BA Psychology Subjects

Opting for a career in Psychology, you can aim to delve deeper into the study of the human mind, personalities, behaviours, emotions, its development and so forth. Our brain is a mysterious place and most of the time we do not get the hang of it, and that is completely okay. Moreover, from BA and BSc Psychology to PhD in Psychology, there are a plethora of degree programs available for those interested in this field of study. Additionally, when it comes to a bachelor’s program in Psychology, BA Psychology comprises major subjects like Human Behaviour, Human Psychology, Psychology of Individual Differences, Social Psychology, Development Psychology, and Psychological Disorders, amongst others. Through this blog, let us explore BA Psychology subjects as well as the course structure and essential topics that you will be studying under this program.

Course	BA Psychology
Duration	3 years
Eligibility	10+2 in any stream
Subjects	Human Behaviour, Human Psychology,  Psychology of Individual Differences, Social Psychology, Development Psychology, Psychological Disorders
Scope	MA/MSc Psychology
Salary	2.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs
Jobs	Careers Counsellors, Clinical Psychologist, Health Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist, Sports Psychologist

About BA Psychology

Encompassing the study of the human mind and behaviour, BA Psychology is a 3-year undergraduate course that aims to provide students with an interdisciplinary understanding of the biological structure of the human mind, its behaviours, as well as cognitive-based psychology. From clinical psychology to developmental, social and cognitive-based, it covers a varied range of aspects that aim to explore the intricacies of human behaviour. BA Psychology subjects are generally a combination of different facets of psychology as well as its related interdisciplinary sub-fields such as Biopsychology, Counselling Psychology, amongst others.

Here are the Branches of Psychology:

Before you move on to the scope of Psychology, have a look at the best Psychology books of all time!

Why Study BA Psychology in 2024?

Here are reasons why you should study for a BA in Psychology in 2024:

• In terms of job prospects, there are lucrative opportunities in the field of Psychology.
• The candidates will get an in-depth understanding of human nature.
• Moreover, there is a scope for the aspirant in the academic and teaching sector of Psychology in schools and colleges.
• Candidates having an interest in solving practical and theoretical problems can choose this as their career.
• Additionally, psychologists are said to be highly satisfied with their careers as per research. Hence, opting for Psychology will be a great choice!
• Candidates who are passionate about helping society and are keen on community services can also study BA in Psychology.
• Candidates opting for a BA in Psychology can also opt for several kinds of research through which they can organize and interpret data.

BA Psychology Subjects 

Exploring the subjects and coursework of a program helps you gain crucial insights into the course with the help of which you can determine whether it aligns with your niche or not. Here is the complete list of BA Psychology subjects:

• Introduction To Psychology
• Development of Psychological Thoughts
• Statistical Methods for Psychological Research
• Organizational Behaviour
• Introduction to Psychological Disorders
• Developmental Psychology
• Counselling Psychology 
• Psychology of Individual Differences
• Social Psychology
• Behaviour and Modification Counselling
• Psychiatric Social Work
• English Communication
• Environmental Science
• Psychological Research
• Statistical Methods For Psychological Research
• Introduction to Counselling
• Theories of Counselling
• Biopsychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Research Methodology
• Child Psychology

Community Psychology comprises of the study of the social interactions of human beings and how society impacts a person as well as their community functioning.

Have a look at our blog on Community Psychology. 

Now, let us examine some of the important BA Psychology Subjects in detail:

Introduction To Psychology

As an introductory discipline, this subject aims to impart the basic knowledge of the field of Psychology, emphasising the daily life applications of it. Some major topics constituted under this subject include:

• Perception 
• Thinking and Language 
• Memory 
• Learning and Motivation

Psychology of Individual Differences

This subject focuses on imparting to students the concept of individual differences with a thrive to promote an understanding of self, self-reflection and others. Amongst the basic foundational BA Psychology subjects, it includes topics such as:

• Intelligence 
• Personality 
• Enhancing Individual’s Approach

Biopsychology

Furthermore, Biopsychology is constituted of different concepts encompassing the study of the influence of behaviour, environment and cognition on the bodily system. Along with this, it elucidates students about the basis of experience and behaviour and neurobiological and psychological functions and dysfunctions. Essential concepts under this subject are:

• The Function of the Brain 
• Introduction to Biopsychology 
• Endocrine System 
• Organization of the Nervous System 

Development of Psychological Thoughts 

Under this subject, a basic introduction regarding the development of Psychological theories is carried out both from an Indian as well as Western perspective. It will introduce students to the history of different schools of thought that have developed under the domain of Psychology. Following are some of the insights of this subject of BA Psychology:

• Understanding Psyche: Debates and Issues 
• Psychoanalytic and Humanistic- Existential Orientation 
• Contemporary Development 
• Early Schools of Psychology 

Psychological Research

Quantitative and Qualitative methods of psychological research traditions are studied under this discipline. However, since research is a critical element of this domain, BA Psychology incorporates this subject to provide students with an insight into: 

• Research Traditions 
• Basics of Research in Psychology 
• Methods of Data Collection 
• Non-Experimental Methods 
• Basics of Research in Psychology, amongst others.

Statistical Methods For Psychological Research 

Another analytical discipline under BA Psychology, you will get to study psychological research and the basics of statistical methods along with its tools essential in descriptive statistics of quantitative research in this subject. Here are some main topics that you can expect under this head:

• Frequency Distribution, Percentile Ranks and Percentile
• Measures of Central Tendency 
• The Normal Distribution 
• Measures of Variability and Standard Scores 

Find out the scope of Psychology through our blog!

