Psychology Undergraduate Program in Harvard University
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind. Observing, experimenting, and analyzing human and animal minds is our focus. How we do this varies greatly. We can, of course, look at the brain itself to understand the mind - and we increasingly do so, as new technologies allow. But the measure of behavior is our primary method to understand the mind.
These are just some of the many questions psychologists attempt to answer, and which Psychology undergraduate students consider in our many courses and research opportunities:
- How do we perceive the physical world?
- Is our view of the physical world consistent with reality?
- How do we make sense of the social world?
- Can we really understand the minds of others?
- Do the groups others belong to matter?
- How do memories form and how do we forget?
- What are the rules by which we reason and think?
- Are we rational beings, or only boundedly so?
- How much of our behavior is influenced by conscious mental processes, and how can we study our own consciousness?
- What is the role of emotion as expressed in the joy, surprise, sadness, anger, and fear of everyday life, as well as in depression, schizophrenia, and other disorders?
- What are the causes of these kinds of disorders, and how can they be treated?
- How do all these processes develop from infancy to adulthood, including the ability for language?
To answer these and other questions about the mind, psychologists observe evolutionary factors, biological bases of behavior, cultural and social inputs, and the day to-day situations in which individuals find themselves. Most of the research conducted in Harvard’s Department of Psychology concerns basic psychological processes such as attention, perception, memory, categorization, reasoning, decision-making, language, cognitive and social development, social cognition, intergroup relations, and morality. In addition, some members of the department conduct research on the etiology, development, and treatment of psychopathology. All members of the department share the common goal of understanding mind, brain, and behavior through empirical investigation, and our teaching reflects this goal.
While more complete information about tuition assistance and financial aid can be found on the Financial Aid Office Website, we may post a few resources to help you find scholarships and grant opportunities specific to the field of Psychology. Check out these resources below!
Psychology.Org's Scholarships Guide
- Currently, psychology.org has the most updated list of resources available to students. You can sort these awards and scholarships by different areas in psychology, as well as by undergrad/grad opportunities.
The Community for Accredited Online Schools's Psychology Financial Aid & Scholarships List
- Separates national private scholarships for Psychology students and general medical scholarships for students pursuing work in the medical field. (Despite the organization's focus on online schools, many of these scholarships can be used at Harvard or at other institutions.)
The APA's Sharon S. Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarships
- The Brehm Undergraduate Scholarship Program will provide assistance to students majoring in psychology with demonstrated financial need. Applications for the Brehm Scholarship are typically due in the summertime before the year the scholarship would go towards.
The Beinecke Scholarship Program
- The Beinecke Scholarship provides $34,000 to students with records of excellent academic achievement, have a documented history of receiving need-based financial aid, and who plan to enter a Master’s or doctoral program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. Students should be juniors at the time of application and also must hold U.S. citizenship.