psychology major homework

What You Need to Know About Becoming a Psychology Major

Psychology majors study the science of human behavior and mental processes. This includes examining the mind, the brain, and human and animal social interactions. The major touches on multiple aspects of the field, such as social, cognitive, abnormal, personality, developmental and clinical psychology.

Becoming a Psychology Major

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What Is a Psychology Major?

Psychology is a widely customizable major that can prepare students for a variety of career paths as well as graduate-level programs in psychology, education, law, medicine and business. Psychology majors learn basic methods for conducting psychological research, reasoning and problem solving. After their research is complete, students write papers on their findings in the American Psychological Association, or APA, format, which calls for specific citation methods.

These majors also explore the history of psychology by studying past experiments and learning from t early breakthroughs in the field. Throughout their psychology courses, they can expect to become very familiar with the theories of famous psychologists like Sigmund Freud, Albert Bandura, Ivan Pavlov, Wilhelm Wundt and others who helped shape the science.

Psychology major vs. sociology major: What’s the difference?

While psychology and sociology are both social sciences, their core difference is the scope of human behavior that these majors study. Psychology primarily focuses on the mind of the individual, while sociology examines groups of people – like communities, organizations or countries – and how individuals in these groups relate to one another.

Common Coursework Psychology Majors Can Expect

Undergraduate courses for a psychology degree might include general psychology, research methods in psychology, statistical methods in psychology and lab courses.

General psychology courses cover the core types of psychology, the history of the science, and the relationships between the brain, behavior and experience. Psychology lab courses allow students to gain experience conducting research, designing experiments, learning observation and measurement techniques, and analyzing behavioral data.

After learning the basics, students meet major requirements by enrolling in courses on more specific topics like:

• Developmental psychology. 
• Learning and behavior. 
• Social psychology. 
• Theories of personality, drugs and behavior. 
• Affective neuroscience. 
• Child psychology. 
• Introduction to clinical psychology. 

Many schools offer course credit for independent research projects, though they may require a certain GPA and approval of a student’s topic through the psychology department. This research experience can be especially beneficial to students who plan to continue their psychology studies in graduate school. To complete their bachelor’s degree, schools usually require undergraduate students to take courses in math, social science and physical science.

How to Know if This Major Is the Right Fit for You

A psychology major might be a good choice for students who want to work with people and are interested in understanding human behavior and mental processes. Helpful skills for psychology majors to have include open-mindedness, the ability to think critically, problem-solving techniques and effective communication abilities. By learning how humans tick, students can apply some lessons to their own lives and potentially learn about themselves, too. Undergraduates who don’t want to be psychologists might still want to major in psychology, as it can apply to many career paths and provides a general understanding of people as well as transferable writing, research and analytical skills.

What Can I Do With a Psychology Major?

Graduate school and licensing are necessary for those who want to work as psychologists , therapists or in most counseling roles, including school counselor. Psychology degree-holders can also apply to graduate programs in law , medicine, business and other applicable fields, as psychology can be a solid educational base to build upon. Specializations in psychology cover many facets of the human experience, as students can pick specific interests like the environment, crime, animals, children, social work, rehabilitation or the military, and practice in that area of psychology.

Possible career options for psychology majors that don't require a graduate degree or license include law enforcement or corrections officer, human resources manager, marketing or advertising manager, research assistant, and some nonprofit positions.

Data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent estimates of annual salary by occupation and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook .

What Psychology Majors Say

"I would say that for me, being a Psychology major is a chance to learn more about yourself, others, and the world at large. Many people discount the major as unimportant, saying it is oversaturated or overgeneralized. However, I believe that is farthest from the truth, particularly seeing the importance of mental health care professionals and human centered roles following quarantine. Additionally, being a student of Psychology is honestly such a fun time. I love the shared understanding we have of entering a lecture hall, talking about the content while we wait for class to start, and the fury of typing I notice only after the instructor teaches us how our brains automatically filter the sound out."

– AJ Vollrath , University of Minnesota, class of 2024.

"As a psychology major, I’ve been given a phenomenal opportunity to pursue my passion for working with children. I strongly recommend considering psychology if you’re seeking a field that has hands on experience with people. For future psychology students, embrace the diverse learning experiences that come with the major as it allows for you to not only be a well-rounded scholar but a comprehensive person."

– Brandon Janse Van Vuuren , Temple University, class of 2024.

"As a psychology student at the University of the District of Columbia, I have had the privilege to explore the range of topics that psychology has to offer and build professional and leadership skills. The department is a family of students, faculty and staff who have shown profound perseverance in the face of global change, and dedication to the pursuit of students’ academic and professional careers. The small classes lend to an invaluable learning experience. The rigorous curriculum equips you with the core foundations of research and understanding contributions to the field that help you grow as a critical thinker and advocate for an improved society. In the classroom, expect to expand your boundaries of thought beyond the North American lens and explore global concepts applicable to dynamic world cultures. Lastly, take advantage of the faculty driven research laboratories that use high-impact practices in applied research experiences beyond the classroom."

– Zachary Roberts , University of the District of Columbia, class of 2024.

Schools Offering a Psychology Major

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The Psychology Major

The Psychology major is open to students in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students pursuing a Psychology major gain an understanding of Psychological Science broadly, and the range of processes that enable people, animals, as well as machines and forms of artificial intelligence, to make sense of, navigate, and respond to their social and physical environments. Majors learn theoretical and empirical foundations from biological (e.g., neural, endocrine, genetic), cognitive (e.g., learning, memory, perception), developmental (e.g., social and language development, aging), and social perspectives (e.g., judgments, attributions, relationships), as well as methodological and statistical approaches.

Admission to the Major

Admission to the major is granted to students in good standing in the College of Arts and Sciences who have passed three or more psychology courses with grades of C+ or better. Once a student is admitted into the major they are assigned a faculty advisor who provides guidance on fulfilling the major requirements. To apply to the major and receive an advisor, a major application form may be obtained by downloading it here:  major form .  Forms should be completed and emailed to Timothy Snyder .

Requirements for students entering the Major starting in Fall 2023

Students who entered the major before fall 2023, see section below..

• Completing a total of 40 credits in psychology (including prerequisites). Students must earn a grade of C- or better in each course. Courses except for PSYCH 4700 and PSYCH 4710 must be taken for a letter grade. First-year Writing Seminars  (FWS) or AP courses cannot be counted towards the credit requirements.
• Demonstration of proficiency in statistics before the beginning of the senior year by passing PSYCH 2500 with a C- or better, by p assing an approved course or course sequence in statistics in some other department at Cornell, or by p assing an exemption examination by arrangement with  Professor  Thomas Cleland . Additional information about the statistics requirements for Psychology majors, including allowable courses in other Cornell departments, can be found here .

HD 2830/PSYCH 2830 Research Methods in Human Development

HD 2930/PSYCH 2930, Data Science for Social Scientists I

PSYCH 3020, Methods in Neuroscience

PSYCH 3420, Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory

HD 4765 How to Think Like a Scientist

COMM 2820 Research Methods in Communication Studies

GOVT 3999 How Do You Know That?

STS 2011 What is Science?

BIOG 1500 Investigative Biology Laboratory

Perception and Cognition (P&C) :

PSYCH 1102  Introduction to Cognitive Science

PSYCH 2050  Perception

PSYCH 2150  Psychology of Language

HD 2200  Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience

PSYCH 2580/HD 2580   Six Pretty Good Books: Explorations in Social Science

PSYCH 3140  Computational Psychology

HD 3190  Memory and the Law

PSYCH 3350  The Psychology of Attention

PSYCH 3420  Human Perception: Application to Computer Graphics, Art, and Visual Display

PSYCH 4150  Culture, Cognition, Humanities

PSYCH 4270  Evolution of Language

PSYCH 4331  Event Cognition

Development (D):

HD 1150, Child Development through Middle Childhood

HD 1170, Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

PSYCH 1131/HD 1130, Introduction to Human Development

PSYCH 2090, Developmental Psychology

HD2180, Adult Development and Aging

HD 3290, Self-regulation Across the Life Span

HD 4550, The Psychology of Wisdom

Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN):

HD 2200, Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience

PSYCH 2230, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience

PSYCH 3150, Obesity and the Regulation of Body Weight

PSYCH 3220, Hormones and Behavior

HD 3250, Neurochemistry of Human Behavior

HD 3530, Risk and Opportunity Factors in Childhood and Adolescence

PSYCH 4230, Navigation, Memory, and Context: What does the Hippocampus do?

Social and Personality (S&P):

PSYCH 2450, Introduction to Moral Psychology

PSYCH 2650, Psychology and Law

PSYCH 2750, Introduction to Personality Psychology

PSYCH 2800, Introduction to Social Psychology

PSYCH 2820, Community Outreach

PSYCH 2940, Better Decisions for Life, Love and Money

PSYCH 3135, Psychology of Good and Evil

PSYCH 3250, Adult Psychopathology

PSYCH 3450, On Being Social

PSYCH 3800, Social Cognition

PSYCH 3850, The Psychology of Emotion

PSYCH 4940, Moral Psychology in Action

• To ensure depth, students are required to take at least one content course from the 3000 level and one course from the 4000 level.  Independent Study courses will not fulfill this requirement.
• Students also are encouraged to take independent study or field work (PSYCH 4700 – Undergraduate Research in Psychology and PSYCH 4710 – Advanced Undergraduate Research in Psychology; research conducted under the supervision of a professor). Up to 12 of these credits may be counted towards the major. PSYCH 4700 and PSYCH 4710 may be taken S/U.
• Students should refer to the list of our current and upcoming courses
• With the permission of the faculty advisor, courses in other departments or at other universities (such as through Cornell Abroad) may be accepted toward fulfilling the major requirements. Students wishing to count courses from other departments or universities should be prepared to produce a syllabus.

