Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior, making it a solid foundation for almost any career. A Psychology degree is particularly valued in the mental health and social services fields, as well as in education, social work, medicine, business, law, and applied and basic research.
Consider a major in Psychology if you are curious about the hows and whys of human behavior—how personality develops, how we interact with one another, why aggression exists, how our thoughts affect our behaviors, why group behaviors differ from individual behaviors, and how you can help people with psychological disorders.
Penn State Behrend offers two degrees in Psychology. The B.A. is structured within a liberal arts framework, while the B.S. takes a quantitative approach. Within the B.S., three options are offered for further specialization: Human Factors and Design; Psychology in the Workplace; and Science.
Why Penn State Behrend?
You’ll get the personal attention of a small college combined with access to the resources of a global research university. You’ll apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to opportunities connected to the on-campus Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research and Evaluation (CORE), Prevention of Aggression Resource Center (PARC), and Early Learning Center. In your junior and senior years, you’ll design and conduct your own research using Psychology’s dedicated laboratories in Turnbull Hall, and you’ll have opportunities to publish and present that research at regional and national professional meetings. The skills you’ll develop—using science-based approaches to problem-solving, working effectively within a team, and strong project management and public presentation capabilities—are those valued by employers in every career field.
Penn State Behrend Psychology graduates enter the workforce directly or attend top graduate programs. Alumni are working as school counselors and psychologists, applied behavioral specialists, elementary and special education teachers, physicians, therapeutic support staff, research associates, clinical psychologists, industrial organization psychologists, and human factors engineers, among other careers.
Video Spotlight: Watch a video highlighting a Psychology trip to Japan. Fifteen Penn State Behrend students, enrolled in PSYCH 232 Cross-Cultural Psychology or PSYCH 499 Foreign Studies in Psychology, traveled to Yokohama to attend the International Congress of Psychology. They also visited other cities in Japan during the 20-day study tour.