Psychology as a major and career path easy???

[LovinPsych]

So I've been in college for psychology now since last summer of 2009. Whenever my friends ask me what I am doing or what I am studying I reply with I am majoring in psychology to obtain a BA. They go psychology? oh that;s nothing real, it's easy. I instantly become angry because i hate anything that I do to be belittled. Some of them are med students,some pre-law, some art/music major students, the list continues. They say oh I took psych it's easy. No matter how much I explain how general psych in HS or one general psych course in college isn't the same as taking it as a major with a career goal in mind. They mock about how much research can a person do on already known illnesses etc etc. So my question is, does anyone else go through this? Whether it's a friend or family member or anyone. I find it very aggravating. I have one person I know who is wanting to be a psychiaritrist and she always says psychologists aren't real doctors even with a PH.D. I just really hate that.

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[erg923]

I might suggest asking them what the term "real doctor" means to them? The term "Doctor," as a title, originates from the Latin word (gen.: doctoris) which means teacher. The word is originally an agentive noun of the verb docēre ('to teach'). I doubt many members of the lay public know (or even think about) what the term means and how it developed historically over the years.

I also might ask them why they feel psychiatric disorders are "known illnesses" and perhaps follow up with asking if they would mind if we stopped researching cancer, since we have a good understanding of its risk factors, course, underlying pathophysiology, and have many successful treatment and detection tools for it........?

The average undergrad curriculum in psych is not very demanding...this is no secret.

 

[loveoforganic]

I don't understand why psych curriculum is generally so easy. 300+ level tests should just not be Scantron, finishable in 20 minutes with 4 hours of study, etc. etc. Curriculum could very easily be made significantly more demanding.

 

[Psychology 76]

People who don't think psychology is a not real science/is easy/ and psychologists are not doctors are simply misinformed. Its hard to explain anything to these kinds of people because in my experiences they are often quite narrow minded.

I think the "psychology is easy" topic was brought up in the Phd/psyD psych forum. But basically may take is that psychology as an undergraduate program is what you make of it. You can take easy psychology classes and not be involved with research or anything in the psychology department. Then yes its easy. But you can take the hardest courses, do extra research, and be actively involved in the department which can be much more strenuous. I'm lucky that my undergraduate program has a tough psychology curriculum that is on par with the other sciences. So at my school, if you say your a psych major then people will not say "that's an easy major."

I don't know when the general public will respect psychology more. Psychology is moving towards neuropsychology anyway so perhaps that will give it some more merit to the general public though that doesnt mean anything. A great deal of people in our society are misinformed about many things but like to think they know everything.

 

[whypsy]

+1 to psych76

Yeah sorry to say that overall, the basic psychology undergrad is not too difficult all over the country- I'm sure there are exceptions though. Occasionally you'll have difficult/interesting classes (for me they were Rational Decision Making and Physiological Psychology) and the statistics courses tend to be tougher, depending on the school and teacher.

One of the issues is that psychology is a springboard B.A. That is many people take psychology in undergrad to attend more graduate school or professional schools later. Thus many of the classes are geared towards various levels of psychological interest/knowledge.

There's going to be issues where no matter what you pick is going to be looked down upon. Your friend if she does go psychiatry will be looked down upon by pretty much everyone in the medical field except for family doctors.

But don't discount doctors and other professionals either. They work really hard doing what they do. Two of my friends are at different stages of their medical school training and I can appreciate how difficult their studies are. Another friend finished Harvard law and there's no doubt that she worked her butt off there....

Once you get further into professional school or graduate school, the attitude of comparison becomes less prevalent. Now more and more programs are encouraging interaction and exchange between various disciplines in order to serve patients/clients better. For those who do discount psychology and the need for mental health service, I really don't worry about them.

Soon I'm going to start a program in PhD clinical psychology concurrent with a JD in law. No one can argue that I took the easy route....

 

[LovinPsych]

You all make some interesting points and pose interesting questions. I never thought of asking those questions to them I think I will next time cause I know it'll come up again...Some undergrad programs aren't very demanding I'll admit but it doesn't make it "easy". I fail to see or understand why some feel the need to undermind what others do? unless it's to make themselves feel better about what they're doing? Who knows. Anytime any one person goes to college for anything isn't easy. Long hours with reading and studying. I'm only in my first classes and I get assignments and reading pages out of my behind. It's sometimes ridiculous. But I signed up for it and do enjoy it. I won't even touch the funding part.....

