The three-year BA Psychology degree covers an extensive syllabus related to the functioning of the human mind and behaviour. The core topics for the course include personality analysis through empirical theories, non-appraisal test techniques, the endocrine system, the nature of psychological research, cognitive development, and more. Other BA Psychology subjects are Social Psychology, Child Psychology, Biopsychology, Theories of Counselling, etc. Through theoretical and pragmatic approaches, BA Psychology candidates can advance in their careers.
BA in Psychology syllabus is of three-year that covers a variety of topics, such as health, personality, human development, human behavior, and cognitive functions. The major focus of the BA Psychology course is the functioning of the human mind and behavior.
Here are some core subjects in a BA in Psychology syllabus:
Other BA in Psychology subjects include:
BA in Psychology is a three-year programme that is divided into six semesters and covers a wide range of subjects, including Personality, Development, Human Behaviour, and Cognitive Processes. The course's main emphasis is on how the human mind and behaviour function. Application-based courses in BA Psychology prepare students for entry-level positions in pertinent fields. Psychology is the branch of science that studies behaviour and thought. Following completion of 10+2 from a recognised board, one may pursue a degree in this field. Graduates in this course have a wide range of job opportunities in the healthcare industry.
BA in Psychology syllabus includes both pragmatic and theoretical approaches to the subject. The goal of developing an appropriate course syllabus is to create and prepare excellent professionals in the fields of clinical, behavioural, child, and social psychology. Among the BA in Psychology, subjects are Child Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Psychological Disorders, etc. The BA in Psychology syllabus consists of a mix of core and elective subjects. The programme focuses on various aspects of Psychology, such as mental processes, reactions, motives, conflict resolution, feelings, groupthink, crisis management, motivation, and the nature of the mind.
Scroll down to find out everything you need to know about BA in Psychology subjects and the syllabus.
The following are some important course details for the BA Psychology course:
Particulars | Details |
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Course Name | BA Psychology |
Full-Form | Bachelor of Arts in Psychology |
Course Level | Undergraduate |
Duration of the course | 3 Years |
Eligibility | 10 + 2 from recognized board with 50% |
Course Fee | INR 20k - INR 2 LPA |
BA Psychology Admission Process | Merit List Entrance Exam |
Job Profile | Psychiatric Assistant, Clinical Psychologist, Child Psychologist, Career Counsellor, Human Resources Assistant, Social Psychologist, etc. |
Top Recruiters | Vcare Counseling Centre, Veda Rehab and Wellness Private Limited, The Mind Clinic, Mind Care Centre for Counselling, Institute Of Psychiatry, Over a Cup of Tea - Psychological Wellness Centre, Central Institute of Psychiatry, etc. |
Average Salary | INR 2-5 LPA |
Also Read: BA Psychology vs Applied Psychology
BA in Psychology syllabus deals with the study of numerous branches of this field including Counselling Psychology, Social Psychology, Child Psychology, HRM, etc. It provides exposure to terminology, concepts, theories, and principles covered in the field of Psychology. Captured below is a quick overview of year-wise BA in Psychology subjects.
The following table outlines the semester-wise BA in Psychology subjects for 1st year:
Semester I | Semester II |
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Determinants of Attention | Heredity and Environment |
Physiological Effects of Correlation | Child Development |
Sensory Process and Perception | Memory and forgetting |
Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Developmental Psychology |
Gestalt Theory of Perception | Intelligence |
Endocrine Glands | Relation of Psychology with Education |
The following table highlights the semester-wise BA in Psychology subjects for 2nd year:
Semester III | Semester IV |
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Introduction to Industrial Psychology | Work and Environment |
Social Interaction | Assessment of Intelligence |
Practical | Attention Span |
Measures of Central Tendency | Elective |
Social Psychology | Determinants of Abnormal behaviour |
Public Opinion and Propaganda | Frequency Distribution |
The following table outlines the semester-wise BA in Psychology subjects for 3rd year:
Semester V | Semester VI |
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Special Areas of Counselling | Developmental Psychology |
Methods of Counselling | Diversity and Multiculturalism |
Self in Psychoanalysis | Non-Test Appraisal Techniques |
Guidance and Counselling | Elective |
Aptitude and Personality Tests | Psychological Tests |
BA in Psychology syllabus is designed in a way that it offers a complete understanding of the biological structure of the human mind, its functions & behaviours, and cognitive-based psychology. Provided below are a few BA in Psychology subjects that students will study while pursuing the course. Aspirants must note that the subjects are not the same in all colleges offering this course.
