Non-Science Letter of Rec.

[BigEast55]

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My main question is this, does Psychology count as a science, I could probably get my best non-science letter from a Psych prof, but would that fufill school's requirements?

Thanks

 

[thegetupkid]

Psychology, believe it or not, is a science. It isn't BCPM, but it definitely isn't a humanities course. I'm assuming, for the few schools that actually require a non-science letter, they want to see how you fare in the humanities--where emphasis is less on memorization and more on analysis.

In any case, just call the individual schools you are worried about on Monday, and find out straight from them to avoid any issues.

 

[BigEast55]

Science certainly isn't about memorization at all, but really beside the point... do you happen to know any schools which require a non-science letter?

 

[Shawnpremed]

It may also depend on what your school classifies psychology as.

Try getting a LOR from a prof that teaches u in a field way different from the hardcore sciences, like a language or philosophy class.

 

[Rach83]

Ugh and here I thought I was all set with my psych letter as my non-science. Not sure I can get a humanities one so I guess psychology prof will have to do!😡

 

[DrWookie]

Psychology, believe or not, is a science.

I still have a hard time convincing myself of that

 

[thegetupkid]

I still have a hard time convincing myself of that

--> UCLA, Psychobiology, Bachelors of Science 😉

 

[thegetupkid]

Science certainly isn't about memorization at all, but really beside the point... do you happen to know any schools which require a non-science letter?

In my cycle, I think the only one was NYMC. I'm probably forgetting a few though... Still, the non-science LOR requirement is rare.

 

[redlight]

yea psych is a social science, not sure if that counts as non-science. best bet would be to call the schools in question. i think your psych lor will be fine as long as it had papers or discussions/debates for major grades... stuff you don't find in regular science classes.

also, the degree is a BA at my school.

 

[DrWookie]

--> UCLA, Psychobiology, Bachelors of Science 😉

Just because you got a Bachelors of Science doesn't make it a science. I'm getting a Bachelors of Arts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Does that make me an artist?

Also, psychobiology isn't quite what I was thinking of when I said psychology. I was thinking Freud style psychology, or studying things like "risk-taking behavior" by playing video games...that is the stuff I'm questionable about.

 

[Ariadne]

Psychology is considered a social science, as a opposed to a natural science (the category used to classify biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) or a formal science (math).

This question (psych for a non-LOR) pops up in a lot of threads, I think the general consensus has been that if the course isn't a biology-based psychology course, you're probably OK.

My experience has been that both social sciences and humanities classes can work for the non-science LOR. If you want an absolute answer, you're going to have to check on a school by school basis.

 

[hedgehog1]

Psychology, believe it or not, is a science. It isn't BCPM, but it definitely isn't a humanities course. I'm assuming, for the few schools that actually require a non-science letter, they want to see how you fare in the humanities--where emphasis is less on memorization and more on analysis.

In any case, just call the individual schools you are worried about on Monday, and find out straight from them to avoid any issues.

I have heard the opposite of this -- that you can use a psych professor's letter for a non-science LOR, and that by non-science they mean no BCPM classes. You'd have to ask the schools to be 100% sure though.

 

[BoneMachine]

Psychology, believe it or not, is a science. It isn't BCPM, but it definitely isn't a humanities course. I'm assuming, for the few schools that actually require a non-science letter, they want to see how you fare in the humanities--where emphasis is less on memorization and more on analysis.

In any case, just call the individual schools you are worried about on Monday, and find out straight from them to avoid any issues.

Well stated! Psychology is indeed a science and the field is improving as the years pass. Compared to many other scientific fields of study, psychology is still relatively new and still in its early development stages. In terms of medical school recommendation letters, I imagine psychology would be considered more of a humanities course because it's not a BCPM course.