Requirements for students who entered the Major before Fall 2023

These students have the option of following these requirements or the new requirements described above..

A total of 40 credits in psychology (including prerequisites), from which students majoring in psychology are expected to choose, in consultation with their advisors, a range of courses that covers the basic processes in psychology. Students must earn a grade of C- or better in each course. Students also are encouraged to take independent study or field work (PSYCH 4700 – Undergraduate Research in Psychology and PSYCH 4710 – Advanced Undergraduate Research in Psychology; research conducted under the supervision of a professor). Up to 12 of these credits may be counted towards the major. No course other than PSYCH 4700 and PSYCH 4710 may be taken S/U. First-year Writing Seminars (FWS) or AP courses cannot be counted towards the credit requirements.

Demonstration of proficiency in statistics before the beginning of the senior year by passing PSYCH 2500 with a C- or better, by p assing an approved course or course sequence in statistics in some other department at Cornell, by p assing a course or course sequence in statistics at some other college, university, or college-level summer school and obtaining approval from Professor  Thomas Cleland ,  or by passing an exemption examination by arrangement with Professor Cleland.

Unless otherwise approved by the advisor, at least one course in each of the following three areas of psychology:

Behavioral and Evolutionary Neuroscience

Perception, Cognition and Development

Social/Personality Psychology

Course classifications

The following classification of Department of Psychology offerings is intended to help students and their advisors choose courses that will ensure that such breadth is achieved:

Behavioral and evolutionary neuroscience (BEN): PSYCH 2230, 3220, 3240, 3260, 3320, 4200, 4230, 4240, 4250, 4260, 4350, 4390, 4400, 4410.

Perception, cognition and development (PCD) : PSYCH 1102, 2050, 2090, 2150, 3140, 3160, 3350, 3420, 4120, 4180, 4270, 4280, 4331, 4320, 4360, 4370, 4650, 4770, 4780.

Social and personality psychology (S&P): PSYCH 1500, 2650, 2750, 2800, 2820, 2940, 3250, 3270, 3280, 3800, 3850, 4050, 4300, 4810, 4820, 4840, 4850, 4910.

Other courses: PSYCH 1101, 1650, 1990, 2500, 4700, 4710. The major advisor determines to which group, if any, these courses may be applied.

Are you a new student? Psychology advising will help you plan the years ahead.

Contact Timothy Snyder or the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Lauren Korfine, Director of Undergraduate Studies Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Room G216 E-mail:  [email protected]

Timothy Snyder, Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator MVR Hall, Room G201 E-mail:  [email protected] Phone:  607-255-3181

Faculty Resources

Assignments.

The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs. Selected answer keys are available to faculty who adopt Waymaker, OHM, or Candela courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), the assignments will automatically be loaded into the assignment tool, where they may be adjusted, or edited there. Assignments also come with rubrics and pre-assigned point values that may easily be edited or removed.

The assignments for Introductory Psychology are ideas and suggestions to use as you see appropriate. Some are larger assignments spanning several weeks, while others are smaller, less-time consuming tasks. You can view them below or throughout the course.

You can view them below or throughout the course.

Discussion Grading Rubric

The discussions in the course vary in their requirements and design, but this rubric below may be used and modified to facilitate grading.

• Assignments with Solutions. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Pencil Cup. Authored by : IconfactoryTeam. Provided by : Noun Project. Located at : https://thenounproject.com/term/pencil-cup/628840/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

Faculty Resources

Assignments

The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs. Selected answer keys are available to faculty who adopt Waymaker, OHM, or Candela courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), the assignments will automatically be loaded into the assignment tool, where they may be adjusted, or edited there. Assignments also come with rubrics and pre-assigned point values that may easily be edited or removed.

The assignments for Introductory Psychology are ideas and suggestions to use as you see appropriate. Some are larger assignments spanning several weeks, while others are smaller, less-time consuming tasks. You can view them below or throughout the course.

You can view them below or throughout the course.

CC licensed content, Original

• Assignments with Solutions. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

CC licensed content, Shared previously

• Pencil Cup. Authored by : IconfactoryTeam. Provided by : Noun Project. Located at : https://thenounproject.com/term/pencil-cup/628840/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

General Psychology Copyright © by OpenStax and Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Articles & Advice > Majors and Academics > Blog

Major Spotlight: Psychology and Your Academic Path

Are you thinking of majoring in Psychology in college? Take a look at what to expect, the classes you'll take, and the branches you could consider as a career.

by Pranathi Selvakumar CollegeXpress Student Writer

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2023

Originally Posted: Aug 11, 2021

If you’re interested in becoming a Psychology major at college or planning to pursue a career in the psychology field in the future, this is the right article for you! Your interest in studying the mind and behavior of people as well as helping people cope with emotionally draining situations, mental illnesses, and addictions can take you many places in life—once you have the education to back it up. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about being a Psychology major and the careers you could have after graduation.

What to expect as a Psychology major

As a Psychology major, you’ll learn about different areas such as social, cognitive, abnormal, personality, and developmental psychology. You’ll also learn basic methods to conduct psychological research and gain problem-solving skills . Observing is an essential part of the field, and you’ll be doing a lot of it when studying psychology. For example, you’ll be required to write a lot of research papers after watching psychological experiments. This calls for careful observation and an extensive amount of note-taking. Being a Psychology major definitely won’t be easy, but it will be worth all the effort. 

College courses you’ll take as a Psychology major

If you’re intending to major in Psychology, you’ll likely be required to take certain foundational courses in college—but if not, you should anyway. The content from these classes will enrich your knowledge and give you a better understanding of psychology. Here are some courses to expect during the first couple years of your program: 

• General Psychology: This is an introductory course that helps you understand the basic overview of the entire field of psychology. It will lay the groundwork for your future studies. Since this course only skims over broad topics, it’s also highly recommended that you take more in-depth psychology courses in whatever specialty interests you the most. 
• History of Psychology : This course goes in depth about the origins and influence of psychology. This will give you a better understanding of the evolution of psychology and how it’s changed over the years. 
• Abnormal Psychology: This course focuses on how abnormal behavior is influenced by biological, environmental, and cultural factors. It covers details about mood disorders, personality disorders, and drug misuse. 
• Statistics: Many Psychology graduate programs require you to have taken an undergraduate course in statistics. This class provides background information about how psychologists investigate human behavior, which is important if you intend to go to grad school like many Psychology majors do.
• Experimental Psychology: This course is another important foundation to a Psychology major. You’ll learn about necessary research methods and various experimental designs.  

Related: What Career Path Is Right for Your Personality?

The different branches of psychology

There are many branches of psychology that each focus on a specific area of psychological study. Here are the major branches to consider specializing in for your future career:

• Clinical Psychology: Clinical psychologists provide clinical and counseling services to patients to help them recover from mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders.  
• Cognitive Psychology: Cognitive psychologists study internal mind processes and people’s brains. This includes things such as memory, attention, perception, reasoning, problem-solving, etc. 
• Development Psychology: Development psychologists study people’s growth and development. This branch focuses on how people adapt at different life stages and their ability to mature. 
• Evolutionary Psychology: Evolutionary psychologists study human behavior as a whole and how it’s evolved throughout history.
• Forensic Psychology: Forensic psychologists apply psychology to criminal investigations and the justice system. They assess psychological factors that could influence a case and present their findings in court. 
• Health Psychology: Health psychologists study biological, social, or psychological factors that influence people’s health. They use psychological sciences to prevent illnesses and improve health care. 
• Neuropsychology: Neuropsychologists study cognitive processes and the relationship between the brain and behavior to diagnose brain and neurobehavioral disorders. 
• Occupational/Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Occupational/industrial-organizational psychologists focus on human behavior at work. They help companies find more effective strategies to function and observe at-work interactions to help improve effectiveness, efficiency, and job satisfaction. 
• Social Psychology: Social psychologists understand how social influences impact human behavior. They study how an individual or a group behaves under certain circumstances and pressures.   

Related:  Top 10 Career Fields in America: What You Should Know

Psychology is a fascinating field to pursue since it has so many different areas, and the little details matter a lot. It’s a challenging major to pursue as it requires a lot of attention, extensive understanding of your specialty, and plenty of skills, but it’s worth it in the end—it prepares you for the real world. Your Psychology degree will allow you the opportunity to help people. It’s a difficult but rewarding path. Good luck in your future psychological endeavors!

Find great colleges to study Psychology with our featured health and science college lists .

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What Is a Psychology Degree?

Learn about Coursework, Jobs, and Salaries for Psychology Majors

• Before You Arrive
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• Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
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Psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the United States, topped by only business and nursing. Well over 100,000 students earn bachelor's degrees in psychology each year according to the Digest of Education Statistics . Psychology is a social science that examines human behavior and cognition. The major can be an excellent choice for students who are interested in studying why humans behave the way they do, and the field has broad relevance to daily life.

Many college students are first introduced to the field of psychology through a general education course such as Introduction to Psychology. From there, psychology programs can have diverse foci ranging from child psychology to mental health. Some schools offer a bachelor of arts in psychology while others have bachelor of science programs. The degree can lead to a wide range of employment options, although students hoping to become psychologists or counselors will need to continue their schooling to earn an advanced degree.

