The science of psychology investigates human and animal behavior, cognition, and emotion by analyzing the complex interactions between environmental, social, cultural, and biological influences. Students are trained in scientific methods and different theoretical perspectives in a variety of areas of psychology: physiological psychology, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, cognition, learning, child and adult development, social psychology, personality, health psychology, abnormal psychology, and animal behavior. In short, psychology seeks to explain and understand how and why people and animals think and behave in the ways they do.

Through acquiring a better understanding of behavior, cognition, and emotion and scientific methods of investigation and analysis, psychology majors are well prepared to enter many fields. A major in psychology can lead to graduate study enabling a career in many areas of psychology, from experimental research to clinical/counseling work. Psychology majors also pursue further education and careers in law and medicine. Psychology majors who do not pursue graduate study are well prepared for a variety of careers in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, relying on the skills they have developed in their psychology courses, such as scientific reasoning, writing, data analysis, critical reading, writing and presentation skills.

Major Requirements

Requirements for the major in psychology can be found in the Course Catalog.

Minor Requirements

Two minors in psychology are available. The cognitive and perceptual sciences minor concentrates on how we take information from the external world and use it to construct our mental world. The neuropsychology minor allows exploration of the brain and its relation to behavior. Requirements for both are detailed in the Course Catalog.


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