Academics
Admissions & Aid
Student Life
About
Info For
If you are fascinated by human behavior and the human mind, a psychology degree may be right for you. Studying psychology will help you understand cognitive processes, such as thinking, language, and memory, and how they are linked to brain functions; social behavior, including how we interact with others individually and in groups; how people change from birth through aging; and how to increase well-being in the community.
A degree in psychology helps prepare you for a wide variety of careers across corporate, nonprofit, and educational sectors. Many of these careers are accessible with a bachelor’s degree. Other careers, such as in therapy, require a specialized postbaccalaureate degree, for which your undergraduate degree in psychology will prepare you.
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2023-2024 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
The department Chair, with the approval of the chair of the department’s undergraduate curriculum committee, may allow substitutions for one or more of these requirements consistent with the educational goals of the program.
All of the following:
Of the advanced courses required for the B.A. degree in Psychology, a minimum of 15 credits must be completed in the Psychology Department at Brooklyn College with a grade of C- or higher in each course.
Prospective psychology majors should consult a department counselor as early as possible. Majors and prospective majors should consult department counselors before each registration to plan individual programs. Psychology majors are strongly advised to complete the Psychology 3450W requirement as early as possible, preferably by completion of the junior year. For courses requiring permission of the chairperson as a prerequisite, permission should be obtained before registration.
The Brooklyn College Psychology Department adopts five learning outcomes from the APA Guidelines (pdf) for the undergraduate psychology major. They include:
Students should demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavioral problems. Students completing foundation courses should demonstrate breadth of their knowledge and application of psychological ideas to simple problems; students completing a baccalaureate degree should show depth in their knowledge and application of psychological concepts and frameworks to problems of greater complexity.
The skills in this domain involve the development of scientific reasoning and problem solving, including effective research methods. Students completing foundation-level courses should learn basic skills and concepts in interpreting behavior, studying research, and applying research design principles to drawing conclusions about psychological phenomena; students completing a baccalaureate degree should focus on theory use as well as designing and executing research plans.
The skills in this domain involve the development of ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity. Students completing foundation-level courses should become familiar with the formal regulations that govern professional ethics in psychology and begin to embrace the values that will contribute to positive outcomes in work settings and in building a society responsive to multicultural and global concerns. Students completing a baccalaureate degree should have more direct opportunities to demonstrate adherence to professional values that will help them optimize their contributions and work effectively, even with those who do not share their heritage and traditions. This domain also promotes the adoption of personal and professional values that can strengthen community relationships and contributions.
Students should demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills. Students completing foundation-level courses should write a cogent scientific argument, present information using a scientific approach, engage in discussion of psychological concepts, explain the ideas of others, and express their own ideas with clarity. Students completing a baccalaureate degree should produce a research study or other psychological project, explain scientific results, and present information to a professional audience. They should also develop flexible interpersonal approaches that optimize information exchange and relationship development.
The emphasis in this goal is on application of psychology-specific content and skills, effective self-reflection, project-management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation. Foundation-level outcomes concentrate on the development of work habits and ethics to succeed in academic settings. The skills in this goal at the baccalaureate level refer to abilities that sharpen student readiness for postbaccalaureate employment, graduate school, or professional school. These skills can be developed and refined both in traditional academic settings and in extracurricular involvement. In addition, career professionals can be enlisted to support occupational planning and pursuit. This emerging emphasis should not be construed as obligating psychology programs to obtain employment for their graduates but instead as encouraging programs to optimize the competitiveness of their graduates for securing places in the workforce.
View all past degree maps.
psychadvisor@brooklyn.cuny.edu 718.951.5601 5401 James Hall
Or contact:
222 West Quad Center 2900 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11210 E: adminqry@brooklyn.cuny.edu
To make an appointment with an undergraduate admissions counselor, please visit:
Virtual Admissions Counselor Appointments
Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in Psychology offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each bring a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
Cheryl Carmichael joined the Brooklyn College f...
Andrew Delamater came to Brooklyn College as an assistant professor of psychology in 1994. He bec...
Yana Kuchirko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Brooklyn College, CUNY...
Alvin Snadowsky joined the Brooklyn College faculty in 1972.
Elisabeth Brauner joined the Psychology Department at Brooklyn College in 2003. She received her ...
Crump runs the Computational Cognition Lab at Brooklyn College of CUNY. Research interests includ...
Jennifer Drake joined the Psychology Department in 2013. She received her Ph.D. in developmental ...
Ana Gantman joined the Psychology Department at Brooklyn College in Fall 2018. After receiving he...
Yu Gao joined Brooklyn College in fall 2010 after having spent two years as a postdoc at the Univ...
Aaron Kozbelt’s research program, focusing on creativity and cognition in the arts, derives...
Laura A. Rabin is a Professor of Psychology at Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center. Her rese...
Through job fairs, the internship database, and internship panels, the Magner Career Center gives students in the psychology B.A. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:
Learn More
Request Info Visit Our Campus Apply Now