Careers for Psychology Majors

While becoming a psychologist may seem like the obvious career path for a psychology major, the majority of majors do not follow that route. Psychology, like many majors within the liberal arts and sciences, teaches students broad and versatile skills in critical thinking, writing, and problem solving. Combined with the specialized knowledge of the field, the skills acquired by studying psychology can lead to a broad range of career options:

Social Work: This is a broad area of employment that is both demanding and in demand. In broad terms, social workers help people who are in need by providing advice, monitoring progress, and helping arrange services that clients need.

Human Resources: HR specialists work to recruit and hire employees, and they also focus on employee relations, training, and benefits. The field requires both interpersonal skills and quantitative expertise, so a psychology major provides excellent preparation.

Marketing: Both advertising and marketing are logical fits for someone with a psychology degree. Selling a product, after all, is all about creating the messaging that targets human needs and desires. The field can also involve statistical analysis, something that psychology undergraduates study.

Career Counselor: Career counselors can work in schools, colleges, or private organizations. They help clients assess their skills and abilities to find suitable career options, or they may help clients figure out what additional training they need to change careers.

Child Care Worker: Psychology majors have valuable knowledge for working with children in a wide range of child care settings.

Teaching: Teaching certification typically requires coursework in child psychology and developmental psychology, so a psychology major is often a logical choice for future teachers.

Psychologist: You won't be able to become a psychologist without earning an advanced degree in psychology, but many undergraduate psychology majors do choose to go on to graduate school. With a bachelor's degree, however, you will be able to work in the mental health field as an assistant or technician.

Psychology majors often pursue graduate programs outside of the social sciences. A bachelor's program in psychology can be excellent preparation for earning an MBA, medical degree, or law degree.

College Coursework for Psychology Majors

Course requirements will vary from school to school, and a bachelor of science program will have somewhat more stringent requirements than a bachelor of arts program. Many schools also have a variety of options for concentrations that will affect course choices. For example, a psychology major may concentrate in general psychology, clinical psychology, experimental psychology, child psychology, or organizational psychology.

Although the curriculum will vary from one program to the next, some courses are relatively common for all programs:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Psychological Methods and Statistics
• Psychological Research and Design
• Neuropsychology

Elective courses, or those required for specific concentrations, might include courses such as these:

• Psychopathology
• Clinical Procedures
• Sensation and Perception
• Cognitive Development
• Theories of Personality
• Psychology of Gender
• Social Development

Along with these courses in psychology, majors will also have requirements in other areas of the sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Best Schools for Studying Psychology

Nearly every college in the country offers a degree in psychology, and most of those programs are going to offer a quality education that will open the doors to rewarding careers or graduate programs. Sometimes, in fact, a small program at a less prestigious school will offer opportunities and personal attention not available at some of the best known programs. With those caveats in mind, the colleges and universities below all tend to top the national rankings for their psychology programs:

• Stanford University : Stanford is a painfully selective (5% acceptance rate) private research university located in California's Bay Area. The school tends to top the rankings for psychology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The university is a research powerhouse, and students will find opportunities to work with professors and graduate students in six areas of specialization.
• Yale University : One of the prestigious Ivy League schools, Yale is highly selective with an acceptance rate of 7%. Psychology is one of the more popular majors at the university, and the school also has robust master's and doctoral programs in the field. Students will find plenty of research opportunities as well as a strong placement record for internships. Students can choose between a BA or BS track.
• University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign : UIUC is one of the nation's top public universities, The large program awards roughly 500 bachelor's degrees annually, and the large size means students have an impressive breadth of course options. Psychology majors at UIUC can choose from 10 different concentrations.
• University of California—Berkeley : UC Berkeley is another of the top public universities in the United States, and its psychology program consistently does well in the national rankings. Majors earn a bachelor of arts degree, and they have access to wide-ranging research and internship opportunities. The university graduates over 200 psychology majors a year.
• Harvard University : A prestigious Ivy League school with an acceptance rate below 5%, Harvard's BS program in psychology frequently ranks among the best in the country. The university's $40 billion endowment means that it can afford stellar faculty members and provide generous financial aid. Students can choose between a general track, neuroscience track, and cognitive science track.
• University of Michigan : A top public university located in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan has impressive psychology programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The university graduates over 600 students a year through the psychology major and the affiliated major in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience.

All of the schools listed above are internationally known research universities, and these types of schools tend to dominate national rankings because of the resources they can devote to faculty research. Realize, however, that many small liberal arts colleges also have strong psychology programs, and the sole focus on undergraduate education can have many advantages.

Average Salaries for Psychology Majors

Given the broad range of career options for psychology majors, an "average" salary isn't an overly useful measure. That said, payscale.com states that the median pay for early career psychology majors is $42,000 a year, and that rises to 70,700 by mid-career. Some specializations to a little better than this. The median early-career pay for organizational psychology majors is $48,300, and by mid-career the median pay goes up to $87,200.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides median salaries for different possible careers available to psychology majors. For example, human resources specialists earn a median pay of $63,490 per year, while advertising and marketing managers have a median pay of $141,490.

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• myState on Mississippi State University
• Directory on Mississippi State University

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

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The Department of Psychology at Mississippi State University (MSU) offers rewarding opportunities for students thanks to our world-class faculty and their research into the scientific application of psychology. With an online bachelor's degree in psychology the potential career paths are endless.

Whether you are starting as a freshman with core classes or transferring to the degree from a community college or from a break from school, you can earn your BS in Psychology completely online.

Complete your freshman and/or sophomore year requirements through MSU online, at an accredited community college, or at any other accredited four-year institution. Students may transfer up to 62 hours of community college course work to MSU.

What's next?

Take the classes from the following categories to complete the major:

• 27 hours of Required Psychology Courses
• 18 hours of Elective Psychology Courses
• Enough General Elective Courses to make 124 hours to graduate

Every class you will need is available ONLINE! Students may begin taking courses at the start of any semester. Courses are not sequenced except for one or two exceptions.

By completing a bachelor's degree in psychology online there is a chance to find:

Immediate Employment:

• Community Mental Health
• Case Management
• Social Work
• Human Resources
• Management Training
• Marketing Research
• Corrections Counseling

Pursue Advanced Training:

• Medical School
• Physical/Occupational Therapy
• Dental School

Pursue Advanced Degrees:

• Developmental

Other Areas:

• School Counseling
• Rehabilitation
• Criminology
• Educational Psychology

A BS degree in Psychology opens up doors to a variety of career opportunities! Below are links to several resources to start your investigation:

• Career Opportunities and Average Salaries
• Careers for Psychology Majors
• How to Become a Psychologist
• Psychology Graduate Schools

“My professors really put their heart and soul into everything. You could see it in their presentations and hear it in their voices. It felt like a family environment. They were rooting for us. I was not just a number. That made such a difference.” Candice Tetlow Cox, Natchez, MS

Degree Requirements

To graduate with the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree:

• Up to 62 hours may be transferred from an accredited community college
• 27 hours must be from Required Psychology Courses
• 18 hours must be from Elective Psychology Courses
• Students must have a GPA of 2.00 on all college work prior to entering the major
• A grade of C or better is required for all Psychology courses to count toward the degree

For more details, please view the Psychology Graduation Checklist .

Transfer Credit

• Students may transfer up to 62 hours from an accredited community college.
• You may not transfer any credits from a community college after you have a total of 62 credits accepted by and/or earned at Mississippi State University.
• Last 32 hours must be from Mississippi State University.
• Transfer students must have an average GPA of 2.00 to be admitted.
• Upon admission to the university, the Registrar's Office will evaluate transfer credit to determine how it transfers to Mississippi State University.

Program Structure

Core curriculum.

All students who enter MSU must meet the common core curriculum requirements as set by the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning of the State of Mississippi to qualify for any bachelor's degree.

• English Composition (6 hours)
• Mathematics (6 hours)
• Foreign Language (6 hours)
• Fine Arts (3 hours)
• Public Speaking (3 hours)
• Natural Sciences (9-12 hours)
• Humanities (6 hours)
• 3 hours must be PSY 1013 General Psychology

Required Psychology Courses

Elective psychology courses.

PSY 1013 General Psychology Three hours lecture. The study of human behavior, heredity and growth; motivation: feeling and emotion; frustration; conflict; learning; language; thinking, attention; sensation; perception; intelligence; aptitudes; social influences.

PSY 1021 Careers in Psychology ( Prerequisite:PSY 1013 ) One hour lecture. Introduction to professions and career opportunities in the field of psychology by University faculty and practicing professionals.

PSY 3104 Introductory Psychological Statistics ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013, MA 1313 ) Three hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. An introduction to the techniques and practices in statistical analyses used in psychological experimentation and evaluation along with practical experience in statistical software packages.

PSY 3213 Psychology of Abnormal Behavior ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Behavioral patterns and causes of deviant behavior from childhood through later maturity. Etiology and symptomatology are emphasized.

PSY 3314 Experimental Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 3103 ) Two hours lecture. Four hours laboratory. Introduction to the methods and techniques of research and design. Practical experience in conducting experiments, analyzing data, and writing scientific reports.

PSY 3343 Psychology of Learning ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Survey of a variety of learning situations. Consideration of the variables and conditions which influence the learning process.

PSY 3623 Social Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor ) Three hours lecture. Human behavior as a product of social inter- action; social perception; social norms and roles; group processes, interrelationship of personality, culture, and group.

PSY 3713 Cognitive Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor ) Three hours lecture. Introduction to the basic areas of cognitive psychology, including perception, attention, memory, reasoning, and language.

PSY 3803 Introduction to Developmental Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. A survey and evaluation of current theory and research concerning development from infancy to young adulthood. Cognitive, social, and emotional development is emphasized.

