Psychology is an excellent area of study for those who want to understand human behavior on a deep level and use their expertise to help others. 

With certain career paths, like social work and human resources, you can put your knowledge and passion to work after just a bachelor’s degree. For other careers, like a counselor or clinical psychologist, your bachelor’s degree will provide the foundation on which further studies will build. 

Whatever path you’re considering, you can find a quality college in Maine for psychology. In fact, there are quite a few colleges and universities that can prepare you for a successful career in this field.

In this article, we’ll start with some questions to explore as you consider which psychology program is best for you. Then we’ll provide a list of programs in the state so you can find out more about the ones that interest you.

What to consider when selecting a college in Maine for psychology

Every college in Maine for psychology has unique strengths, weaknesses, and features. Rather than asking which is the best program, it makes more sense to look for the program that is best for you. 

How can you decide? Here are four key questions to ask.

What is the curriculum? There will be some similarities in what you study between every program. For instance, you will almost certainly have courses in developmental psychology and research methods wherever you go.

• But programs will differ in their focus and the kinds of advanced courses they offer. Some programs are more research-oriented, for instance, while others take a more applied approach. Some will let you concentrate on a particular area of psychology.

• The key thing to ask yourself is this: does the curriculum for a specific program match your interests and support your career goals? If not, it probably isn’t a good fit.

What opportunities are offered outside the classroom? Some of your most important learning experiences happen when you get a chance to apply what you are learning in your textbooks in the real world. 

• Two kinds of opportunities are common: internships and participation in research. As with the first question, you’ll want to pay particular attention to the way these opportunities help build skills and experience that are relevant to your desired career path.

What is the average class size? Smaller classes are helpful because they give you greater access to professors. This means more opportunities to ask your questions and develop relationships that help you both personally and professionally. 

What is it going to cost? A great program that leaves you with a lot of debt after graduation may not be the best choice for you.

• Figuring out what a program will actually cost you isn’t very straightforward, however. We don’t list the tuition costs below because this “sticker price” can be misleading. The important number is your net cost, after accounting for financial assistance, like need-based aid or scholarships. 

There are plenty of other questions worth asking, but these should certainly be on your list. 

Note that you may not be able to answer every question just by looking at a program’s website. Don’t hesitate to contact someone from the school to get the answers you need. After all, earning your degree represents a big investment of both time and money. Take the time and effort to gather all the information required to make a smart choice.

Colleges in Maine for Psychology

Our focus in this list is on schools that offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology, though we will also note the programs that offer advanced degrees. If you are interested in an associate degree in psychology, have a look at the programs offered by Central Maine Community College or Kennebec Valley Community College.

Bates College

• Location: Lewiston

• Degree offered: BA

• Description: Bates is a small liberal arts college offering a general psychology degree that aims to provide breadth and well as depth through focused upper-level coursework.

Bowdoin College

• Location: Brunswick

• Degree offered: BA

• Description: Another small, liberal arts college, Bowdoin’s program overview describes the curriculum as broad with an emphasis on a scientific approach to psychology.

Colby College

• Location: Waterville

• Degree offered: BA

• Description: Similar in size to Bates and Bowdoin, Colby offers a standard psychology major along with a major focused on neuroscience and one specializing in computational psychology. They have several research labs where faculty and students can collaborate on projects.

Husson University

• Location: Bangor

• Degree offered: BS

• Description: In addition to a general psychology program, Husson has created a specific track to prepare graduates for the Maine State Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community certification (MHRT/C). They also offer a 5-year dual degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology.

Thomas College

• Location: Waterville

• Degree offered: BA

• Description: Their program has a practical and career-focused approach, emphasizing learning by doing through internships and research. In addition to their standard major, students can also elect to concentrate on Forensic Psychology or Mental Health. An accelerated 3-year option lets students save significant time—and then elect to complete a one-year master’s degree in a separate field, earning two degrees in four years.

University of Maine

• Location: Orono

• Degrees offered: BA, MA, PhD

• Description: Their program emphasizes scientific reasoning skills and allows students to select a concentration in Abnormal/Social, Developmental, or Biological/Cognitive psychology. A senior capstone experience allows students to work on a project in their chosen area of interest.

University of New England

• Location: Biddeford

• Degree offered: BA

• Description: Their program tries to combine hands-on instruction and opportunities to participate in research to prepare graduates with practical skills. Possible concentrations include Business, Education, General Psychology, and Mental Health. An honors program gives eligible students scope for independent work under faculty guidance.

University of Southern Maine

• Location: Portland

• Degrees offered: BA, MS, PsyD 

• Description: This general psychology program includes opportunities to gain hands-on experience through collaboration with faculty in their research. Students can also participate in the school-wide Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program for a chance to receive funding to undertake their own research projects.

Let’s Connect

We’re excited that you are considering a career in psychology. We hope this article has given you some resources to move forward with deciding where you might like to build your skills, passion, and experience.

As you gather information, we’d love to share with you a bit more about what makes Thomas College a unique place to study psychology and answer any questions you might have. Interested? Fill out a quick form and we’ll be in touch.