Which Colleges are Best for Psychology?

If you believe that you can understand a human inside and out and dissect the way the human brain works then psychology is the major for you. In this piece, we go look deeper into what the study of the subject really means and provide you with a list of which colleges are the best for psychology.

What is Psychology?

If you choose to study psychology, then you will learn many things about the human experience. You will scientifically examine the way people think, behave, feel and in general interact getting a better understanding of the mind of a human being. The subject can also delve deep into the experiences of various animals. Psychology is one of the fastest growing majors in terms of popularity and profession and is becoming an important topic to study due to the spotlight increasing with regards to the importance of mental health across the world. As a student, you will go through the history of the subject, the key breakthroughs and become familiar with the most important psychologists in recent history.

Job Prospects

Job prospects after completing a Psychology major includes possible roles as a psychologist, psychotherapist, counselor, teacher and social worker as well as possible research and media roles.

Ranked

Listed below are 10 of the best U.S. colleges to study Psychology according to the QS World University Rankings 2021.

1: Harvard University

• The department which was constructed during the 19^th century under the scholarship of William James, has become renowned for spearheading the field. Some of the world’s most influential and famous psychologists in recent history have been known to come from Harvard. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

2: Stanford University

• As one of the first departments to be formed at Stanford, it has had a long and proud tradition of being one of the best psychology departments across the world due to its trailblazing research and real-world impact. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

3: University of California – Berkeley

• Established in 1921-1922, UC Psych has become famed for its innovative research in the field of psychology. Faculty is sprinkled with award-winners who have achieved success due to the ground-breaking research they have conducted. Many of their PHD students have gone onto have careers within some of the biggest companies such as Facebook and Google as well as within academia, healthcare and policy. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

4: University of California – Los Angeles

• As stated by the professor and chair of the department, Annette L. Stanton, UCLA psychology department have goals to “advance the understanding of human behavior, cognition, and emotion, including functional and dysfunctional processes, across multiple levels of analysis; and promote human welfare through translational research involving intervention, dissemination, and implementation in psychology.” For more information about their psychology department, click here.

5: Yale University

• The psychology department at Yale has five different research programs. Clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience and social/personality psychology. This shows the levels in which the institution has gone to enhance research within the field with the various options offered to students. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

6: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

• Due to its high-quality faculty, prominent research and vast range of programs, psychology at the University of Michigan has always been recognized as one of the best in the US and the world. One of their commitments is “To create new scientific knowledge about psychological processes through first rate scholarship.” For more information about their psychology department, click here.

7: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Known as the brain and cognitive sciences department, their aim is to “reverse engineer the brain in order to understand the mind.” Focused research programs at the institution are cellular and molecular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, cognitive science and computational neuroscience. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

8: University of Pennsylvania

• The psychology department at the University of Pennsylvania is known for being the oldest frequently functioning psychology department within the United States and as a result are renowned for their longevity and quality of research regarding the scientific study of the mind. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

9: Columbia University

• Established in 1890, it is one the oldest psychology departments within the United States. Compared to most of the other institutions, this department is relatively small in size however it makes up for its high standards and excellent research. For more information about their psychology department, click here.

10: New York University

• The department of psychology at NYU are known for their wide range of topics they research within the field making it one of the most popular majors at the institution. For more information about their psychology department, click here. 

Psychology is a study that would be ideal for students who are interested in people and also want to gain a better understanding in behaviors. Skills such as critical thinking, effective communication and problem solving would be beneficial. So, with the field gaining popularity across the world, make sure you jump on the bandwagon if you believe it is a good choice for you!

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