Psychological and Brain Sciences | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa

Breaking barriers in psychological science

Study the science behind behavior and cognition, learning and memory, and personality and emotion. Develop research skills and prepare for success in any walk of life.

Why Iowa?

Iowa has been at the forefront of psychological research and training for a century, and we still lead today. Our students learn about the field in the classroom and laboratory, and out in the community, developing skills that help them stand out among their peers.

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Undergraduate Programs

Explore emerging discoveries in psychology and neuroscience. Learn the keys to working effectively with people in any career.

Undergraduate Programs

Graduate Programs

Our research-focused PhD program is led by faculty mentors who are shaping their disciplines. Prepare for your career in a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive environment.

Graduate Programs

Professor explaining something to students

Faculty

Our faculty are leaders and innovators in their fields. They collaborate across the university and beyond, expanding scientific and educational frontiers and attracting substantial research support and scholarly recognition.

Faculty

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Faculty Job Opportunities

Profiles and Research

The department's commitment to research excellence is matched by a commitment to providing outstanding research and professional training for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs.

Read Cheol's story

Research in the News

Professor Mark Blumberg's research exploring the developmental significance of REM sleep is the focus of an article in The New Yorker.

Paras Bassuk named UI’s 23rd Rhodes Scholar

The University of Iowa is uniquely known for being a place where art meets science, where students are encouraged to explore and innovate across these disciplines. Paras Bassuk, UI’s newest Rhodes Scholar, personifies exactly what that means — and more.

Self Driving Cars & Crosswalks

NSF News Video

With an estimated 3.5 million self-driving vehicles expected on America’s roads by next year, University of Iowa researchers are investigating how to make crossing the road safe, especially for children.

CLAS PBS professor receives NIH grant to research how to improve lifeguard training using virtual reality

Cathleen Moore, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, will use the funds from the National Institutes of Health to develop techniques to make pools safer.

CLAS psychology professor awarded two NIH grants totaling $7.3 million

Professor Bruce Bartholow, who joined the University of Iowa over the summer, has two upcoming research projects funded by significant grants from the National Institutes of Health.

News and Announcements

Voss and Wessel selected for National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leaders Forum

Monday, March 24, 2025

The Emerging Leaders Forum is an invitation-only event that gathers exceptional early- and mid-career professionals who show remarkable promise, achievement, and leadership in biomedical science, health care, health policy, and related fields.

PBS faculty member named 2025 Hubbard-Walder honoree

Monday, March 17, 2025

Julie Gros-Louis, associate professor of instruction in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, was selected by the Council on Teaching to receive the 2025 Hubbard-Walder Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Vecera receives Lola Lopes Award

Thursday, March 6, 2025

The 2025 Lola Lopes Award for Undergraduate Student Advocacy has been awarded to Shaun Vecera, director of the University of Iowa Honors Program and professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.

Upcoming Events

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Guest Speaker and Alumna, Jessica R. Thomas, PhD

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 4:00pm

General Hospital

Psychological and Brain Sciences, Spiker Memorial Lecture: Seth Pollak, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thursday, April 17, 2025 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Psychological and Brain Sciences Building

Psychological and Brain Sciences Spiker Memorial LectureSeth Pollak, Vaughan Bascom Distinguished Professor and Developmental Area Group Chair, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonWhat Is It About Early Emotional Experiences that Configures Children's Learning? (What Matters Most Might Not Be Obvious)Abstract: Discovering the processes through which early life experiences affect children’s development is critically important for developing prevention and interventions for...

Psychological and Brain Sciences, Spiker Memorial Lecture: Jenny Saffran, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Friday, April 18, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Psychological and Brain Sciences Building

Psychological and Brain Sciences Spiker Memorial LectureJenny Saffran, Rubenstein Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonLearning to Understand: Statistical Learning and LanguageAbstract: Infants rapidly develop from being naïve listeners, who experience language as a sea of sounds, to understanding their native language(s). How does this remarkable learning process unfold? One potentially useful source of information lies in the statistical patterns that...

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6

Faculty Elected AAAS Fellows

$11M+

in Annual research Funding

130+

undergraduates doing research in our labs

1500+

Undergraduate majors in psychology and neuroscience

80+

doctoral students in psychology and neuroscience