PSY 4403 Biological Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Nervous, endocrine, and immune systems of the body as they affect behavior and adjustment. Emphasis upon the role of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

PSY 3353 Motivation ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Study of the role of motivation in behavior theory; biological and psychological bases; historical and contemporary views.

PSY 3363 Behavioral Modification ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Intensive examination of the principles and procedures used to modify the behavior of humans in contemporary situations.

PSY 3413 Human Sexual Behavior ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor ) Three hours lecture. Varieties of sexual behavior. Research methods and findings; typical behaviors; homosexuality; sexual disorders; sexual assault and sexual victims; treatments; pornography and prostitution; sexual risk perception.

PSY 4223 Drug Use and Abuse ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Study of basic principles of drug use and abuse. Includes an introduction to psychopharmacology and basic treatment strategies.

PSY 4203 Theories of Personality ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. Current theories of personality. Structure, development, dynamics, acculturation processes. Methods, techniques, and research in personality assessment.

PSY 4353 Psychology and the Law ( Prerequisite PSY 1013 and Junior Standing ) Three hours lecture. Examination of the roles of psychologists in the legal system; application of psychological theory and research to issues in the legal system.

PSY 4733 Memory ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 and PSY 3713 ) Introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of memory. Discussion of laboratory memory, computer models of memory, memory self-concepts, everyday memory, and clinical memory problems.

PSY 4813 Positive Psychology ( Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ) Three hours lecture. The scientific study of how human beings prosper in the face of adversity; become satisfied and content with their past; find happiness in the present; and become optimistic about the future.

Admissions Process

New admissions, readmissions.

If you have never attended Mississippi State University, please complete the online Undergraduate Admissions Application . All new admits will pay a non-refundable application fee online.

• You will choose Psychology (BS) as your major and Online Education as your campus.
• Request that official ACT or SAT scores be sent to MSU.
• Request that your high school send your official transcript. Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.
• Submit a separate official final transcript from each college or university attended; faxed transcripts will not be accepted. An applicant may not ignore previous college attendance and must list all colleges attended on the application for admission. You must be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
• If you are able to submit official transcripts and other documentation electronically, you may send them to [email protected] .
• If you are unable to submit official transcripts and other documentation electronically, you may send them via U.S. Postal Service to: Office of Admissions & Scholarships P.O. Box 6334 Mississippi State, MS 39762

If you have previously attended MSU, you will need to apply for Readmission . There is no fee for readmission applications.

• Once you are readmitted, if you are not a former Psychology (BS) student, please contact your advisor so he or she may change your major and campus as well as advise you for the upcoming semester.

Academic Advising

After gaining admission to the university, you must contact your advisor to determine the courses that are most appropriate for you to take. Approximately two months prior to the upcoming semester, your advisor will send an email to your MSU email account, making course recommendations based on your program of study.

Mississippi State University uses email as its official means of communication with all MSU students. Please check your MSU email account ( [email protected] ) daily. Information on setting up your MSU email can be found at the link for student services.

Dr. Deborah Eakin

Department of Psychology

• Coordinator/Advisor

Program Reminders

• If you want to deviate from the program of study recommended for you, check with your advisor
• If you take courses not on your recommended program of study, there is a risk that the classes will not count toward your BS degree
• You must get a grade of "C" in all classes required in the Psychology Major Core

All programs of study are subject to review by the Registrar's Office for graduation, even from a signed program of study. Courses that do not equal MSU courses exactly may or may not apply to your program as core courses. You can see these course translations through the CAPP report found at my.msstate.edu . To access the report, log into your myState account and click on the "hamburger" icon in the top left corner in order to access the Banner tab; click or hover over the myBanner for Students tab in order to view the Academic Records column where you can click on the CAPP Compliances link.

Undergraduate Catalog

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Samantha Clardy

Online Education

• Coordinator

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80+ Jobs in Psychology to Consider

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Psychology Jobs in Therapy and Research

Applied psychology jobs, psychology jobs in the workplace, psychology jobs in healthcare, psychology jobs in education.

• More Options
• Finding the Right Career

So you've decided to major in psychology, but what exactly do you plan to do after you graduate? With the number of college graduates steadily increasing, it's more important than ever to carefully consider your career options and select a field that is in high demand.

There are also lots of career paths in psychology beyond some of the "typical" options of clinical or counseling psychology. In fact, some of the most interesting job options might be those that you don't hear much about such as aviation psychology or traffic psychology.

One exercise you may find helpful is to look through a list of psychology careers to see what your options are and then narrow down the list to those in which you are most interested in.

Obviously, the best job is the one that you truly love, whether it involves providing therapy, conducting research , or solving real-world problems. Before you decide on a career, spend some time thinking about what really interests you and the type of work setting you would most likely enjoy.

As of 2019 , the demand for psychologists is expected to grow by 14% through the year 2026.

While this is not a comprehensive list of every single psychology career out there, the following are just a few of the psychology-related jobs that have a strong projected employment outlook or are considered an up-and-coming field with opportunity for growth.

We highlight a few of these careers to help convey the enormous variety of employment opportunities within the field of psychology. Some of these career options are specifically in psychology while others are less related but still rely on the knowledge and skills acquired while earning a psychology degree .

Consider some of these options as you plan your career path.

Art Therapist

Art therapists utilize the expressive and creative arts to help clients cope with psychological distress and to enhance emotional well-being. People who work in this field are trained in both psychotherapy and art. By using art, clients can communicate feelings, express creativity, explore different aspects, of personality, and cope with stress.

Art therapy is often used in a variety of situations, including:

• Adults suffering from chronic or severe stress
• Children with disabilities
• People who have suffered brain injuries
• People who have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event

Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists  assess, diagnose, and treat clients struggling with psychological disorders. These professionals typically work in hospital settings, mental health clinics, or private practices.

Although clinical psychology is the single largest employment area within the field of psychology, there are still plenty of jobs available for qualified professionals. In order to become a clinical psychologist, you must have a doctoral-level degree in clinical psychology and most states require a minimum of a one-year internship.

Counselors help people with a wide variety of problems, including marriage, family, emotional, and substance use issues. While requirements vary, almost all states require at least a master's degree in order to become a licensed counselor. Typical work settings include schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and mental health clinics.

Geropsychologist

As the population of older adults continues to grow, the demand for professionals to attend to their mental health needs also increases. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2030, 21% of the population will be age 65 or older.

"Geropsychologists do everything from keeping older adults mentally and physically healthy and vibrant to working with those who are frail and have cognitive impairments," explains Deborah DiGilio, director of APA's Office on Aging . Geropsychologists can work in a wide range of areas, from providing mental health services to aging adults to designing products that make life easier for the elderly.

Experimental Psychologist

Do you love creating psychology experiments?  Experimental psychologists  use scientific methods and design research studies that explore many different topics within psychology. Social behavior , cognitive processes, personality, and human development are just a few of the topics that experimental psychologists might investigate.

People working in this field often specialize in a particular area such as cognitive psychology, educational psychology, or personality psychology. They may also be employed in a variety of settings ranging from universities, government agencies, research centers, and nonprofit organizations.

Consumer Psychologist

As retailers become more concerned with attracting new customers, the need for psychologists to understand consumer behavior in order to develop effective marketing campaigns has grown.  Consumer psychologists  not only study why people purchase goods and services, but they also analyze how family, friends, culture, and media messages affect buying behavior.

Some tasks that a consumer psychologist might perform include:

• Working with consumer focus groups to determine how appealing a particular product might be
• Developing advertising and marketing campaigns to appeal to a target audience
• Conducting theoretical research on shopping and buying behavior

Forensic or Criminal Psychologist

Forensic psychologists  apply psychology to the fields of criminal investigation and law. This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology careers thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs, and books.

While the field may not be as glamorous as it is depicted in the media, forensic psychology is still an exciting career choice with a lot of potential for growth. These psychologists often work with other experts to scrutinize insurance claims, perform child custody evaluations, and investigate suspected child abuse.

If you are interested in this area of psychology, you might want to also consider the related field of criminal psychology.  Criminal psychologists  perform a variety of duties such as developing profiles of criminals, assessing convicted criminals to determine their risk of re-offending, and helping law enforcement catch online predators.

Engineering Psychologist

Engineering psychologists  use psychology to investigate how people interact with machines and other technology. These professionals use their understanding of the human mind and behavior to help design and improve technology, consumer products, work settings, and living environments.

For example, an engineering psychologist might work as part of a team to redesign a product to make it more efficient and easier to use in a work situation. Those working in academic settings report the lowest earnings, while those working in the private sector report higher salaries .

Sports Psychologists

Sports psychologists  focus on the psychological aspects of sports and athletics, including topics such as motivation, performance, and injury. The two major areas within sports psychology are centered on helping to improve athletic performance or using sports to improve mental and physical health.

Sports psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including universities, hospitals, athletic centers, private consulting practices, and research facilities.

Traffic Psychologist

Traffic psychology is an emerging field that involves applying psychological principles to understanding driver behavior. Some areas in this field include:

• Designing vehicles that are safer and more ergonomic
• Researching how people use transportation
• Searching for ways to improve traffic safety and prevent auto accidents
• Studying the relationship between driver behavior and traffic accidents

Traffic psychology often involves a multidisciplinary approach, combining fields such as social psychology, behavioral psychology, and cognitive psychology.

For example, traffic psychologists might assess how perception and cognition influence performance during a driving task. They might also look at how individual personality affects a driver's  emotions ,  attitudes , and risk-taking behavior while driving.

