With 74 majors, hundreds of concentrations, and even more ways to specialize, customize, and personalize your education at CSU, it’s no wonder there are overlapping disciplines. Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work are three popular majors at CSU that feature human-focused studies and research, and are easy to confuse. Let us break them down for you a bit.
Psychology
What is Psychology?
Psychology focuses on the human aspect of the world. It lets us understand our own cognitive processes, how we see the world, and how we interact with others. It’s an attempt to understand human behavior by studying development, perception, learning, motivation, and thinking — and the relationship of these processes both to the physiological and social functioning of humans. As a psychology student, you will study a broad coverage of the discipline, have the opportunity to use technologies and tools for research, and prepare for a graduate education or diverse career path all under the supervision of field leaders.
What makes Psychology at CSU different?
The Psychology degree at CSU is a Bachelor of Science, and it’s housed within the College of Natural Sciences, alongside other scientific disciplines that focus on writing, research and applied experiences. This allows you to concentrate more on psychology as a natural science rather than a liberal art, and is beneficial both for students interested in pursuing a graduate degree and those who plan to go into the field directly after graduation.
Are there ways to customize the Psychology major?
There are five concentrations within the CSU Psychology major that will allow you to both explore Psych on a broad level, and then choose a specialty area where you can focus more deeply: Addictions Counseling, Industrial/Organizational Psych, Clinical/Counseling Psych, Mind, Brain and Behavior, and General Psychology.
Careers in Psychology
Counseling, research, and teaching are all great career paths for Psych majors. Additionally, many Psych majors have skill sets tailored toward the human resources. Psych grads can also work closely with engineers and designers to ensure that their designs are logical and ergonomic, guaranteeing ease of use. Some CSU grads have gone onto become:
- Addictions counselors
- Human resources professionals
- Benefits and compensation administrators
- Market researchers
- Neuropsychologists
- Probation officers
- Mental health services workers
- Clinical psychologists
- Family therapists
Meet Audrey, a CSU Psychology major
Audrey
Psychology major with a concentration in Mind, Brain, and Behavior
What’s your favorite thing about Psychology?
Of course, I love my studies and getting to nerd out on the brain (I just think neuropsychology is the coolest thing!). But honestly, my favorite thing is the people. The program is full of incredible students and faculty who are passionate about finding ways to help other people in a wide variety of ways – it’s such an inspiring, warm place to be.
What led you to this major?
My AP Psychology class in high school! That was the first class where I actually felt like I enjoyed the content, textbook, and classwork instead of just doing the work for a good grade. For a while, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. While both psychology and law can be incredible support to people, I realized I care so much about direct support for individuals rather than helping them navigate a difficult system. I also discovered a love for biology after taking LIFE 102 – it just clicked for me in a way it never did in high school, and CSU conveniently has a psychology concentration that aligns with that interest!
Do you have any advice for students interested in studying Psychology?
Spend time exploring the different concentrations and career paths! Psychology was so much wider than I ever thought. Take those cool electives, learn about all the little niches of study, and talk to your professors about their research! Also, check out the faculty section of the department website to explore what kinds of things professors here are currently conducting research on – and get involved with some!
What has been your favorite class so far in the major?
I really liked Psychology of the Individual in Context, but my favorite class so far was Cognitive Neuroscience. I think studying the processes behind how our brains think is fascinating!
Do you have plans after college?
I want to go to grad school and find ways to positively impact patient populations! Whether that is more applied clinical work or a heavier research focus, I know I will do something meaningful and fulfilling.
Sociology
What is Sociology?
Sociology offers students an important skill set to carefully think about the relationships, organizations, and institutions that are the building blocks of communities and societies. Being a sociology major means developing the critical thinking to think about, study, and analyze local and global social problems like crime and victimization, water pollution, or inequitable access to food — as well as develop and evaluate the policies and programs designed to solve them.
What makes Sociology at CSU different?
