UMF Catalog On-Line

Degree Earned
Bachelor of Arts: Interdisciplinary Studies - Business Psychology

Interdisciplinary Studies recognizes that academic disciplines do not exist in a vacuum, that to fully understand a subject one must move beyond the silos of the individual disciplines and integrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are to be found in related, complementary academic subjects. Thus the student will study at least two different subjects in the Interdisciplinary program, looking for connections between them.

Business Administration & Management and Psychology are the first and second most popular undergraduate majors in the U.S., and for good reasons. By studying business, you will gain the administrative and management skills that can be applied in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Studying psychology teaches you the intellectual and personal skills necessary to understand human behavior and the human mind. It also helps you learn how to see the world and people from different perspectives. Business Psychology majors receive the best of both disciplines and learn how to effect change in individuals, groups and organizations—as a result, enhancing human and organizational performance.

The Business Psychology degree will also give you insights into the application of behavioral and motivational models to the workplace. A strong emphasis is placed on effective management competencies in areas like communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, decision making, time management, resource management and critical reflection.

The program also prepares students to pursue graduate study in the field of industrial/organizational psychology, a branch of psychology that studies how businesses function and develops methods to create more effective work environments as well as traditional MBA programs.

Business Psychology Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

understand basic business models and terminology.
understand the functions and operations of domestic and global markets.
understand psychological theory and research.
understand how psychology enhances business decision making.
demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends in psychology and business.
articulate a clear and plausible career narrative that illuminates the potential relevance of their experiences in the business psychology program to business or post-graduate professional development.
become autonomous learners, bringing knowledge and skills learned in one area to enhance and integrate complex decision making in related areas.
apply knowledge of human psychology to better understand human resource issues like employee relations, training and development, financial compensation and performance reviews.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Required Business and Economics Courses:

BUS 208	Accounting Principles	4
BUS 210	Principles of Management	4
BUS 220	Principles of Marketing	4
BUS 488	Senior Seminar in Business and Psychology	2
ECO 110S	Principles in Economics	4
ECO 230	Behavioral Economics	4

Select one course from the following:

BUS 310	Human Resources and Management	4
BUS 311	Management & Organizational Behavior	4
BUS 320	Consumer Behavior	4

Select one course from the following:

BUS 335	International Business	4
BUS 336	International Management	4
BUS 337	International Marketing	4

Required Psychology Courses:

PSY 101	General Psychology	4
PSY 247	The Psychology of Leadership	4
PSY 399	Research Methods in Psychology and Business	4
PSY 317	Industrial/Organizational Psychology	4
PSY 488	Senior Seminar in Business and Psychology	2

Required Mathematics Course:
Select one course from the following:

MAT 120M	Introductory Statistics	4
MAT 220M	Data Analysis	4
PSY 275	Statistical Applications to Psychology	4

Total Credits for the Major: 52

RECOMMENDED COURSES

BUS 101S	Business and Society
BUS 350	Strategic Marketing for Non-Profit Organization
MAT 132M	Pre-Calculus
PSY 327	Psychology of Diversity and Multiculturalism
PSY 347	The Psychology of Persuasion

Foreign Languages

NOTE: A grade of C- or above must be earned in all Business and Economic courses

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
One year of one foreign language at the college level or two years of one foreign language at the high school level.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
For specific information about general education requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

MINIMUM TOTAL OF CREDITS FOR THE DEGREE: 128