum 2.000 GPA required in PSYC courses

Psychology and Design Major Credit Requirement

Complete 88 semester hours in the major.      

Program Requirement

130 total semester hours required