Psychology Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Psychology major studies how people think, feel, learn and behave. Psychology majors study development, cognition, social behavior, mental health and research methods.

A Psychology major includes coursework in general psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, social psychology, and research methods and statistics and more. You build skills such as understanding behavior, research and statistics, listening and empathy, and writing. Typical degrees: associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Typical courses include general psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, social psychology, research methods and statistics, and cognitive psychology. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Psychology is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s, and a doctoral or professional degree takes several more years beyond that. Part-time study takes longer.

Associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. In the latest federal data, 262 colleges reported certificate awards, 311 colleges reported associate awards, 1,434 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, 719 colleges reported master’s awards, and 362 colleges reported doctoral awards.

Career paths connected to psychology include psychiatric technician, human services assistant, substance abuse counselor, rehabilitation counselor, social and community service manager, marriage and family therapist, school psychologist, and industrial-organizational psychologist. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include psychiatric technician (typical training: 1 year or less), human services assistant (typical training: 1–4 weeks on the job), substance abuse counselor (typical training: 1–6 years depending on credential), rehabilitation counselor (typical training: 6 years (bachelor’s + master’s)), social and community service manager (typical training: 4 years + under 5 years of experience), and marriage and family therapist (typical training: 6+ years plus supervised hours).

Psychology majors build skills such as understanding behavior, research and statistics, listening and empathy, writing, and critical thinking.

Good pairings include Human Resources (applies psychology to the workplace), Sociology (adds the social side of behavior), Statistics (strengthens research skills), and Criminal Justice (fits forensic and correctional work).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as psychiatric technician, human services assistant, and substance abuse counselor, and enjoy subjects like general psychology and developmental psychology. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes general psychology, developmental psychology, and abnormal psychology; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

1,772 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (211), Pennsylvania (120), New York (110), Texas (93), and Ohio (73), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

1,483 of the colleges that offer psychology also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Psychology studies how people think, feel, learn and behave. Social Work prepares you to help individuals, families and communities facing challenges. Psychology leads to careers such as psychiatric technician and human services assistant, while Social Work leads to careers such as social worker and healthcare social worker.

Psychology studies how people think, feel, learn and behave. Sociology studies societies, groups, institutions and social change. Psychology leads to careers such as psychiatric technician and human services assistant, while Sociology leads to careers such as survey researcher and sociologist.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to psychology, such as Psychiatric Technician Training.