Best Psychology Programs in Alabama for 2027

Four core courses start the Auburn major: Introduction to Psychology, a one-credit Orientation to the Psychology Major, Analytics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences and Research Methods in Psychology. The analytics and methods courses can't be taken in the same semester. After that you choose two courses each from Groups A, B and C plus three more psychology courses, with foundational Group A and B courses suggested for junior year and Group C for senior year. Individualized options need department approval and include Supervised Research Experience, Human Service Practicum, Experiential Learning and Honors Research and Thesis. Every psychology course must earn a C or better, and the curriculum takes at least four to five semesters once you declare.

Core Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Orientation to the Psychology Major, Analytics for Social and Behavioral Sciences and Research Methods.

Electives

Two Group A, two Group B and two Group C courses plus three additional psychology courses.

Experiential Options

Supervised Research Experience, Experiential Learning, Human Service Practicum and Directed Studies.

Honors

Honors Introduction, Honors Special Problems and Honors Research and Thesis.

Program Sources: The Psychology Major - College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University

Both Alabama psychology degrees share a spine: Introduction to Psychology, a statistics course, Professional Issues, General Experimental Psychology, History and Systems, and a junior and senior seminar sequence that can run through the honors seminar. The BA adds nine hours of content-area courses and eight science hours, while the BS requires Calculus I and three courses drawn from three content areas. Both degrees require an approved minor. The two-year departmental honors program is research-oriented and ends with an independently conducted project equivalent in quality to a master's thesis, and you can apply in the second semester of sophomore year after nine hours of psychology.

Shared Core

Intro to Psychology, statistics, Professional Issues, General Experimental Psychology and History and Systems.

Seminar Sequence

Junior Seminar and Senior Seminar in Psychology, or the honors version.

BS Math

Calculus I plus eight science hours.

Honors Program

Two-year research program ending in an independent project; a 3.5 psychology GPA and 3.3 overall are recommended.

Program Sources: Psychology, BA | University of AlabamaPsychology, BS | University of Alabama

UAB offers its psychology BS on campus or 100% online, with the same requirements either way. The core is Research Literacy in Psychology, Elementary Statistical Methods with a lab, Research Methods in Psychology, Brain, Mind and Behavior, Developmental Psychology, Psychopathology and a Psychology Capstone. You add six hours of biology, chemistry or physics, three more psychology courses with two at the 300 level, and two 400-level courses. Teaching, community-based and research practicum courses can count for up to three hours, and practicum placements have included the Crisis Center, Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center and Youth Villages. The Psychology Honors Program is also available.

Delivery

On campus or completely online, with identical program requirements.

Research Courses

Research Literacy in Psychology, Elementary Statistical Methods with a lab and Research Methods in Psychology.

Science Requirement

Six hours from two biology, chemistry or physics courses.

Practicum Credit

Up to three hours of teaching, community-based or research practicum count toward the major.

Program Sources: Online Major | CAS - PsychologyMajor | CAS - Psychology

Orientation to the Psychology Major opens Troy's 36-hour major and a Senior Seminar closes it, with Basic Statistics and Research Methods in between. You choose two courses from each of three groups: experimental (learning, sensation and perception, evolutionary, physiological or cognitive psychology), personal and social (abnormal, social, counseling or personality) and applied (health, forensic, industrial and organizational, or family violence), then two more psychology courses of your own. Behavior analysis shows up as options in all three groups, including Ethics in Behavior Analysis, Foundations of Behavior Analysis and Organizational Behavior Management. Developmental Psychology sits in general studies, and 21 hours are free electives.

Required Core

Orientation to the Psychology Major, Basic Statistics, Research Methods and Senior Seminar in Psychology.

Group Choices

Two courses from each of three groups plus two more psychology courses.

Behavior Analysis Options

Foundations of Behavior Analysis, Organizational Behavior Management and Ethics in Behavior Analysis.

Free Electives

21 hours of free electives.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology Major - Troy University

Four-credit courses make up both of Samford's psychology degrees. The BA is 40 credits: General Psychology, Statistical Methods and Research Methods (usually a junior-year sequence), two experimental courses, two human development and interaction courses, a capstone of Directed Research or Senior Seminar, and eight elective credits. The BS is 44 credits and leans experimental, with three experimental courses, two applied experimental courses and a math course in its distribution areas. Students aiming at graduate study can add Internship and Journal Seminar, which are pass/fail and don't count toward the major. Placements have included Magnolia Creek, Lifeline Children's Services and Impact Family Counseling.

