Psychology
Our students do psychology—they don’t just read about it. Plus, they build relationships with faculty (often as a coresearcher!), engage in hands-on learning opportunities in Portland and overseas, and learn from and collaborate with their peers, both in and out of the classroom.
Why Choose a Degree in Psychology?
While you build a scientifically rigorous foundation in the psychology discipline, you will also design studies, analyze and interpret data, communicate your findings, and have the opportunity to apply these skills in real-world settings. We believe this active, engaged approach to learning is the best preparation for your life after Lewis & Clark, both as a professional and a scientifically literate citizen.
What You’ll Study
Our psychology curriculum is multidisciplinary, and spans social, clinical, developmental, cognitive, and biological/neuroscientific aspects of the field. We believe in working closely with our students both in the classroom and our laboratories. Undergraduates are deeply involved in our research programs exploring the psychology of health-related behaviors, the neuropsychology of bilingualism, the use of technology to teach coding concepts to children, the social construction of depictions of mental illness, and many other topics.
Outside the classroom, psychology students often complete off-campus internships and practica at a variety of relevant agencies and organizations. Many of our students study overseas. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, there are programs designed and led by psychology faculty to Australia and Ireland, in which students gain credit toward their psychology degree and gain valuable internship experience.
Complement Your Education With One of These Minors
The most popular minors for our psychology majors are: neuroscience, gender studies, or ethnic studies.
What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark
Bennett Gazor BA ’25More about BennettWith my psychology major I am able to easily link my area of focus with entrepreneurship and sales. It gives me the freedom to explore different areas of business with a liberal arts major.
Cloe Moreno BA ’24More about CloeI love how no matter what class I find myself in, I can connect it back to psychology. There is so much you can do in psychology, whether that is through therapy, research, or teaching. It feels like the opportunities are endless.
Alex Wally BA ’23More about AlexI really enjoyed the variety of classes within the psychology department because it gave me the opportunity to test out different aspects of the field. All the professors in the department are wonderful as well.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Psychology
Our alumni use their BA in psychology in a variety of careers in research, clinical work, social services, teaching, and the health professions, while others go on to earn their master’s and doctoral degrees. Many also utilize the problem solving, statistical, writing, organizational, and public speaking skills they learned at Lewis & Clark in fields not directly related to psychology.
Dedicated Faculty
Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.
Psychology faculty rely on their students to be collaborative researchers in the lab, a rare opportunity for many undergraduate students. Students are frequent coauthors on peer-reviewed faculty publications and professional presentations.
Invest in Yourself
A private, liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that first-year students will graduate in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.
Find Your People
Our student-led Psychology Club organizes symposia, lectures, and social events. In April 2021, Noam Chomsky presented a Q&A via Zoom on linguistics and the cognitive revolution!
Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You
Marjorie Pichon BA ’14More about MarjorieMy liberal arts education taught me to think critically from multiple perspectives. This skill has been invaluable to me ever since.
Haley Perry BA ’18More about HaleyBesides the actual information I learned in class, I learned how to interact with people in my field and how to adapt to change.
Malavika Arun BA ’19More about MalavikaMy classes, plus my experiences with Campus Living and other student life activities, helped build my resume and develop communication and crisis response skills that have been very important for my job. I’ve also made connections at Lewis & Clark that have helped me find opportunities and continue to guide me in my life choices.
Featured News
Paid Summer Research Enables Faculty-Student Collaboration
Over the summer, Lewis & Clark offers students paid, hands-on research experiences that rival those of graduate-level institutions.
