Psychology 

In the field of Psychology, we seek to understand human thought and behavior, addressing questions with relevance to virtually every aspect of modern life. Psychology research identifies the links between the mind, the body and the social world, and is behind the design of everything from smartphones and children’s toys to online networks and public health ads. Psychology also includes the more well-known domain of counseling, which helps individuals lead happier and healthier lives. Our department faculty have been acknowledged with numerous teaching, research and service awards, and the department recently ranked among the top 50 clinical psychology programs in the United States. Federally funded research projects include work in such diverse areas as helping adolescents cope with type I diabetes, distracted driving due to cell phone use, the impact of genetic testing on prevention behaviors, treatment for trauma and suicidal thinking, space perception in virtual environments, children and emotions, and reducing human error in medical settings.

Our undergraduate program offers a wide spectrum of classes and experiences and is one of the largest majors on the Utah campus. Courses required for the major come from 5 core areas (Cognition, Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Developmental, and Social Psychology); a variety of courses are available within each core area, many of which reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the field, such as Health Psychology, Human Performance and Engineering, Cognitive Neuropsychology, and Environment and Behavior. Training in statistics and research methods is central to the major, and there are many opportunities for students to gain research experience. The department also offers a Human Factors Certificate, which provides special training in how we can improve human interactions with equipment, software, and other people in order to enhance performance, increase safety, and improve user satisfaction.