UX Researcher
Studies how people experience products and communicates findings to design teams.
Health & Life Sciences
Psychology major, explained.
Study how people think, feel, learn, and behave.
Psychology uses scientific methods to study behavior and mental processes. Students examine development, cognition, social interaction, personality, learning, research methods, and the biological and cultural influences on human experience.
You might enjoy this if
Notice what feels familiar.
You are curious why people behave differently in similar situations.
You like listening, observing, and asking careful questions.
You are interested in both people and research.
The study experience
What the work may feel like.
Programs differ by college. These labels describe common areas of emphasis, not a score or universal rating.
Reading
Central
Writing
Frequent
Quantitative work
Regular
Labs or hands-on work
Regular
Design and making
Limited
People and collaboration
Central
Questions you may keep asking
What factors may be shaping this behavior?
How could we study the question responsibly?
How do development, context, and individual differences matter?
Research methodsDevelopmental psychologySocial psychologyCognitionBiological psychology
What can you do with this major?
One major. More than one direction.
These are example connections, not guaranteed outcomes. Many careers welcome more than one major, and some require additional education or licensure.
Behavioral Research Coordinator
Supports studies involving participants, data, protocols, and analysis.
Human Resources Specialist
Works on recruiting, employee support, training, or workplace programs.
Mental Health Professional
Provides assessment or support after completing the graduate education and licensure required for the role.
The undergraduate major opens many directions, but independent clinical practice generally requires graduate education and professional licensure.
Try it before college
Projects that make Psychology more real.
Reading helps you understand a field. A Compass project helps you discover whether you enjoy doing the work.
Each project includes a step-by-step plan, custom AI prompts, reflection guidance, and a finished creation for the student’s portfolio.
See how Compass works
Compass project
15–30 hours
Hack Your Habits
Build a personal system that makes better habits easier and unhelpful habits harder.
- You will create
- Personal Habit System Case Study
Compass project
20–40 hours
The Science of Why People Do Weird Things
Study the psychology behind everyday choices, habits, motivation, and social behavior.
- You will create
- Behavioral Science Case Study
Compass project
20–42 hours
Find Your Focus Formula
Run a personal experiment to learn which conditions help you do deep work without pretending one routine fits everyone.
- You will create
- personal focus experiment and evidence-based playbook
Keep exploring
Related majors worth comparing.
Sources and important context
Compass presents a curated collection of 100 widely studied and commonly searched undergraduate majors. The collection is not a statistical ranking. Major names and CIP connections follow common US college usage and the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs. Study patterns are editorial summaries of common program structures and vary by college. Career directions are examples, not guaranteed outcomes. Students should compare actual curricula, admission rules, accreditation, and licensing requirements at colleges they are considering.
NCES CIP codes: 42.0101
- NCES Classification of Instructional ProgramsNational Center for Education Statistics. Official US taxonomy for fields of study and instructional programs.
- Field of DegreeUS Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal career exploration resources organized around broad college fields.
- O*NET OnLineUS Department of Labor. Detailed descriptions of occupations, tasks, knowledge, skills, and work activities.
Turn this interest into something real.
Explore Compass projects