Program Overview

Psychology

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Majors

• Psychology BA
• Psychology BS

Minors

• Psychology Minor
• Addiction Studies Minor

Psychology is a major that applies to just about anything you want to do in life. As one of our students said, "It touches everything, from the sciences, to the law, to politics, to interpersonal relationships." This program is designed for people who are fascinated by human behavior and want to use science to understand how people form opinions and make decisions.

What will I learn?

As a psych major, you’ll study how we perceive information and learn new things. You’ll discover how the mind—and our personalities—develop over time. And you’ll explore psychology in different contexts, including behavioral disorders (clinical psychology), interacting with others (social psychology) and how to improve mental health. You can even choose electives in subjects like memory, addiction, development, and how psychology relates to music, food and other parts of your life.

BA vs. BS

• The BA is a more flexible degree program, typically for students who are thinking about getting a job after graduation, or going to grad school in psychology or a related field.
• The BS is a more in-depth degree program (including more bio and chem classes) for students who want a career in medicine or neuroscience.

What can I do outside of class?

As a research assistant, you can work with faculty in research labs; our students have researched how the body responds to stress, how to prevent psychological disorders and other key topics.

Interested in traveling? You can study abroad and gain a whole new perspective on human behavior.

At UB, you’ll also find hundreds of student clubs, including groups specifically for psych students where you can make new friends, hear guest speakers and get leadership experience.

Research

• Work with faculty in research labs
• Research topics include how the body responds to stress, how to prevent psychological disorders and other key topics

Study Abroad

• Gain a whole new perspective on human behavior
• Study abroad opportunities available

Student Clubs

• Hundreds of student clubs available
• Groups specifically for psych students
• Make new friends, hear guest speakers and get leadership experience

What can I do with a psychology degree?

Because a psychology degree helps you better understand people and behavior, it’s a great foundation for many different careers, from working directly with patients in a hospital to studying human behavior for a marketing agency.

Career Paths

• Behavior modification caseworker
• Clinical practice (working directly with patients)
• Forensic psychologist
• Guidance counselor
• Human resources manager
• Market research specialist
• Mental health counselor
• Probation officer
• Professor
• Psychiatrist
• Public relations consultant
• Public relations consultant
• Researcher
• School psychologist
• Sales manager
• Sports psychologist
• Teacher

Many psych students go on to medical school, law school or grad school in fields such as psychology, cognitive science, education, criminal justice, business, social work and neuroscience.

Who will I learn from?

Our professors make this program even better. They are enthusiastic, want to see their students succeed, and have conducted research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). They have been published in leading journals and have edited some of the top journals in the field.