Psychology at Rutgers:

A Guide for Undergraduates

The powerpoint presentation prepared by Career Services for the October 15, 2007 event, outlining the psychology major at Rutgers, can be downloaded here.  

Welcome to the Rutgers University ’s Psychology Department! More than 80 years old, the department is internationally recognized as a leading institution for its forward-thinking education and diverse research programs focusing on the brain, the mind, and behavior.

Psychology is Rutgers University’s most popular major, so consider yourself a part of a large, solid community of potential friends and colleagues. A wide range of programs and services are provided by the department, set up in a way that allows you to design your own curriculum to cater to your specific ambitions. In other words, you can pick up the skills and concentrate in the psychological areas you believe will be most useful to you.

Here are just a few of the rewards associated with involvement in the psychology community at Rutgers:

§ Concentrate on any sub-area that you want. By the time that you graduate with your psychology degree, you should have sufficient training and skills to go with your chosen area(s) of specialization. Rutgers offers an extensive catalogue of courses, internships, field work, and research opportunities to prepare you for graduate studies and/or a career in:

· Animal Behavior

· Applied Behavior Analysis

· Behavioral Pharmacology

· Clinical Psychology

· Cognitive Psychology

· Cognitive Science

· Community Psychology

· Counseling Psychology

· Developmental Psychology

· Educational Psychology

· Forensic Psychology (Criminology)

· Health Psychology

· Industrial-Organizational Psychology

· Personality Psychology

· Neurobiology

· Neuroscience

· Social Psychology

§ Prestigious honors programs. Rutgers undergraduates are fortunate to have superb honors programs that provide them the opportunity to carry out and defend their very own independent research projects. Eligible students can choose to participate in college-affiliated programs (e.g. Henry Rutgers, Douglass Scholars, University College Honors, and Paul Robeson Scholars) and/or the Honors in Psychology program.

§ One of the largest psychology faculties in the world. Having a department of fifty psychology professors means two things for undergrads:

· An easy, stress-free search for an undergraduate mentor or advisor

· Readily available research opportunities in a wide variety of lab settings.

§ Internships and certificate programs. The Psychology department offers undergraduate internships in Applied Behavioral Psychology and Community Psychology, as well as in Human Factors Research. In addition, there are two highly-regarded certificate programs in Criminology and Behavioral Pharmacology.

§ Thought-provoking classes. Take as many Honors, Advanced Topics, and laboratory courses as you’d like—they’re offered almost every semester. Feel free to register for a graduate psychology class, for the challenge and experience.

§ Colloquia. Rutgers Psychology Department and Center for Cognitive Science both have a strong academic culture. They host dozens of eminent researchers from across the globe to come lecture about the latest advances in the field. Isn’t it about time you attended one?  

§ Hands-on fieldwork. Again, Rutgers undergraduates may choose from the field work opportunities offering the practical experience in sub-areas such as Clinical Psychology, Child Development, Foster Care, or Developmental Disabilities.