Sample Psychology Undergraduate Areas of Interest

Psychology is a very large and complex field with more than 100 sub-fields. To help you choose a path through our course offerings, we suggest you look at some areas of interest recommended to prepare students for a few specializations that aim toward a large cluster of those 100-plus sub fields. 

View a full list of psychology courses in the Course Catalog.

Developmental Psychology

Recommended:

Hours Course # Course Title
4 101 Intro to Psychology
4 241 Social Psychology
4 268 Statistics
4 269 Experimental Psychology
4 317 Developmental Psychology
4 345/NEUR 241 Learning or Foundations of Neuroscience
4 351/NEUR 241 Cognition or Foundations Neuroscience
4 355 Advanced Statistics & Psychological Testing
4 431 Psychology of Human Sexuality
2 480-488 Advanced Topic
4 494 Senior Capstone: Personality
4 495/499 Independent Study or Honors Thesis
46 Total  

Also Important:

4 348 Intro to Psychopathology
2 485 Psychology of the Family
2 235 Cross-Cultural Psychology
4-8 496 Internship (developmental in nature)
4 499 Honor's Thesis
16-20 Total  

Social Psychology

Recommended:

Hours Course # Course Title
4 101 Intro to Psychology
2 235 Cross-Cultural Psychology
4 241 Social Psychology
4 268 Statistics
4 269 Experimental Psychology
4 317 Developmental Psychology
4 345/NEUR 241 Learning or Foundations of Neuroscience
4 351/NEUR 241 Cognition or Foundations of Neuroscience
4 355 Advanced Statistics & Psychological Testing
2 480-488 Advanced Topic
4 494 Senior Capstone: Personality
4 495/499 Independent Study or Honors Thesis
44 Total  

Also Important:

4 363X Persuasion
2 421x Organizational
2 422x Personnel
2 481-4 Psychology of the Family
4 SOC 101 Intro to Sociology
2 SOC 257 Gender Roles
2 SOC 258 Small Groups - Interpersonal Relations
18 Total  

Clinical or Counseling Psychology

Recommended:

Hours Course # Course Title
4 101 Intro to Psychology (includes lab)
2 235 Cross-Cultural Psychology
4 241 Social Psychology
4 268 Statistics
4 269 Experimental Psychology
4 317 Developmental Psychology
4 348 Intro to Psychopathology
4 345/361 Learning or Behavioral Neuroscience
4 351/361 Cognition or Behavioral Neuroscience
4 355 Advanced Statistics & Psychological Testing
4 431 Psychology of Human Sexuality
2 480-488 Advanced Topic
4 494 Senior Capstone: Personality
48 Total  

Also Important:

4 352 Contemporary Clinical Psychology
4-8 496 Internship (Developmental in nature)
4 499 Honor's Thesis
12-16 Total  

Neuroscience

Recommended:

Hours Course # Course Title
4 101 Intro to Psychology (includes lab)
4 268 Statistics
4 269 Experimental Psychology
4 343  Sensation & Perception 
4 345 Learning
4 351 Cognition
4 NEUR 241 Foundations Neuroscience
2 480-488 Advanced Topic
4 494 Senior Capstone: Personality
1-4 495 Independent Study – Research
4 496 Research Internship
4 499 Honors Thesis
43-47 Total  

Also Important:

4 BIO 331 Animal Physiology
2-4 BIO 385 Intro to Neurobiology
2-4 IDS 201 Intro to Cognitive & Neurosciences
2-4 PHIL 455 Philosophy of Mind

In addition, relevant courses in the following departments:

  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science