Areas of Interest

Breadth + Depth

The degree programs in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences give you the freedom to explore a variety of areas within the field. You may select courses from any or all of the areas of interest below, working with your advisor to ensure you are fulfilling the requirements for your degree.

You are not required to complete a concentration or specialization in the field, but we encourage you to develop one over time in consultation with your academic advisor.

The College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin provides course descriptions.

Addiction

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psychology
PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
PSY-P 475 Evidence-based Clinical Science
PSY-P 480 Psychotherapy: Empirically Supported Treatments

Animal Behavior

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 416 Evolution and Ecology of Learning
PSY-P 417 Animal Behavior
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 436 Laboratory in Animal Learning and Motivation

Child and Adolescent Development

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 315 Developmental Psychology
PSY-P 406 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
PSY-P 425 Behavior Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
PSY-P 429 Laboratory in Developmental Psychology
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 442 Infant Development
PSY-P 443 Cognitive Development
PSY-P 457 Therapeutic Interventions for Early Childhood Behavior Problems
PSY-P 474 Psychology of Adolescent Girls

Cognition

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology
PSY-P 349 Cognitive Neuroscience
PSY-P 406 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition
PSY-P 438 Language and Cognition
PSY-P 443 Cognitive Development
PSY-P 453 Decision-making and the Brain
PSY-P 461 Human Memory
PSY-P 464 Embodied Cognition and Ecological Psychology

Clinical Psychology, Counseling, and Social Work

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
PSY-P 318 Foundations of Clinical Science
PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psychology PSY-P 337 Clinical Neuroscience
PSY-P 425 Behavior Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
PSY-P 457 Therapeutic Interventions for Early Childhood Behavior Problems
PSY-P 474 Psychology of Adolescent Girls
PSY-P 475 Evidence-based Clinical Science
PSY-P 480 Psychotherapy: Empirically Supported Treatments
PSY-P 483 Clinical Supervision and Skill Acquisition
PSY-X 370 Real-World Program Evaluation: Applying Psychology Research to Service Learning
PSY-X 476 Practicum in Psychology

Computational Approaches to Behavior

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 329 Sensation & Perception
PSY-P 330 Perception/Action
PSY-P 350 Human Factors/Ergonomics
PSY-P 323 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
PSY-P 329 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences
PSY-P 404 Computer and Statistical Models in Psychology
PSY-P 405 Elementary Mathematical Psychology
PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition
PSY-P 424 Laboratory in Sensation and Perception
PSY-P 449 Social Psychology of Public Opinion

Gender, Intimate Relationships, Sexuality

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 347 Science of Human Sexuality
PSY-P 375 Intimate Relationships
PSY-P 448 Social Judgment and Person Perception
PSY-P 456 Reproductive Neuroscience
PSY-P 460 The Psychology of Women
PSY-P 478 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Health

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
PSY-P 315 Developmental Psychology
PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psychology
PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
PSY-P 423 Human Neuropsychology
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
PSY-P 467 Diseases of the Nervous System
PSY-P 475 Evidence-based Clinical Science

Learning and Education

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology
PSY-P 356 Teaching Internship
PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory
PSY-P 416 Evolution and Ecology of Learning
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition

Media and Communications

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
PSY-P 446 Group Processes
PSY-P 447 Social Influence Processes
PSY-P 448 Social Judgment and Person Perception
PSY-P 449 Social Psychology of Public Opinion
PSY-P 453 Decision-making and the Brain
PSY-P 460 The Psychology of Women

Neuroscience: Molecules, Cells, and Neural Systems

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 346 Neuroscience
PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
PSY-P 423 Human Neuropsychology
PSY-P 433 Laboratory in Neuroimaging Methods
PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
PSY-P 441 Neuropsychology of Language
PSY-P 466 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
PSY-P 467 Diseases of the Nervous System
PSY-P 469 Stress Effects on Brain and Behavior
PSY-P 470 Molecular Methods in Neuroscience Research
PSY-P 472 Laboratory in Brain Electrical Activity
PSY-P 473 Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience

Neuroscience: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 326 Behavioral Neuroscience
PSY-P 349 Cognitive Neuroscience
PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
PSY-P 386 Social Neuroscience
PSY-P 406 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory
PSY-P 426 Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience
PSY-P 441 Neuropsychology of Language
PSY-P 456 Reproductive Neuroscience

Psychology, Coaching, and Performance

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
PSY-P 319 Psychology of Personality
PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation
PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception
PSY-P 330 Perception/Action
PSY-P 338 Psychology of Coaching and Motor Performance
PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function

Psychology, Criminal Justice, and the Law

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 315 Developmental Psychology
PSY-P 319 Psychology of Personality
PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psychology
PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation
PSY-P 336 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences
PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
PSY-P 404 Computer and Statistical Models in Psychology
PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
PSY-P 425 Behavior Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition
PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addiction
PSY-P 446 Group Processes
PSY-P 447 Social Influence Processes
PSY-P 455 The Role of Psychology in Legal Doctrine
PSY-P 461 Human Memory

Psychology in the Business World

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 319 Psychology of Personality
PSY-P 323 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation
PSY-P 336 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences
PSY-P 350 Human Factors/Ergonomics
PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
PSY-P 357 Psychological Principles of Marketing and Advertising
PSY-P 366 Consumer Psychology
PSY-P 404 Computer and Statistical Models in Psychology
PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
PSY-P 430 Behavior Modification
PSY-P 446 Group Processes
PSY-P 447 Social Influence Processes
PSY-P 449 Social Psychology of Public Opinion
PSY-P 452 Psychology in the Business Environment
PSY-P 453 Decision-making and the Brain
PSY-P 455 The Role of Psychology in Legal Doctrine
PSY-P 457 Brain Imaging, Biometrics, and Business

Research Methods: Molecules to Social Behavior

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 211 Methods of Experimental Psychology
PSY-P 336 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences
PSY-P 211 Research Methods
PSY-P 336 Psychological Tests and Individual Differences
PSY-X 397, PSY-X 398 Supervised Research
PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
PSY-P 424 Laboratory in Sensation and Perception
PSY-P 426 Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience
PSY-P 429 Laboratory in Developmental Psychology
PSY-P 433 Laboratory in Neuroimaging Methods
PSY-P 435 Laboratory in Human Learning and Cognition
PSY-P 436 Laboratory in Animal Learning and Motivation
PSY-P 472 Laboratory in Brain Electrical Activity
PSY-P 473 Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience
PSY-X 497 Supervised Research
PSY-X 498 Capstone Supervised Research
PSY-P 499 Honors Thesis Research

Sensation and Perception

If you’re interested in these topics you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception
PSY-P 330 Perception/Action
PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology
PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function
PSY-P 424 Laboratory in Sensation and Perception

Social Psychology

If you’re interested in this topic you might consider some of the following courses:

PSY-P 304 Social Psychology and Individual Differences
PSY-P 319 Psychology of Personality
PSY-P 421 Laboratory in Social Psychology
PSY-P 434 Community Psychology
PSY-P 446 Group Processes
PSY-P 447 Social Influence Processes
PSY-P 448 Social Judgment and Person Perception
PSY-P 449 Social Psychology of Public Opinion
PSY-P 455 The Role of Psychology in Legal Doctrine
PSY-P 478 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Areas of Interest

Breadth + Depth

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