Social and behavioral sciences

This program provides context for understanding human behavior and achieving peak performance in domains, such as sport, exercise and competition. You’ll develop practical skills for enhancing performance and well-being in yourself and others, whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent or simply interested in the intersection between psychology and sport.

In your courses, you’ll learn about a variety of topics in psychology from the lens of sport and counseling performance, including:

• Anxiety and stress management.
• Counseling theories and techniques.
• Foundations in sport psychology.
• Human development across the lifespan.
• Motivation and confidence in athletes.
• Multicultural research, theory and practice.
• Performance enhancement.
• Psychological factors of injury and rehabilitation.
• Team dynamics.

What fields can I go into after graduating from this program?

The knowledge you’ll gain in this sport and performance counseling degree concentration applies to fields in sport and beyond. The military, health and wellness, K-12 coaching, performance arts and emergency services are examples of industries that require mental preparation and resilience for success.

Additionally, the psychological dynamics at play in sport are also relevant to wellness within organizations and the workplace. From increasing motivation to perform at optimal levels to reducing stress in high-pressure situations, you can apply sport counseling techniques to roles in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Can I become a sport psychologist with this degree?

No. This degree doesn’t lead directly to a career as a sport psychologist or any profession that requires graduate education and professional licensure to practice. However, as a graduate, you’ll be equipped for advanced studies in a variety of areas, such as sport psychology, kinesiology, athletics and physical therapy.

As a science-based branch of psychology, positive psychology emphasizes the strengths that help individuals and communities thrive. This program covers theories, research and applied interventions designed to support mental wellness, resilience and optimal functioning across diverse environments, such as families, workplaces and communities.

By exploring the science behind widely adopted practices, you’ll learn how to reduce stress, increase life satisfaction and build empathy. Areas of study include:

• Forgiveness interventions fostering perspective and emotional regulation
• Gratitude practices supporting positive thinking and self-awareness
• Mindfulness activities improving attention and emotional resilience

This program prioritizes research literacy and interdisciplinary thinking. You’ll engage with data, evaluate popular psychology claims and examine how positive psychology connects with broader movements to reduce inequity and promote well-being at scale.

As a positive psychology major, you’ll scaffold your coursework to real-world applications through ASU initiatives like the Resilience in Social Environments (RISE) project, the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience and the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation. You may also be selected to participate in research with faculty.

If you plan to become a licensed therapist or psychologist, this program can be your starting point. Most roles in clinical psychology require a master’s degree or a PhD, as well as licensure in the state where you plan to practice and potentially other relevant certifications.

The differences between a BS and BA in positive psychology

While both the BS and BA programs lead to similar career paths and prepare you for graduate study, each offering has a distinct academic focus:

The Bachelor of Science in psychology with a concentration in positive psychology:

• Centers on data and quantitative research methods
• Develops skills in statistical analysis and scientific reasoning
• Prepares you to work in research or clinical settings

The Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a concentration in positive psychology:

• Emphasizes applied learning in real-world settings
  Focuses on interpersonal and communication skills
  Prepares you for careers in business, community programs or social services

You can also pursue this program as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. If accepted, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a master’s degree — such as the online Master of Science in psychology with a concentration in positive psychology — in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree, saving time and tuition.

The growing field of positive psychology centers around enhancing quality of life through proven, research-based approaches. This program introduces strategies developed to support emotional well-being, strong relationships, healthy work environments and more.

You’ll learn how to apply and assess these interventions across family, community and organizational settings. Core areas of study include:

• Coping and creativity
• Gratitude and mindfulness
• Hope and optimism
• Joy and love
• Resilience

As a positive psychology major, you’ll scaffold your coursework to real-world applications through ASU initiatives like the Resilience in Social Environments (RISE) project, the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience and the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation. You may also be selected to participate in research with faculty.

If you plan to become a licensed therapist or psychologist, this program can be your starting point. Most roles in clinical psychology require a master’s degree or a PhD, as well as licensure in the state where you plan to practice and potentially other relevant certifications.

The differences between the BA and BS in positive psychology

While both the BA and BS programs lead to similar career paths and prepare you for graduate study, each offering has a distinct academic focus:

The Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a concentration in positive psychology:

• Emphasizes applied learning in real-world settings
• Focuses on interpersonal and communication skills
• Prepares you for careers in business, community programs or social services

The Bachelor of Science in psychology with a concentration in positive psychology:

• Centers on data and quantitative research methods
• Develops skills in statistical analysis and scientific reasoning
• Prepares you to work in research or clinical settings

You can also pursue this program as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. If accepted, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a master’s degree — such as the online Master of Science in psychology – positive psychology — in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree, saving time and tuition.

