Best Psychology Programs in Louisiana for 2027

A 2.5 GPA and a run of checkpoints carry students through the psychology BS at LSU, starting with Introduction to the Psychology Major in the third semester and moving to Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, Research Methods in Psychology, History of Modern Psychology and a one-hour Psychology Capstone. The degree includes a four-course foreign language sequence. You can stay in the general degree or add a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience or Forensic Psychology, and an online BS is offered with the forensic concentration. Lab experience comes through PSYC 2999 and 4999 research credit with a faculty member, a 12-credit honors capstone leads to a thesis, and a 3+3 Pre-Law program shortens the route to law school.

Concentrations

Cognitive Neuroscience and Forensic Psychology, or the general degree without one.

Research Courses

Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences and Research Methods in Psychology, each four hours.

Research Credit

PSYC 2999 (up to 3 hours) and PSYC 4999 (up to 6 hours) with a 2.5 GPA.

Honors Capstone

12 credit hours ending in a senior thesis.

Program Sources: Research Opportunities | LSU Department of PsychologyThe Major | LSU Department of Psychology

Both the standard psychology BS and a pre-medical concentration at Lafayette are laid out year by year, and the standard BS is offered on campus and online. You take Introduction to Psychology, Psychological Science for majors and minors, Elementary Statistics and Psychological Statistics early, then Psychology as a Profession, a choice between Applied Psychological Statistics and Psychological Measurement, and a capstone drawn from five 400-level courses. An 18-credit minor and a modern language sequence are part of the plan. The pre-medical concentration adds general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and biology, runs 130 hours and earns a chemistry minor. Majors can work in research labs and present at conferences.

Delivery

Offered both on campus and online.

Statistics Sequence

Elementary Statistics, Psychological Statistics, and Applied Psychological Statistics or Psychological Measurement.

Concentration

Pre-Medical, 130 credit hours, with a chemistry minor.

Minor And Language

An 18-credit minor and nine credits of a single modern language.

Program Sources: Psychology, BS - University of Louisiana at Lafayette CatalogPsychology Major | University of Louisiana at Lafayette

In class or online, the psychology BA at Monroe packs a psychology laboratory and a statistics course into the junior year. The major takes 36 hours and requires Introduction to Psychology, one developmental course (Child, Adolescent or Developmental Psychology), Physiological Psychology, Introduction to Research Methods, Psychology Laboratory, History and Systems, Statistics and Advanced General Psychology. Four more courses come from a list that runs from Abnormal and Social Psychology to Forensic Psychology, Positive Psychology, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Clinical Research, Health Psychology and Evolutionary Psychology. The curriculum is designed as background for further professional or graduate study in psychology.

Delivery

In-class attendance or online.

Major Hours

36 hours within a 120-hour degree.

Research Courses

Introduction to Research Methods, Psychology Laboratory and Statistics.

Electives

Four courses chosen from the department's elective list.

Program Sources: Psychology, B.A. (420101) - University of Louisiana at Monroe Catalog

Choose between a standard psychology BA, which needs a minor in another field, and a Pre-Counseling concentration, which doesn't. Pre-Counseling is aimed at bachelor-level careers in counseling and the helping professions and at master's study in clinical mental health counseling, school counseling or social work, and its 12 core concentration courses must be completed at Nicholls. Junior Pre-Counseling students with a 2.7 GPA and a 3.0 in their core courses can apply for the Title IV-E Child Welfare Scholar Stipend Program, which pairs a stipend with a semester internship at a Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services regional office in Thibodaux. The standard track is sequenced, so courses must be taken in order, and English, math and every psychology course counted toward the major need at least a C.

Tracks

Psychology BA with a minor, or Psychology BA with the Pre-Counseling concentration.

Minimum Grade

C or better in ENGL 101, ENGL 102, MATH 101 and all psychology courses used for the major.

Child Welfare Stipend

Title IV-E program with a semester internship at a Thibodaux DCFS office.

Residency Rule

PSYC 475 and the Pre-Counseling concentration courses must be completed at Nicholls.

Program Sources: Department of Psychology, Counseling and Family Studies - 2026-2027 - Nicholls State UniversityPsychology - Nicholls State University

Research Design and Statistics I and II, plus Statistical Methods in Social Sciences, form the quantitative spine of Louisiana Tech's psychology BA. The other major courses are Fields of Psychology, Social Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Psychology of Personality, Physiological Psychology, Learning and Cognition, Psychological Testing and Abnormal Psychology, plus one of Dynamics of Adjustment, Industrial Psychology or Introduction to Organizational Psychology. A writing course such as Advanced Composition or Technical Writing for Publication is part of the senior year, and the degree closes with an exit examination. Along the way you take General Psychology and Advanced General Psychology within the university general education block, then fill the remaining hours with electives toward 120.