Career Counselor

Thanks to the rapidly changing job market, many people are searching for a new job in their chosen field or even changing careers entirely.  Career counselors  help individuals make career decisions and utilize tools including personality assessments, interest inventories, and other evaluation measures.

They often start by looking at a client's interests, job history, education, and skills in order to determine which careers are a good match. They also help clients work on building skills, practicing interviews, improving resumes, and locating job openings. Assisting clients who are dealing with job loss or employment-related stress is also common.

Aviation Psychologist

Aviation psychology is a relatively little-known subspecialty area of  human factors psychology that involves the study of pilots, air traffic controllers, and other flight crew members. People who work in this field perform a number of different duties, which may include:

• Assessing cabin safety
• Conducting research on aviation safety
• Designing flight decks
• Evaluating prospective employees
• Investigating aviation accidents
• Selecting and training pilots
• Training flight crews in communication strategies and ways to assist passengers with in-flight anxiety

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Industrial-organizational psychologists (also called I/O or I-O psychologists) focus on workplace behavior, often using psychological principles to increase worker productivity and select employees that are best suited for particular jobs. There are several different specialty areas within industrial-organizational psychology .

For example, some I/O psychologists train and assess employees, while others evaluate job candidates. While there are some job opportunities at the master's degree level, those with a doctoral-level degree in industrial-organizational psychology are in greater demand and command significantly higher salaries.

One sub-specialty area of the field involves working in human resources management to screen and hire job applicants. These professionals are often involved in designing and administering employment screening tests and selecting job candidates that are the best fit for particular positions within a company.

Genetic Counselor

Genetic counselors help provide information about genetic disorders to couples and families. These professionals typically have graduate training in both genetics and counseling, and many have undergraduate degrees in areas such as psychology, social work, biology, nursing, and public health.

Genetic counselors often work with a team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and geneticists to offer support, guidance, and assistance to families who have a family member with a genetic disorder or who may be at risk of passing down an inherited disorder to their offspring.

Health Psychologist

Health psychologists  study how psychological, biological, and social factors influence health. Two important areas of health psychology include helping people avoid illness and promoting healthy behaviors. Educating people about the causes of illness and teaching healthier habits are just two things that a health psychologist might do on a regular basis.

These professionals often work in settings such as hospitals, universities, health care centers, and government agencies. Some of the job duties they may perform include helping people to lose weight, stop smoking, eat healthily, and decrease stress.

School Psychologist

School psychologists  work in educational settings to help children deal with emotional, academic, and social problems. Thanks to increased interest in the mental health of children and federal education legislation, school psychology has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing fields.

Special Education Teacher

While slightly outside of a traditional psychology career, the field of special education offers a great deal of opportunity for those who enjoy helping children. Special education teachers work with students with a variety of disabilities.

In order to become a special education teacher, you must have at least a bachelor's degree and complete a teacher training program in special education. Because of the increased enrollments in special education programs and a shortage of qualified teachers, demand is strong and expected to grow.

More Career Options in Psychology

Did one of the careers highlighted above catch your eye? Or are you still looking for something that matches your interests and goals? The specific career you pursue will depend largely on your educational background. Some entry-level jobs are open to those with an undergraduate degree in psychology, while others require advanced or graduate-level study.

The following are just a few of the many psychology-related job titles that you might want to explore. Some are directly in the field of psychology, while others require additional training in another field or specialty area.

In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers:

• Academic advisor
• Advanced practice psychiatric nurse
• Advertising agent
• Animal researcher
• Animal trainer
• Case worker
• Child psychologist
• Childcare worker
• Cognitive psychologist
• College admissions counselor
• College admissions officer
• College recruiter
• Community counselor
• Comparative psychologist
• Correctional treatment specialist
• Counseling psychologist
• Criminal investigator
• Crisis counselor
• Customer service agent
• Developmental psychologist
• Education administrator
• Educational psychologist
• Elementary school teacher
• Employment interviewer
• Employment recruiter
• Environmental psychologist
• Family and marriage therapist
• Financial aid counselor
• Grief counselor
• Human factors psychologist
• Human resources manager
• Human resources specialist
• Library assistant
• Literary agent
• Market researcher
• Mental health coordinator
• Military psychologist
• Music therapist
• Neurologist
• Neuropsychologist
• Occupational therapist
• Police officer
• Probation officer
• Psychiatric aide
• Psychiatric social worker
• Psychiatric technician
• Psychiatrist
• Psychosocial rehabilitation worker
• Public opinion surveyor
• Public relations specialist
• Recreational therapist
• Rehabilitation counselor
• Research assistant
• School counselor
• Science writer
• Secondary school teacher
• Social psychologist
• Social services specialist
• Social worker
• Statistician
• Substance abuse counselor
• Technical writer
• University psychology professor
• Vocational rehabilitation counselor
• Youth counselor

Before You Choose a Career in Psychology

As you can see, employment opportunities in psychology are diverse. Some careers require only a bachelor's degree in psychology, while others require more advanced degrees such as a master's or doctorate degree.

Spend some time researching different options and learning more about what's required to enter into those fields. Ask yourself if you have the commitment and drive needed to pursue the necessary educational training.

As you examine the variety of psychology careers that are available, think about some of the following questions.

• How well does the career fit your personality?
• What kind of training and education are needed to enter the field?
• Are the average salaries in a given field satisfactory?
• What kinds of things do people in that particular career path do on a daily basis?
• Does the career sound interesting, challenging, and rewarding?

Finding the right career in psychology takes some careful planning. It is important to start thinking about what you might want to do early on. This way you can start planning your educational map in order to achieve your vocational goals.

A Word From Verywell

The job options listed here are just a few of the many different career paths available in psychology. Remember that no list of predicted "hot jobs" can ever highlight all of the many options that are available in psychology. The important thing is to pick a career that is right for you, your interests, and your long-term goals.

Martin L, Oepen R, Bauer K, et al. Creative arts interventions for stress management and prevention: A systematic review . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(2). doi:10.3390/bs8020028

Schouten KA, Van hooren S, Knipscheer JW, Kleber RJ, Hutschemaekers GJM. Trauma-focused art therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study . J Trauma Dissociation . 2019;20(1):114-130. doi:10.1080/15299732.2018.1502712

American Psychological Association. Pursuing a Career in Clinical or Counseling Psychology .

U.S. Census Bureau. Projections of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Population: 2014 to 2060 .

Hackett P, Schwarzenbach J, Jürgens U. Consumer Psychology: A Study Guide to Qualitative Research Methods . Opladen; Berlin; Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich. 2016. doi:10.2307/j.ctvddzsrf

American Psychological Association. All About Human Factors and Engineering .

Rossier, J. (2015). Personality Assessment and Career Interventions . In P. J. Hartung, M. L. Savickas, & W. B. Walsh (Eds.),  APA handbooks in psychology®. APA handbook of career intervention, Vol. 1. Foundations  (p. 327–350). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14438-018

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook .

Hartman, K & Stewart, T. Investing in Your College Education: Learning Strategies With Reading s. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2010.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

• Accessibility
• Policies & Procedures
• General Education
• Graduate Studies

Program: B.A., Psychology

• College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Psychology, B.A.

Program Description

The course of study and the requirements for the B.A. degree in Psychology provide an opportunity for students who (a) desire to extend their education in the liberal arts with an emphasis in psychology, (b) want to prepare themselves for graduate work in psychology or (c) plan to enter one of several professional or occupational fields for which a substantial background in psychology is essential.

Program Requirements

1. lower division required courses (10 units).

MATH 140 Introductory Statistics (4) * PSY 150 Introduction to Psychology (3) PSY 250 Physiological Correlates of Human Behavior (3) *

*A grade of “C” or higher is required in MATH 140 as a prerequisite to taking PSY 320/L .

Note: Supporting courses in Biology, Mathematics, Philosophy and the social sciences are recommended, but not required.

Note: Lower division courses other than those specified as required do not count toward a major in Psychology. These courses exist to inform students about topics of special interest and will count toward the total units required for graduation.

2. Upper Division Required Courses (24 units)

Note: Completion of the lower division writing requirement is prerequisite to all 300-level courses. Students are advised to complete the lower division writing requirement and to take PSY 301, 320/L and 321/L early in their program because these courses may be prerequisites to other upper division courses required in the major.

a. Required Courses (9 units)

PSY 301 Pre-Professional Development in Psychology (1) ** PSY 320/L Statistical Methods in Psychological Research and Lab (3/1) PSY 321/L Research Methods in Psychology and Lab (3/1)

**This course is a prerequisite or corequisite for the 300-level cluster courses.

b. Breadth Requirement (12 units)

One course from each of the following four clusters is required.

Cluster 1: Clinical/Personality Psychology (3 units)

Choose one of the following:.

PSY 310 Abnormal Psychology (3) PSY 351 Behavioral Psychology and Therapy (3) PSY 353 Psychological Interventions (3) PSY 370 Psychology of Personality (3) PSY 380 Psychology of Stress (3)

Cluster 2: Cognitive Psychology (3 units)

PSY 304 Cognitive Psychology and Instruction (3) PSY 367 Cognitive Psychology (3) PSY 369 Applied Cognition (3) PSY 382 Principles of Human Factors (3)

Cluster 3: Developmental Psychology (3 units)

PSY 313 Developmental Psychology (3) PSY 327 Infancy and Early Childhood (3) PSY 335 Middle Childhood (3) PSY 361 Adolescence (3) PSY 365 Introduction to Gerontology (3)

Cluster 4: Social Psychology (3 units)

Required course:.

