The schedule for the Spring 2025 semester was recently made available online. This was when psychology students started to realize how limited their options were for upper division courses.

In the psychology program, students must enroll in a certain number of breadth courses, which explore various general fields of psychology; and depth courses, which specialize in certain topics.

Depth courses often have multiple prerequisites, typically PSY 290 (a course in psychological research) and one or two breadth courses.

Sounds complicated? Students have struggled to keep track with what courses they need to take in order to complete their program.

“Depth courses need to be provided all year around,” Samantha Mondesire, a psychology major, said. “It doesn’t make any sense why I have to wait until I’m trying to graduate and leave to take them.”

Several of Mondesire’s peers share similar sentiments. Students wanting to, or needing to, apply for an unavailable course has been a consistent issue within the psychology program.

“It’s very annoying because the cognates I want are already waitlisted because I got last picked and I have to wait until fall,” Ben Coté said.

“There are no classes and everybody feels the same, it’s gross,” Sage Garcia said.

For example: a psychology major chooses to take Social Psychology (PSY 340), a breadth course, instead of Abnormal Psychology (PSY 350), another breadth course, to satisfy the “clinical/social breadth” requirement.

This delays taking Sexual Disorders and Deviance (PSY 469), a course they really want to take, so the student decides to take PSY 350 to get the requirement.

Then they find out: PSY 469 will not be offered for this upcoming spring semester.

Enter the inevitable disappointment after a complicated planning process.

Although students are only seeing the courses being offered, the department is still working hard to get them more classes for students when it comes time for registration.

“We understand how challenging registration time can be for our students,” Emily Bovier, psychology department chair, said. “The department aims to provide the best schedule possible and doing so requires a delicate balance of course offerings in the face of faculty leaves and retirements.”

But some students have had some success with creating a schedule that works for them.

“It’s not that hard because I’ve been here for years,” Jasmyne Daley said.

The psychology department recommends students keep in contact with their academic advisers to help them understand the system.

If certain courses have a waitlist, then that must mean that students are getting in the classes they need or want.

Seeing as the department has to wait for approval for certain courses, students should continue to check the courses offered to see if there are any new courses offered or if there are spots open in the class that they would like to take.

Students have the option to add courses until Feb. 5, when spring registration concludes.