Explore the mysteries of the mind by diving deep into the science of psychology.

Learn the inside workings of the brain-behavior connection as you study closely with professors whose expertise spans the psychological discipline. Understanding the complexities of the mind is a powerful skill to bring to any career field. Whether planning for a career in counseling, social work, speech therapy, music therapy, art therapy, or business, our program will provide the foundational framework for applying your knowledge of human behavior to any profession you pursue.

Dr. Linda Berger Hellmich ’82

Alumni Perspective


“It took several more academic terms to learn how to balance social and academic demands, but through trial and error this eventually happened. As a result of my Lawrence experience, I found my doctoral studies relatively easy. I was well prepared both with knowledge and with a skill set for being a successful student.”

Dr. Linda Berger Hellmich ‘82, Psychologist at KSB Hospital
Psychology
Dixon, Illinois

Academics

Lawrence Research Fellows

As a Lawrence University Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to participate in student-faculty collaborative research, whether it’s with our professors here on campus or with one of our collaborating off-campus programs around the world.

Brain and neuron models.
Course

Psychology of Music

A scientific approach to questions about musical structure and its effect on human behavior and mental experience. Topics include the physical characteristics of sound that specify pitch, loudness, and timbre; the perception of melody and rhythm; the universality of musical structures; the psychology of musical ability and performance; and the effect of music on emotions.

Set the groundwork through fundamental classes, and explore specialities through courses like the Psychology of Gender and Industrial Organizational Psychology.

Discover coursework requirements for a major or minor in psychology.

Learn from faculty with a diverse range of psychology specialties.

Student gives a presentation during cognitive neuroscience class

Apply your classroom studies to hands-on research


With access to our behavioral neuroscience lab and experimental observation rooms, you’ll bring psychology theories and frameworks to life through applied research.

Woman sitting at a table in the library near a window, looking at her laptop computer.

Hone your interests in specialized fields


Lawrence’s psychology program offers training in areas of psychology like neuroscience, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, and more.

The Chandler Senior Experience

The centerpiece of the capstone experience is an original senior project—your Senior Experience—allowing you to pursue your own interests in depth, encouraging autonomy and creativity. In consultation with the faculty mentor, you will choose one of the following types of papers: a critical review of past theory and research, an original empirical study report, a theory development paper, or a paper that integrates your own applied work (e.g., in an internship) with its wider scholarly contexts.

To prepare for your Senior Experience, you will take a senior capstone course where you and your classmates will meet in small independent seminar sections supervised by a faculty mentor. You’ll meet to discuss common readings, provide constructive criticism of each other’s work, and present work in progress to your peers.

Recent Senior Experience projects include:

  • How Much Do You Pay Attention to What is Happening Around You?”: Mindfulness in Preschoolers 
  • Following the Footprint of Trauma: Using Artificial Intelligence to Identify Biological Markers of PTSD 
  • Providing Culturally Competent Diagnoses and Treatments for Asian Americans 
  • Trans Women’s Experiences in Sex Work 

 

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Lawrence University graduates at the 2019 commencement ceremony

Psychology Outcomes


Both beneficial on its own as well as combined with any other number of fields at Lawrence, studying psychology opens doors to bright futures.

Can you picture yourself at Lawrence? Apply for admission.

The best way to find out if Lawrence is the university for you is by visiting.

Your virtual tour starts at the Arch but be sure to check out Briggs Hall, to explore social science learning spaces.

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