Major in Psychology

The B.S. in psychology is a four-year degree with a focus on research and science, providing an excellent foundation for a wide range of careers or graduate school.

Courses include:

• Theories of Psychology
• Biological Psychology
• Psychology of Personality
• Psych at Work
• Cognitive Psychology

B.S. in Psychology 4-Year Plan

The B.A. in psychology is equivalent to the B.S. in psychology, but requires at least 9 credit hours of a modern language. This requirement is ideal if you want to work with speakers of other languages or gain exposure to global perspectives.

B.A. in Psychology 4-Year Plan

The B.A.S. in psychology is designed for transfer students who’ve completed a vocational, technical or associate degree. It allows you to apply prior courses toward your Northwest degree, shortening your time to graduation and providing you with a personalized, cost-effective path to a bachelor’s in psychology.

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Looking for flexible psychology degrees that offer the same quality as on-campus programs? Explore Northwest’s online bachelor’s in psychology program. Designed for busy students, our program allows you to balance work, family or other commitments while still providing the same comprehensive coursework and practical learning experiences as Northwest’s on-campus major.

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The psychology minor helps you understand human nature, behavior and decision-making, complementing majors like communications, human services, sociology, criminology, business, mass media, education and pre-law. It is also valuable if you’re a physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing or pre-med major, as it helps you better understand the mind-body connection. 

Courses for the psychology minor include:

• Research Literacy
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Biological Psychology
• Social Psychology

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Psychology can be a challenging major because it requires courses in the sciences and strong critical thinking, research and writing skills. However, Northwest’s small class sizes, supportive faculty and student success center will help you develop the skills you need to do well in the program.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology at Northwest typically takes four years to complete. If you are a transfer student, you may be able to finish sooner by pursuing the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) pathway.

A bachelor’s in psychology provides a foundation for numerous careers and for graduate study in psychology and related disciplines. Psychology majors can go on to work in fields like healthcare, education, criminal justice, marketing, communication, business or academia. Specific roles include community support specialists, behavioral health technicians, substance abuse counselors or patient advocates.

As a psych major at Northwest, you’ll complete several foundational courses in psychology in addition to your general education requirements and electives. These courses include Abnormal Psychology, Research Methods and Developmental Psychology. Additional courses include Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology and Biological Psychology. You’re also required to earn a minor in areas that match your career goals, such as pre-law (if you’re interested in criminal justice careers), communication, child and family studies, general business (if you want to open a private practice), art (if you’re interested in art therapy after graduation) or English.

If you choose the B.A. versus the B.S. in psychology at Northwest, you’ll also be required to take 9 credits of a modern language.

Learn more by viewing the full B.S. in psychology curriculum or the full B.A. in psychology curriculum .

The B.S. and B.A. in psychology at Northwest Missouri State University have the same general education and psychology coursework, but the B.A. in psychology requires 9 credits of a modern language such as Spanish or French. The B.A. in psychology is valuable if you’re interested in working with speakers of other languages or other diverse groups. 

View the B.S. in psychology coursework or the B.A. in psychology coursework to learn more about the specific differences between the B.S. in psychology and B.A. in psychology at Northwest.