Psychology & Neuroscience at Barnard College, Columbia University

Students will learn to tackle these fundamental questions with the tools of psychological science. Students will learn about classic experiments in psychology, with the goal of getting a hands-on, experiential understanding of how people work and how psychologists study them. They will explore social dynamics; emotions; personality; mental illness; the nature of beliefs; neuroscience; and the relationship between the mind, brain, and body. As a capstone project, they will construct their own miniature psychology theory, design/run an experiment to test it, and present findings to the class.

Students will have the exciting opportunity to explore real-world applications of neuroscience and psychology by visiting leading neuroscience centers. Last summer, students met with Emma Ehrenzeller, a certified hypnotist, during an interactive workshop on hypnosis and its connection to neuroscience at Teachers College. They also visited the Living Museum, an innovative space dedicated to art within mental health institutions, where they explored how creative expression plays a role in mental health treatment. These experiences offer students valuable insights into the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and mental health.