In this new millennium, psychology is gaining more significance than ever before as a basic study for the understanding of the human mind. It is also urgent that psychology be developed further as a field, in order to address the problems related to the human mind in the society of the future. The field of psychology is contributing to the identification and resolution of numerous social problems, which in turn is helping the development of local communities. People always want to know the reasons for their own behavior or the behavior of others, and assume that behaviors may be attributed to unknown psychological processes. Psychology aims to find answers to these questions in a scientific manner.

The Department of Psychology at Pusan National University opened its first undergraduate program in 1978. The Master’s and Ph.D. programs were established in 1985 and 1989, respectively. The curriculum consists of two basic courses (Psychology of Personality and Social Psychology, and Cognitive and Developmental Psychology) and two applied courses (Clinical Psychology, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology). In 2000, the Institute of Psychological Science was established.

As psychological experiments aim to investigate the human mind, the department operates Cognitive, Emotional, Developmental, Social, and Industrial Psychology Laboratories, an Engineering Psychology Laboratory, and a Psychological Testing Laboratory. These labs are equipped with PCs, multi-channel physiology measurement devices, tachistoscopes, driving simulators, and navigation devices.


Courses offered by the department include required and elective courses. Required courses include Psychology (I, II), Basic Research, and Research Techniques in Psychology, while the elective courses include more than 20 options. Students who intend to work in the private sector after graduation are recommended to take courses to identify the behaviors, recognition, and interests of people, such as Attitude Measurement and Psychometrics. Students who wish to continue to the graduate program are recommended to gain basic psychological knowledge through courses such as Psychology of Learning, Psychology of Personality, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Child Psychology, and Psychology of Motivation. Students who wish to practice clinical psychology to help people with mental problems are recommended to continue to our graduate program, and to take courses such as Abnormal Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Practice, and Counseling Theory and Practice during their undergraduate years. The department also offers applied courses such as Engineering Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Environmental Psychology, and Human Relationships