Which Universities Offer Behavioral Science Degrees?
Learn how to choose a school with a good behavioral science program. Read about three schools with top programs, based on their national rankings, and find out what kinds of behavioral science degrees each school offers.
<h2 id="section---WhatAreCharacteristicsOfTopBehavioralScienceSchools">What Are Characteristics of Top Behavioral Science Schools?</h2>
<p>Behavioral science is a broad major in which you can choose to focus on applications in a specific field, such as biology, education and medicine. If you are interested in a particular area, you'll want to make sure a school offers it before applying. You should look for schools with faculty and alumni known for their research and discoveries in human behavior. They may have received honors in psychology, science and medicine, such as the Nobel Prize and National Medal of Science. Top schools may also have dedicated research centers that allow you to work to participate in seminars and collaborate with faculty in projects and advanced laboratory studies in behavioral decision research and psychology.
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<p>You should also check if your school offers lab opportunities to both undergraduates and graduates, as well as if there are any scholarships, assistantships or grants available. If you're in a bachelor's program and plan to pursue a graduate degree, find out if your program provides a sufficient background for graduate study in your field, such as neuroscience, psychology, social work or healthcare.
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<h2 id="section---ThreeTopBehavioralScienceColleges">Three Top Behavioral Science Colleges</h2>
<h3 id="section---CarnegieMellonUniversityInPittsburghPA">Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA</h3>
<p>Carnegie Mellon University was ranked as number 34 in best value schools by <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> in 2019. Some professors have been mentioned in the news for their research and have received awards for their teaching. The undergraduate program is research-based and teaches you how humans make decisions and how to predict their decisions. Your degree options include:
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<ul><li>Bachelor of Science in Decision Science
</li><li>Ph.D. in Social and Decision Sciences
</li></ul><h3 id="section---ColumbiaUniversityInNewYorkNY">Columbia University in New York, NY</h3>
<p>Named in 2019 as the number three national university by <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>, Columbia University offers behavioral science degrees in its education and psychology departments. The psychology department has faculty members in the Society for Experimental Psychology, the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. While the undergraduate program focuses on how the nervous system affects human behavior in general, the graduate program focuses on how to apply this knowledge to educational practices. You'll get opportunities in both programs to work with faculty in labs and participate in advanced seminars. You can study:
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<ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Behavior
</li><li>Master of Science in Neuroscience and Education
</li></ul><h3 id="section---JohnsHopkinsUniversityInBaltimoreMD">Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD</h3>
<p>Ranked by <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> as the number 10 national university in 2019, Johns Hopkins University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in behavioral science. Its faculty members have won Nobel Prizes in the fields of medicine and physiology, as well as awards from the National Academy of Science. Undergraduates study both the biological and psychological aspects that affect human behavior, and graduate students apply social science and behavioral science to solve public health problems. The programs offered include:
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<ul><li>Doctor of Philosophy in Social and Behavioral Sciences
</li><li>Doctor of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences
</li></ul><h2 id="section---TenSchoolsWithBehavioralScienceDegreePrograms">Ten Schools with Behavioral Science Degree Programs</h2>
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<table border="1"><tr><th>College/University</th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Graduate In-State Tuition*</th></tr>
<tr><td>York College</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>York, PA</td><td>$14,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rochester College</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Rochester Hills, MI</td><td>$12,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Columbia College</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Columbia, SC</td><td>$9,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Andrews University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Berrien Springs, MI</td><td>$27,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Point Park University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Pittsburgh, PA</td><td>$17,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>University of Kansas</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Lawrence, KS</td><td>$11,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>San Jose State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>San Jose, CA</td><td>$9,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Granite State College</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Concord, NH</td><td>$9,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>California State University-Dominguez Hills</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Carson, CA</td><td>$8,000</td></tr>
<tr><td>Purdue Global-Northwest</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Hammond, IN</td><td>$6,000</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>