Global health studies encompasses the sociocultural and evolutionary roots of disease and its effects on the world’s population. Beyond medical treatment, global health studies focuses on creating effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate approaches to prevent, assess and mitigate disease.

In this program, you’ll use analytical measures to formulate research questions and examine drivers of health inequities. You’ll also consider the contexts that influence morbidity and disease trends, including ecological, political, cultural, institutional, historical, evolutionary, social and technological factors.

What’s the difference between a BA and BS in global health?

In our Bachelor of Arts in global health and Bachelor of Science programs, you’ll gain an understanding of the global burden of disease and the social and environmental determinants of health. When you choose the BA program, you also learn about building community partnerships to tackle health challenges.

This BS in global health is unique because you’ll focus on developing quantitative abilities, preparing you for research and scientific contribution to preventing disease. Upon graduation, your quantitative toolkit will consist of a variety of skills, such as:

• Applying public health sciences, such as biostatistics, epidemiology and environmental public health in a global context.
• Calculating and interpreting measures of disease frequency, effect and public health impact.
• Differentiating between causation and association.
• Explaining the advantages and limitations of observational research in epidemiology.
• Identifying observational and experimental study designs in scientific literature.
• Managing, evaluating and interpreting large amounts of data.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

You’re an ideal candidate for this program if you’re motivated to address health inequities and engage in international collaboration. You should also be interested in health beyond the physical aspects of disease. In this program, you’ll focus on a scientific approach to solving global health issues, while keeping sight of social, cultural and evolutionary perspectives.

This program is suitable if you want to pursue health-related roles in settings such as departments of health, federal government agencies, international agencies, nonprofits or private organizations. Upon graduation, you’ll also be prepared to pursue graduate studies, which can lead to health careers in education and research.

Additionally, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. Applicable master's degrees with this opportunity include the Master of Science in global health.

The Bachelor of Arts in disability studies teaches you to better understand and advocate for individuals living with disabilities. Rather than focusing on disability as a functional impairment, this program emphasizes how society defines and interacts with it. You’ll explore ways to promote inclusive workplace practices and expand opportunities for people with disabilities through a social, legal and cultural lens.

This degree is well-suited for those aiming to build skills in research, advocacy and policy making. Graduates often pursue careers as attorneys, compliance officers, disability service directors, educators, human resource managers, nonprofit leaders or policymakers. If you're already working in the medical field and looking to help confront the marginalization of those living with a disability, this program can strengthen your impact.

What you’ll learn in this program

If you have a passion for advocacy, this disability studies major prepares you to make a meaningful impact by examining disability through multifaceted perspectives. With this interdisciplinary approach, you’ll explore the systemic marginalization of those with disabilities. You’ll build a versatile skill set that includes collaboration, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, effective communication and the ability to influence policy.

Applied psychological science connects theory to hands-on counseling practice. In this substance abuse and addictions degree concentration, you'll focus on learning how to counsel clients experiencing forms of addiction.

As an ideal candidate, you’ll be interested in learning a combination of psychological theory and practice related to addiction. This concentration is an especially good fit if you have an associate degree in psychology and are looking to focus your upper-division studies on substance abuse and addiction counseling.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

In this program, you’ll acquire skills in screening, assessing, diagnosing, and developing treatment plans for patients afflicted with substance abuse or related addictions. Upon graduation, you’ll be equipped with a range of skills that can apply to many career paths in behavioral health, including:

• Applying counseling theory to practice.
• Counseling microskills.
• Cultural sensitivity.
• Foundational knowledge of substance abuse and addiction patterns.
• Research methods.
• Understanding group dynamics relevant to substance use and addictions.

Does this lead to substance abuse counseling licensure?

Although earning a bachelor’s degree is the first step towards licensure, this degree won’t qualify you to become a licensed professional counselor. However, this program provides preparation for the master’s degree that leads to the licensed professional counselor credential.

Additionally, the coursework in this program meets the requirements for the Licensed Addiction Counselor Technician (LACT) credential in Arizona. Note: Licensure requirements differ in every state, so it’s important to determine your career goals and the educational requirements needed to achieve them.

State authorization:
We strongly recommend you visit our state authorization page to learn how ASU is authorized to operate in your state, policies for out-of-state students and program exceptions.