If you’ve always wondered why people behave in a certain way, what impacts their thought patterns and preconceptions, or how people can overcome mental health challenges, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from Ohio University is the ideal program for you.
Our psychology degree is a valuable and versatile degree, as well as a vital stepping stone on the path to professional psychologist roles. Filled with informative and eye-opening classes taught by world-class faculty, plus experiential learning opportunities , it's an excellent path for future psychologists, researchers, social workers, and other capable professionals looking to make a difference.
Choose What Your Want to Learn
-
Psychology Bachelor of Science
OHIO’s core psychology bachelor’s degree program is perfect for students who don’t know exactly what job they wish to pursue. Advising pathways help you learn more about specific subsets of psychology, like child development, health psychology, and clinical and counseling psychology.
-
Psychology Pre-Physical Therapy Bachelor of Science
The psychology pre-physical therapy B.S. program is for students who know they want to practice psychology in a clinical context and/or contribute to research in this important field by pursing a doctor of physical therapy professional degree.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
-
Athens, OH Residential Campus
Ohio University’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree is available on our spacious, welcoming campus in Athens . When you arrive, you’ll find an invigorating and energizing social landscape, complete with the facilities and research resources needed to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. The campus has everything you could want to network, make friends, join organizations, and more.
-
OHIO Online
Need to stay at home or work while finishing your degree? OHIO’s online psychology program is right for you. It covers the same topics as the on-campus program, and you can complete internships or other fieldwork requirements at clinics or other locations closer to your home, wherever that may be.
-
Regional Campuses
Take classes near where you work and live in a hybrid format that fits your schedule, with some courses on your regional campus and some online for the Psychology B.S. program.
Post-grad Opportunities for Psychology Majors
Some of our students head straight into the workforce with their newfound understanding of human beings and statistical analysis methods.
But many psychology majors go into graduate school to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees at OHIO or elsewhere. This is an important step if you hope to become a clinical psychologist, as you’ll need a master’s degree to complete state licensure requirements. We offer a Psychological Science M.S. , a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. , and an Experimental Psychology Ph.D.
Learn more about how to prepare for graduate psychology programs .
Be a Change Maker... with a Psychology Degree
Get Hands-on Experience with Your Psychology Degree
Hands-on learning is at the heart of what we offer at Ohio University, and psychology majors can take advantage of a dozens of different experiential learning opportunities.
-
Complete Psychology Internships
Many successful psychology majors jump into summer internship experiences . These experiential learning opportunities let you use the things you learn in the classroom in real-world contexts to help people both in Athens and beyond, plus help you build up confidence for your future career.
-
Attend the Psychology Fieldwork and Research Fair
The Psychology Fieldwork and Research Fair is perfect for students looking for new internship experiences or volunteer positions. The fair is also a good chance to connect with employers for research labs from Ohio and beyond.
-
Complete PSY 3910 Fieldwork in Psychology
Psychology majors can complete the Fieldwork in Psychology class . You can gain credit for this course by volunteering at a mental health for health-care setting, like a local clinic or treatment center.
-
Complete PSY 3940 Research in Psychology
Psychology majors also can take the Research in Psychology course . You’ll gain credit by participating in research while under the supervision of a faculty member.
-
Apply for Undergraduate Research Funding
Psychology majors have access to a variety of popular and exciting undergraduate research funding. Undergraduate students can apply for Student Enhancement Awards and the Provost Undergraduate Research Fund .
-
Work As a Camp Counselor
You can also work as a volunteer for OHIO's Camp Boost or for a variety of different businesses and organizations. Previous psychology majors, for instance, have found work and earned internship credit by working as camp counselors in the Athens area.
Why Choose a Psychology Degree?
Over the course of your psychology studies, you’ll learn more about:
- Human motivation and behavior
- How people act individually and in larger groups
- Physiological psychology
- Types of cognition
- The most effective research methods in psychology
In short, you’ll learn extensively about why people behave the way they do – and how that knowledge can be used to benefit the world.
The program includes courses that cover topics like psychopathology and child and adolescent psychology. But while this is a people-focused degree program, the curriculum also includes substantial science and statistics courses. Through classroom instruction and experiential learning, you'll gain the skills you need to develop and carry out research projects, analyze vast data sets, write professionally for academic papers, and more.
Students of this program emerge with highly transferable skills, particularly in statistics and research methodology, that serve them well in a limitless range of industries and job opportunities. On a personal level, our bachelor’s in psychology can help you gain a better understanding of yourself and other people – an invaluable benefit for the rest of your life.
Student Support Resources for Psychology Majors
Every student is welcome to the OHIO psychology degree program – and you’ll find ample support resources available to you from the first day of your academic journey!
For example, each psychology student is assigned a staff member from the Department of Psychology Advising and Resource Center , in addition to a dedicated success advisor from the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs . At the end of your first year, you’ll be assigned a faculty member from the Department of Psychology . This faculty member will work both as your professional advisor and as a personal mentor, helping you learn the ropes of this discipline and assisting with finding internships, research, class selection, and so on.
We also understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and all students must complete DEI-focused courses. First-generation students are welcome to join the First Gen Psychology Majors group, co-led by Dr. Sandra Hoyt and Dr. Julie Suhr , both of whom are first-generation faculty members.
The OHIO Experience for Psychology Majors
Students of the bachelor psychology degree will find a well-rounded and valuable experience waiting for them at Ohio University. Faculty support, in addition to the experiential learning opportunities available, ensures that students have everything necessary to acquire key psychology skills and put them to the test prior to joining the workforce.
Student organizations, resource centers, and success advisors further contribute to a sense of camaraderie and achievement on the Athens campus. The Psychology Department is a family both before and after graduation, and the friends and mentors you make here will last a lifetime.