By Dr. Matthew Loux and Derek Loux | 04/15/2025
The world of psychology has so much to offer. From understanding mental illness to learning how a young child develops, psychology is an exciting field to understand yourself and the people around you.
Students who choose to major in psychology often have the desire develop themselves or to improve society. This work may range from directly helping people suffering from mental illness to conducting research to understand psychological disorders.
What Is Psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those functions that impact behavior. Understanding human psychology involves analyzing thoughts, emotions, actions, or behaviors. The field of psychology connects health sciences and humanities, integrating research, ethics, and real-world applications.
Types of Psychology
There are many different branches of psychology that contribute to the understanding of the human mind.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology is the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and emotional and behavioral disorders. Clinical psychologists implement various therapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy or psychoanalysis to help patients manage their mental health challenges.
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology focuses on mental activities, such as perception, memory, and reasoning. Cognitive psychologists observe how people make sense of the information that they receive. They conduct experiments to examine such functions as:
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Motivations
- Emotions
- Learning
- Memory
- Language
Developmental Psychology
This field focuses on psychological development and how it changes from infancy to old age. Developmental psychologists focus on language learning, prenatal development, and the cognitive decline that comes with aging. This field of study is useful in understanding how conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease develop.
Criminal Psychology
A forensic psychologist applies the principles of psychology to criminal justice. These psychologists can evaluate a criminal, testify as an expert witness, or assist police departments in criminal profiling and investigative methods.
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists deal with business behavior to increase the productivity, satisfaction, and efficiency of an organization’s employees. I-O psychologists apply psychology in designing training, selection, and organizational improvement programs.
Social Psychology
Social psychology looks at the effects of society on an individual. Social psychologists seek to understand how an environment impacts people’s behavior and beliefs. Social psychologists study issues such as:
- Group relations and social interaction
- Attitudes
- Propaganda
- Discrimination
Sports Psychology
Sports psychologists study how psychology can impact or influence an athlete’s physical performance. They work with athletes to develop their mental resiliency, improve their focus and motivation, or reduce anxiety related to their performance.
Additional Types of Psychology
There are also other branches of psychology, including:
- Personality psychology
- Health psychology
- Cross-cultural psychology
If you’re considering enrolling in a psychology degree program, it’s important to explore different psychology disciplines before you begin taking courses.
Undergraduate Courses
Psychology programs cover a range of topics. Bachelor-level courses for psychology students typically start with an introduction to basic concepts in psychology, such as:
- The history of psychology
- Basic concepts of how humans behave
- Psychology theories
- Influential psychologists such as B.F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, Sigmund Freud, and others
- Research methods and elements, including case studies, surveys, experiments, and ethical considerations
Other common courses in psychology include life span development, which concentrates on someone’s development over their life span, including genetic and environmental influences.
Often, psychology programs will include a course in statistics, which is useful when you conduct experiments or surveys. A psychology program may also include courses on topics such as addiction and substance abuse, sports psychology, and child psychology.
Understanding the Structure of a Psychology Course
Psychology classes are structured and designed differently to meet various students’ needs, educational goals, and skills requirements. These courses combine theory and practice to help students appreciate human behavior and mental processes. Psychology program courses usually consist of:
- Lectures and class discussions
- Laboratory and research work
- Fieldwork and practicums
Lectures and Class Discussions
Lecture-based teaching is popular in psychology and other disciplines, especially in undergraduate degree programs. These courses cover cognitive processes, behavioral theories, and psychological disorders.
Lecture-based courses include the presentation of key concepts, classroom discussions, and assigned readings. While lecture-based learning gives students a basic understanding of the topics, students are expected to independently do outside reading and written assignments to demonstrate their comprehension of a subject.
In some courses, the instructor assigns reading materials that the students must discuss during the next lesson to create debates, case studies, and group presentations. This activity encourages students’ creativity as they tackle things like ethical issues in abnormal psychology and counseling.
