Exploration into the Human Psyche
At Bethel, studying psychology means exploring the fascinating workings of the human mind. We focus on why people behave as they do and aim to understand the brain’s role in cognition and emotions. In our program, you’ll think about what influences human actions and learn how to use this knowledge practically to help others. Our goal is to empower students to apply insights gained from psychology to support people with empathy and positive influence. It’s about making a meaningful difference in understanding and navigating the complexities of the human experience.
What distinguishes Bethel College’s psychology department:
- Research starting in lower-level (freshmen and sophomore) classes
- Upper-level student mentors for lower-level students
- Labs for all upper-level courses
- The liberal arts emphasize skills in critical thinking, analysis, writing and public speaking.
- Decades of support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
- The Neuroscience (research) and Clinical and Counseling (practice) certificates
Psychology is a popular major for students who plan to go to medical school. But psychology is also an excellent foundation for:
- law
- school administration
- pastoral ministry
- counseling
If you don’t want to commit to a single field of science, the Natural Sciences major is an option – available only by request at the end of your sophomore year and subject to approval by the department chair. You must complete at least 18 upper-level hours in one of the sponsoring departments: athletic training, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, or psychology.
