BA in Psychology

The main objective of the psychology major is to help students develop a solid background in the scientific method and a strong foundation in the fundamentals of psychology, making them highly competitive candidates for postgraduate study and also preparing them to be thoughtful, analytic, and discerning problem solvers. Our pre-clinical psychology training provides all the necessary courses and credentials for admission to PhD programs in clinical psychology. The features of the undergraduate program also make Brandeis psychology graduates especially attractive to employers in the mental health and business professions. Given the broad training in quantitative and research skills, psychology students are sought after in a wide range of professional areas including marketing and consulting, government and public policy, and social and mental health services. Many of our graduates go on to graduate school in law, business, education, medicine, public health, speech pathology, and social work, as well as psychology. Recent psychology majors have gone on to graduate work in clinical, applied, and scientific research areas of the field. Our faculty conduct research in diverse areas that include cognitive neuroscience, normal and abnormal development, social interaction, spatial orientation, perception, memory, emotion, life-span development, and the effects of brain damage. Learning Goals What are the biological mechanisms linking psychological stress to physical health? Does a jury’s verdict vary as a function of whether the defendant looks old or young for her age? When we concentrate harder to listen to someone in a noisy environment, is it then harder to remember what he has said? Do vulnerable children sometimes grow to become both bullies and victims? How can an astronaut’s adaptation to the weightlessness of space help older adults maintain their sense of balance and reduce the frequency of falls? Do we pay attention to different aspects of information that we encounter in the world as a function of our cultural background? Through coursework, research involvement, and applied experience, the Department of Psychology offers students the opportunity to explore questions like these. Students develop a strong scientific and research foundation for pursuing whatever aspects of experience and behavior pique their curiosity, and in the process they become thoughtful and discerning problem solvers. The program examines the most up-to-date psychological research and theory and also provides opportunities for direct involvement in clinical, mental-health, business, and educational applications of psychology. The focus of the department is on basic scientific research and emphasizes a high level of undergraduate involvement. Our faculty conducts research in diverse areas including cognitive science, normal and abnormal development, social interaction, health and well-being, spatial orientation, sensation, perception, memory, emotion, life-span development and aging, and the effects of brain damage. Students can start to work on projects with psychology faculty as early as sophomore year and can obtain research and/or applied experience via: (1) informal volunteer work in a laboratory or professional setting; (2) registration in a formal course taught by a specific professor; or (3) an independent research project or honors thesis, some of which are funded by department grants. Psychology majors also study varied aspects of both basic and applied areas of the field. The two-semester clinical psychology practicum enables students to obtain supervised experience in actively helping roles as volunteers and assistants in social service, educational, and mental-health programs.