Knowledge in Psychology, Scientific Inquiry and High-Demand Career Skills
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, including thoughts, feelings and behavior. There are two main branches in psychology: experimental (biological, cognitive, developmental, social) and applied (clinical, industrial/organizational, health, legal), with dozens of focus areas within them. As a UM-Flint psychology major, you will develop a solid foundation in psychological research and its methodology and a comprehensive understanding of psychological processes. At the same time, you will build a host of skills employers are looking for, such as:
- Clear oral and written communication
- Critical thinking
- Complex problem solving.
- Collaborative teamwork
- Sensitivity to individual and cultural similarities and differences
- Ethical decision making
- Application of theoretical knowledge to real-world settings
- Research design and analysis
Although some psychology majors become psychologists, many do not. The knowledge, skills and abilities you learn will help prepare you for hundreds of occupations, including:
- Mental health and social services
- Research
- Sales and marketing
- Management and administration
- Legal and criminal justice services
- Teaching
- Child development and advocacy
- Human resources
- Data management and analytics
“I haven’t had a professor that wasn’t super helpful. The content is challenging, which is good-you’re receiving a quality education. But the instructors make courses meaningful by being so accessible. I could go on and on about how much I love this program”
Brandon Lesner
Psychology 2021
In addition, a University of Michigan-Flint psychology degree is excellent preparation for graduate study in psychology and for many disciplines outside of psychology, such as social work, medicine, law, business, public health, and more.
Academic Advising for Psychology Majors
With so many educational opportunities and career paths available to our psychology students, we strongly recommend regular meetings with our knowledgeable and experienced academic advisors. They can help you choose classes, recommend extracurricular opportunities, make sure you are progressing properly toward a degree, help to explore career paths and more.
- Nicole Altheide advises on-campus psychology students. You can reach her at [email protected] or 810-762-3096.
- Therasa Martin advises psychology students who are taking classes fully online. You can contact her at [email protected] or 810-424-5496.
Career Opportunities in Psychology
Because a psychology degree offers so many different career opportunities, all psychology majors take PSY 300, Preparing for Careers in Psychology. This course will engage you in a range of professional development activities, from examining possible career paths at the bachelor’s and graduate level, to creating materials for your portfolio. It is a great opportunity to explore your academic and career interests and goals and to plan and prepare for next steps.
- Job growth through 2032: 6 percent
- Job openings annually through 2032: 12,800
- Typical entry-level education required: Advanced Degree, Doctorate
- Median annual salary: $85,330
More information about career opportunities for psychology majors is available from the American Psychological Association and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Get Started on Your Future with Psychology Today
If you want a degree that provides a strong academic foundation and knowledge and skills that directly relate to a variety of career opportunities across industries and sectors, apply to UM-Flint’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology or the Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences program today.
UM-Flint Psychology and Affiliated Programs
We offer a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in three formats:
| Format | At a glance | Academic Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| In-person | Allows students to take core classes in person or online. | Nicole Altheide |
| Fully online | Allows students to complete the degree fully online with 14-week asynchronous courses during Fall and Winter semesters. | Therasa Martin |
| AODC | Allows students to complete the degree fully online with accelerated 7-week asynchronous course offerings year-round. | Nicole Altheide |
We offer multiple sections of courses every year to streamline your degree completion and align with your interests. It is easy to add a minor, certificate or cognate outside of psychology to strengthen knowledge and skills for your intended career path.
We also offer two psychology minors:
- Psychology Minor | Available to all majors.
- Psychology Teacher’s Certificate Minor | Available to students formally admitted to a teaching certificate program (TCP).
Students who prefer a multidisciplinary emphasis might consider a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences. In this degree program, students select psychology or another social science for their discipline of emphasis and two additional social sciences as secondary disciplines. In addition to psychology, areas of emphasis include anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science and sociology.
Why UM-Flint?
Earning your psychology degree with UM-Flint is highly convenient. You can take classes on campus, entirely online or in a hybrid format that combines the two.
Whichever format you choose, you will be taught by expert faculty members. While our faculty have been intensively trained and many are actively engaged in research, they came to UM-Flint because they love teaching and are committed to student success.
That commitment extends to mentoring students. Every psychology major is assigned a faculty mentor who can answer questions about planning for jobs or graduate school, internships, research opportunities, time management, work/life balance and much more.
Our expert faculty work with students both in and out of the classroom, providing personal attention during class sessions as well as collaborating with students on a variety of cutting-edge research projects. Additionally, many of our psychology students secure internships in their specific areas of interest, enrolling in our psychology internship course or pursuing non-credit positions.
- Highly convenient. You can take classes on campus, entirely online or in a hybrid format that combines the two.
- Expert faculty members in all course formats intensively trained and actively engaged in research
- Faculty that love teaching and are committed to student success
- Student Mentorship: Every psychology major is assigned a faculty mentor who can answer questions about planning for jobs or graduate school, internships, research opportunities, time management, work/life balance and much more.
- Personal attention. Faculty work with students both in and out of the classroom, collaborating with students on a variety of research projects.
- Internships. Whether through a designated psychology internship course (PSY 360), or via non-credit opportunities, many of our psychology students secure internships in their specific areas of interest.
Dahlia and Sabrina worked with Dr. Peter Molinaro to research eye-witness testimony in the courts. Their findings show that eye-witness testimony is often unreliable and can lead to false identification. Read more about their experience.
“It was a monumental experience—to go to a national platform and present research with a team that has worked together for so long,” Dougherty explains. “And we were also able to connect with other people in the field—professors, directors, graduate students who can share their own experiences. It’s something that I am so proud to have done in my undergraduate years.”
After graduation, Dahlia is now working as a pre-school instructor while Sabrina prepares for law school.
Dahlia Kassel and Sabrina Dougherty
Psychology 2020
Psychology Student Organizations
- The Psychology Club brings together psychology majors, minors and other interested students to discuss possible career paths, graduate school and recent developments in the field.
- The UM-Flint chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, is for psychology majors who meet its academic standards for membership.
These hands-on experiences can enrich and strengthen job and graduate school preparation, applications and interviews.
Scholarships for Psychology Students
In addition to being eligible for financial assistance through the university’s Office of Financial Aid, our students are eligible to apply for several UM-Flint scholarships that are specifically for psychology majors:
- The Dr. Eric G. Freedman Psychology Research Scholarship
- The Ralph M. and Emmalyn E. Freeman Psychology Scholarship
- The Alfred Raphelson Family Scholarship
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