It is unlikely that all of Northwestern's psychology faculty would completely agree on any definition of psychology. However, all would agree that central to any definition is the view of psychology as a science. There is ample recognition of the place of psychology in clinical, medical, business, and other applied settings. However, undergraduates at Northwestern are encouraged to regard psychology as an enterprise of discovery and understanding, and not simply as pre-professional training.
Psychology is also a valuable major for students interested in careers in management and business.
The ability to consider human behavior from many perspectives and to think critically about its causes and consequences is also very important for students considering social service careers such as social work and teaching. The curriculum in psychology is designed to give each psychology major, and to a lesser degree each minor, a basic appreciation of the concepts and findings of psychology. It provides an understanding of the research techniques used by psychologists and some research experience both as subject and as experimenter. A selection of advanced courses provides both breadth and some degree of depth within the field. The undergraduate program begins with a 100-level course introducing students to the field of psychology.