Psychological Science (B.S.)
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior—how individuals think, feel, and behave. A foundation in psychology underpins an understanding of countless fields, from biology and medicine to marketing and policy.
How we perceive our world, interact with our neighbors, make decisions on a daily basis, view our role in society—these are all better understood using psychology.
As a psychological science major, you will learn:
- How people perceive and process information, and how this informs their choices
- Psychological theories in a variety of fields including social, cognitive, clinical, industrial/organizational, development, and neuroscience
- How to apply psychological theories to real-world problems
- How to design research studies, analyze results, and communicate results to a variety of communities
Our psychological science program utilizes the scientist-practitioner model of teaching. This means you will take research-based courses and conduct independent research projects with the guidance of our faculty, which will give you a strong background in scientific thinking. You'll also be able to apply psychological research and principles to the study of contemporary problems in a variety of fields.
Program Overview
In this program, you'll learn to better understand individual behaviors through psychology. We cover a variety of psychological theories, and teach you to apply them to real-world problems. You'll also gain the skills to design, analyze, and communicate research studies.
Career Opportunities
A psychological science degree from Illinois Tech will prepare you for a wide range of professions in business and industry, community organizations, and health services, including:
- Survey research
- Market research
- Social work
- Nonprofit work
- Law
- Public policy
- Academic or health administration
If you are interested in furthering your education in the field of psychology, you will be a competitive candidate for a wide range of graduate training programs at the graduate and doctoral levels. Many of our graduates have attended top programs at universities such as Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Indiana University, and right here at Illinois Tech.
For those interested in attending a professional school, a degree in psychology is also highly beneficial as a pre-professional major for advanced studies in medicine, dentistry, law, business, or public administration.
A flexible curriculum allows the degree to be customized. You can elect to specialize in clinical, culture and diversity, industrial/organizational, behavioral health and wellness, and rehabilitation services. You will work with a faculty mentor to craft a program of study that supports your interests and career goals.
Your program will also include a capstone project designed to integrate and apply the concepts and skills learned throughout the curriculum. The capstone will be an individually tailored project defined in collaboration with a faculty advisor, which will typically involve either a field placement or research component.
Students in this program must be admitted to Illinois Tech. Students who are interested in transferring into this program should consult their academic adviser.
Featured Faculty
Arlen C. Moller
Nicole Legate
Steff Du Bois
Lindsay Sheehan
Jonathon E. Larson
“While at Illinois Tech I conducted multiple research studies for my Research Methods and Capstone classes, but also as a research assistant. Dr. Nicole Legate taught the Research Methods class in an innovative, hands-on manner: students were paired in groups of four and worked together during the entire semester to conduct a replication study. This was my very first research experience, and it deeply impacted me as it generated a long-term passion for research. Both the capstone and my research assistant experience prepared me to take on a position as a research specialist right after my graduation from Illinois Tech.”
