Neuroscience and Behavior

This interdisciplinary minor integrates brain and behavior research and incorporates coursework in psychology and biology. The minor serves students who are interested in traditional neuroscience fields, but also those interested in animal behavior, communicative disorders, and healthcare-related fields.

The Neuroscience and Behavior Minor consists of at least 18 credits. For more information visit the UW-Stevens Point course catalog.

Required Courses: Take all of the following:
PSYC 200: Research Methods in Psychology or HS 360: Research Design for the Health Sciences
PSYC 325: Behavioral Neuroscience

Psychology Courses: Choose at least 6 credits from the following:
PSYC 390: Psychoactive Drugs and Behavior
PSYC 330: Perception
PSYC 333: Animal Cognition
PSYC 375: Learning
PSYC 377: Evolutionary Psychology
PSYC 385: Health Psychology
PSYC 388: Animal Behavior

Biology Courses: Choose at least 6 credits from the following:
BIOL 314: Cell Biology
BIOL 317: Developmental Biology
BIOL 381: Animal Physiology
BIOL 382: Endocrinology of Mammals
BIOL 383: Biology of Reproduction
BIOL 385: Human Physiology
BIOL 388: Animal Behavior
BIOL 390: Neurobiology

Note: PSYC 388 and BIOL 388 are two sections of the same team-taught interdisciplinary course and, therefore, may not be counted twice.

For more information:

Heather Molenda-Figueira, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
hmolenda@uwsp.edu

Psychology: Concentration in Human Services

STUDY HUMAN BEHAVIOR WITH A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY: HUMAN SERVICES

The Psychology: Human Services major is designed for students with an interest in psychology who may pursue bachelor’s-level or advanced degree careers in human services-oriented field (e.g., counseling, clinical psychology, school psychology). The human services concentration focuses on developing the knowledge and skills necessary for counseling and behavioral modification.

Diverse training and interest areas in psychology prepare UW-Stevens Point students for a variety of post-graduate pursuits. Psychology graduates possess research and writing skills, problem-solving skills and well-developed, higher-level thinking ability for analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information.

Department of Psychology

Explore Department Resources

Why Study Psychology: Human Services at UW-Stevens Point?

Psychology students find jobs in clinical/counseling psychology, human services, education, service industries, health, and community organizations. About 30 percent go on to advanced training, normally seeking a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology.

ACADEMIC AND CAREER ADVISING SCHOLARSHIP AND AID MAJOR MAP

Research Opportunities

A student can work with a professor on directed readings, original experimental or survey research, applied internships, or pursue some other project of special interest. Students interested in graduate school or pursuing a career in psychology are strongly encouraged to take part in one or more of these activities. The Department of Psychology supports nine laboratories and research facilities that are used by faculty and students for their research projects. They are also used for instructional purposes, particularly in the experimental and clinical courses.

Research with Faculty!

Awards and Scholarships

High-achieving students are eligible for many significant awards and scholarships thanks to generous support from our alumni, friends, and corporate partners. The Department of Psychology offers six major individual monetary awards and one major scholarship award each spring.

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH

WHAT TO EXPECT

Psychology students are strongly encouraged to work with a professor on directed readings, original experimental or survey research, applied internships or special-interest projects. Senior psychology majors who have taken Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 351) and Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy (PSYC 401) can apply for an internship. Interns receive credit for working at an unpaid placement for six hours a week at various community agencies including school psychology and guidance departments, shelters for abused women, counseling centers, group homes for delinquents or halfway houses for parolees.

Experiential Learning Opportunities in Psychology:

Internships – Students report that participating in an internship program is invaluable experience when searching for employment in the field after graduation or applying to graduate school. Interns receive PSYC 494 Human Services Internship credit for working at an unpaid placement for 6 hours a week.
Practicum – Our PSY 402 class is a practicum course in which students practice clinical interviewing skills, learn about in-depth counseling techniques, and work with licensed psychologists to prepare for a career in clinical or counseling psychology.
Research and Independent Study – Students can become involved in the research lab with faculty or complete an independent study course or project. Volunteer with a faculty member or become an integral part of the research study design and implementation, gaining course credit in the process.
Study Abroad – Join our travel experience in Europe to broaden your understanding of the roots of psychology, as it truly began. Students will gain a global historical perspective and knowledge of how different psychological cultures greatly impacted our study of psychology, in this rewarding study abroad program.

Our graduates become guidance counselors, substance use counselors, clinical psychologists, and crisis intervention coordinators. About 30 percent of our graduates go on to advanced training, normally seeking a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology. Others obtain law or medical degrees.

