Social psychology degree overview

How do we perceive ourselves? How do we think about others? How do others think about us? How is our behavior influenced by others? These are the kinds of questions posed by social psychologists.

Social psychology is essentially the study of how each person’s individual behavior is influenced by the social environment in which the behavior takes place. By its nature, therefore, the field examines topics as wide-ranging as antisocial behavior, attitudes, control, decision making, emotions, interpersonal and intergroup relationships, personality, prejudice, prosocial behavior, self, social cognition, and social influence.

Greek philosopher Aristotle said, ‘Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.’ This is the starting point for the study of social psychology.

Master’s Degree in Social Psychology – Two Year Duration
Because social psychology bachelor’s programs are very uncommon, applicants to master’s programs in social psychology must typically hold a bachelor’s degree in general psychology. At the master’s level, the curriculum is a combination of lectures, laboratory work, practicum experiences, and thesis research, presentation, and defense. Many students who earn a master’s in social psychology go on to earn a doctorate in the field. Some schools offer a combined master’s / doctoral degree.

Depending on the specific program, coursework explores a variety of subjects from the social psychology perspective, from the premise that the social situation is frequently a stronger influence on behavior than are a person’s characteristics:

• Altruism, prosocial behavior (behavior intended to help other people), and social support
• Bystander effect (failure to help an individual in need)
• Child development
• Conflict and psychological control
• Conformity and obedience to authority
• Emotion and its development
• Family dysfunctions
• Friendship
• Grief in a family context
• Group behavior
• Happiness, wellbeing, and flourishing
• Health
• Human aggression and violence
• Immigration
• Intercultural communication
• Intergroup relationships, collective identity, and collective action
• Interpersonal influence and social power
• Interpersonal relationships
• Language learning
• Leadership and group dynamics
• Life transitions
• Motivation, goals, and self-regulation
• Personality and organizational behavior
• Personality and personality development
• Political psychology
• Pro-environmental attitudes and behavior
• Psychological influence of children’s TV and media
• Psychology of attraction and intimate relationships
• Psychology of crime, criminal behavior, and the prison system
• Psychology of diversity
• Psychology of justice
• Psychology of sexual orientation
• Psychosis in the social context
• Self and social identity
• Self control
• Self-esteem
• Sex, gender, and behavior
• Social change
• Social perception and cognition (how people perceive and think about their social world)
• Social problems
• Social psychology of cyberspace and social media
• Social stigma
• Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination
• The construction of attitudes and beliefs; the changing of attitudes and beliefs
• The Holocaust
• The thinking consumer in a materialistic society

Anthropology
Students of anthropology study the evolutionary history of people, how they interact, how they adapt to various environments, how they communicate and socialize with one another, and how their bodies and cultures have changed over time. The field attempts to answer big questions on many of the fundamentals of human culture, from gender to political systems to violence, religion, race, and economics.

Child Psychology
Degree programs in child psychology prepare students to work in one or more of the three main concentrations in the field.

Adolescent psychology is focused on issues relevant to children and youth between the ages of 12 and 18. These issues include behavioral problems, learning disabilities, depression, and eating disorders.

Developmental child psychology is concerned with the emotional and cognitive developments that impact children as they age. Among these developments are language, formation of identity, and understanding of morality.

Abnormal Child Psychology focuses on the treatment of children and adolescents dealing with atypical issues like physical abuse, trauma, personality disorders, and sociopathy.

Criminology
Criminology is the study of crime, the human factors and behaviors that make it happen, and its impact on society. Degree programs in the discipline include coursework in: criminal law, psychology of crime, statistical and computer applications in criminal justice, and research methods in criminal justice.

Early Childhood Education ECE
A degree in early childhood education provides students with ECE fundamentals and helps them develop leadership and advocacy abilities, as well as the administrative skills required to work in the field. Typical coursework in degree and certificate programs focuses on child growth and development, behavior guidance, supporting children and families, children with exceptionalities, and effective curriculum planning.

Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is the psychological assessment of individuals who are involved, in one way or another, with the criminal justice and legal systems. Students of the field learn about profiling suspects, assessing the mental health of inmates, and criminal and civil procedures.

Health Psychology
Degree programs in health psychology explore the intersection of health and behavior. They focus on how psychology, behavior, and social factors influence health, illness, and recovery.

Social psychology grads leave their studies with a strong set of transferable skills and competencies:

• Appreciation for diversity
• Communication demonstrated through written work, presentations, and informed debate
• Identifying and locating sources of information
• Interview techniques
• Problem solving with critical, reasoned thought
• Research, quantitative and qualitative methods, and fieldwork
• Social perception / understanding of social issues
• Statistical analysis using software packages
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Writing of descriptive reports and analytical papers

From home to the classroom to the workplace and beyond, social psychology is at play in many areas of our lives. While most social psychologists go into teaching or conduct research at a college or university, career options for those who study the discipline exist in other sectors as well. Some of these roles in applied social psychology may require further education and/or on the job training.

• Advertising / Promotions / Marketing Manager – knowledge of human behavior is fundamental to creating effective advertising and marketing campaigns aimed at attracting consumers
• Human Resources Manager – the HR practitioner who is also a social psychologist is particularly well equipped to optimize the workforce of any organization
• Industrial Organizational Psychologist – working closely with human resources departments, applies psychological research to the workplace; helps businesses hire more qualified employees, develop corporate culture, maintain employee engagement and morale, improve organizational structure and efficiency, and ease transitions such as corporate mergers; studies consumer behavior
• Political Strategist / Consultant – applies the principles of social psychology to develop a platform and devise strategies to help politicians win over voters