Adolescence and Developmental Concerns | Cognitive Development |
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Abnormal Psychology | Emergence and Growth of Psychology |
Attention and Perception | Abnormal Psychology |
Child and Adolescent Development | Social Psychology |
Counselling Psychology | Psychology of Health and Well-Being |
Endocrine System | Statistical Methods for Psychological Research |
Human Resource Management | Industrial and Organisational Psychology |
Non-Appraisal Test Techniques | Community Psychology |
Personality Analysis through Empirical Theories | Nature of Psychological Research |
Physiological Psychology | Psychological Research |
This course may additionally cover the below-mentioned subjects in addition to the above mentioned ones:
BA in Psychology has multiple core and elective subjects spread over six semesters. However, a few common BA in Psychology subjects are a part of the curriculum for all semesters. Check out the list of subjects for BA in Psychology that are often common for all semesters below:
Common BA in Psychology Subjects for All Semester | |
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Introduction To Psychology | Social Psychology |
Child Psychology | Introduction to Psychological Disorders |
Counselling Psychology | Theories of Counselling |
Environmental Science | Psychological Research |
Organizational Behaviour | Developmental Psychology and Psychological Thoughts |
Psychology of Individual Differences | Introduction to Counselling |
Research Methodology | Biopsychology |
Statistical Methods For Psychological Research | Behaviour and Modification Counselling |
Psychiatric Social Work | – |
Besides the core BA in Psychology subjects, colleges also offer several optional or elective subjects from which aspirants can select their desired discipline to study. Electives aim at building and polishing a specific skill set and offering knowledge about a specific subject area. BA in Psychology aspirants are offered various options from General Elective Courses, Ability Enhancement Elective Courses (AEEC), and Discipline-Specific Electives (DSE). Candidates may find the following BA in Psychology subjects as electives in their respective syllabi.
Here are a few General Elective Courses:
Inter-Group Relations | General Psychology |
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Youth, Gender and Identity | Psychology and Media |
Psychology at Work | Youth Psychology |
Check out the Ability Enhancement Elective Courses (AEEC) here:
Educational Psychology | Effective Decision Making |
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Selection and Training | Stress Management |
Psychological Skills in Organization | Emotional Intelligence |
Captured here are the Discipline-Specific Electives (DSE):
Community Psychology | Cultural and Indigenous Psychology |
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Psychology of Disability | Positive Psychology |
Psychology for Health and Well-Being | Psychology of Peace |
Health Psychology | Human Resource Management |
Candidates may pursue a BA in psychology not only in a regular way but also online, by correspondence, or through distance learning. They are given the option of time flexibility, while a distance program is less expensive than a conventional course. Additionally, they can complete the programme from any location in the world. The BA in Psychology syllabus for distance program is not significantly different from the regular course. It is offered to interested candidates by educational institutions like Bangalore University and IGNOU. The BA in Psychology subjects that may usually be covered in a distance course are discussed below.
