Psychology
Psychology at Earlham enables you to study human behavior through conducting research, engaging in collaborative inquiry with peers and faculty, and practicing counseling skills. This approach allows you to experience the full scope of what it means to be a psychologist in today’s world.
We offer several unique and innovative courses not often seen at other small liberal arts colleges, including Psychology of Happiness, Psychology of Sport, Psychology of Sustainability, Psychoactive Drugs and Behavior, and Human Sexuality.
Within six months of graduation, one-third of grads from 2017-2019 were attending graduate programs in fields like counseling, organizational psychology, education and early childhood development.
“Earlham’s psychology department has given me the opportunity to engage with my passion and interests in the field. I was drawn to the psychology major at Earlham because of the department’s support for career exploration and discernment. I appreciate all the support and freedom to explore these opportunities, and I’m excited to keep learning and growing through my years at Earlham.”
Cristina Esquivel ’24
Psychology Major
“Earlham has shown me who I am and who I can be by providing guidance on how to achieve my goals. Programs at Earlham helped me identify my academic interests and make accomplishments in Psychology. I have experienced tremendous growth through research opportunities during my time at Earlham.”
Hyeonji Kim, ’21
Psychology major
“Earlham’s emphasis on research and experiential learning prepared me for graduate studies and a career in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. I am passionate about transforming organizations at the individual level through research-driven learning and development processes.”
Robert Alba, ’20
Psychology major
“Earlham’s supportive psychology department and emphasis on research have played a huge role in preparing me for research in psychology. As an aspiring academic, I was able to build my resume at Earlham by engaging in the Peer lab research projects, conducting my own independent study and familiarizing myself with comprehensive exam preparations. Now, I want to use my voice as a clinical psychology graduate student to further our understanding of intergenerational substance use, with the hopes of informing policy and identifying intervention windows, to promote resilience in underserved populations.”
Lara Khalifeh, ’18
Psychology major
A hands-on approach to the science of human behavior
As a first- and second-year student, you will become proficient in the methods and practice of psychology through courses that include activities such as replicating published research, volunteering in community mental health settings and practicing counseling skills with other students.
You will have multiple opportunities to apply psychological methods through conducting your own research, assisting faculty with ongoing research projects and working in the community.
Hands-on research
Between 12 and 15 students each semester serve as research assistants for faculty examining memory for future events, motivation and emotion, relationships between stress and health and the effect of gendered pronouns.
Independent projects
As a senior psychology major, you will conduct an independent research project on a topic that most interests you.
Our faculty
We are student-focused lifelong learners, excited about applying intellectual discoveries to real-world problems. In our work, we tackle issues of medical ethics, racism and health, children’s school readiness, motivation, the power of gender and much more.
Program details
The psychology program begins with core courses that cover the many different theoretical and methodological approaches to the field. In these courses, you will survey a wide range of psychological subfields and explore their relevance to current social issues and everyday life.
Additionally, you will acquire a basic understanding of the principles of research and critical thinking that serve as the foundation of science.
As a liberal arts college, Earlham offers multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary majors and minors in which students cultivate deep and specific knowledge and experience. Equally important, the College expects every student to develop broad, general skills and proficiencies across the curriculum.
As part of their general education, students complete six credits in each academic division of the College: humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. In addition, students meet requirements for first-year courses, analytical reasoning, perspectives on diversity and wellness.
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, you must complete a total of 38-40 credits, made up of the following courses:
- PSYC 115 Introduction to Psychological Perspectives OR PSYC 116 Behavior, Health Care and Society
- PSYC 210 Social Psychology
- PSYC 220 Adult Psychopathology
- PSYC 230 Human Development
- PSYC 245 Research Methods and Statistics
- PSYC 250 Brain and Behavior
- PSYC 440 Senior Capstone Experience
- PSYC 486 Senior Comprehensive Research
- One psychology course from those numbered 351-359
- Three additional psychology courses from those numbered 340-379
Psychology courses with a primary focus on basic research in psychology are numbered 351-359. Other courses offer depth in a specialized area, integrate psychological research and theories with other disciplines, focus on applications of psychology, or some combination.
Courses 300-339 are cross-listed from other departments, which may be of interest to psychology majors. Courses cross-listed from other departments do not count toward the major. These courses help to engage in scientific psychological research; utilize psychological theory, methods and data in addressing applied questions; and think richly, systematically and critically about the personal experiences, interpersonal interactions, social issues and problems they will encounter throughout their lives.
View a full list of psychology courses and their descriptions.
Yes! To earn a minor in psychology, you must complete:
- PSYC 115 Introduction to Psychological Perspectives OR PSYC 116 Behavior, Health Care and Society
- PSYC 245 Research Methods and Statistics
- Three of the following courses:
- PSYC 210 Social Psychology
- PSYC 220 Adult Psychopathology
- PSYC 230 Human Development
- PSYC 250 Brain and Behavior
- One psychology course from those numbered 340-379
View a full list of psychology courses and their descriptions.
Earlham psychology students have pursued graduate studies in clinical mental health counseling, organizational psychology, applied animal behavior and welfare, education, and healthcare, among other fields.
Recent graduates have landed jobs as behavioral clinicians, therapists, research assistants and teachers, to name a few.
Are you intrigued by how people think or why they behave in certain ways? Understanding human psychology is critical in many careers, and psychology majors work in a variety of fields—from counseling and education to scientific research to business administration and nonprofits.