One of my friends degree hop as I call it, so I never take what she does seriously based on the fact she's turned a community college attendance into 7 years and then up and quit just to jump into a private expensive college of four years. No she hasn't completed one thing there. Mind you I don't care if one changes their mind but to flip flop for almost 8 years seems pretty ridiculous. Thus, she'll skip assignments and complain in between about having to do the work. So she often underminds what others do anyways. Not many of us can take two years make it almost eight to discard later....

I disagree with psychiatry for many reasons but I won't tell someone oh it's easy.

Whypsy, how did/do you do a Ph.D in clinical psych concurrenting it in a JD in law? That's awesome. What's your concentration? See I want to do something similar to that and most enjoy telling me how unrealistic and impossible it is. I feel if you can make it happen it will happen.

 

[erg923]

A program in my areas offers a dual degree (phd in clinical and JD), and im sure the students are kept very, very busy. It takes at least one extra year (6 generally), as one simply can not cram in law school and a doctral degree in clinical in the normal time frame. UAB offers one, as does Nebraska too I believe.

 

[LovinPsych]

A program in my areas offers a dual degree (phd in clinical and JD), and im sure the students are kept very, very busy. It takes at least one extra year (6 generally), as one simply can not cram in law school and a doctral degree in clinical in the normal time frame. UAB offers one, as does Nebraska too I believe.

How deep into law does the dual program go? I had no idea such existed, goes to sure I still have lots more to learn. 😛😉

 

[erg923]

its a J.D. degree.

 

[loveoforganic]

Some undergrad programs aren't very demanding I'll admit but it doesn't make it "easy".

What does it make it then? That seemed like a pretty genuine dichotomy to me.

 

[LovinPsych]

It makes it college work, college isn't easy. Anyone who says that is being ignorant. Plus demeaning what the other person does. I highly disagree with that my studies are easy, and I know with each year it'll just get harder. Plus with what I am doing it's not easy also taking a few classes at another school in another major. By the way I am not in the mood to hear that if when I'll be able to do it or pull it off. I hear that enough from those who seem to be "know it alls"....

 

[whypsy]

Whypsy, how did/do you do a Ph.D in clinical psych concurrenting it in a JD in law? That's awesome. What's your concentration? See I want to do something similar to that and most enjoy telling me how unrealistic and impossible it is. I feel if you can make it happen it will happen.

A JD is a professional degree that allows you (in combination with bar exam) to become a lawyer. Originally I was interested in forensic/corrections setting and public policy especially in the field of severe mental illness. Right now I'm not quite sure. I have a lot of opportunities to follow various career paths. Honestly I got into this in a sort of haphazard way, just by being open, working hard, and really taking advantage of good opportunities for experience and growth.

If you want to do a JD/PhD just to prove how hard it is, don't. It's not a degree for the faint of heart. It's basically a 8 year degree compressed into 6 years. Some schools don't even offer full funding so that's 6 years of you paying at least some out of state rates for post graduate school prices.

For those who are interested there are 3 APA/ABA accredited schools in clinical psy / JD. U of Nebraska, Golden Gate U / Pacific Graduate School of Psy, and Widener U (in PA). Someone told me Dexel has a Clinical/JD program and that they're going for accreditation. Soc psy / JD programs are much more common but research oriented- though some do clinical work.

I wouldn't look down on your friend who degree hops. It was really tough for me to figure out what I wanted to do. At the time I don't think I was really ready to make that decision especially during my undergrad. My suggestion is to be very open about what you want to do. It was impossible to predict 5-7 years ago that I'd be here where I am now.

 

[LovinPsych]

A JD is a professional degree that allows you (in combination with bar exam) to become a lawyer. Originally I was interested in forensic/corrections setting and public policy especially in the field of severe mental illness. Right now I'm not quite sure. I have a lot of opportunities to follow various career paths. Honestly I got into this in a sort of haphazard way, just by being open, working hard, and really taking advantage of good opportunities for experience and growth.

If you want to do a JD/PhD just to prove how hard it is, don't. It's not a degree for the faint of heart. It's basically a 8 year degree compressed into 6 years. Some schools don't even offer full funding so that's 6 years of you paying at least some out of state rates for post graduate school prices.