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

The Psyc hology Club is a recognized student organization open to all students. The social club meets at least monthly, and organizes speakers, programs, field trips and other activities of interest to psychology students. Outstanding psychology students are eligible for membership in the UW-Stevens Point Chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi is a recognized student organization whose membership is open to psychology majors and minors. Our students can also join NAMI, offering program resources for students on campus and working on community outreach efforts on behalf of those who are experiencing mental health issues.

More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).

Facilities in Our Program

Our biological and cognitive psychology labs include the Animal Lab, Cognition and Attention Laboratory, and the Spindler Memory and Applied Cognition Lab. For clinical and counseling, we utilize the Beck Videotaping Facility, and the Counseling Psychology Laboratory. Finally, for developmental and social psychology labs our students work in the Aging and Development Lab, Social and Environmental Psychology Laboratory, and Gender Development Laboratory. We invite you to contact one of our department faculty to learn more.

LAB FACILITIES

MEET YOUR FACULTY

The Department of Psychology has 13 full-time faculty members representing the major sub-disciplines of psychology: biological, clinical/counseling, cognitive, developmental, industrial/organizational and social psychology. Meet your professors!

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Biochemistry

A BIOCHEMISTRY DEGREE COMBINES THE KNOWLEDGE OF BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY TO EXPLAIN LIFE PROCESSES

This interdisciplinary major has a chemistry-based curriculum, coupled with a significant biology component. The role of a biochemist is to look for understanding of organismal diversity in the principles and concepts of chemistry and physics, as well as in the structure, mechanisms and chemical processes that are common to all organisms. Pursuit of a biochemistry degree will allow students to explain life processes in terms of molecular structure and chemical reactions within living cells.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Explore Department

Why Study Biochemistry at UW-Stevens Point?

The biochemistry major will prepare students for admission into dental, medical, pharmacy and veterinary schools. Our students learn in-demand skills from experienced Ph.D. faculty members. They get hands-on research in areas such as virology, cancer biology, stem cell biology, human genetics, neurobiology, molecular ecology, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, protein structure and function and many others. Our undergraduates often publish their findings with our faculty and are listed as co-authors in top-tier chemistry and biology research journals. UWSP Biochemistry students also routinely attend regional, national, and international conferences!

ACADEMIC AND CAREER ADVISING SCHOLARSHIPS AND AID MAJOR MAP

Applied Science Experiences

Our Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty put a high priority on collaborating in research and discovery.

RESEARCH WITH FACULTY

Awards and Scholarships

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has established a program of awards to encourage, reward, and recognize student excellence in the department. Each award includes a certificate and cash award.

Search Here

WHAT TO EXPECT

If you love science, the School of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry will feel like home to you. Drawing together two of the largest departments on campus, the UW-Stevens Point School of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry offers challenging and modern coursework in a supportive learning environment. Working together in one of the newest laboratory facilities in the Universities of Wisconsin, our students and faculty put a high priority on collaborating in research and discovery.

The school administers pre-professional programs including pre-chiropractic, pre-dental, pre-medical, pre-optometry, pre-physician assistant, pre-veterinary and pre-pharmacy. It will prepare students for admission to graduate biochemistry programs, and jobs in bioscience-related industries, in government laboratories, and in the state’s research hospitals. Our research shows there are many unfilled bioscience-related positions in Wisconsin, particularly in the Madison and Milwaukee areas.

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

Students are strongly encouraged to get involved in a research project with a faculty mentor. The biology and chemistry faculties have a variety of research interests and students have many interesting projects to choose from.

Benefits for Students:

apply knowledge learned in courses to make new discoveries
chance to present results at on-campus and/or off-campus research meetings
potential to co-author on journal articles

For some students, the research opportunity presents a life-changing experience and they elect to pursue research as a career.

The department supports the local student chapter of the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) student affiliate. These are student-run organizations that help promote interest in chemistry and chemical education specifically and science in general. Biology student organizations include the Herpetology Society, the campus chapter of the Tri-Beta Lambda Omicron National Biological Honor Society, Pre-Med and Allied Health Club, and Animal and Pre-Vet Club.

The B.S. in Biochemistry at UW-Stevens Point is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology through 2031. Students within the program are eligible to sit for the 2025 exam to be offered in April.

State-of-the-art Facilities

Our teaching and research labs in the Haeni Chemistry Biology Building are equipped with $2.5 million in modern instrumentation. Many courses have their own dedicated labs, while other labs are shared by two or three courses with similar equipment requirements. Most faculty members also maintain labs where they work with students on original research.