PSY 345 Social Psychology (3)

c. 400-Level Course Requirement (3 units)

Complete a minimum of one 3-unit course at the 400-level. PSY 486SOC, PSY 495A-Z, PSY 497 and PSY 499 cannot be counted to satisfy this requirement.

3. Upper Division Electives (8 units or more)

Electives may include the above upper division courses not taken to satisfy other requirements or any 300- or 400-level courses in the Department of Psychology. Students may not double count the above courses as required courses and elective courses. No more than 6 units combined total of PSY 498 (Practicum) and/or PSY 499 (Independent Study) may be counted toward the major. No more than 6 units of PSY 498 and PSY 499 (12 units total) may be counted toward the B.A. degree.

Note that the number of units in Psychology must total at least 42 units; transfer credit for courses that reflect fewer units than those at CSUN must be compensated for in upper division Psychology elective units.

4. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.

9 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: MATH 140 satisfies B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning; PSY 320 satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; and PSY 150 satisfies 3 units of D1 Social Sciences.

If taken, PSY 312 , PSY 352 or PSY 365 satisfies 3 units of upper division D1 Social Sciences and fulfills the Information Competence requirement.

Total Units in the Major: 42

General education units: 39, additional units: 39, total units required for the b.a. degree: 120, more information.

For more information about this program, please contact [email protected] .

Department of Psychology Chair: Jill Razani Sierra Hall (SH) 376 (818) 677-2827

Program Learning Outcomes

Students receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology will be able to:

• Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology.
• Develop a working knowledge of psychology’s content domains.
• Describe applications of psychology.
• Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena.
• Demonstrate psychology information literacy.
• Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem solving.
• Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological research.
• Incorporate sociocultural factors in scientific inquiry.
• Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice.
• Build and enhance interpersonal relationships.
• Adopt values that build community at local, national, and global levels.
• Demonstrate effective writing for different purposes.
• Exhibit effective presentation skills for different purposes.
• Interact effectively with others.
• Apply psychological content and skills to career goals.
• Exhibit self-efficacy and self-regulation.
• Refine project-management skills.
• Enhance teamwork capacity.
• Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation.

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Psychology (2022-Present)

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Psychology (2023-Present)

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Students who have graduated with a verified Associate Degree for Transfer and have been admitted to a CSUN program that has been deemed similar will be able to complete the baccalaureate degree within 60 semester units. For additional information, see ADT/STAR Act Degree Road Maps .

Psychology - AA-T in Psychology (2023-Present)

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Where Psychology Majors Work

• Career Path

All of us involved in undergraduate education go to great lengths to ensure our curriculum provides training in the content, methods, critical thinking, and communication skills appropriate for a major in the science of psychology. But despite that training, neither employers nor psychology students presume they have the skills important for success in the world of work. In a 2012 paper, educational psychologist Todd Haskell (Western Washington University) and colleagues pointed out how this irrational belief persists, with negative consequences for our field and our students — particularly when it comes to their career choices and the opportunities they seek. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the five most common jobs for bachelor-level psychology graduates age 35 and under are (most to least): social work, elementary/middle school teaching, counseling, management, and nursing.*

Those jobs are essential in our society, and we need to continue serving students with those interests. But there are so many other types of jobs for which our students are well prepared. Why aren’t they being employed based on the many skills they have developed as a psychology major?  For instance, few undergraduate majors on any campus require more preparation in statistics or questionnaire development than psychology. Those skills are highly valued by any employer with a website. Why aren’t our students getting jobs that make greater use of those skills?

In fact, many new types of jobs would benefit substantially from the skills of our psychology majors. Here are a few:

Consumer Science : I would certainly prefer to see our majors using their knowledge to make up the hundreds of satisfaction surveys that I’m asked to complete each year. They might even provide good data to improve those products and services. Relatedly, each year I attend a meeting of researchers in smell and taste that is also frequented by the many companies that use our research to create products. These companies need research technicians by the hundreds to inform product testing. A psychology major who understands preference testing can find their way to a career in a massive industry that has trillions of dollars of annual revenue in the United States alone.

Software Design : Wouldn’t it be great to see our majors working to improve software design even if they never double majored in computer science? Someone with an understanding of the human side of the interface would be a tremendous boon to the industry and society, whether they were designing the interface or just making error messages that users can actually understand.

Nudge Science : It has now been 10 years since Nobel laureate Richard Thaler and legal scholar Cass Sunstein introduced the rest of the world to the impact behavioral science can have on health, compliance, and productivity in work that draws directly on decades of psychological science. Increasingly, we are seeing our graduates involved in the public policy arena and other areas where evidence-based interventions are effective for achieving changes that benefit individuals and society.

Social Media : A student who has a good grasp of statistics and social behavior would be a tremendous asset to the burgeoning social media industry. We train thousands of students with those skills. Why aren’t they being hired in those roles in greater numbers?

Data Science : This is the current “hot” career pursuit on many campuses. Psychology majors are trained extensively in the applied statistics that underlie this field and could function competently in many entry-level positions or use their major as a stepping stone to an advanced degree in this science.

Safety Science : You may not have heard of safety science, but you are familiar with many of its products: reducing distracted driving, improving safety in stadiums and other places attracting thousands of people, keeping pilots and drivers awake when they need to be awake and asleep when they need to sleep. This is a huge new industry and it is an obvious place of employment for new graduates trained in our programs.

There are many more examples of areas where psychology majors’ training in project and data management, research design, collaboration techniques, understanding of human behavior, and other skills make them a good fit for entry-level positions. Even so, most employers in these fields don’t explicitly seek out psychology majors to fill their jobs. Furthermore, these are not the types of jobs our students imagined when they selected psychology as a major. We may not like it, but most people — including our students early in their training — do not view our discipline as a science or see it connected to more than mental health (Lorig & Dragoin, 2015).

Public perception has not kept pace with the robust growth of neuroscience, cognitive science, and social and developmental psychology in the past 20 years. Those fields have branched out to collaborate with engineering, economics, decision science, business, public policy, education, medicine, policing, law, and community planning. Psychological science, which has always been a broad field of study, is now even broader and it is being applied to real-world problems in many more ways and with far more success. That application has the potential to make life better across our planet, but few people outside of psychology departments know it.

When we identify our field as “psychology,” it brings about a very specific set of expectations for students, employers, and others. That is a problem for those students who want to pursue these “new” jobs and would never imagine psychology was the right place for them. Likewise, employers may hire psychology majors to work in call centers or in the complaints departments but would never realize that a psychology major would be a good match for their social media research unit.

The challenge, then, is to increase the public’s awareness of the full breadth of psychology as a science and applied discipline. As a first step, maybe it’s time to make it clear to prospective students and our academic colleagues in other departments that our field has many parts, each with important scientific findings and applications that include, but are not limited to, mental health. The National Science Foundation took this step almost 30 years ago by creating the Social, Behavioral and Economic Directorate. Perhaps it is now time for departments to choose a name that conveys and includes all of what we do. My university has just taken this step. After a unanimous vote of the full faculty, our department, formerly the Department of Psychology, is now the Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science. Maybe this way we can stop talking about non-traditional careers in psychology and begin to discuss the many typical careers for someone with training in behavioral science.

*This report considers all bachelors-level psychology majors as members of the liberal arts no matter the Carnegie classification of the college from which they graduated.

Angeles, D., & Roberts, B. (2017). Putting your liberal arts degree to work. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2017/article/liberal-arts.htm

Haskell, T., Burrows, M., Harrington, C., McCullough, K., Schuh, K., & Sperberg, A. (2012). The value of a psychology major: Bridging the gap between perception and reality. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 11 , 158-170.

Lorig, T.S., & Dragoin, W.B. (2015). Psychology as a STEM discipline: Issues and prospects for undergraduate education. In Dunn, D. (ed.) Handbook of Education in Psychology . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Thaler, R., & Sunstein, C. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. Yale University Press: New Haven, CT.

Wood, W., Jones, M., & Benjamin, L. T. (1986). Surveying psychology’s public image. American Psychologist , 41 (9), 947-953.

Dr. Lorig has written a very interesting piece that discusses work opportunities, among other topics, for undergraduate psychology majors. Another area where psychologists are much needed is environmental science. The global climate crisis that threatens us all is behavioural at its root. The understanding and application of social psychology, nudging, and decision sciences is paramount to decreasing the planets climate and consequently reducing the ferocity of its dynamic weather chaos.

thank you very nice website article

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About the Author

APS Fellow Tyler Lorig is the Ruth Parmly Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Science and a member of the Neuroscience Program at Washington and Lee University.

Making a Career Choice: Follow in Your Own Footsteps

In a guest column, APS Fellow Barbara Wanchisen shares observations and ideas on broadening career opportunities for psychological scientists.

Science in Service: Shaping Federal Support of Scientific Research  

Social psychologist Elizabeth Necka shares her experiences as a program officer at the National Institute on Aging.

Professional Development Workshop: The Keys to a Successful Mentoring Relationship

What’s the best way to establish a productive mentoring bond? An APS Professional Development Webinar offers some answers.

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Description

When you explore human behavior at OSU-Cascades, the skills you learn open a world of opportunities. Psychology is a diverse field — it’s grounded in scientific research, yet covers a range of topics, from the structure and function of the human brain, to the values and beliefs of different cultures. The skills you will learn will prepare you for a wide variety of careers or even graduate school. And even if you major in another subject, classes in psychology can enhance your understanding and help you in a future career.

Program Information

Degree requirements and guides.

