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Are you thinking what we’re thinking?

As a psychology major, you’ll explore the human psyche and the connections between how we think, feel, and behave. You will learn how to promote emotional and behavioral health — both within ourselves and with others. Studying psychology at Clark provides the blueprint for a great career.

Psychology is a research-intensive field; given Clark’s commitment to action-based learning, you’ll be required to take at least one lab or research course, where you’ll be able to integrate the perspectives of diverse cultures into your work. So whether you’re interested in the psychology of genocide, child development, abnormal psych, or other areas within this rich course of study, you’ll have the chance to advance knowledge and make a difference.

Catalog Requirements for:

Why Study Psychology at Clark?

  • Join the department where the American Psychological Association was started in 1892 by Clark’s first president, psychologist G. Stanley Hall.
  • Participate in a rigorous program that’s unusual in requiring you to gain familiarity with experimental, statistical, and qualitative methods.
  • Collaborate with professors and doctoral students on one or more groundbreaking research projects, the results of which may end up being presented at national and international scientific conferences.
  • Gain hands-on experience and direct perspective on the field by completing internships at local organizations such as the Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts, Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, and Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital.

The Psychology Path

As a psychology major, you will complete a minimum of 10 courses in the department. These include four core courses and at least one course from each of these topic areas: basic processes, developmental/cultural, and social/clinical; a first seminar; a lab or research course; and a senior capstone. You’ll choose from a diverse list of courses on topics like learning, stigma and health, development, clinical psychology, addictive behaviors, and social psychology. You can also take advantage of intensive career-relevant seminars, laboratory, and research courses, where you can participate in discussions of research and theoretical issues.

In consultation with your faculty adviser, you also will be required to complete a minor or concentration in another field that complements your psychology major. Some examples include the concentrations in peace studies and Holocaust and genocide studies, and the education minor. Alternatively, you can work with your psychology adviser to design your own sequence of six courses.

Qualified students can join the Clark chapter of Psi Chi, the international psychology honor society.

Simon and Eve Colin Undergraduate Creativity Award
The Simon and Eve Colin Undergraduate Creativity Award was established by the Colin family, Barbara, Fred and Rebecca ’89 Colin, in honor of Simon and Eve Colin and in recognition of the many values associated with active undergraduate participation in research. The award is intended to encourage inspired, innovative, and extraordinary students in their pursuit of research in Psychology.

Dr. Lee Gurel ’48 / John E. Bell Endowed Student/Faculty Achievement Award
The Dr. Lee Gurel ’48 / John E. Bell Endowed Student/Faculty Achievement Award was established by Dr. Lee Gurel, class of 1948, in honor of John Elderkin Bell, a former faculty member in the Psychology Department. The award, based on academic merit and chosen by the department, goes to the most outstanding senior psychology major who has attended Clark for at least three years. A second award goes to the Psychology faculty member named by the student recipient as having been most influential in their Clark education.

Herman A. Witkin Memorial Fund
The Herman A. Witkin Memorial Fund was established in memory of the late Herman A. Witkin, by his wife, Dr. Evelyn M. Witkin. Herman Witkin was a distinguished psychologist, internationally known for his programmatic work on cognitive style. The fund is used to support an occasional Herman A. Witkin Memorial Lecture, or a Witkin Fellow, or other memorial activity at the Heinz Werner Institute, Clark University.

Outstanding Undergraduates in Psychology Award
The Outstanding Undergraduates in Psychology Award is given to graduating senior psychology majors who have excelled in academics and research.

Skills you will learn include:

  • Knowledge of the natural world and human cultures and societies
  • Intellectual and practical skills
  • Capacities for effective practice

The Psychology Department’s facilities include more than 35,000 square feet of laboratory space for all faculty and student research, including offices for graduate students.

During your junior year, you might be accepted into the psychology honors program. Joining the program means you’ll work closely with a professor to create a thesis on a topic of your choice. Examples of recent honors theses topics are:

  • Seeking Self-Certainty in an Uncertain Time: Attachment Style and Self-Esteem in Emerging Adulthood
  • Distress Tolerance as a Mediator of Borderline Personality Symptoms and Anxious Attachment, and Obsessive Relational Intrusion (ORI): An Exploratory Study
  • Autism, Aggression, and Courtesy Stigma: Public Perception of Parents with Children on the Spectrum
  • Alcohol Use, Social Norms, and Sense of Belongingness Among College Students and Recent Graduates
  • The College Selection Process of Student Athletes

Building your foundation

The Clark Experience

The Clark Core allows students to take courses across diverse disciplines, helping them develop critical thinking skills and respect for other cultures and perspectives. You’ll connect classroom learning with action through world and workplace experiences.

Learn More

Faculty and Programs in the Department of Psychology