Education Abroad for Psychology Majors

Education Abroad for

Psychology Majors

Seagulls flying over the Brighton pier in England

Globalize Your Education

Psychology majors are highly encouraged to study abroad. Participating in study abroad is an ideal way to add a global perspective to your Psychology major through first-hand experience living and studying in another country and culture. Studying abroad can also help you to understand the discipline of psychology more deeply, and to analyze human behavior, learn about theories in which research is rooted, and about how to actively critique the assumptions, methods, and ethics that are a part of generating and using psychological knowledge through a global lens.

Review the resources here to first explore how an international experience could fit into your degree plan. Review the resources here to help decide how an international experience can fit into your degree plan. It is important to work with your Undergraduate Advisor and an Education Abroad advisor early on in the application process to make sure that you are choosing the best program to fit your goals and meet major requirements.Your Education Abroad advisor can also help you explore ways to use financial aid, scholarships, and grants to finance your travel! 

Why Study Abroad?

When you step out of a familiar environment and engage with another society, where cultural, political, and academic perspectives differ from the U.S., it can greatly enhance your perspective by placing domestic issues and experiences within an international context.  It helps participants negotiate differences, listen to and learn from new viewpoints, and adapt to unfamiliar situations.  The changed perspective students gain from studying abroad helps make them better informed global citizens, and they are often more competitive for employment, fellowships, and graduate school.

You can Afford to Study Abroad

Eligible for Financial Aid? Learn more about how financial aid might apply to your program. (Applies to PSU degree-seeking students, only.)

Veteran? Learn how Veterans Benefits may help cover the cost of your program fee! 

Pell Grant Recipient? You may also be eligible for the Gilman Scholarship, worth up to $5,000! 

Need Scholarships? The PSU Ed Abroad office offers scholarship workshops every term and has a multitude of resources online for students on a budget. Come meet with us so we can talk about awards ranging from $500 - $10,000.

One of the subjects that comes up in many, many psychology courses is individualism vs collectivism.  As the field of psychology becomes more globally minded and less focused on Western cultures alone, the differences in these mindsets become more apparent and important.  Studying abroad in Japan, a highly collectivist country, allowed me to really experience this for myself and understand the differences on a personal level. For this reason, studying abroad was a great asset to my degree as well as my growth as a person.

- Madison Lawrie, Osaka, Japan

Photo by Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash

Short-Term Study Abroad in England, Summer 2024

Paranormal Psychology in the UK!

Join Professor Larry Martinez in the UK in Summer 2024! Students will first complete coursework online and in Portland for two weeks, and then travel to visit the sites that were discussed and studied for paranormal activity in the UK! Earn 4 PSY 410 credits

Considerations

Education Abroad Credit Limit Toward Psychology Major

Students earning a BA/BS in Psychology may apply up to 24 credits from any PSU-approved study abroad program towards their Psychology major. 4 of the credits can be 200 level Psychology, while 20 of the 24 possible credits must be at the 300 level or above.  

The Psychology major is a 60 credit major, of which 52 of the credits are PSY credits.  As a result, PSY students have a minimum of 52 PSY credits to graduate, while the remainder of their credits can come from BA/BS requirements, UNST or Honors requirements and elective credits.  PSY students usually have anywhere from 20 to 40 credits of elective credits they can use towards their degree.  Please note that many of these elective credits can be earned while studying abroad.

Courses Must Be Taken For A Grade

Education Abroad courses used for the Psychology major must be taken for a grade (A-F) unless that option is not available.


Which Education Abroad Programs Work Well for Psychology Majors?

The programs listed below are recommended because they offer the largest number and range of courses relevant to Psychology majors.

AFRICA

CIEE Arts and Sciences Program in Cape Town, South Africa
USAC Ghana: Accra - African Studies, International Development Studies, and courses offered directly by the University of Ghana

ASIA

IE3 Global South Korea: Seoul, Yonsei University
PSU Faculty-Led Tibet:  The Psychology of Happiness and Well-Being
SIT Study Abroad Nepal:  Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya
USAC Thailand: Chiang Mai - Southeast Asia Culture, Politics, and Business

EUROPE

CIEE Business and Society Program in Seville, Spain
IE3 Global Germany:  Baden-Wuerttemberg     
USAC England: Brighton - Undergraduate Courses
USAC Italy: Reggio Emilia - Education, Health, Communications, and Italian Studies
USAC Netherlands: Maastricht – Undergraduate Courses
USAC Spain:  San Sebastian - Spanish Language, Basque, Psychology, and European Studies
USAC Sweden: Växjö/Kalmar - Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

LATIN AMERICA

CIEE Liberal Arts Program in Buenos Aires, Argentina   
IE3 Global Internships 
IFSA - Merida Universities Program
IFSA - Universidad Nacional

MIDDLE EAST

PSU Exchange Egypt: The American University in Cairo
PSU Direct Enroll Turkey: Bogazici University in Istanbul
PSU Direct Enroll Israel: University of Haifa

OCEANIA:

USAC New Zealand: Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington – Undergraduate and Graduate Courses
       USAC Australia: Gold Coast and Brisbane - Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

Don't see a program that works for you? Click here for the complete list of programs. 

Ready to take the Next Step?

Attend an Ed Abroad 101 session to learn more about studying abroad at PSU. These are 30 minute sessions offered when classes are in session. They cover the application process and direct you to next steps. Can't attend the live session? Watch the Ed Abroad 101 digital presentation!