Specialized Labs

MEET YOUR FACULTY

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Departments of Biology and Chemistry pride themselves on the strength and commitment of their faculty-to-undergraduate education. All courses required for a biochemistry degree are taught by Ph.D.-trained scientists who are effective instructors and mentors. We offer a challenging and modern course of study in a supportive learning environment.

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Biology

EXPLORE YOUR INTEREST IN THE STUDY OF LIVING THINGS AND BUILD A CAREER

Join us at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and learn how you can build a biological sciences career in fields such as education, private industry, government programs and medicine. In pursuing a biology degree, you will learn how life develops, functions and changes.

We are continually adding new, cutting-edge courses across the entire biology curriculum. There are outstanding collections of fish, reptiles, fossils, mammals, birds and plants. On-campus facilities for students include scanning and transmission electron microscopes, DNA sequencers, aquaculture labs, aquaria, greenhouses, and the only student-run vivarium in the state. Our proximity to 40,000 acres of private, county and state land is a tremendous asset for UWSP students.

Department of Biology

Explore Department

WHY STUDY BIOLOGY AT UW-STEVENS POINT?

The department places a high priority on collaborating with our students in both research and discovery to establish a deeper understanding of life and its natural processes. Students study in the state-of-the-art Haeni Chemistry Biology Building (HCBB) and the Daniel O. Trainer Natural Resources Building (TNR). The CBB, opened in 2018, is the best-equipped facility of its kind among 11 teaching-focused University of Wisconsin schools. Students can shape their studies around their scientific interests and aspirations.

ACADEMIC AND CAREER ADVISING SCHOLARSHIPS AND AID MAJOR MAP

Our Hands-on Experiences

UW-Stevens Point offers its students dedicated labs for molecular genetics, cell biology, human and animal physiology, plant taxonomy, human anatomy, higher vertebrates and lower vertebrates. We are able to study in 40,000 acres of private, county and state land within 20 miles of campus, providing a great diversity of habitats for scientific investigations. The department is also home to two leading centers for aquaculture research, the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility and Aquaponics Innovation Center. Plus, we have the only student-run vivarium in the state.

ASSIST IN RESEARCH STUDENT EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIZED FACILITIES

Scholarships and Awards

The Department Biology hosts an annual celebration of merit and research by students over the academic year. Awards and more than 30 scholarships are presented annually in the spring semester to continuing and graduating students.

Explore Scholarships

EXPLORE LIVING LABS

Field courses take students off campus to conduct research with faculty. Students gain valuable, hands-on experience through research and field opportunities, including courses in Florida and Hawaii. These intense learning experiences provide hands-on, living labs to apply and understand ecological principles. Students may also take part in museum curation, greenhouse work, and shadowing of working professionals.

In the Field

WHAT TO EXPECT

Our students begin with a year-long introduction to the biological sciences, then take courses in genetics, evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology (plant, animal, or human), and cell and molecular biology. Students also complete courses in chemistry and mathematics, and have up to 15 elective credits to complete the major. The biology major consists of a range of 55 to 62 credits, depending on the 100-level chemistry and cellular/molecular biology options taken.

Navigate the major with our Biology Major Map tool. Students should consult with the Biology Department faculty when selecting courses required to fulfill the major.

Common areas of emphasis in biology include aquatic biology, biobusiness, biotechnology, botany, ecology/environmental, education, graduate work/research, horticulture, microbiology, natural history, pharmaceutical and biomedical sales, zoos and aquaria, and zoology. Students looking to advance in their profession after employment or enter graduate school, medical school, or veterinary medicine should consult their adviser about additional math, physics and chemistry coursework.

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

Student-run organizations at UW-Stevens Point offer a number of opportunities to get involved with fellow students, professors, and the community.

More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).

Animal Behavior
Botany Club
Pre Veterinary
Pre-Med and Allied Health
Pre-Physical Therapy
Neuroscience
Tri-Beta Lambda Omicron Chapter
Herpetology Society
Ichthyology and Aquarium Society
Wildlife Society
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

MEET OUR FACULTY

Student-professor interaction is a high priority at UW-Stevens Point, with a low student-to-teacher ratio. Most of our classes and labs are taught by a Ph.D.-trained instructor with expertise in the field, and we offer many opportunities for undergraduate research.

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Psychology

A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE PROVIDES A BROAD, YET THOROUGH, UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY

The Department of Psychology teaches research and writing skills, problem-solving skills and well-developed, higher-level thinking ability for analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information. Psychology graduates find jobs in human services, administration, public affairs, education, business, sales, service industries, health, the biological sciences and computer programming. They become guidance counselors, substance use and disorder counselors, clinical psychologists, community organizers, and business managers.