For those who are interested there are 3 APA/ABA accredited schools in clinical psy / JD. U of Nebraska, Golden Gate U / Pacific Graduate School of Psy, and Widener U (in PA). Someone told me Dexel has a Clinical/JD program and that they're going for accreditation. Soc psy / JD programs are much more common but research oriented- though some do clinical work.

I wouldn't look down on your friend who degree hops. It was really tough for me to figure out what I wanted to do. At the time I don't think I was really ready to make that decision especially during my undergrad. My suggestion is to be very open about what you want to do. It was impossible to predict 5-7 years ago that I'd be here where I am now.

That's amazing, I had no idea such existed until you posted here about it. It sounds like really hard work. Are you enjoying it thus far? What are your hours like? Like in terms studying classes, work etc?

I wouldn't look down on her so much if she wasn't always judging what I do day in and day out. In the beginning I paid no mind to how much she degree hopped but when she started in on me and what I do then I started pointing out what she does. That's who i am. i don't care what anyone does til they start attacking me. Kind of like most of my medical student friends, they act like because they're med students makes them all that. I admit it sickens me cause your not better than me just taking a different career choice. I don't get why do students do these things? It fascinates me but frustrates me all at the same time.

 

[erg923]

Take it easy lady. No one said your work was easy, but you have a seriouly flawed argument here that you must explain. "It makes it college work, college isnt easy" So if A, then B? Problem is, you left out the "why" (ie., the "conditional"). Id suggest taking a philopsophy course in predicate logic while in undergrad.

 

[LovinPsych]

Take it easy lady. No one said your work was easy, but you have a seriouly flawed argument here that you must explain. "It makes it college work, college isnt easy" So if A, then B? Problem is, you left out the "why" (ie., the "conditional"). Id suggest taking a philopsophy course in predicate logic while in undergrad.

So this won't turn into a debate/argument, if you read my "original post" I said my friends and other people I've came in contact with. Read above please. No one ( here) yet has said my work is easy, so once more I am discussing on those who have in my ( in person) life. Hence why I started the thread. Also I really don't appreciate being told I need to take a course based on leaving out one particular answer in detail. Anyways, everyone knows college is a place of choice. Any course you take any major you choose is you. The standards are greater and is nothing like high school. Everyone has their own learning pace, likes/dislikes of several courses etc. When my friend has said to me ,hey it's easy, that tells me she doesn't fully understand or acknowledge that there are different levels of difficulty. The same level of psychology course you take once in high school isn't the same you take in college and so forth, Just like making psychology a major is more extensive then say a few courses to none. Like law I've taken a law course but taking the core law courses to study in law in full isn't going to be on the same difficulty level.

Hopefully I've explained ( why) in philopsophy in predicate logic without the course, 😉

I'm not the type who is fine getting by with "cs". Nor do I take short cuts. So what i do I do in length and detail, obviously, my GPA is 4.0. IQ I don't know at this time.

 

[erg923]

My point was... you need to be careful about what you acert (without evidence) and about the flawed conclusions you draw about people who disagree with you (ie., that they are "ignorant"). This poorly informed reasoning (and rather insulting term) will not go over well in professional academic debates.

The reality is that college classes have been dumbed-down slightly over the past 50 years. If you dont belive me, there is plenty of peer review literature on grade inflation across US college campuses that you can read. And again, the reality of the world is such that people take short-cuts and/or can skim through making C's. Moreover, there is a ample research to support the notion that the IQ of the average college student (105-110) is more than suffient to make the average non-science BA degree less than "demanding" (with the exception of cramming for finals).

 

[LovinPsych]

My point was... you need to be careful about what you acert (without evidence) and about the flawed conclusions you draw about people who disagree with you (ie., that they are "ignorant"). This poorly informed reasoning (and rather insulting term) will not go over well in professional academic debates.

The reality is that college classes have been dumbed-down slightly over the past 50 years. If you dont belive me, there is plenty of peer review literature on grade inflation across US college campuses that you can read. And again, the reality of the world is such that people take short-cuts and/or can skim through making C's. Moreover, there is a ample research to support the notion that the IQ of the average college student (105-110) is more than suffient to make the average non-science BA degree less than "demanding" (with the exception of cramming for finals).

