2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Psychology
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section of this catalog.
Website: gvsu.edu/psychology
Psychology is the science of the mind and behavior. Psychological scientists specialize in many areas, such as clinical psychology, counseling psychology, developmental psychology, physiological psychology, neuropsychology, industrial/organizational psychology, educational psychology, experimental psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, behavioral psychology, school psychology, and cross-cultural psychology. Because the interests and training of the faculty members in the department cover all of these areas, we offer a wide range of courses in the undergraduate curriculum.
Students should plan their studies in consultation with an academic advisor early and throughout their college career. Students major in psychology for various reasons, and different sets of courses are likely to be appropriate for students with different goals.
Career Opportunities
Students with undergraduate psychology majors attain an understanding of empirical and theoretical discoveries in the field and methodological approaches in psychological science. These skills serve them in a variety of employment settings and graduate programs. Students who major in psychology and then seek employment with a bachelor's degree often find jobs in business, industry, and human services settings. The latter include such settings as hospitals, residential facilities, juvenile correctional facilities, clinics, and rehabilitation centers.
Many psychology majors pursue graduate studies in a wide variety of disciplines. Some obtain masters or doctorates in psychology, in specialties that cover the full range of psychological science, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, human factors engineering, developmental psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, school psychology, psycholinguistics, developmental psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. Others pursue professional training in medicine or law, while still others complete graduate work in other disciplines, including social work, education, public health, business, occupational therapy, physical therapy, library science, human resources management, and nonprofit administration.
The psychology minor can be combined with a teachable major leading to secondary certification and the teaching of psychology at the high school level. Because human interaction is central to many careers, undergraduates often elect to add a psychology minor to their major field of study. Psychology minors gain increased understanding of how people perceive, think, feel, and act based on empirical findings in the field, skills which can support them in future careers.
Programs
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience