Psychology

Psychology examines what is innate to each of us, but also what is shaped by our upbringing and cultural environment. Psychologists study the person as an individual but also examine how we act in groups. Psychology is concerned with what all humans have in common, but also how each of us differs from each other in our beliefs, personalities, and pathologies. Psychology students at Lang seek to understand these topics and use these insights to implement positive change, to help people live happier, more fulfilled, and meaningful lives.

As a Psychology student at Lang, you not only gain a familiarity with the various subfields that explore these questions but will also have the opportunity to participate in origernal research being conducted at the New School. And you explore psychology from diverse perspectives, with instruction in cognitive, social, developmental, and clinical psychology.

Major requirements

Minor requirements

Advanced Expertise and Research

Psychology courses at Lang are taught primarily by faculty members of the graduate psychology programs of The New School for Social Research. With deep expertise in both clinical psychology and general psychology, faculty research extends from studies of the brain, attention, and perception to studies of parent-child attachment, culture and psychology, collective memories and collective identity, and the psychology of war and conflict. This contextually sensitive approach to psychology influences the teaching of the subject at Lang.

Thanks to these connections to graduate-level scholarship and research, psychology students at Lang have opportunities to:

• Gain experience in designing and carrying out psychological research studies
• Work in a lab or assist in research with a faculty member or graduate student
• Access the faculty and resources of our renowned graduate program in psychology
• Take select graduate courses during the final semesters of the undergraduate program

Connecting to New York City

While it offers the atmosphere and intimacy of a small college, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts is part of The New School, a major progressive university in New York City. Our campus location in the heart of Greenwich Village allows Psychology students to engage in clinical and research internships in New York City. Many faculty research projects also center on city-based issues, including interventions to improve the psychological and physical health of patients in local hospitals and pioneering research on the emotional and cognitive consequences of the 9/11 trauma. 

Career Paths

Psychology students gain data analysis and critical thinking skills that equip them for graduate study in psychology and other related fields, including education, law, social work, and management. An undergraduate degree in psychology also prepares you to work in human services, management, human resources, research, and community relations.

Consult our 4-Year Lang Career Pathways Map (PDF) for helpful steps and resources to link your academic journey to your future plans. If you are planning to pursue graduate studies in psychology, consider applying to the Bachelor's-Master's program, which enables you to earn graduate credits that will apply to both your Lang degree and a graduate Psychology degree at The New School for Social Research.

Outcomes at Lang