Student Resources The Benefits of Taking a Psychology Class By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MSEd Facebook Twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 22, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim LinkedIn Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. Learn about our editorial process Print PeopleImages / Getty Images Even if you're not a psychology major, you can still benefit from learning more about the human mind and behavior by taking a psychology course. Many universities require students to take at least one class in psychology or a related topic such as sociology or anthropology. Why is psychology often included as part of a core general education requirement? There are a few great reasons. Benefits There are a few great reasons to learn about psychology, even if you don't plan to pursue a career in it. Understanding Others If you are majoring in a subject that will lead you to a career that involves working directly with lots of different people, such as teaching or nursing, understanding more about how people think and behave will be extremely helpful in your career. Even if you don't plan to work with people, psychology is still beneficial in helping you understand how and why the people in your life think and behave the way they do. Understanding Yourself Just like it helps you better understand others, taking a psychology class can help you learn about parts of yourself too, including what motivates you, what sort of personality you have, and how your personality contributes to the way you think and behave. Understanding yourself better can help you improve your relationships with others, your communication skills, your motivation, and how you relate to the world around you. The study of psychology helps you understand yourself and others, which can be extremely fulfilling and lead to better, stronger relationships with your family, friends, and co-workers. Improving Critical Thinking Skills Psychology classes help you learn the scientific method, how to evaluate sources of information, and how to think critically about the information you encounter every day. These classes can help you hone these skills, which prove useful in a variety of careers and different areas of life. Why We All Can Learn From Studying Psychology An Intro to Psychology Class You might be expected to take one introductory psychology class, which can be a great way to get a basic grounding in the topic. In an introductory class, you will learn about a range of topics including: Cognitive psychology History of psychology Human development Personality psychology Sometimes your major might require you to take a class such as abnormal psychology or developmental psychology as part of your core requirements. Health majors, in particular, can benefit from taking such classes. These topics can help prepare you to work with individuals who are experiencing some form of mental illness and teach you more about human behavior and development. By learning more about the symptoms and treatments of such disorders, you can develop greater empathy and understanding when working with people experiencing psychological problems. Of course, knowing why your university requires you to take a psychology class doesn't necessarily make it any easier. If you know little about the topic, or if you're struggling in your class, there are a number of things you can do to find help. Many universities offer free tutoring centers or academic assistance labs, but you can also turn to online resources to help you make sense of the subject. Tips for Succeeding in Psychology 101 4 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Association of American Colleges & Universities. Essential learning outcomes. Tenney ER, Vazire S, Mehl MR. This examined life: The upside of self-knowledge for interpersonal relationships. PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e69605. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069605 Gurung RA, Hackathorn J, Enns C, et al. Strengthening introductory psychology: A new model for teaching the introductory course. Am Psychol. 2016;71(2):112-124. doi:10.1037/a0040012 Carr JE. The evolution of psychology as a basic bio-behavioral science in healthcare education. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2017;24(3-4):234-244. doi:10.1007/s10880-017-9507-x By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? 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