Psychology major

Psychology: courses, careers, and where to study

Psychology majors study human cognition, behavior, and emotion — preparing graduates for clinical, research, business, and human-services careers (and graduate school in clinical, counseling, and I/O psych).

Psychology is one of the most popular U.S. majors, with about 116,000 bachelor's degrees awarded each year. Programs cover developmental, social, cognitive, abnormal, biological, and personality psychology, plus statistics and research methods. Many BS-track programs require additional natural-science prerequisites for graduates aiming at clinical or counseling psychology graduate school.

A Psychology bachelor's degree alone qualifies graduates for human-services, case-management, sales, marketing, and HR roles. Clinical practice requires a master's (LPC) or doctoral (PhD/PsyD) degree.

What you'll study

  • General, developmental, and social psychology
  • Abnormal and clinical psychology
  • Cognitive psychology and neuroscience
  • Biological psychology
  • Statistics and research methods
  • Personality theory
  • Industrial-organizational psychology
  • Senior research project or internship

Typical careers

  • Case Manager / Human Services
  • School Counselor (with M.Ed)
  • Industrial-Organizational Psychologist
  • Clinical Psychologist (PsyD/PhD)
  • Marketing / UX Researcher
  • HR Specialist

Starting salary range: $45,000–$72,000 starting (varies; clinical PhD median far higher)

Find a Psychology program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Psychology programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting — no account required.

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