Such practices help students appreciate psychology more and stimulate genuine interest in the subject. They also allow students to express and defend their ideas as well as critique the ideas of their fellow students.
Laboratory and Research Work
Most psychology programs involve laboratory and project work to provide students with some practical exposure to scientific methods. In labs, students learn about:
- Conducting psychological research experiments through various research methods
- Collecting behavioral data
- Operating psychology software tools like IBM® Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software for statistical analysis and NVivo® for qualitative analysis
Acquiring these skills is beneficial for students focused on experimental psychology, neuroscience, or psychological diagnostics. Lab and research work further develop students’ analytical thinking skills.
Fieldwork and Practicums
Some fieldwork or practicum courses are necessary for psychology majors to acquire real-world experience. Most psychology students seek internships at:
- Mental health clinics
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Businesses
- Social service organizations
Internships are valuable for students interested in specialization, such as abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, or social psychology.
Common Misconceptions About Courses in Psychology
Courses in psychology are critical in developing the ability to find research on relevant topics, digest the information, and apply it to your worldview and the betterment of others.
During undergraduate courses, students challenge misconceptions often held by others who haven’t studied psychology in an academic setting. All too often, news articles and books present “facts” that do not rely on actual theory and researched findings from professionals. It is critical to learn how to identify credible scientific research that tells the objective truth.
Also, it’s common to assume that psychology programs only involve learning observation and analysis of behaviors and thoughts. Courses in psychology often involve research and reading about two types of studies: quantitative and qualitative.
When it comes to courses in psychology, you may need to find evidence and perform statistical analysis to prove a connection is more than just chance. In other situations, you may be asked to interview an individual to understand how they feel about an experience or situation.
Potential Career Paths in Psychology
After you earn your psychology degree, there are various career paths you can follow. You might also choose to acquire a graduate degree, a doctoral degree, or licenses.
Graduate-level courses offer fascinating insights and involve devotion to psychology. They also provide the knowledge to seek career paths in research, mental health, and policy reform.
These occupations include a high degree of skill, knowledge, and insight. Graduate degree programs dive deeper into applicable subject matter with more rigor and coursework to prepare for real-world practice.
Doctoral programs embrace a scholar-practitioner model of education. This approach combines practice, research, and multidisciplinary components. Through advanced theory and practice, students learn to solve complex problems.
The psychology field is highly diverse. For example, people with the appropriate degrees and licensure may choose to:
- Treat people with mental illness
- Research psychological disorders
- Reform public health policy
Psychology is a diverse discipline with a lot to offer for all levels of students. Majoring in psychology requires much more than taking a simple elective.
This subject can prepare you with the chance to obtain knowledge about brain function, human development, and human behavior that can benefit society in many ways. It can also instill in you a desire to understand the human mind and how we can all improve our lives.
Psychology Degrees at American Public University
For adult learners interested in studying psychology and all if its applications, American Public University (APU) offers two degrees:
Courses in these programs include various topics related to psychology, such as human life span development, learning and cognition, and psychopathology. Other courses include multicultural issues in human behavior, tests and measurements, and professional ethics and standards.
NOTE: The bachelor’s in psychology at APU does not provide licensure; preparation for licensure; or professional certification required for mental health counselors, practitioners, or psychologists. APU’s master’s degree in psychology does not provide licensure to engage in clinical practice, preparation for licensure, or professional certification. This program has specific admission requirements.
IBM is a registered trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation.
NVivo is a registered trademark of QSR International Pty., Ltd.
Dr. Matthew Loux is an assistant professor at American Public University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and law enforcement administration and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from the University of Central Missouri State. In addition, Matt has a doctoral degree in management from Colorado Technical University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational leadership and administration at Aspen University. He is a Certified Financial Crimes Investigator, a Certified Fraud Specialist, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Derek Loux is an alumnus of American Public University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in developmental and child psychology from American Public University. Derek is currently working on his Ph.D. in psychology at Northcentral University.