All psychology students must complete five main areas in order to graduate:

• Baccalaureate core : approx. 48 credits
• College of Liberal Arts Core: 15 credits
• B.A./B.S. requirements: 15 – 24 credits
• Psychology major requirements: 65 credits
• Electives if needed to meet the 180 credits, at least 60 upper division credits

Degree Guides and Plans

Psychology Degree Guide OSU-Cascades

Psychology 4-Year Sample Plan

Transfer Guides

OSU-Cascades COCC Transfer Guides

Psychology Transfer Guides  from the College Liberal Arts for transfer preparation.

Using the following course forecast information students will plan ahead and work with their advisor to create and update academic plans.

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Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology.
• Develop a working knowledge of psychology's content domains.
• Describe applications of psychology.
• Design, conduct, and evaluate basic psychological research.
• Draw appropriate, logical, and objective conclusions from empirical evidence.
• Apply psychological principles to everyday life.
• Use effective writing skills for different purposes.
• Demonstrate effective presentation skills for different purposes.
• Identify values that build community at local, national, and global levels.
• Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice.
• Define and respect human diversity.
• Apply psychological content and skills to meaningful career goals.
• Develop project management skills.
• Function effectively as part of a team.

Minor (28 credits)

A psychology minor can enhance your major field of study and career path — and give you an added advantage. The minor provides broad exposure to the field of psychology.

Psychology Minor Curriculum Checklist (PDF)

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As a psychology major, you will:

• Come to understand the complexity of human behavior from a wide variety of perspectives, from the biological and cognitive, to the cultural and sociological. 
• Develop close and supportive bonds with fellow students.
• Learn from faculty researchers with expertise in fascinating areas such as stereotyping and prejudice.
• Develop scientific skills like critical thinking, theory development, study design and data analysis.
• Gain hands on experience by engaging in real world research with faculty. There are even fellowships to support your scholarship efforts.
• Be able to enhance your education by applying knowledge you gain in the classroom to real world situations in an internship in our surrounding community.

One earth. Two ways we look at it.

People who are liberal tend to take on environmentally-friendly practices more often, like recycling and saving energy. But conservatives aren’t anti-environmental, says professor Chris Wolsko, a psychology researcher in The Laboratory for the American Conversation . He explains how today’s messages about the environment speak loudly to liberal values, like compassion and justice, but tend to ignore conservative values. His research demonstrated that when themes like loyalty and patriotism are included in messages, conservatives are more likely to protect the earth, too.

Sample Courses

• General Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Psychopharmacology
• General Biology
• Advanced Social Research Method
• Introduction to Statistical Methods
• Personality
• Health Psychology
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Special Topic Psychology of Religion
• Brain and Behavior
• Psychotherapy

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Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

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The 10 Hardest and Easiest College Majors

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

What’s Covered:

• Factors to Consider
• When Do You Have To Declare Your Major?
• Hardest College Majors
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Does Your Intended Major Impact Your College Chances?

For incoming undergraduate students, choosing a major can be overwhelming. That’s because your field of study will have meaningful consequences for your future life. Choosing the right major can open the door to engaging work that pays a living wage. On the other hand, selecting the wrong major could result in years of unhappiness if the related work is not interesting, takes up too much time, or doesn’t pay well. 

It might relieve some of your stress to know the important factors to consider when choosing your major, to be familiar with the most challenging and least challenging undergraduate majors, and to remember that your major choice isn’t binding yet . In this helpful guide to choosing your major, we will walk through all of that to help you find a major that suits your needs, interests, and goals.

Factors to Consider When Choosing A Major

Does the work interest me? You will have a much harder time securing good grades and retaining concepts if you are pursuing a major that does not interest you. We are not saying you have to choose something that fascinates you—not everyone can be a professional musician or writer—but make sure you choose a major that holds your attention.

Do I have natural talent in this field? Everyone’s brain is wired a little differently. It follows that certain subjects will be easier for certain students. Natural talent is not a prerequisite for pursuing a given major. In fact, many leaders in their field report initial setbacks that they had to work hard to overcome. However, choosing to major in an area where you already have an intellectual advantage based on your brain chemistry is a good way to make your college years easier.

How much time do I want to spend studying? Realistically, academic coursework is not every student’s top priority. One of the best parts of college is making lifelong friendships. Another is exploring your interests through clubs and internships. Only commit to a time-intensive major if it really is your top priority in college.

What career options will be available to me after graduating? Too many times, we see students treat their undergraduate years as being completely unrelated to what they will do after school. Then, when they find certain career paths are closed to them, they become disappointed. Avoid this outcome upfront by choosing a major with your future career in mind. If you are interested in exploring many different fields, choose a major like Communications or Economics that opens the door to many different industries. If you already know you want to pursue a very specific path, such as film or medicine, choose a major and take the courses that prepare you for your industry.

What are my financial prospects with this major? Even if your goal is not to become a millionaire, keeping an eye on finances will save you a lot of heartache in the long run. If you are split between two majors, consider using return on investment (ROI) as your tie-breaker. If you want to go into a less lucrative field, that is okay! Just be sure you are not taking out large loans to finance a major that will take decades to repay.

When Do You Have To Declare Your Major? And Can You Change It?

When you apply to different universities, you will probably be asked for your intended major . This major is either the program you will enter into as an incoming freshman or, if your institution doesn’t allow you to declare your major until later in your undergraduate studies, it’s the major you think you will declare when the time comes. Sometimes (typically if your intended program is competitive or requires specific technical or artistic skills) you will need to submit a supplemental application or a portfolio for your intended major.

In general, your intended major is exactly what it sounds like: an intention to study a discipline, not set in stone . And many students change their major (hassle-free) throughout their undergraduate years.

Because universities require a certain number of total university credits for graduation, a students’ coursework is generally divided into three components: general education or distribution requirements, major requirements, and minor or elective courses. Students who are unsure about their major might take their elective courses in diverse fields when trying to come to a conclusion about their desired field of study. On the other hand, if you change your major too late, you may delay your graduation, so it is important to plan as you explore . It is also important to remember that, at many universities and colleges, it is easier to change your major within a school than between schools.

Generally, universities will ask you to declare your major by the end of your sophomore year.

CollegeVine’s Top 10 Hardest Majors

To help you start thinking about which major is best for you, we put together a ranked list of the ten hardest majors. We used a combination of lowest average GPA, highest number of hours spent studying, and lowest return on investment (ROI) to determine which majors are the hardest to pursue. In these listings, you’ll notice the statistic, 20-year ROI. A 20-year ROI is the difference between the 20-year median pay for a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the listed major and the 24-year median pay for an individual with only a high school diploma, minus the total 4-year cost of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. It effectively tells how much better off graduates are financially due to obtaining a bachelor’s degree in a specific area.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and your list of hardest majors likely would be different than ours. As you read, think about what makes some of these majors easier or harder for you .

10. Fine Arts

Average GPA: 3.2

Average Weekly Study Hours: 16.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: -$163,600

Find schools with a Fine Arts major that match your profile.

This goes on our list of hardest majors because it has such a low return on investment. For students to make this major a successful choice, they will have to spend hours distinguishing themselves from their peers. The same principle applies to other artistic fields, including creative writing, musical theater, dance, and music. If you pursue a creative major, make sure you cultivate a marketable skill alongside it. Consider teaching, art restoration, or technical writing for a skill that complements your love of art.

Potential Careers Paths and Median Salaries for Fine Arts Graduates:

• Professional Artist: $49k
• Art Director: $97k
• Graphic Designer: $53k
• Interior Designer: $60k
• Art Professor (requires further education): $85k

9. Philosophy

Average GPA: 3.1

Average Weekly Study Hours: 16

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $202,000

Find schools with a Philosophy major that match your profile.

Philosophy demands attention to detail and command of logic. On average, philosophy majors spend more time than most college students studying, and those hours require high levels of concentration. Many philosophy majors pursue careers in law or academia because those fields reward hard work, careful reasoning, and attention to detail. Both of these fields require an advanced degree, so be prepared to stay in school for a while.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Philosophy Graduates:

• Non-Profit Professional: $70k
• Lawyer (requires further education): $127k
• Philosophy Professor (requires further education): $88k
• Public Policy Professional (requires further education): $125k

8. Cellular and Molecular Biology

Average Weekly Study Hours: 18.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $382,000

Find schools with a Cellular and Molecular Biology major that match your profile.

Cellular and molecular biology is the biology major with the heaviest workload and lowest average GPA. Students who tend to do well in this field are able to visualize concepts even when they cannot see them with the naked eye. Understanding how different parts of a system work together is a useful skill that this major cultivates. With a cellular and molecular biology undergraduate degree, can pursue an advanced degree or dive straight into the workforce upon graduating, depending on your area of interest.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduates:

• Research Assistant: $46k
• Physician (requires further education): $185-271k
• Biology Professor (requires further education): $101k
• Pharmacist (requires further education): $129k

7. Accounting

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $563,000

Find schools with an Accounting major that match your profile.

Accounting majors have a great return on investment (ROI) since nearly every person and company requires the services of an accountant at some point in their life cycle. If you like mathematics, specifically applied math, this may be a great fit major for you. Becoming an accountant requires long apprenticeships and lots of studying after graduating from college. However, you can get a well-paid job right out of college, as businesses love to hire folks with this quantitative background.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Accounting Graduates:

• Accountant: $74k
• Financial Analyst: $84k
• Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk: $42k

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class: 17

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $525,000

Find schools with a Nursing major that match your profile.