The following table shows semester-wise 1st year BA in Psychology subjects for distance programs:
Semester I | Semester II |
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English Communication | Psychology of Individual Differences (Theory + Practical) |
Statistical Methods for Psychological Research - I (Practical + Theory) | Environmental Science |
GE - 1 | GE - 2 |
Introduction to Psychology (Practical & theory) | Biopsychology |
The following table shows semester-wise 2nd year BA in Psychology subjects for distance programs:
Semester III | Semester IV |
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Development of Psychological Thought (Practical & theory) | Understanding Psychological Disorders (Practical + Theory) |
Social Psychology (Practical & theory) | Applied Social Psychology (Practical + Theory) |
Development of Psychological Thought (Practical & theory) | Statistical Methods for Psychological Research – II (Practical + Theory) |
AEEC - 1 | AEEC – 2 |
GE - 3 | GE - 4 |
The following table shows semester-wise 3rd year BA in Psychology subjects for distance programs:
Semester V | Semester VI |
---|---|
Development Psychology (Practical + Theory) | Counselling Psychology (Practical + Theory) |
Understanding & dealing with Psychological Disorders (Practical + Theory) | Organizational Behaviour (Practical + Theory) |
DSE - 1 | DSE - 3 |
DSE - 2 | DSE - 4 |
Candidates are often accepted to BA in Psychology programmes based on their performance in the qualifying exam. Students with higher exam scores are chosen from a large pool of applicants. However, a few popular entrance exams, such as the Common University Entrance Test, or CUET, are also used to select deserving candidates in top Central, Public, Private, and Deemed Universities. The syllabus for the BA in Psychology entrance exam is provided below.
CUET UG | Conducted by NTA, CUET UG provides admission to several undergraduate courses offered by central, public & private and deemed universities. | CUET UG Syllabus |
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The topic-wise syllabus for the BA Psychology entrance exam is provided below.
Topics | Details |
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Unit I: Variations in Psychological Attributes | Individual variations in human behaviour; Evaluation of psychological traits; Intelligence: Variations among individuals; Theories of intelligence; Intelligence and culture; Special skills include creativity, emotional intelligence, and aptitude—both in terms of nature and measurement. |
Unit II: Self and Personality | Self-efficacy, self-control, and self-worth; culture and self; notion of personality; principal methods: behavioural, cultural, humanistic, psychodynamic, and type and trait; Three methods are used to assess personality: projective, behavioural analysis, and self-report. |
Unit III: Meeting Life Challenges | Stress's nature, forms, and sources; its effects on psychological health and functioning; how to cope with stress; and its promotion of overall wellbeing |
Unit IV: Psychological Disorders | Notions of abnormality and mental health conditions; Disorder classification, underlying factors of abnormal behaviour, Primary mental illnesses include anxiety, somatic, dissociative, mood, schizophrenic, developmental, and behavioural disorders associated with substance abuse. |
Unit V: Therapeutic Approaches | The nature and methodology of therapy: The therapeutic alliance therapies include biomedical, cognitive, behavioural, humanistic, and psychodynamic approaches; Alternative therapies include yoga, meditation, and mental health rehabilitation. |
Unit VI: Attitude and Social Cognition | Using attributions to explain social behaviour: forming impressions and providing an explanation for other people's actions; Social cognition; stereotypes and schemas; characteristics and elements of attitudes; formation and modification of attitudes; actions while in the company of others; pro-social actions; prejudice and unfair treatment; Techniques for dealing with discrimination. |
Unit VII: Social Influence and Group Processes | Cooperation and competition; conformity, obedience, and compliance; group structure and nature; Group types; social identity; group influence on individual behaviour; disputes between groups; Techniques for resolving conflicts. |
Unit VIII: Psychology and Life | Natural disasters, crowded conditions, noise pollution; encouraging environmentalist behaviour; Psychology and social issues include poverty and discrimination, violence, aggression, and peace; also, the effects of television on behaviour and health. |
Unit IX: Developing Psychological Skills | Skills related to observation, interviews, testing, counselling (empathy, authenticity, positive regard), and communication (listening). |
Candidates can also look at Top Colleges in Delhi University (DU) Based on NIRF Ranking 2024 here!
To gain in-depth knowledge about BA in Psychology subjects, candidates must choose the best reference books. Captured below are a few BA in Psychology important books that aspirants can buy and study to gather more information and details about the field of Psychology. Best books will not only build a strong foundation but will also help them understand everything about BA in Psychology subjects.