BA Size

40 credits, including two experimental and two human development and interaction courses.

BS Size

44 credits, with three core experimental and two applied experimental courses.

Capstone

Directed Research or Senior Seminar.

Pre-Professional Courses

Internship and Journal Seminar, pass/fail and not counted toward the major.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology Major (BA) - Samford UniversityProgram: Psychology Major (BS) - Samford University

Expect a required minor of 18 to 24 hours alongside the 38-hour psychology major at South Alabama. The core covers Introduction to Psychology, Research Design and Analysis I and II, Professions and Careers in Psychology and Biological Psychology. You then choose two experimental or learning courses (cognition, learning or Applied Behavior Analysis I, perception, comparative evolutionary psychology), two from psychopathology, social psychology and personality, one developmental course and a capstone: History and Systems, Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization or Introduction to Clinical Psychology. Students can earn credit for individual research projects, and majors may apply for the five-year Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's program in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

Research Core

Research Design and Analysis I and II, with the second a writing-intensive course.

Capstone Choices

History and Systems, Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization or Introduction to Clinical Psychology.

Minor

A minor of 18 to 24 hours is required.

Accelerated Option

Up to 12 graduate credits count toward the bachelor's, with the master's finished in five years total.

Program Sources: Psychology (BA) | University of South Alabama

UAB offers two routes through its psychology MA, each requiring at least 30 credits. Plan I includes thesis research and additional statistics or research design coursework. Plan II includes a practicum in teaching psychology and more program electives. Both begin with statistics and measurement plus a computer laboratory. Elective choices include cognitive neuroscience, developmental disabilities, pain, social psychology, and motivation and emotion. The distinction between the plans lets you organize the degree around a substantial research project or experience teaching the discipline.

Completion Routes

Thesis plan or a non-thesis plan with a teaching practicum.

Shared Core

Statistics and measurement with a computer laboratory.

Program Sources: Psychology | Catalogs | The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Alabama divides its psychology doctorate into clinical and experimental areas. Clinical students specialize in child psychology, health psychology, geropsychology, or psychology and law; experimental students concentrate on cognitive, developmental, or social psychology. Coursework and training take place in person. Research and teaching preparation run through both areas, while clinical students also complete practitioner training. Students entering with a master’s degree must have their thesis accepted by the department or complete an equivalent research project before progressing to dissertation work.

Clinical Subareas

Child, health, geropsychology, and psychology and law.

Experimental Subareas

Cognitive, developmental, and social psychology.

Program Sources: Psychology PhD

Three doctoral areas sit under UAB's Psychology PhD: Behavioral Neuroscience, Applied Developmental Psychology and Medical/Clinical Psychology. Behavioral Neuroscience students train with faculty from psychology and the Schools of Medicine and Optometry in labs for behavior, neuroimaging, neuropharmacology and molecular biology. Applied Developmental students complete a master's thesis, pass an area review written as a Psychological Bulletin or Review style article, and defend a dissertation. The Medical/Clinical program is APA accredited and draws mentors from psychiatry, pediatrics, neurology, Children's of Alabama and the Birmingham VA. Terminal master's degrees in behavioral neuroscience and psychology are also offered.

Doctoral Areas

Behavioral Neuroscience, Applied Developmental Psychology and Medical/Clinical Psychology.

Applied Developmental Milestones

Master's thesis, an area review article and a dissertation defense.

Clinical Training Sites

UAB clinics, Children's of Alabama Hospital and the Birmingham VA Medical Center.

Research Settings

Faculty also hold positions across medicine, optometry, public health and aging centers.

Program Sources: Psychology | Catalogs | The University of Alabama at Birmingham

This doctorate covers affective, behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, behavioral pharmacology, comparative and computational psychology, decision making and learning. First-year core courses are shared with the department's other two doctoral programs, and then the coursework turns to Learning and Conditioning, Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience and a two-course Experimental Design sequence. A master's thesis and a ten-hour dissertation carry the research, and you add at least 18 more graduate credits chosen with your supervisory committee. Students get involved in research early in their first year, and every first-year student is supported as a graduate teaching assistant.

Core Courses

Learning and Conditioning, Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience and Experimental Design I and II.

Research Milestones

Research and Thesis (4 credits) and Research and Dissertation (10 credits).

Support

All first-year students are supported as graduate teaching assistants.

Electives

At least 18 additional graduate credits chosen with the supervisory committee.

Program Sources: CABS - College of Liberal Arts at Auburn UniversityCurriculum - College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University