I do believe you, I believe many aspects of the academia on several levels is dumbed down. Especially right here in the United States. My argument is, there are many exceptions to every rule and I take what I do very seriously and passionately. I can't always explain why because I believe it's much of who I am. But I do remain to say that psychologists are doctors too. I'm told they aren't, only medical doctors.

As for your above statement, I am very blunt, but I conduct myself based on the audience I am dealing with. As for a professional debate? I'm not in one right now. I'm stating my own personal opinion with some facts. Trust me, I'll continue to gather evidence and facts to back my personal opinions.

 

[whypsy]

That's amazing, I had no idea such existed until you posted here about it. It sounds like really hard work. Are you enjoying it thus far? What are your hours like? Like in terms studying classes, work etc?

As of right now I'm accepted and haven't started. The students that are in it right now that I have been talking to say it's pretty intense. The first year in one program in particular is law school and they say it can take up a lot of time. Also on the side these students are still involved in various things and keep in touch with their research labs / supervisor of interest.

I mean during my master's education, I was looking at clinical work for at least 3-4 hours a day then classes for 3-6 hours then homework/studying. My friends who are doc students in a counseling program are basically doing all that and then throw in their supervision and meetings plus more intensive coursework. Going into the program I'm expecting at least that level of work if not more.

 

[erg923]

Regarding the doctor issue, as a soon to be Ph.D, I of course agree that, yes, psychologists can (and should) use the title of "doctor" X with their patients, and generally should when dealing profesionally other diciplines too. We have already gone over the issue of the semantics (an academic title orginating from ancient Greece that means "to teach"), but you really need to keep in mind that most people are simply NOT deep thinkers and NOT very scientifically literate at all, period. Therefore, to John Q. Public, the term "doctor" is mostly associated with "physician"- one who practices medicine (might be yet another aspect of language that you can educate them on when people say this). Therefore, I believe that when psychologists are working with patients in medical settings (like a hospital) "Dr." would (and should) need clarification since most have come to assume that Dr. means Medical Doctor. Otherwise one runs the risk of (unknowingly) misrepresenting youself to patients and creating signficant confusion.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

It is good practice (and good ethics) to also include your title when you are in a medical setting.

"Hello I am Dr. So-and-So, and I am your Staff Psychologist/Neuropsychologist/etc."

I always use my title when I introduce myself because there are many people wandering the halls of a teaching hospital. Many times patients report that they don't even know names, let alone what each person on their team does. It can also be helpful for the family members because it can be a prompt in case they have questions about a particular area that falls under my perview.

 

[deleted276313]

Your friend must misinterpret "doctor" as "physician".

In any case, the amount of work that one receives during their undergraduate studies depends on the university that they study at. Some universities have varying levels of difficulty as well as completely different grading systems.

Also, define "easy". It's a subjective term, so it's not easily used in a broad sense.

 

[psychgrad10]

Your friend must misinterpret "doctor" as "physician".

In any case, the amount of work that one receives during their undergraduate studies depends on the university that they study at. Some universities have varying levels of difficulty as well as completely different grading systems.

Also, define "easy". It's a subjective term, so it's not easily used in a broad sense.

Exactly. For me, I think psych is easy because I like it and I understand it. My other major Soc is easy because its a generally easy major and all you have to do is pay attention in class to get an A, not so for psych. When people say psych is easy at my school, they are generally talking about Intro to Psych which is concepts that you learn in high school, but if you take harder classes, you quickly realize that psych is not an easy A, nor is it an easy career field.

 

[Wolfman89]

Exactly. For me, I think psych is easy because I like it and I understand it. My other major Soc is easy because its a generally easy major and all you have to do is pay attention in class to get an A, not so for psych. When people say psych is easy at my school, they are generally talking about Intro to Psych which is concepts that you learn in high school, but if you take harder classes, you quickly realize that psych is not an easy A, nor is it an easy career field.

It is that or if they take say a 200 level psych class they are fine with getting a C in the class, which is admit-ably easy.

 

[Psychology 76]

Exactly. For me, I think psych is easy because I like it and I understand it. My other major Soc is easy because its a generally easy major and all you have to do is pay attention in class to get an A, not so for psych. When people say psych is easy at my school, they are generally talking about Intro to Psych which is concepts that you learn in high school, but if you take harder classes, you quickly realize that psych is not an easy A, nor is it an easy career field.

+1

I have a soc minor for fun and IMO it is much more easier than any psych class I've taken. I think the general public thinks psych is more like soc which gives a perception of it being easy.