Name Book | Authors/ Publishers |
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A Degree in a Book: Psychology | Alan Porter |
Abnormal Psychology | Barlow and Durand |
Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments | Alex Boese |
Essential Enneagram | Price and Daniels |
Reaching Down the Rabbit Hole: Extraordinary Journeys into the Human Brain | Dr Allan Ropper and Brian David Burrell |
The APA Dictionary of Psychology | Gary Vandenbos |
The Happiness Hypothesis | Jonathan Haid |
The Little Book of Psychology | Emily Ralls and Caroline Riggs |
The Private Life of the Brain | Susan Greenfield |
The Psychology Book | Catherine Colin |
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry | Jon Ronson Jon Ronson |
BA in Psychology course structure is designed in an elective and core subject pattern. It is designed to provide an overall understanding of various psychological ideas, theories, and concepts while keeping industrial relevance in mind. Students enrolled in the programme can choose electives based on their areas of interest. The following is a quick overview of the BA in Psychology course structure:
With an eye on industrial usefulness, the course is structured to offer an in-depth comprehension of the major psychological principles. The course structure for a BA in Psychology includes the following:
The 3rd year BA in Psychology subjects is divided into semesters V & VI. The fifth semester includes subjects such as Guidance and Counselling, Aptitude and Personality Tests, Self in Psychoanalysis, etc. On the other hand, the sixth semester includes subjects like Non-Test Appraisal Techniques, Diversity and Multiculturalism, Developmental Psychology, and more.
The 2nd year BA in Psychology subjects is divided into semesters III & IV. The third semester includes subjects such as Public Opinion and Propaganda, Social Interaction, Social Psychology, etc. On the other hand, the fourth semester includes subjects like Frequency Distribution, Assessment of Intelligence, Determinants of Abnormal Behaviour, and so on.
The 1st year BA in Psychology subjects is divided into semesters I & II. The first semester includes subjects such as Gestalt Theory of Perception, Endocrine Glands, Sensory Process and Perception, etc. On the other hand, the second semester includes subjects like Child Development, Memory and Forgetting, Relation of Psychology with Education, and more.
The best project topics for a BA in Psychology include the following:
Both practical and theoretical methodologies and techniques are used to teach BA in Psychology subjects and syllabi. In addition to receiving instruction through lectures, candidates are exposed to a variety of methods that aid in understanding different facets of human behaviour. The following list enlists the same:
The BA in Psychology syllabus includes various aspects of Psychology and its related disciplines. It exposes candidates to a broad range of topics, including psychological disorders, social psychology, developmental psychology, child psychology, and counselling psychology.
The list of the core BA in Psychology subjects includes the following:
The list of BA in Psychology subjects for distance mode education includes Public Opinion and Propaganda, Heredity and Environment, Attention Span, Determinants of Abnormal Behaviour, Aptitude and Personality Tests, and more.
Colleges that offer the best BA in Psychology course curriculum are GITAM University, IPER Bhopal, Lucknow University, MIT-WPU, Mount Carmel College, Parul University, Renaissance University, Sharda University, Shobhit University, SNDT Women's University, USTM, Uttaranchal University, and so on.
Some common BA in Psychology subjects in all semesters are Introduction to Psychology, Environmental Science, Psychology of Individual Differences, Social Psychology, Theories of Counselling, Biopsychology, Research Methodology, Developmental Psychology, Introduction to Counselling and Child Psychology to name a few.
The BA in Psychology syllabus for distance education is not very different from the traditional course. It has subjects like Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Environmental Science, Psychology of Individual Differences, Statistical Methods for Psychological Research, and Biopsychology among others.
Apart from the regular academic books, candidates can study BA in Psychology books such as Psychology by author Catherine Colin, the APA Dictionary of Psychology by author Gary Vandenbos, and A Degree in a Book: Psychology by author Alan Porter, and more.
BA in Psychology is a 3-year long course and has a total of 6 semesters. During the course duration, it focuses on various aspects of Psychology, such as mental processes, reactions, motives, conflict resolution, feelings, groupthink, crisis management, motivation, and the nature of the mind.
Some of the top electives available in BA in Psychology are Community Psychology, Psychology and Media, Youth Psychology, Psychological Skills in Organisation, Psychology at Work, Emotional Intelligence, etc.