Axe ’Em, Jacks!
A source of guidance and support
At SFA’s Department of Psychology, we want every student in our program to have access to the support and guidance they need to complete their degrees and make the most of their time at SFA. As a psychology student at SFA, you’ll work with a caring and dedicated advisor from freshman year to graduation.
Your advisor will help you stay on track as you earn your psychology degree and can answer questions and offer advice about career plans, internships, graduate school and more.
Beyond degree plans
In addition to helping you plot your academic course, your advisor can help you:
- select courses and electives
- add or drop classes
- change your major or minor
- adjust to college life
- and get back on track if you’re struggling academically.
Faculty and staff
When you enter the psychology program at SFA, you’ll be assigned to a full-time staff or faculty member who will act as your advisor and work with you through your entire college career. View your advising portal in mySFA to see your assigned advisor.
How to make an appointment
If you have fewer than 45 credits, you can call the College of Liberal and Applied Arts Advising Office at 936.468.2205 to make an appointment with an academic advisor.
Students who have earned 45 or more should make an appointment with their departmental advisor through the advising portal in mySFA.
Advising FAQs
What kinds of career can I choose as a psychology major?
The marketable skills you develop with a degree in psychology opens the door to various careers ranging from human resources to management and marketing.
What is a degree plan? And when do I need to file one?
A degree plan is a formal statement of requirements an undergraduate student must complete in order to graduate. When you approach 90 credit hours, you should contact your advisor to submit an official degree plan and complete a 90-hour check form. The intention of the 90-hour check form is to identify all of the remaining courses that need to be completed in order to graduate.
What minor should I choose as a psychology major?
Most psychology majors choose minors that are in the social and behavioral sciences (sociology, anthropology, criminal justice and so on). However, you can choose any minor you think will complement your major and your career aspirations.
For example, if you are interested in one of the following areas of work, you may want to minor in the areas of study listed for each:
- development, school or education: child development and family living, early intervention or a nonteaching minor in special education
- industrial or organizational: general business, business communication or leadership
- neuroscience: biology or human health perspectives
- clinical or counseling: addiction studies, rehabilitation services or a nonteaching minor in special education
- social: sociology, gender studies, applied statistics, communication studies or political science
- health psychology or sports psychology: human health perspectives, kinesiology, food and nutrition or health science/community health
- forensic or legal psychology: criminal justice, prelaw study or rehabilitation studies
Will my advisor help me find an internship?
Advisors will help guide you in the right direction when searching for internships. However, it is your responsibility to do the search.
What if I want to change my major or minor?
Changing your major or minor is easy. Just visit with the advising center of the college that houses your new major or minor.
Students on academic probation or suspension may change majors with an approval from their current and receiving deans.
What is academic probation?
A student is placed on academic probation after the first regular semester in which the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0. Students on academic probation whose semester GPA is 2.0 or higher will be allowed to continue on academic probation until the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher. Academic probation will continue until the student achieves good standing or is placed on academic suspension.
What is academic suspension?
A student on academic probation will be placed on academic suspension if the student's semester GPA falls below 2.0.
Reinstatement
A student on academic suspension may be allowed to continue in the university through any of the following procedures:
- meet conditions established by the student’s dean; or
- be automatically readmitted on a provisional basis after one regular semester’s absence from the university. Following a second or subsequent academic suspension and absence from the university for two regular semesters, be readmitted automatically. Summer terms are exempt from periods of academic suspension. Automatic readmission will not occur if the student takes courses elsewhere and fails to attain a GPA of 2.0 for those courses; or,
- after the first academic suspension, attend summer school at SFA and either raise the cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher or obtain a GPA of 2.0 or higher for at least nine semester credit hours in courses specified by the student’s dean.
How – and when – do I file for graduation?
For more information about applying for graduation, click here.
Please see the following for detailed information concerning psychology majors applying for graduation:
- Apply in person at the graduation office located in the Rusk Building, Room 201.
- Complete the preliminary audit form on the psychology website.
- Once the preliminary audit is completed by the coordinator, students will meet with the coordinator to finalize graduation plans:
- The student and the coordinator will discuss and sign the intent to graduate form.
- The coordinator will develop and sign the official plan of study.
- Paperwork is signed by the chair.
- Paperwork is sent to the dean’s office for further processing.