1. Anthropology
Ah, anthropology. My first elective.
To distill it in one sentence: Anthropology is the study of human culture.
What is considered culture? That’s…kind of the whole debate. In anthropology, you study things like food across cultures, religion, healing, and medicine. Pretty much, you look at everything that makes humans unique.
Unlike psychology, anthropology is rooted in the practice of ethnography. Think field studies and interviews. Qualitative data, so to speak. You won’t be writing lab reports, but you will be writing essays on fun topics such as cannibalism across cultures…or how different cultures treat disease.
Why it’s great with psychology
Anthropology and psychology treat variation in human nature a little differently. Okay, a lot differently. Psychology is all about finding common patterns and trends in human nature. You study people to find patterns you can then generalise across a broader population.
Anthropology is all about embracing the idea that we can’t confine humans to patterns. It’s all about making the familiar unfamiliar, and in return, making the unfamiliar feel a little bit more familiar. Tongue twister, I know. But essentially, anthropology doesn’t ask you to generalise. It asks you to see each culture as unique, specific, and ever-changing.
- Ready to step outside your comfort zone
- Open-minded
- Highly curious
- Love hands-on/observational learning
2. Philosophy
Another one I’ve personally ticked off the list! Philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia, which means “love of wisdom.” In this subject, you’ll think deeply about an incredibly vast range of topics, from free will, ethics, art, logic…honestly, the list could go on for ages.
Unlike psychology, which asks questions and then designs studies to gather data, philosophy just asks you to think for the pure joy of thinking. And yes, sometimes it will drive you insane. Like, do we really need to debate whether potatoes have sentience right now?
Philosophy might feel pointless on the surface. But underneath all those rambling discussions and seemingly obscure lines of logic, it’s actually training you in a priceless skill: critical thinking. See, this subject forces you to think. And then think about your thinking. And then think some more about the logic behind that thought.
It’s great for training you to start prodding at your hidden biases and to develop strong reasoning skills.
Also, a lot of psychology evolved from philosophy! Mind-body dualism? Yep, that was Aristotle.
- Interested in ethical dilemmas and debating
- Ready to expand your worldview
- Confident in written expression
- Curious, curious, curious
3. Media & Comms
Media & communications is about how we convey information across multiple forms. It could include written, visual, or even audio production. Alongside developing skills in these areas, you’ll also learn about how the media influences society and humans.
This subject is a nice blend of practical and theoretical learning. There’s lots of opportunity to learn hands-on skills like film and audio production, but also a rich history and theoretical framework behind it.
Psychology isn’t just about diagnosing mental illnesses. It also includes communicating scientific findings to the public, creating campaigns, or it can even be applied in marketing!
If you’ve always wondered about a more creative way to apply your psych degree, this might be the elective for you.
- Creative
- Interested in the media and how it impacts human systems
- Maybe not fully sold on the clinical psychology path
4. Criminology
Love true crime?
Criminology is the study of the causes and consequences of crime through legal and social perspectives. In this subject, you’ll study the psychological and sociological factors that can lead to criminal behaviour, as well as the effects of crime on society and how to prevent it.
Did someone say forensic psychology? Yep, there’s a whole branch of psychology that is directly involved with the justice system.
Why do people commit crime? How can we rehabilitate criminals? How do we prevent reoffenders? You best believe there are so many psychological factors that need to be taken into account in all of these questions.
- Interested in forensic psychology or the legal system
- Interested in real-world applications of psychology (not just theory)
- Drawn to topics like justice, punishment, and rehabilitation
- Fascinated by true crime, but want to understand it deeper
5. Business / Marketing
In this subject, you will learn about all the core skills needed to run a business. This could be marketing, finance, accounting, or even leadership. Think stuff like: how do I build a brand that actually lasts? How can I create a team culture as a leader that performs ethically and efficiently?
Surprisingly, a lot of psych students actually do end up in marketing roles. It might not be for everyone, but there’s a lot of psychology behind getting a brand to stick in a consumer’s mind.
Also, leadership? Lots of overlap with organisational psychology. Business is kind of like the more practical application of the psychology theory you learn.
- Entrepreneurial
- Considering organisational psychology
- Looking to learn a different skill set
- Love teamwork
6. Creative Writing / English
If you love writing and reading, this is the subject for you. In an English minor, you’ll be looking at the classics and contemporaries of literature. You might also do film studies or even write a substantial piece of fiction yourself!
I really enjoyed all the creative writing electives I did because it was a nice respite from my science-heavy psych subjects. Also, it’s really great to practice your writing and critical thinking skills. Even the act of practicing writing regularly can make a huge difference when it comes to getting into the flow of writing assignments across any degree.
I’ve already talked about the writing and critical thinking aspect. But honestly? If you love writing, it’s a lot of fun. It trains you to think deeply, reflect, and refine your craft, all of which are valuable for psychology.
- Excited at the thought of reading (there can be a lot of reading…)
- Looking for a creative outlet to supplement your psych degree
- Ready to do lots of writing
Final Thoughts
Well, there you go! Hopefully you’ve got more ideas about minors or electives to choose. There’s lots more I could have added, but I think that’s the beauty of a psychology degree. You can find intersections and links in pretty much every field.
If it involves humans in some way, then you can apply psych concepts to it.
Happy choosing!