Research Sequence

Statistical Methods in Social Sciences, then Research Design and Statistics I and II.

Applied Choice

Dynamics of Adjustment, Industrial Psychology or Introduction to Organizational Psychology.

Writing Requirement

One advanced or technical writing course.

Exit Requirement

Exit examination, zero credit hours.

Program Sources: Psychology (BA) - Louisiana Tech University

Field experience in a mental health agency is one of the features Northwestern State highlights for its psychology BS, and three optional concentrations point the degree toward a career: Substance Abuse Counselor, Prevention Specialist and Industrial/Organizational Behavior. The 48 psychology hours include Psychology as a Profession, Introduction to Experimental Methods, Statistics, Test and Measurement, Physiological Psychology, Psychology of Learning, Abnormal Psychology, Theories of Personality, Ethics in Psychology and a Senior Research Seminar. The department also runs a master's program in clinical psychology and a separate BS in addiction studies.

Psychology Hours

48 hours with a C or higher, within a 120-hour degree.

Concentrations

Substance Abuse Counselor, Prevention Specialist, and Industrial/Organizational Behavior.

Research Courses

Introduction to Experimental Methods, Statistics and Senior Research Seminar.

Field Experience

Placements in mental health agencies.

Program Sources: Bachelor of Science in Psychology - Northwestern State University of LouisianaPsychology (392) Degree Plan - Northwestern State University

Two short menus shape the Psychological Sciences BS at Loyola: pick two courses from Developmental, Abnormal and Social Psychology, and two from Behavioral Neuroscience, Sensation and Perception, Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology of Learning. Introduction to Research, Statistics and Methods, a one-credit lab elective, nine hours of psychology electives and a capstone chosen from a list of advanced courses round out the major's 34 hours, and every senior takes a comprehensive ETS exam. The degree also asks for six credits of a language through the 201 level. A Pre-Health concentration swaps in calculus, physics and 27 credits of adjunct sciences, and a University Honors version exists. Loyola also offers a Bachelor of Arts in psychology fully online.

Major Hours

34 credits within a 120-credit degree.

Research Courses

Introduction to Research and Statistics and Methods.

Senior Exam

Comprehensive ETS exam in the senior year.

Pre-Health Concentration

Adds calculus, physics and 27 credits of adjunct sciences.

Program Sources: Natural Sciences - Loyola University New Orleans 2026 BulletinBachelor of Science in Psychological Sciences | Loyola University New Orleans

Five categories of coursework organize the psychological science BS at Xavier, and the 36 required hours come from all of them. Category 1 is the base: Introductory Psychology, Research Methods, Psychological Statistics and Advanced Research. Nine hours come from basic research courses such as Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology and Psychology of Learning, and nine from applied and clinical courses such as Psychotherapies, Psychopharmacology, Psychology of Trauma and two semesters of Fieldwork Practicum. Another three hours cover special topics like Black Psychology or Cultural Psychology, and the capstone is Historical and Applied Perspectives in Psychology. A Premedical Psychology BS follows the same structure with 33 psychology hours.

Psychology Hours

36 minimum, across five categories.

Research Courses

Research Methods, Psychological Statistics and Advanced Research.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork Practicum I and II are applied-category options.

Related Degree

Premedical Psychology BS with 33 hours of psychology.

Program Sources: Psychological Science, B.S. - Xavier University of Louisiana CatalogPremedical Psychology, B.S. - Xavier University of Louisiana Catalog

UL Lafayette's 38-credit General Psychology MS requires every student to complete a faculty-supervised thesis. Research areas include behavior analysis, health, cognition, development, and social psychology. Students can also apply for an optional practicum providing psychological services in the community, after meeting its prerequisites and passing an evaluation. The program draws on resources including the Psychological Assessment Clinic and the Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning.

Degree Structure

38 credits with a required faculty-supervised thesis.

Practice Option

An optional community practicum after prerequisites and evaluation.

Program Sources: Psychology (M.S.) | University of Louisiana at Lafayette

LSU uses a faculty mentor model for doctoral training, with specializations that include clinical psychology, cognitive and brain sciences, industrial-organizational psychology, and school psychology. Requirements depend on the area. Clinical students, for example, begin research in a faculty laboratory during the first year, complete a master’s thesis and dissertation, and add supervised practice and an internship. Cognitive and brain sciences students can combine behavioral and neuroscience methods in laboratory or field research. Applicants should identify the area and faculty research they intend to join.

Training Model

Faculty mentorship within a chosen psychology specialization.

Clinical Research

A master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation alongside supervised practice.

Program Sources: Psychology PhDClinical Psychology Program StructureCognitive and Brain Sciences