Sociology at CSU is a program where faculty are dedicated to both teaching and to research. Because of this, you have opportunities to learn in a supportive, innovative setting from instructors who are doing sociology right here, right now — both in the local community, and as far away as Mexico and Africa. The program also values providing you with opportunities outside of the classroom, which includes working on research projects directly with faculty, completing internships to explore career aspirations, and even studying and researching abroad. One popular trip takes students within the Criminology concentration to study with Criminology faculty in Prague.
CSU’s Sociology major also has one of the nation’s highest percentages of faculty working in the emerging area of Green Criminology, a branch of criminology that involves the study of harms and crimes against the environment broadly conceived, including the study of environmental law and policy, the study of corporate crimes against the environment, and environmental justice from a criminological perspective. This is just one example of how students can experience courses and projects that overlap and result in a unique, diverse training.
What are the concentrations within the Sociology major?
There are three concentrations within the CSU Sociology major, each offering a unique way for you to concentrate (see what we did there?) on a specific area within Sociology. You can specialize in General Sociology, Environmental Sociology, or Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Careers in Sociology
Many students first step onto their career path in sociology as case managers, in the justice system as police officers or as victim advocates, or doing research for government organizations or private companies. Students also often go onto graduate or law school. Sociology offers a combination of people skills, research training, and a mindset in critical thinking that allows students to be prepared to work in a variety of fields beyond the conventional, as well. CSU alumni have graduated into many roles, including:
- Human Relations professionals
- Program coordinators
- Policy analysts
- Operations directors
- Public administrators
- Labor relations specialists
- Politicians
- Criminologists
- Journalists
- Overseas advocates
- Lawyers
Meet Lavi, a CSU Sociology major
Lavi Payne-Grauch
Sociology major with a concentration in General Sociology
What’s your favorite thing about Sociology?
My favorite thing about the social work major is that it gives me the opportunity to create meaningful change in my community. The Social Work major is a versatile profession with opportunities at every level of practice. Whether your career
aspirations are to support individuals during challenging situations or advocating for
marginalized communities, the School of Social Work at Colorado State University is
the right place to hone in on your skills to facilitate your journey.
What led you to this major?
I started out at a community college, where I’d taken a Sociology course, but hadn’t done well and figured it wasn’t for me. Then I majored in theatre, and moved to illustration. I loved them, but neither had the career prospects I was hoping for. Once I got to CSU, I took another Sociology class with a professor who was particularly passionate about the subject, and I fell in love with it, too.
Do you have any advice for students interested in studying Sociology?
If you want to explore Sociology, Sociology 100 is a great introduction to the subject, and there’s something for everyone. You’ll start to look at classical sociology theory, as well as things like deviance. One example of deviance within a sociological context are things that go against the norms of society, such as facing the wrong way in an elevator. You’d be surprised at how that small, simple action can impact the elevator ride for people around you.
What has been your favorite class so far in the major?
I loved Comparative Sociology, a class I took during study abroad in Japan. It involves the comparison of the social processes across different types of society, like capitalist and socialist. My studies in Japan were centered around race issues and deviance in Japanese society.
Do you have plans after college?
I hope to go onto grad school and study gender and sexuality in the U.S. or on a global scale. I’d also like to examine how gender and sexuality affects perceptions within a rural society and look at gender through the rural viewpoint. Eventually, I’d like to teach sociology and pass on my interest and passion for it onto the next generation.
Social Work
What is Social Work?
Social Work is a dynamic-and-rewarding professional degree, dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals, groups, families, and communities. Social workers empower people to overcome challenges, advocate for social justice, connect individuals with critical resources, and create positive change at both the personal and societal levels. With career opportunities in healthcare, mental health, schools, government agencies, nonprofits, and private practice, social workers develop skills in counseling, crisis intervention, case management, leadership, advocacy, and policy development. Moreover, a degree in social work prepares graduates to make a meaningful difference while building a versatile and highly employable career. Social workers are all around us, doing valuable work in many settings with all kinds of people in need of support or services. This versatile degree prepares students with transferable skills that can launch rewarding careers in one field — or allow for transitions into other jobs and sectors later.
