Psychology (B.S. or B.A.)
Why Study Psychology at NIU?
If you’re serious about your desire to help people and understand human behavior, psychology is the field for you. Whether you choose to become a psychologist who sees clients of all ages, a school psychologist or a researcher, your psychology degree will give you valuable skills to prepare you for the working world.
Our program offers a variety of concentrations:
- Clinical psychology
- Cognitive and instructional psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Neuroscience and behavior
- School psychology
- Social psychology
- Industrial/organizational psychology
All concentrations will provide you with great skills in areas such as predicting and understanding the behavior of individuals and groups, how to use and interpret data and operate effectively within organizations – all important skills to have for any career. Graduates also receive excellent preparation for graduate school.
You can also gain certification to teach social sciences at the junior and senior high school levels.
Careers with a Psychology Degree
According to one Psychology Today report, graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology find work in many fields, even if they don’t complete their graduate training to become psychologists. Over 40 percent of bachelor-level psychologists work in for-profit business and industry; 20 to 30 percent in education and the remainder in government and nonprofits. Graduates also find work in marketing, finance, health care, social work
Psychology Faculty
We have are more than 25 full-time, doctoral faculty members and their research areas are diverse. With dozens of research projects and expertise in subjects such as:
- School bullying
- Brain chemistry and stress
- Work-life balance
- Learning and memory
- Generational issues
- Post-traumatic stress
Hands-on Learning Opportunities
You’ll find plenty of ways to get involved. If it’s research you’re interested in, undergraduates can receive credit for working with a faculty member on a research project. You can also participate in the Undergraduate Special Opportunities in Artistry and Research Program (USOAR).
which offers monetary and scholarly support. Additional research funding is available through the Student Engagement Fund.
More than 90 percent of our faculty regularly work with undergraduate students on research projects. More than half of graduating Psychology students report having been involved in research projects with faculty as either part of Independent Study or as a volunteer.
Additionally, there are excellent student organizations available that provide opportunities for you to get involved:
- Student Psychological Association
- Psi Chi: International Honor Society in Psychology