Bachelor of Science in Psychological Science

Catalog Year 2026-2027

Based on VCCS Curriculum for PSYCHOLOGY

Transfer Guidance

Transfer Admission Requirements

Guaranteed Admission to University of Mary Washington. By meeting the following criteria, you are eligible for admission.

• Earn a VCCS transfer associate degree

• Earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 for your associate degree

• Earn grades of “C” or higher in all your courses for the associate degree to be eligible to transfer those credits.

Please create an account through the www.TransferVirginia.org portal to register your intent to use this guarantee for admission to UMW.

Important Links & Dates:

• University Transfer Center: https://www.umw.edu/admissions/transfer/

• Register Intent to Transfer After the first 15 credits

• Admission Application: Apply by October 15 for spring admission, March 1 for summer admission, and April 1 for fall admission.

• Financial Aid: https://www.umw.edu/financialaid/

• FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid: Apply by April 1 to ensure you receive the maximum aid for which you are eligible. FAFSA’s will still be accepted after the April 1 deadline. The required forms are found at studentaid.gov

• Register Intent to Transfer: Through College Connect at https://www.transfervirginia.org/

• Admission Application: https://www.umw.edu/admissions/transfer/

What Should I Consider When Selecting Courses?

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year. For help, see Transfer Steps and Resource Center at www.TransferVirginia.org

• Connect with an advisor at your community college and UMW within your first year. College Connect available in your account of www.TransferVirginia.org

• UMW requires proficiency in a second language as part of the general education requirements. This can be satisfied in a number of ways including completing four years of language in high school, transferring credits from a community college, or completing a sequence of language courses through the 201 level at UMW. American Sign Language is accepted for transfer as a second language. All of the options for satisfying this requirement are found in the UMW Catalog: https://catalog.umw.edu/undergraduate/general-education/general-educatio...

Is This Degree Right For Me?

• Psychology majors learn research skills, writing skills, speaking skills, and both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. They are well equipped to be successful whether or not they pursue a higher degree in psychology or counseling.

• Psychology majors can tailor their elective courses to their specific interests. We have courses in sports psychology, forensic psychology, clinical psychology, and exceptional child psychology.

• All of our majors get real world experience either doing research, internship, or volunteering in the community. These experiences help to build their resumes, allow for career exploration, and enhance their graduate applications.

• There is a severe shortage of mental health professionals in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and throughout the nation. A psychology degree is the best preparation for a career as a mental health professional (e.g., as a psychologist, social worker, counselor).

• Many of our students choose to minor in neuroscience. Students who wish to minor in neuroscience need to take a year of Biology and Chemistry prior to the two Biology classes required for the minor.

What Is the Impact on My Degree of Work I Have Already Completed?

• Associate Transfer Degree Completion: Transfer students with a VCCS transferable associate degree have completed the UMW general education requirements except second language competency, digital intensive, diverse and global perspectives, after Mary Washington, and beyond the classroom general education requirements. Diverse and global perspectives as well as beyond the classroom are integrated into the psychology major. UMW does allow students to satisfy these requirements through qualifying transfer coursework.

• Dual Enrollment- Completion of Associate Degree in HS: Students participating in dual enrollment programs are considered as freshman applicants. Dual enrollment courses taken at the high school are treated identically with the same course when taken on a college campus; dual enrollment status does not affect the transferability of the course.

• Credit for Prior Learning: UMW accepts credit for AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge, and other qualifying previous coursework. Equivalencies are provided here: https://academics.umw.edu/registrar/transfer-information/transferring-cr... Virginia Community College System courses which receive guaranteed equivalent credit are provided here: https://academics.umw.edu/registrar/transfer-information/resources-and-p...

• Catalog Year: Students must complete general education requirements associated with the academic year that they enroll at UMW. Students complete major requirements associated with the academic year in which they declare their major.

Is This College Right For Me?

• Home is precisely what UMW will come to feel like. Our campus is gorgeous, green, and full of opportunity. Join a club sports team. Audition for a musical. Lead the way in Student Government Association. Train with our esports team. Or sit back, relax, and take it all in from the cozy comfort of Ball Circle.

• UMW is a small university located in suburban Fredericksburg, VA. We offer small class sizes and courses are taught by faculty committed to student learning and success.

• UMW offers high impact experiences beyond the classroom. Faculty are committed to collaborating with students on research projects and outreach experiences.

• UMW is located between Washington DC and Richmond, VA in the largest technology corridor in Virginia. UMW students enjoy a multitude of internship opportunities where they can apply their academic knowledge while gaining professional experience. UMW students receive support with resumes and job searches through the department and University resources and can earn academic credit for qualifying internship experiences.

Learn more about our college at www.TransferVirginia.org

Did You Know That…

• UMW has a co-enrollment agreement with Germanna Community College, which allows Germanna students to take up to five courses at UMW to transfer back to their Germanna associate degree program. This allows students to receive UMW course experiences at Germanna tuition rates. Students must submit a letter of intent after completing 15 credits at Germanna

• Completing your transfer associate degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor’s degree.

What Can I Do With This Degree?

• Many psychology majors go on to become mental health professionals or work in research methods. However, psychology majors are successful in a wide variety of industries including business, healthcare, and education.

• Explore possible careers, salaries, and job outlook at www.TransferVirginia.org

Program Successes & Highlights

• UMW graduates work in clinical settings as psychologists, social workers, and licensed counselors. They also work in research settings, business settings, law, medicine, and education.

• Students who take PSYC 491-492 work for a full year in a small group with faculty on research projects. We take all of these students to an overnight statewide conference where they present their research. Many research groups also attend national conferences funded by UMW and publish their research in peer-reviewed journals.

• We have over $20,000 in scholarship money that we award to outstanding students.

• We have a semester away program with the New England Center for Children where students spend a semester near Boston taking classes and working with children with autism and developmental disabilities at one of the nation’s top schools for autism.

• We offer internships at over 50 local agencies including at counseling centers, hospitals and hospice locations, brain injury centers, schools, and juvenile justice settings.

• We have state of the art facilities including a physiograph, an EEG machine, an eye tracker, an animal laboratory, and an observational laboratory with one way mirrors.

What Are My Chances for Getting Accepted?

• With a transferable associate degree and a 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA, you may qualify for UMW’s Guaranteed Admissions Agreement with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and Richard Bland College.

• Learn more about applying at www.TransferVirginia.org

Do More With Your Degree!

• Take advantage of our wide variety of internship experiences to get real world experience. The University and department support students in their job search through resume workshops, individual consultations, and campus job fairs.

• Our department offers a number of ways to get involved including paid student aide positions, an active and award winning honor society that hosts events, activities and fundraisers, and social events such as picnics and informal gatherings.

• There are several minors that pair well with a Psychology major. We have a neuroscience minor (although that involves a year of Biology and Chemistry). Other minors include social justice which pairs well with an interest in social work, and contemplative practices which teaches about mindfulness, the basis of many empirically validated therapeutic methods.

Other Than Classes, Are There Other Program Requirements?

• Students must earn at least 30 credits at UMW as a degree-seeking student (not including physical education credits).

• Students must earn a GPA of 2.0 in both their major and overall coursework in order to complete their degree.