Psychology—BS | Cognitive and Learning Sciences

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If you are intrigued by the inner workings of the psyche, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan Tech will allow you to mold that curiosity into a meaningful career.

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and cognitive processes. This broad discipline seeks to understand the human condition and explain behavior using scientific methods, with the fundamental goal of improving the well-being of individuals and our overall society.

Psychologists can apply their training to help preserve or rehabilitate people’s interpersonal relationships and mental health, and to help businesses safeguard assets such as time, finances, and human resources. From health practitioners who manage and treat psychological disorders, to business professionals who foster a healthy and productive workplace, to researchers who solve practical problems—psychology offers diverse applications and career pathways that attract many students to the discipline.

Flexible by Design

Most universities have a psychology program—but not like ours. Our program is flexible by design, allowing you to create a personalized program of study to help you meet your career goals. For example, you can opt for a general psychology degree or choose a concentration in clinical psychology and counseling, social psychology, or cognitive psychology. You can also use your free electives to pursue a minor without increasing your time to graduation. Many of our students choose minors in areas that complement psychology, including pre-health professions, business, public health, diversity studies, media production, math, and computer science.

Program Learning Goals

The psychology major consists of approximately 12 required PSY courses, 7 elective PSY courses, and numerous free electives and University required courses.

The major has a committee whose role is to ensure that disciplinary and University Student Learning Goals (USLG) are being met across our curriculum. The committee has adopted as curricular goals the American Psychological Association (APA) goals for undergraduate psychology programs:

Goals:	Learning Goals & Outcomes
1. Knowledge Base	1.1 Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in psychology 1.2 Develop a working knowledge of psychology’s content domains 1.3 Describe applications of psychology
2. Scientific Inquiry & Critical Thinking	2.1 Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena 2.2 Demonstrate psychology information literacy 2.3 Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem solving 2.4 Interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological research 2.5 Incorporate sociocultural factors in scientific inquiry
3. Ethical & Social Responsibility in a Diverse World	3.1 Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice 3.2 Build and enhance interpersonal relationships 3.3 Adopt values that build community at local, national, and global levels
4. Communication	4.1 Demonstrate effective writing for different purposes 4.2 Exhibit effective presentation skills for different purposes 4.3 Interact effectively with others
5. Professional Development	5.1 Apply psychological content and skills to career goals 5.2 Exhibit self-efficacy and self-regulation 5.3 Refine project-management skills 5.4 Enhance teamwork capacity 5.5 Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation

The committee mapped out how each program goal aligned with the Michigan Tech learning goals. Each psychology course was designed to meet one or more of the program/university goals. The following goals are met through the 12 required PSY courses:

USLG	APA Psychology Learning Goals
1. Disciplinary Knowledge	Knowledge Base of Psychology Students will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
1. Disciplinary Knowledge	Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking Students will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
1. Disciplinary Knowledge	Professional Development Students will emerge from the major with realistic ideas about how to implement their psychological knowledge, skills, and values in occupational pursuits in a variety of settings.
4. Critical & Creative Thinking	Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
5. Communication	Communication Students will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
6. Information Literacy	Communication Students will demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers and other technology for many purposes.
8. Values and Civic Engagement	Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World Students will be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.

Research and Internship Opportunities

Engage in research and internships opportunities. In our two-semester research methods course, work with a team to design and carry out your own research. At the end of the class, present your research findings at a local, regional, or even national conference. Many students also work on research with faculty in one of Michigan Tech’s psychology research labs.

Through our local internship program, explore job possibilities and build your skill sets in real-world settings without needing to take a semester off. Recent students have interned at places including Michigan Tech’s Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being, a crisis support and outreach center, local schools, the drug court, and social service agencies.

Career Pathways

A degree in psychology paves the way for a myriad of careers in countless settings, including government, industry, law, sports science, engineering, communications, and computers/technology. New psychology graduates entering the job market may qualify for entry-level positions in mental health, social/human services, and business administration, including:

Behavior Analyst
Case Worker
Child Protection Worker
College Admissions Counselor or Recruiter
Community Recreation Coordinator
Corrections Officer
Drug/Substance Abuse Counselor
Employment Counselor
Residential Youth Counselor
Family Services Coordinator
Group Home Coordinator
Hospital Patient Services Representative
Marketing Researcher
Occupational Analyst
Program Manager
Public Relations
Store Manager
Staff Trainer
Social Service Director

The scope of opportunities for psychology graduates dovetails with businesses predicted to flourish in the future. Data crunching is the next big thing and a psychology grad is equipped to go beyond the numbers to interpret meaning, track trends, and gather insights. Scientific research, another ever-increasing field, requires the use of case study, content analysis, lab and field experiments, and surveys—research approaches that you gain experience with as a psychology major. In a more traditional vein, the demand for counseling and therapy services is expected to continue rising along with awareness of mental health as a component of overall well-being.

Advance Your Career

Michigan Tech psychology students are accepted into graduate school at a rate of 90 percent—much higher than the national average of 20 percent.

Our faculty and undergraduate advisors provide support with the application process, guiding students in identifying programs, writing compelling personal statements, and marketing their skills and experience in their resumes. Many students pursue graduate studies in a psychology-related program—like applied behavior analysis, clinical psychology, social work, neuroscience, industrial-organizational psychology, or human factors. Other students pursue graduate degrees in specialties that require a keen understanding of human behavior—like business, medicine, or law.

We also offer Accelerated MS, MS, and PhD degreesin Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors. Our PhD program is research-intensive and focuses on optimizing performance, health, and safety at the interface of humans and technology.