This major has a high workload but amazing job prospects. Upon receiving licensure, graduates are practically guaranteed a job for life in a growing industry. College graduates typically earn a BSN but may continue their studies to become an MSN. Advanced schooling allows MSNs to specialize, depending on their desired career path. Nurses spend less time in school than doctors and have more in-person contact with patients.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Nursing Graduates:

• Registered Nurse: $75k
• Midwife: $111k
• Nurse Anesthetists: $184k

5. Architecture

Average GPA: 3.3

Average Weekly Study Hours: 22

Average Salary: $67,000

See the best schools for architecture.

This major goes on our list of hardest majors because of the weekly grind. The average architecture major spends 22 hours preparing for class. Students who want to pursue this field need to be ready to spend hours drafting and studying. Upon graduating, your job prospects are fairly narrow because your skills are specialized. That means that when a lot of construction is taking place, you are likely to be in demand. Conversely, if new building projects are not being commissioned, it may be harder to find a job.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Architecture Graduates:

• Building Architect: $82k
• Landscape Architect: $71k
• Architectural Drafter: $58k

Find schools with a Physics major that match your profile.

Physics makes this list because of the long hours students have to spend getting ready for class each week. A highly conceptual field, physics may be right for you if you like to think abstractly about how forces and objects interact. Keep in mind that pursuing a career in physics often requires you to get an advanced degree after graduating from college.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Physics Graduates:

• Physicist: $129k
• Biophysicist: $94k
• Physics Professor (requires further education): $104k

3. Electrical Engineering

Average Weekly Study Hours: 19.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $850,000

See the best schools with Engineering majors.

Electrical Engineering majors put in some of the longest hours of all college students, but the return on investment (ROI) is very high. If you love circuitry, fixing equipment, and designing better ways to get a job done, this could be a great fit career for you. A degree in engineering sets you up to perform well as an engineer or, later in your career, as the manager of a team of engineers. Advanced study is encouraged but not required to succeed in this field.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Electrical Engineering Graduates:

• Electronics Engineer: $103k
• Aerospace Engineer: $117k
• Communications Engineer: $110k
• Computer Hardware Engineer: $120k

2. Chemical Engineering

If you love to leverage your knowledge of science to transform materials, chemical engineering could be a great fit for you. This is another high input, high output field, so expect to work long hours but also to earn a large salary after graduation. If you love chemical engineering but do not want to become an engineer, consider a career in academia or patent law. These career paths require graduate school, in the form of a Ph.D., J.D., or both.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemical Engineering Graduates:

• Chemical Engineer: $109k
• Environmental Engineer: $99k

1. Chemistry

Average GPA: 2.9

See the best schools for Chemistry majors

We have chosen chemistry as our #1 hardest major because of its low average GPA combined with the long hours of studying required. If you are fascinated by how minuscule, invisible changes can completely alter a substance, chemistry is a great major to consider. It is hard work to earn a degree in chemistry, but once you do, a wide range of career options open to you. Typically, earning an advanced degree after college is necessary to pursue a career incChemistry.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemistry Graduates:

• Chemical Manufacturing: $91k
• Chemistry Professor (requires further education): $92k

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CollegeVine’s Top Easiest Majors

We have put together our list of top easiest majors based on three factors: GPA, weekly study hours, and return on investment. Keep in mind that your factors may be different! Read our brief summary of each major to see if it may be a good fit for you.

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $240,000

See the best schools for English majors.

If you love language and literature, majoring in English is a great way to gain exposure to strong writing. We are including it on the list of easiest majors because it has a relatively high GPA and because most homework preparation is reading literature, an act that English majors find pleasurable in itself. As far as salary is concerned after graduation, English majors have to work a bit harder to ensure they have a steady source of income. Consider choosing a second major or a minor that cultivates a marketable skill. Or, if you wish to pursue a literary career, use summers and your time outside of class to distinguish yourself with internships and publications. You are entering a competitive field, so it helps to have relevant experience outside of class.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for English Graduates:

• Writer: $67k
• Editor: $63k
• High School Teacher: $63k

8. Economics

Average GPA: 3.0

Average Weekly Study Hours: 15

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $626,000

See the best schools for Economics majors.

Economics majors spend a pretty typical amount of time studying relative to other college majors. However, when they graduate, their earning potential is very high. If you are looking for a field that lets you work hard but not too hard while still bringing home a healthy paycheck, Economics is a great field to consider. It strengthens students’ quantitative reasoning by introducing them to a range of real-world, practical financial problems that can be observed in society. 

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Economics Graduates:

• Economist: $108k
• Actuary: $111k

7. Journalism

Average Weekly Study Hours: 13

Find schools with Journalism majors that match your profile.

Journalism majors have relatively high average GPAs relative to peers, and they do not have to spend exorbitant amounts of time studying. That said, it is difficult to secure a full-time position as a journalist, especially if there is a particular subject you long to cover. The strongest applicants to journalism positions have spent years working for local, regional, and national publications prior to applying for their first full-time job. So, consider journalism if you do not want to have a busy course load, but expect that you will devote that extra time to related clubs, writing projects, and internships.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Journalism Graduates:

• Reporter/Correspondent: $49k
• Radio/Television Broadcaster: $73k

6. Criminal Justice

Average Weekly Study Hours: 12

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $139,000

See the best schools for Criminal Justice majors.

If you find courts, policing, and corrections fascinating, a career in criminal justice may be for you. Students learn how to apprehend, reprimand, and rehabilitate those who commit crimes. This field does not require much time in class but does demand a certain emotional resilience, as course content will at times be disturbing. Job prospects upon graduating exist but are limited, so college graduates with this major should consider careers as police officers and lawyers, both of which require additional training.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Criminal Justice Graduates:

• Police Detective: $87k
• Private Detective: $53k

5. Public Relations & Advertising

Find schools with Public Relations majors that match your profile.

Do people fascinate you? Do you watch the Super Bowl for the ads? Have you been known to tell a captivating story? If so, public relations & advertising may be the field for you. These students integrate their understanding of the human mind with the business objectives of companies and other large enterprises. They help to shape attitudes around a product, initiative, or idea. Students who graduate with a degree in this field often secure employment quickly because companies are always looking for people with a talent for connecting with consumers. No graduate school is required to build a fulfilling career in this industry.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Public Relations & Advertising Graduates:  

• Marketing Manager: $161k
• Public Relations Specialist: $63k
• Advertising and Sales Agent: $55k

4. Social Work

Average GPA: 3.4

Find schools with Social Work majors that match your profile.

It is somewhat deceptive to say social work is an easy major, even though it meets the criteria we are using for this list. Often, the greatest difficulty associated with this field is the emotional strain it takes to build a career in social work. Students who do best in social work are highly resilient and practice self-care. If you want to make a practical difference in the lives of others and possess a high EQ (Emotional Quotient, also known as emotional intelligence), consider this major. Earning a graduate degree is customary for those who wish to pursue a career in social work.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Social Work Graduates:

• Mediator: $66k
• Healthcare Social Worker (requires further education): $58k
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker (requires further education): $48k
• Child, Family, and School Social Worker (requires further education): $48k

3. Education

Average GPA: 3.6

Average Weekly Study Hours: 14

Predicted 20-Year ROI: -$9,000

Find schools with Education majors that match your profile.

We are including education on the list of easiest majors because of the high average GPA. But be warned! It has an extremely low return on investment. If you are thinking of pursuing a teaching career, consider getting your undergraduate degree in your subject of interest rather than in teaching. With a teaching minor or summer program, you can easily fulfill your requirements to become a teacher. However, your major will give you more flexibility and earning potential in other careers if teaching does not turn out to be the field for you.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Education Graduates:

• Instructional Coordinator (requires further education): $67k
• Education Administration (requires further education): $98k
• School Counselor (requires further education): $58k

2. Psychology

Average Weekly Study Hours: 13.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $198,000

See the best schools for Psychology majors.

Only within the past hundred years have we begun to objectively measure, analyze, and evaluate human behavior. Psychology majors study the progress we have made so far and participate in social science research to make further discoveries in their field. Psychology students typically have high GPAs relative to their peers, and the weekly homework load is not unreasonable. Job prospects coming out of psychology are not ample, but students willing to pursue a Ph.D. can become professors and lab researchers within their field of interest.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Psychology Graduates:

• Research Assistant: $49k
• Substance Abuse Counselor: $48k
• Clinical Psychologist (requires further education): $82k
• Psychology Professor (requires further education): $90k

1. Business Administration

See the best schools for Business majors.

Business administration ranks as our #1 easiest college major because it has that perfect trio of low weekly homework load, high average GPA, and great ROI. If you have solid business acumen, a head for figures, and a desire to work with people, could be a great-fit major for you. Just because it is easy to succeed in this major does not mean it is full of only easy classes. You can challenge yourself by taking rigorous quantitative courses and participating in internships that give you a taste of real-world business administration. No graduate school is required to excel in this field.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Business Administration Graduates:

• Management Analyst: $88k
• Personal Financial Advisor: $89k

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Because universities know that an intended major isn’t concrete, a student’s intended major generally will not affect whether or not they are accepted to a university. 

However, there are certain instances where an intended major may affect college chances. Some prestigious programs that directly admit students (like the USC Cinema Program or Penn’s Wharton School) have lower acceptance rates than that of the general university. Additionally, some large public universities (like those in the UC system) have specific numbers of students that they will accept for each major program. At these schools, if you are “on the bubble” for admissions, your intended major may become a factor.

Simply put, if your intended major has an impact on admissions, the impact will be very small . In general, your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and essays will determine your chances of admission at different colleges. To predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 schools across the country (using those important admissions factors!), utilize our free chancing engine . This engine will let you know how your application compares to those of other applicants and will also help you to improve your profile.

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