 

[Gotaro]

People who don't think psychology is a not real science/is easy/ and psychologists are not doctors are simply misinformed. Its hard to explain anything to these kinds of people because in my experiences they are often quite narrow minded.

I think the "psychology is easy" topic was brought up in the Phd/psyD psych forum. But basically may take is that psychology as an undergraduate program is what you make of it. You can take easy psychology classes and not be involved with research or anything in the psychology department. Then yes its easy. But you can take the hardest courses, do extra research, and be actively involved in the department which can be much more strenuous. I'm lucky that my undergraduate program has a tough psychology curriculum that is on par with the other sciences. So at my school, if you say your a psych major then people will not say "that's an easy major."

I don't know when the general public will respect psychology more. Psychology is moving towards neuropsychology anyway so perhaps that will give it some more merit to the general public though that doesnt mean anything. A great deal of people in our society are misinformed about many things but like to think they know everything.

Putting in extra effort and making your studies difficult doesn't suddenly make your major harder. If psychology is an easy major, it's an easy major, whether you want to personally give yourself a more strenuous workload or not. But why do that? Who says higher ed needs to be hard? As long as you learn what you need to, what do you have to prove to anyone else?

Also, what good does it do to make an argument that since college isn't "easy," neither is majoring in psychology? Obviously, the unspoken adverb is "relatively."

In my experience, which is admittedly not much, psychology tends to be easier because it's actually interesting and is almost common sense. Other subjects are trivial or hard (if not arguably impossible) to conceptualize.

 

[Grif]

In my experience, which is admittedly not much, psychology tends to be easier because it's actually interesting and is almost common sense. Other subjects are trivial or hard (if not arguably impossible) to conceptualize.

Anything will be easier to learn if you enjoy the subject matter. 100/200-level psyc courses can be easy, especially if they are related to their major (ed psyc for ECE majors etc). In the US college system, different majors are taken into account with lower-level courses. 300/400-level courses are much harder and more geared towards psyc majors.

And let's be honest, psychology for someone who needs to fill gen eds versus a psyc major? There's just no comparison. You have to go above-and-beyond to have a psyc career, get into grad school etc.

I've passed a few science courses and found them fairly easy. Does that mean that pharmacy or pre-med is an easy major? No way.

 

[loveoforganic]

The upper level psych and upper level chem classes I've taken are not even comparable in difficulty/effort level. It's not that I don't find my chemistry classes interesting either. I feel like I've got pretty good perspective, as I'm majoring in both. I'm not discrediting the field, as I considered it for quite some time and frankly could still see myself being very happy/fulfilled in it (in clinical psych anyway). The undergrad curriculum, at least at my school, is just in no way comparable.

edit: There is no pre-med major - you just take your prereqs and graduate. I feel like I should also point out that some of you are using the same argument for classifying sociology as an easy major that you don't want applied to psych.

 

[erg923]

loveoforganic: what happened to Floyd's marching hammers?

 

[loveoforganic]

We won the SEC/national championships, so celebratory icon took priority 😀

 

[chman]

I agree with others that it depends on the classes, the school, and what you make of it. As long as you are satisfied who cares what others think. Obviously psych does not compare with physics ore chem-e, but luckily we don't need to make that comparison. College is not about comparison of difficulty, it is about finding your nitch and excelling at it.

 

[loveoforganic]

👍

 

[psychgrad10]

It is that or if they take say a 200 level psych class they are fine with getting a C in the class, which is admit-ably easy.

At our school we don't really recognize 200-level courses as much different (which is like research methods and child dev at my school I think) than our 100-level courses. Generally, we consider 1000-level courses as the higher level courses for psych.

1000-level courses are much, much harder and a lot of times when people get to these courses, they realize that psych is not for them because Intro and Research Methods is generally passable. I agree with other people that it also depends on how challenging you make your experience as well. One semester I had all 1000-level courses and I wanted to die.

I know some people who take psych because they think its easy, but then again, in my experience (which is not always true), you can't do much in psych with a BS (or BA, but its a BS at my undergrad) and that's it and a lot of my friends realize that now when graduation is just around the corner.

 

[Danae00]

.