All students pursuing a psychology degree begin by taking an introduction to the field, then learn the fundamentals of research methods and statistics. This advances into courses and experiences that provide both breadth and depth to knowledge of the entire field and skills needed in the workforce.

Department of Psychology

Explore Department Resources

Why Study Psychology: Human Services at UW-Stevens Point?

ACADEMIC AND CAREER ADVISING SCHOLARSHIP AND AID MAJOR MAP

Research Opportunities

Research Labs

Awards and Scholarships

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH

WHAT TO EXPECT

Psychology students are strongly encouraged to work with a professor on directed readings, original experimental or survey research, applied internships, or special-interest projects.

Senior psychology majors who have taken Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 351) and Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy (PSYC 401) can apply for a Human Services internship. Interns receive credit for working at an unpaid placement for six hours a week at various community agencies including school psychology and guidance departments, shelters for women who have been abused, counseling centers, group homes for at-risk youth, ABA therapy sites, or halfway houses for parolees.

Experiential Learning Opportunities in Psychology:

Internships – Our internships occur at various community agencies including school psychology and guidance departments, shelters for abused women, alcohol treatment programs, and group homes. Typically, we place 15 students per term in internships. Students apply around the 8th week preceding the term in which they wish to complete an internship. Interns receive PSYC 494 Human Services Internship credit for working at an unpaid placement for 6 hours a week. Interns must also attend a weekly course, PSYC 495 (Human Services Internship Seminar), where they discuss ethical issues and issues common to all placements.
Research and Independent Study – One of the most enriching experiences you can have as a psychology major or minor is involvement in research. Your involvement in research can occur at several different levels, depending on the faculty member supervising the research:
– Volunteer to assist a faculty member with a project that is being conducted. (No course credit.)
– You can become an integral part of the research study design and implementation, gaining course credit in the process (PSYC 399).
– Or, design a study of your own and, with a faculty member supervising your project, gain course credit (PSYC 399).
Study Abroad – Join our travel experience in Europe to broaden your understanding of the roots of psychology, as it truly began. Students will gain a global historical perspective and knowledge of how different psychological cultures greatly impacted our study of psychology, in this rewarding study abroad program.

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

The Psychology Club is a recognized student organization open to all students. The social club meets at least monthly, and organizes speakers, programs, field trips and other activities of interest to psychology students. Our newest student organization is the Neuroscience Club. Speakers in the field will be invited to share experiences with students in efforts to expand this area of study on our campus. Outstanding psychology students are eligible for membership in UWSP’s International Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi is a recognized student organization whose membership is open to psychology majors and minors who have completed at least 13 hours of psychology, have reached at least junior status, have at least a 3.2 overall GPA and a 3.3 GPA in psychology courses. Our students can also join NAMI, offering program resources for students on campus and working on community outreach efforts on behalf of those who are experiencing mental health issues.

More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).

MEET YOUR FACULTY

View All Faculty

For more information:

STUDY HUMAN BEHAVIOR WITH A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY: HUMAN SERVICES

Department of Psychology

Why Study Psychology: Human Services at UW-Stevens Point?

Research Opportunities

Awards and Scholarships

WHAT TO EXPECT

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

Facilities in Our Program

MEET YOUR FACULTY

Ellen Meier

Erica Weisgram

Heather Molenda-Figueira

Jeana Council

A BIOCHEMISTRY DEGREE COMBINES THE KNOWLEDGE OF BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY TO EXPLAIN LIFE PROCESSES

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Why Study Biochemistry at UW-Stevens Point?

Applied Science Experiences

Awards and Scholarships

WHAT TO EXPECT

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

State-of-the-art Facilities

MEET YOUR FACULTY

Joseph Mondloch

Karin Bodensteiner

Nate Bowling

Shannon Riha

EXPLORE YOUR INTEREST IN THE STUDY OF LIVING THINGS AND BUILD A CAREER

Department of Biology

WHY STUDY BIOLOGY AT UW-STEVENS POINT?

Our Hands-on Experiences

Scholarships and Awards

EXPLORE LIVING LABS

WHAT TO EXPECT

BIOLOGY

BIOLOGY: BOTANY AND PLANT SCIENCE OPTION

BIOLOGY: HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH OPTION

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

MEET OUR FACULTY

Ann Impullitti

Jennifer Bray

Paul Whitaker

Sarah Jane Alger

A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE PROVIDES A BROAD, YET THOROUGH, UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY

Department of Psychology

Why Study Psychology: Human Services at UW-Stevens Point?

Research Opportunities

Awards and Scholarships

WHAT TO EXPECT

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

MEET YOUR FACULTY

Ellen Meier

Erica Weisgram

Heather Molenda-Figueira