Social Psychology 

It introduces students to the realm of social behaviour and influence explaining how individuals think, feel and behave in different social situations. Moreover, it also peruses the nuances of the social world along with various perspectives on the relationship between society and the individual. Here are some inclusions that you will study in BA Psychology under this subject:

• Evaluating and understanding the social world
• Social Interaction and Influence 
• Psychological of the social
• Group dynamics and intergroup relations

Developmental Psychology 

It strives to equip students with a thorough understanding of the process and concept of human development in the context of different aspects in a certain life span. In addition, it strives to explore how human beings change throughout the span of their lives. Here are some key topics that are added to this subject of BA Psychology:

• Domains of Human Development 
• Periods of Life Span Development 
• Socio-cultural Contexts for Human Development 
• Human Development of Indian Context

Additional Subjects

Apart from the BA Psychology subjects mentioned above, here are some additional subjects covered under this course: 

• General Psychology
• History of Psychology
• Physiology Psychology 
• Cognitive Psychology 
• Abnormal Psychology 
• Developmental Psychology 

Semester-Wise BA Psychology Syllabus

Here is a semester-wise distribution of the BA Psychology syllabus:

Semester	Subjects
Semester I	Introduction to Psychology Emotions Motivation Stress and Well-Being Attention and Perception Intelligence and Creativity States of Consciousness
Semester II	Endocrine System Cognition Nature and Methods of Physiological Psychology Learning Memory Nervous System: Structure and Function
Semester III	Nature of Psychological Research Observation, Interview Methods Experimental and Non-experimental Research Qualitative Analysis Application of Measure of Central Tendencies and Variability Non-parametric and Parametric Statistics
Semester IV	Development Concerns during Adolescence, early youth and adulthood Emotional and Social Development Social and Cultural Context in Human Development Cognitive Development
Semester V	Group and Leadership Theoretical and methodological issues in self and personality Self in psychoanalysis Empirical theories in personality Gena Theory of Personality
Semester VI	Assessment of Psychopathological Behaviour Types of Psychological Tests Diversity and Multiculturalism Community Participation and Social Change Social Ecology and Community Psychology Psychological Approaches to the Environment

Difference Between BSc Psychology and BA Psychology

Before choosing and stepping into the undergraduate course of Psychology, the student should be aware of these two similar yet different degrees. There are a few key differences between BSc Psychology and BA Psychology.

Criteria	BA Psychology	BSc Psychology
Domain	Arts	Science
Course for	Guidance and Counselling	Clinical
Approach of Study	Philosophical	Logical
Eligibility	Class 12th	Class 12th with Science
Admission	Merit/ Entrance	Merit/ Entrance
Average Package	INR 4.8LPA	INR 5.2 LPA

BA Psychology Subject Books

Here are BA Psychology Subject Books that would be beneficial for you:

Name of the Books	Authors
The Psychology Book	Catherine Colin
A Degree in a Book: Psychology	Alan Porter
Essential Enneagram	Price and Daniels
The APA Dictionary of Psychology	Gary Vandenbos
Abnormal Psychology	Barlow and Durand

BA Psychology Scope

In addition, BA Psychology has an immense career scope as students can explore a wide range of careers across several employment areas from clinical medicine, and counselling to health and education. Here are the most popular jobs for BA Psychology students:

• Careers Counsellors
• Clinical Psychologist
• Health Psychologist
• Counselling Psychologist
• Sports Psychologist
• Social Worker
• Teacher
• Corporate Counsellors

Additionally, the average salary after completing a BA in Psychology is somewhere around 2.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs INR.

You can also go for higher studies after a BA in Psychology by pursuing a Masters in subjects like Industrial Psychology, Child Psychology, Counselling, and Sports Psychology, amongst many others.

Top Universities for Psychology in Abroad

Psychology is one of the most popular career choices for students all across the globe. Thousands of students are choosing BA Psychology as their undergraduate degree, keeping that in mind, Leverage Edu has curated a list of universities that are considered best for this BS Psychology:

Top Universities for BA Psychology and Their 2023 Rankings:

University	Location	THE World University Rankings 2023	QS World University Rankings 2023
Harvard University	USA	2	1
University of Oxford	UK	5	2
University of Cambridge	UK	3	3
Stanford University	USA	3	4
UCL	UK	22	5
Yale University	USA	9	6
Columbia University	USA	=11	7
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor	USA	23	8
University of California, LA	USA	23	9
University of Amsterdam	Netherlands	60	10

Also Read: Best Colleges for Psychology

Top Universities for Psychology in India

Top Indian Universities for studying Psychology at the undergraduate level:

• Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi
• Presidency College, Kolkata
• Gargi College, Delhi
• Jesus and Mary College, Delhi
• Fergusson College, Pune
• St. Xavier`s College, Mumbai
• Kamala Nehru College, Delhi
• Amity University, Noida
• Indraprastha University, Delhi
• University of Calcutta, Kolkata
• Christ University, Bangalore

Difference between BA Psychology and BSc Psychology

Moreover, here are the differences between studying a BA in Psychology and a BSc in Psychology:

• BA Psychology comes under the field of arts, while, BSc Psychology comes under the field of science
• BA course is for guidance and counselling and the BSc course is for clinical therapy
• The approach to studying in BA is philosophical while BSc is logical
• While students need to have studied science during their schooling for a BSc, a BA has no such eligibility criteria

After Your BA in Psychology, you can pursue and check out the scope of MA Psychology!

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog has helped you explore BA Psychology subjects in detail. If you want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Psychology but are unsure about choosing the right academic institution, our Leverage Edu experts are here to help you find a suitable university as well as guide you throughout the admission process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted.