Choosing a college major can be intimidating at best. How are we supposed to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives when we’re only 18 years old? I chose psychology as my major because it’s versatile and applicable to almost any field. Here are the classes I’m taking as a second year psychology major in order to invest in my future.
The most common question people ask me when they find out I’m a psychology major is, “what are you gonna do with your degree?”. They’re always shocked to find out that I don’t really want to be a therapist, and wonder what path I’m planning to take if it’s not helping other people sort out their problems.
Psychology is truly a diverse field and can be applied to many different real world jobs. Because it’s the study of the human mind and behavior, psychology is useful in all aspects of life and nearly every career. Due to its wide range of applicability, I decided psychology was the perfect fit for me as a student at CU Boulder.
Even though I knew I was going to major in psychology, I didn’t declare my major until about halfway through the fall semester during my freshman year. I’m now in my second year of college, and as my classes continue to get more specialized for my major, I have no regrets about my decision to study psychology.
Personally, I enjoy the social side of psychology a bit more than the biological side, but both are incredibly important. Because of this, I decided that adding a minor in sociology was a great way to get more information about the social side of psychology from a different perspective. Eventually, I added sociology as a second major, and I am now able to spend a significant amount of time studying human interactions and how those interactions, in turn, affect us.
CU has a variety of psychology courses, most of which are open to both majors and non-majors, so if you decide that another major is a better fit for you but still want to know a bit more about the field of psychology, there are many options that allow you to do that!
I am interested in the abnormal scope of psychology and criminology, which is why the wide variety of psychology and sociology classes here at CU were the perfect fit for me. Here are the classes I’m taking this year to prepare for my future as a psychology major who isn’t currently thinking about being a clinical psychologist.
Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 3303, Dr. Kaufmann)
Abnormal Psychology is a deep dive into the world of things the DSM has classified as disorders and the genetic, biological, and cognitive perspectives that help us to understand those disorders. As someone who is very interested in things like mental illnesses, conditioning, and why certain disorders affect some people differently than others, this class is perfect for filling that desire. I have this class three times a week for a little less than an hour each time, which allows me to spend most of my time learning about things that really interest me!
Biological Psychology (PSYC 2012, Dr. Stratford)
Though I prefer social psychology over biopsych, it’s still important to consider the anatomy of the brain, the effect of drugs on cognitions, and how we know so much about ourselves and the processes that work within us. This class allows me to connect what we know about neurological processes to things like drug addictions and how our emotions are affected in a variety of situations. This all can be connected to how we interact with one another, incorporating the social side of things that I love to study.
Sociology of Horror Films (SOCY 4131, Dr. Patterson)
Because I am also majoring in sociology and this class is only offered every so often, I decided that a fun elective to take this year was the sociology of horror films. In this class we examine the societal structures that increase power for certain groups and ideologies while restricting it from others, and how horror films serve as a vehicle for critiquing and examining society as a whole. This is an upper division sociology elective that counts towards my degree, but also provides a fun outlet and a new way to examine our interactions with others and the structures around us.
Psychological Statistics (PSYC 2111, Dr. Stallings)
Though it’s considered to be one of the less-fun classes you are required to take as a psychology major here at CU, psychological statistics is a necessary class to progress in psychology, especially if you are considering going to graduate school. This class is primarily R and R studio based, which is definitely a challenge if you’re not already familiar with the programming language. However, this class is helpful when it comes to graphing, analyzing data, and applying statistical information to groups of people.
Orchestra (EMUS 3517, Dr. Armstrong and Jacob Kaminski)
Finally, although it is not a psychology or sociology class, I am a member of the campus orchestra, which meets once a week and performs one concert per semester. This class is a super fun way to still be involved playing your instrument without a massive time commitment if you have other commitments such as a stressful major, a job, or just need some time to relax. This is one of my favorite parts of the week where I get to just play some fun music, hang out with friends, and take a break from the other stressors in my life.
Being a psychology major at CU Boulder has provided me with the resources to go into the real world confident in what I have learned and knowing that it’s a versatile major for all career fields. These are just some of the classes I have taken here that have helped me feel like I made the right choice in my major. Whether psychology is the major for you or not, there are many psychology classes here at CU to entertain your interests regardless.