What makes the Social Work major at CSU different?
Social work students and faculty at CSU create a close-knit and supportive community rooted in their shared values for social justice, equity and equality, anti-oppression, and enhancing human health and well-being. You have many opportunities for hands-on learning in the field where you’ll see the benefits of your work early on in your education. CSU’s bachelor’s degree in Social Work has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1974, which sets rigorous standards and creates eligibility for students to apply to Advanced Standing Master of Social Work programs. Both students and faculty come to the School of Social Work ready to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, groups and communities. Students will be prepared for deeply rewarding careers as social work practitioners.
What are the concentrations within the Social Work major?
Students can further specialize their education by adding one or more concentrations: Addictions Counseling, International Social Work, and/or Holistic Care Social Work.
Careers in Social Work
The field of social work covers a wide variety of career options. Students in the School of Social Work can choose a career path based on personal values and interests, or they can go into research and graduate studies. Social workers earn salaries similarly to teachers, firefighters, and other helping professions — and some who join government, business, or healthcare fields earn even more. There are valuable jobs in this field that begin with a bachelor’s degree and even more jobs when students go on to get their master’s degree. Some careers CSU’s Social Work students have gone into include:
- Mental Health Therapist
- School Social Worker
- Healthcare Social Worker
- Behavioral Health Program Manager
- Community Outreach Director
- Nonprofit Executive Director
- Child Welfare Worker
- Policy Analyst
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Counselor
- Integrated Care Coordinator
- Clinical Supervisor
- Higher Education Support Professional
- Adolescent Group Home Counselor
- Crisis Response Specialist
- Geriatric Social Worker
- Community Outreach Coordinator
- Youth Program Counselor
- Probation Officer
- Adoption Worker
- Substance Use Counselor
- Domestic Violence Counselor
Meet Anthony, a CSU Social Work major
Anthony
Social Work major
What’s your favorite thing about Social Work?
My favorite thing about the social work major is that it gives me the opportunity to create meaningful change in my community. The social work major is a versatile profession with opportunities at every level of practice. Whether your career aspirations are to support individuals during challenging situations or advocating for marginalized communities, the School of Social Work at Colorado State University is the right place to hone in on your skills to facilitate your journey.
What led you to this major?
Overcoming adversity and achieving victories over significant personal battles inspired me to become a social worker. Those experiences gave me a deeper understanding of resilience and the importance of having support during difficult times. As a member of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) community, I understand many of the barriers that underserved populations face, and I hope to serve individuals who come from similar backgrounds with empathy and compassion.
Do you have any advice for students interested in studying Social Work?
Take advantage of every opportunity the School of Social Work has to offer. The faculty brings a great deal of real-world experience to the classroom. Many of the instructors operate private practices, and others have extensive backgrounds in macro social work and policy. Do not be afraid to ask questions or build relationships
with your instructors-they genuinely want to see students succeed and provide incredible support throughout the program.
What has been your favorite class so far in the major?
If I had to choose one, it would be Social Work in Costa Rica! This two-week study abroad opportunity includes conversational Spanish classes, excursions to the beach and Manual Antonio National Park, and visits with different social work agencies in
Grecia, Costa Rica. What made the experience special was the immersive nature of it. Living with a host family was the highlight of the trip and navigating another country gave me a greater appreciation for the challenges migrants often face when adjusting to life in the United States. It also reinforced how important cultural humility is in the social work profession.
Do you have plans after college?
I will complete my Bachelor of Social Work this spring and plan to move directly into graduate school. My long-term goal is to provide trauma and addiction interventions for active-duty service members. As an Army veteran, I have seen firsthand the impact that untreated trauma and substance use can have on service members and their families. I hope to use both my professional training and lived experience to improve the quality of life for those who are serving our country.
