| Course | PS115 Psychology Program and Profession |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 9 |
| Paper type | Degree map |
| Length | About 520 words, 4 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Psychology |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PS115 Unit 9
Ten Terms to the Addiction Capstone: A PS115 Unit 9 Degree Map for the Psychology Major
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
PS115: Psychology Program and Profession
Unit 9 Degree Map
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The writer and the transfer credits are composite; course codes and titles come from the Purdue Global 2026-27 catalog; the sequence should be confirmed with an academic advisor.
Starting Point
I transferred 46 quarter credits of general education from community college, including English composition and college algebra, so my remaining work is mostly the psychology major, the addictions concentration, a few general education courses and electives. I attend full time with two courses in each ten-week term, which is what I can manage alongside work and family.
The Map
Term 1: PS115 Psychology Program and Profession and PS124 Introduction to Psychology. Term 2: PS300 Research Methods I and a general education statistics course. Term 3: PS200 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology and PS210 History of Psychology. Term 4: PS215 Neuroscience and PS220 Child and Adolescent Psychology. Term 5: PS311 Ethical Practice in a Diverse World and PS330 Personality Development. Term 6: PS375 Psychology of Addiction and PS370 Health Psychology. Term 7: PS377 Models of Peer Recovery and PS380 Clinical Psychology. Term 8: PS452 Psychopharmacology of Alcohol and Drugs and PS440 Psychopathology. Term 9: PS450 Case Management in Clinical Settings and an elective. Term 10: PS497 Bachelor's Capstone in Addiction and an elective.
Why This Order
Three rules set the order. Prerequisites come first: the catalog lists Introduction to Psychology as a prerequisite for Neuroscience, Psychology of Addiction and Models of Peer Recovery, so it sits in my first term (Purdue University Global, 2026). Research skills come early: my skills inventory found scientific inquiry to be my largest gap, so Research Methods I and statistics come in the second term, where every later course can build on them. And related courses sit together: Psychology of Addiction pairs with Health Psychology, and the psychopharmacology course pairs with Psychopathology, because each pair covers the same clients from two directions.
The research course goes early because every later course, and the graduate application, depends on it.
Electives
The two electives support the master's application in counseling that my career research pointed to, since licensed counseling in most states requires a graduate degree (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). I plan to choose one course in counseling skills or human services and one additional research or statistics course, and I will confirm the options with my advisor. Landrum and Davis (2014) recommend using electives to strengthen the part of an application that is weakest, and for me that is research.
Timeline and Risks
Ten terms of ten weeks, with the usual breaks, put graduation about two and a half years from now. Two risks could stretch it. If I drop to one course in a term because of work or family, graduation moves back by a term. And Purdue Global may revise course offerings or requirements; the 2026-27 catalog governs my plan unless I choose a later one. I will review this map with my advisor each year.
References
Landrum, R. E., & Davis, S. F. (2014). The psychology major: Career options and strategies for success (5th ed.). Pearson.
Purdue University Global. (2026). 2026-2027 catalog. https://catalog.purdueglobal.edu/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. In Occupational outlook handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm
Reading the PS 115 Unit 9 instructions
Unit 9 in PS115 commonly asks you to map the courses remaining in your degree term by term. Start from where you are: transfer credit, courses completed and how many courses you can take each term. Lay out each term's courses using the current catalog's codes and titles. Explain the rules behind the order, especially prerequisites, any skills you want early and courses that work well together. Choose electives that support your goal, marked as tentative until an advisor confirms them. Estimate a graduation date and name the risks that could delay it, such as reducing your course load. Note that the catalog year governs your requirements. Cite the catalog, and plan to review the map with an academic advisor rather than treating it as final.
How this PS115 Unit 9 example is built
The map begins with 46 transferred quarter credits and a two-course-per-term pace. Ten terms follow, each listing two courses by code and title from PS115 and Introduction to Psychology through the addiction capstone. A section explains three ordering rules, prerequisites from the catalog, research skills early and paired courses, under a highlighted line that the research course goes early because later courses and the graduate application depend on it. An electives section chooses one counseling skills course and one research course for the master's application, with labor data on licensure and Landrum and Davis on strengthening the weakest part of an application. The close estimates two and a half years and names course load and catalog changes as risks.
PS115 Unit 9 rubric: what earns full points
Degree maps are graded on accuracy and reasoning. Instructors check course codes, titles and prerequisites against the catalog, so a map built from memory or an old catalog tends to lose points. Explaining why the courses fall in that order earns more than a list, especially when the order reflects the student's own goals and gaps. Electives chosen to support the career plan show integration with earlier units. A realistic course load and a graduation estimate with stated risks are expected. Noting that an advisor will confirm the map shows appropriate caution. The catalog should be cited in APA style, and any transfer credit should be stated rather than assumed.
PS115 Unit 9 help: mistakes that cost points
The most common error is ignoring prerequisites, so a course appears before the one it requires. Another frequent problem lists courses with no explanation of the order. Students sometimes plan three or four courses a term while working full time, which produces an unrealistic date. Electives are often left blank or chosen without connection to the goal. Some maps use course titles from another school or an outdated catalog. Before submitting, check every course against the current catalog, confirm each prerequisite appears earlier in the map, write one sentence explaining the order, choose electives that support your career plan and add a line naming what could delay graduation.
Get a PS115 Unit 9 example written to your instructions
Share your transfer credits, your concentration and the instructions with the rubric. A custom degree map sequences your remaining courses and notes prerequisites. It comes back within 24-48h, and the first is free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
More PS115 papers and BS in Psychology samples
- PS115 Unit 1: Psychology Introduction Board Post
- PS115 Unit 2: Concentration Exploration Paper
- PS115 Unit 3: Fields of Psychology Comparison
- PS115 Unit 4: Library Research and APA Exercise
- PS115 Unit 5: APA Ethics Code Case Paper
- PS115 Unit 6: Careers Seminar Reflection
- PS115 Unit 7: Career Research by Degree Level
- PS115 Unit 8: Psychology Skills Inventory
- PS115 Unit 10: Degree and Career Plan
PS115 Unit 9 questions, answered
Does the map need exact term dates?
Terms or quarters are enough unless the prompt asks for dates.
What about transfer credit?
Show what transferred and what remains.
Should electives be chosen now?
Name likely electives that support your goal and mark them as tentative.
Where can I find a free PS115 Unit 9 sample paper?
This page holds the complete PS115 Unit 9 degree map sequencing a composite student's psychology and addictions courses across ten terms.
Why does Research Methods I come early in the PS115 Unit 9 sample?
The skills inventory named research as the largest gap, and later courses and a graduate application both depend on it.