Art and Psychology Polymath Pathway
- Bachelor of Art (BA)
- Polymath Pathway
Modes of study:
Use creative practice and the science of human behavior to better understand the world around you
The Art and Psychology Polymath Pathway at the University of Southern Maine has been designed for students looking to unite their creativity with the scientific understanding of human behavior. Combining art and psychology creates a multidisciplinary, Renaissance-inspired approach to how you view the world and your path in it. In this program, you’ll develop empathy, advanced research skills, and visual literacy, opening doors to diverse career and graduate opportunities.
As a graduate of this dual-major pathway, you’ll leave with a strong foundation that supports future study and people-centered professions such as art therapy, counseling, social work, and community wellness. By interpreting visual and emotional information through both creative practice and evidence-based psychological research, you’ll strengthen your ability to communicate in complex situations and apply analytical insight to real-world challenges. The result is a versatile skill set that sets you apart — preparing you to translate psychological understanding into meaningful creative and professional impact.
Academic catalog
The University of Southern Maine offers students an integrative and rigorous polymath education in the arts and psychology.
Browse course list
Program duration
Typical completion time: 4 years. Work closely with your USM academic advisor to develop a tailored and streamlined academic plan for your needs.
Departments
Admissions
SAT and ACT scores are optional. Students are encouraged to begin the Polymath Pathway Program in their first year.
Why study both Art and Psychology?
This dual-major pathway offers you two distinct academic experiences – one creative and one scientific. Studied together, art and psychology provide complementary perspectives on how people perceive, interpret, and communicate meaning that will help you develop competencies that translate directly into real-world settings – think visual communication, research design, data literacy, empathetic engagement, and analytical thinking.
Art
Studying art at USM, you have extensive opportunities to create art and showcase it in dedicated exhibition spaces. You’ll also grow as an artist thanks to field education, giving you chances to work with practicing artists, galleries, non-profits that provide real-world experience that connects creative work to community engagement.
Art at USM also provides you with access to visiting artists and scholars, including an annual artist-in-residence. Through critiques, demonstrations, and lectures, you’ll refine your technical skills, expand your creative perspective, and engage with contemporary artistic practices.
Psychology
Studying psychology at the University of Southern Maine provides a scientific foundation for understanding human behavior, cognition, and emotional processes. You’ll examine topics such as perception, development, mental health, and social interaction while gaining insight into how individuals think, learn, and respond to their environments across diverse contexts.
Through hands-on laboratory experience, you’ll develop practical skills in data collection, research design, and statistical analysis.
Artists have long drawn on theories of psychology to understand and shape creative expression. Likewise, the psychology of art has much to tell us about how we perceive, experience, and make sense of the world. By studying art and psychology, students can discover the many rich ways the two fields resonate and inform one another.
Hannah Barnes, Associate Professor of Art, Painting, and Drawing
Why should you consider applying for the University of Southern Maine’s Polymath Pathway in Art and Psychology?
Where can you go with a Polymath Pathway in Art and Psychology?
What doors could open for you?
You’ll gain tools to better understand human experience and express complex ideas — preparing you for grad school or to flex across broad career options in therapeutic, educational, design, nonprofit, and other people-centered fields.
The disciplines of art and psychology feature a natural synergy that complements one another. The field of art therapy has a variety of practical applications for interfacing with diverse populations.
Dr. Elizabeth Vella, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, College of Science, Technology, and Health
Wondering if tuition is affordable? Get answers to your questions about costs
Are you a current New England resident?
As a student who currently lives in New England, this may mean you’ll qualify for a reduced tuition rate from NEBHE.
Find out if you could be a scholarship recipient
Scholarships are an excellent way to procure financial aid that doesn’t need to be paid back. Students are automatically considered for Merit Scholarships if they apply for admission by the deadline. Other opportunities for financial aid are also available.
National accreditation by NASAD
The University of Southern Maine is nationally accredited with the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), a distinction that recognizes excellence and rigorous standards in collegiate art and design education.
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