The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience has a strong commitment to scholarly and scientific excellence. It has been heralded as one of the most diverse universities in the nation. This setting offers exciting opportunities for research and scholarly discourse.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Temple University’s Undergraduate Psychology program provides a modern curriculum covering a breadth of content, ranging from biological bases of cognition and behavior to sociocultural influences on human interactions and psychological disorders. The curriculum is designed to develop students’ critical thinking skills through emphasis of the scientific basis of Psychology and courses in statistics and research methodology.

Students are strongly encouraged to develop applied skills through rigorous and highly focused experiential learning in research laboratories and community–based internships. The curriculum is designed to be sufficiently flexible to satisfy undergraduates’ diverse needs. As such, students may select an individually tailored curriculum for employment or further study in psychology, neuroscience, medicine, law, business or other fields.

Degree Offerings

Honors Psychology Program

The Honors Psychology program is designed to be a 2-year study that begins with a yearlong investigation of methodology, critical thinking and writing. In the second year, the program culminates in the production of a senior thesis that is presented at the student poster session. Each semester, the class explores a new topic in-depth. Student-led discussions complement traditional lectures, encouraging students to engage fully with the course content.

The Honors Psychology program has several main goals. First, students may expect an integrated panoramic view of the field of psychology, from its historical roots to current perspectives. Second, the program will provide students with a foundation in scientific methodology. Students will then take that knowledge to design, implement and analyze data for their senior thesis. Third, this hands-on experience encourages students to grapple with key theoretical and research ideas related to their particular interest. Additionally, the program offers an intimate and individualized experience to prepare students for the future career paths to which they aspire.

image of Psychology students

Psychology Internship and Practicum

The Psychology Internship/Practicum course gives you experience in the work-world and, as such, is unlike most other courses you will take. There are two courses required for completion: Internship (Psych 3785) and Practicum (Psych 3787). You will have dual responsibility: to provide the best service possible to your agency/school/company (you will be, in some sense, an ambassador for Temple and for the Department) and to communicate regularly with your advisor.

Psychology 5-Year Master’s Program (+1)

The +1 Master in Psychological Research offers outstanding Temple University psychology majors the opportunity to earn both the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the Master of Science in Psychological Research in just 5 years. Learn More about the Psychology 5-Year Master’s Program (+1) or follow the link below to apply today!

Research Opportunities

For a list of current labs and research opportunities, please visit our Research page.

You can view a list of summer research opportunities at other institutions, and research employment opportunities for Psychology graduates.

BRIDGE Program

The Building Research Independence by Developing Goals and hands-on Experiences (BRIDGE) program is designed to give Temple undergraduate students from populations underrepresented in psychology and neuroscience paid summer research experience, individualized mentoring, and professional development opportunities. The summer training will allow for students to determine if they’re interested in research and provide them with experiential learning and skill development that will translate into a variety of post graduation opportunities. Networking opportunities and career development workshops will increase the likelihood students get the job or postgraduate training that they desire. For more information, please visit the BRIDGE website.

Getting Involved in Research

Graduate programs in psychology highly regard students with research experience. At Temple you have the opportunity to volunteer in labs representing a wide range of psychological interests. Many of the faculty pages link to lab websites where you can learn more about their research. If you want to volunteer in a particular lab, email the faculty member to inquire if there are openings for a research volunteer.

Another opportunity to carry out research is through the Psychology Honors Program in which students carry out a focused research project and present it at the end of their senior year at a departmental poster session.

Participating in Psychology Research at Temple

There are various opportunities to participate in psychology research studies at Temple. If you are a Temple student, you can find out more about participating in research through the Sona Systems site at: temple.sona-systems.com.

Advising and Professional Development in the Psychology Program 

Dedicated advising support is provided by the Senior Academic Advisor for Psychology, Nicole Pileggi, M.Ed, who works closely with the team of academic advisors  in the College of Liberal Arts to guide students through the Psychology curriculum.  

Psychology undergraduates also have access to several resources for professional development, including a program website with information on opportunities to get involved in research, how to secure an internship and prepare for a career, as well as advice on applying to graduate school. The Psychology program also has a professional development coordinator, Liz Anselmo, who works in combination with the Joyce K. Salzberg Center for Professional Development in CLA to provide experiences that are tailored towards students majoring in Psychology. Regular events include experiential learning fairs and job panels where Psychology graduates on different career paths share their experiences and advice with current students. 

Psychology Program at Temple Ambler

Did you know you can also complete most of the undergraduate Temple psychology requirements at our Ambler Campus? Ambler Psychology students complete the same coursework as Main Campus students while benefiting from smaller class sizes in a suburban setting. Students can take advantage of exciting research opportunities at the campus’ nationally acclaimed Infant Lab. Visit Temple Ambler’s Psychology page to learn more.