Undergraduate Programs
At DU, a degree in psychology offers a rare balance: the undergraduate-focused teaching and mentoring of a liberal arts college, paired with the research opportunities of a large research university.
Our graduates go on to careers in marketing, human relations, research, therapy, and counseling, and to graduate programs in education, counseling, and health-related fields. It is one of the most popular majors at DU, for good reason.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Psychology
About this Program
With a BA in psychology, you'll have opportunities to develop research skills and hands-on experience in areas like clinical, developmental and social psychology. Our optional concentration in cognitive neuroscience offers an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the mind and brain.
In our psychology program, you'll sharpen your critical thinking, knowledge and empirical skills across a wide range of content areas. Students have opportunities to participate in research labs and clinical work through guided upper-level courses.
BA psychology students pursue careers as forensic, educational and counseling psychologists. The specialties of a psychology major prove useful to anyone interested in market research, career advising, medicine or human resources.College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Psychology
About this Program
With a BS in psychology, you'll develop research skills and gain experience that builds on your studies in biology or another natural science. Students in our BS program study cognitive neuroscience, developmental and social psychology, as well as clinical psychology. We offer hands-on experience in a variety of laboratories including those that use biological methods to asses emotional and cognitive functioning in the human brain and body. Our optional concentration in cognitive neuroscience offers an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the mind and brain.
You'll understand the scientific method as it applies to psychological science in order to prepare you for further study in medical school or neuroscience programs. Graduates from this program pursue careers as researchers, practitioners in a variety of health-related professions, and counselors and therapists.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Psychology Dual Degree 4+1
About this Program
Our accelerated dual-degree program allows advanced undergraduate psychology majors to simultaneously pursue bachelor's and master's degrees. This program provides the opportunity to take graduate-level coursework, conduct master’s level research in collaboration with a faculty member, cultivate critical and creative thought, and expand your knowledge and innovation as it relates to research in psychological science. You can expect to work closely with faculty and peers as you generate new knowledge about the psychological processes surrounding mental health, person perception, coping, decision-making, biological process underlying thoughts and feelings, parenting, adversity, and more. The program is research-focused and culminates in a master's thesis.
Upon program completion, students can produce quality research, and pursue further studies in research-intensive doctoral programs or research positions in academic, government, non-profit, and corporate settings. The program does not focus on counseling or therapeutic skills and does not result in opportunities for licensure.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Psychology Micro-Credentials
About this Program
The psychology micro-credentials program allows students to build a customized experience that critically engages with the topic of diversity and inclusion, data-informed decisions, or mental health. Along with both required and elective classes on the chosen topic, students develop and complete an experiential project. With the support of a faculty member, students complete a project that ties into their chosen micro-credential as well as being tailored to their academic and career goals. In addition to their micro-credential badge, students will finish the program with a portfolio product that incorporates and showcases what they have learned through their courses and experiential project.
Why Pursue An Undergraduate Degree in Psychology?
Flexibility
Our department offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, along with an optional concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience, developed in collaboration with the Department of Biological Sciences. Because the major is so flexible, students can easily add other fields of study or study abroad.
Almost half of our majors are double or triple majors, pairing Psychology with fields like Biological Sciences, Sociology, Criminology, Communication, or a world language.
Career Preparation
Many majors put their degree to work directly, in psychological research or as a therapist or counselor. Some of those paths are open with a bachelor's degree, and many students pursue graduate training to reach the rest. Others apply the knowledge, skills, and experience of their undergraduate years in fields where psychology shapes the work more indirectly.
- 50-60% begin working full time right after graduation, with many planning to enter graduate school within a few years
- 30-40% move directly into a graduate degree program.
Research Opportunities
Our faculty lead research groups producing top-notch discoveries across several areas of psychology, using a wide range of experiments and measures. Undergraduates are encouraged to get involved in these labs as volunteers, as student workers through federal financial aid or a student research grant, or for course credit that counts toward the major.
Advanced Students Can Delve Deeper
Students ready to go further can pursue our distinction program, completing an independent research project as an undergraduate thesis. We also offer an advanced field experience course that places students with community organizations providing mental health services. Both give students in-depth, hands-on experience that prepares them well for graduate school or the job market.
Ready to Take Your First Step Towards a Bachelor's in Psychology?
Explore financial aid options in the Department of Psychology at DU.