 

[Grif]

1000-level courses are much, much harder and a lot of times when people get to these courses, they realize that psych is not for them because Intro and Research Methods is generally passable. I agree with other people that it also depends on how challenging you make your experience as well. One semester I had all 1000-level courses and I wanted to die.

Schools use different numbering schemes, so I'm guessing it's upper-level 🙂 I know soon I'll have an a semester where everything is senior-level and go nuts 😱

I think it depends on a lot of different factors, with specific class instruction/requirements being one of them. There are some classes where you show up for attendance grade, study a bit, write one paper and take a few tests. In other classes, you have to write 6 three-page papers, write a ten-page research paper, take three quizzes and sit a midterm and final --all in twelve weeks. That's not a theoretical btw, that is based on a upper-level course that I am considering taking in the summer. For the online course, they swap out three quizzes for two extra papers and five short online essays.

I'm tempted to say that chem and math doesn't really compare to psyc, because I found Bio to be about the same level. It seems to have a lot of the same educational principles if you think about it -- environmental effects, action/reaction with outside forces, abnormal development...

 

[loveoforganic]

In progress outline of material synthesized from text to memorize for biochem test attached, which is coming up in t-12 hours.

D:

Maybe I should be spending less time on here.

 

[Grif]

Maybe I should be spending less time on here.

Probably. Wide posting gaps can be beneficial to exam grades 👍

 

[Jenski]

I really agree that it depends on what you make of the classes that are provided to you. Undergrad psych majors can tend to be very easy, or at least seem that way to people who have only taken a gen. psych class in undergrad. The important thing to remember is that if you want to make it challenging for yourself, you can. If the same class is offered by different teachers, ask around to see who the harder professor is, or for the professor people feel they learned the most from, and take that class. People are always willing to talk about the horrible experiences they had with "hard" professors, and this could work to your advantage. Also, if you are seriously considering a PhD over a PsyD in the future, then you must be interested in doing research. If you are not interested in research, then you should consider a PsyD, since they are more clinically oriented (not that PhDs aren't, but in terms of programs there is a difference).

So, if you do want a PhD then try and get involved in research while in undergrad. I did this by maxing out my independent study credits, which allowed me to learn what I wanted to with professors I found I learned the most from. Even once my semester with them was over, I continued to stay and work on their research until I graduated. If you work with the right people, research is hard.

As for friends and family who say what you are doing is too easy, or that you are taking the easy route, you just need to ignore them. I know this can be hard. However, if you turn around and start trying to find ways to tell them that what they are doing isn't hard either (for whatever reason) then you could end up damaging your relationship with those people. I think you just need to let it go, and prove to them that its not easy by putting a lot of work and studying, into what you are learning. The biggest key is to get involved. No, you may not have to take the MCATS to get into med school, or the test they use for law school, but you do have the GREs to look forward too, and most likely the Psych GREs if you intend on getting a PhD. Trust me, those aren't easy either.

Just remember; to each their own.

 

[Schooled]

If you were to compare an senior level physics class with a senior level psychology class, yes, I would consider psychology easy. I think when people say Psych is an easy major is because I would imagine a lot of people would say it is easier than biology, chemistry, or physics. Of course that is an overgeneralization as neuroscience (housed in the psychology department at my university) includes stuff in biology and chemistry.

Of course psychology is harder than others, but "hard" science majors (bio, chem, and physics) seems to be the standard everything measures up to.. .at least in my UG.

I think it depends on which area of psychology one is looking at. Are you looking at the "softer" side (social science-y stuff) or the "harder" science side (neuro, medical psych) stuff. I think a lot of people consider psychology more of a social science or a humanity. To be sure, I think you can tell a lot about a psychology program depending where you find it in the UG catalog. At my university it was under natural science. At my sister's it was under liberal arts.

 

[Wolfman89]

Of course psychology is harder than others, but "hard" science majors (bio, chem, and physics) seems to be the standard everything measures up to.. .at least in my UG.

I think it depends on which area of psychology one is looking at. Are you looking at the "softer" side (social science-y stuff) or the "harder" science side (neuro, medical psych) stuff. I think a lot of people consider psychology more of a social science or a humanity. To be sure, I think you can tell a lot about a psychology program depending where you find it in the UG catalog. At my university it was under natural science. At my sister's it was under liberal arts.

At my UG psychology is just part of the College of Arts and Sciences as are chemistry, physics, and biology. But psych courses satisfy our social sciences requirements.