Academic Catalog
Introduction
Psychology is the science of human behavior-- including actions, thoughts, and emotions. Applied psychology uses the methods and findings of scientific psychology to solve practical problems of human and animal behavior and experience. The science of psychology focuses on learning how to frame useful questions regarding human behavior, how do find the information and perform the research that answers these questions, and how to understand the meaning and application of research results.
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Optional Minors
Students can minor in Psychology
Career Ideas
Applied Behavioral Therapist, Biopsychologist, Business, Career Counselor, Clinical Psychologist, Education, Employee Benefits Analyst, Forensic Psychologist , Guidance Counselor, Health Psychologist, Human Resources, Market Research Analyst ,Neuropsychologist, Psychology Professor, Research Psychologist, Social Worker, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Program Administrators
P. Susan Gerrity Program Chair, Sue.Gerrity@mville.edu
Faculty and Staff
PROGRAM CHAIR
P. Susan Gerrity
FULL-TIME FACULTY
Katherine Bao - Positive Psychology--increasing happiness, sustaining happiness, adaptation to positive life events, and romantic relationships
Alison S. Carson - Cultural psychology--acculturation processes, culture change and identity, and qualitative research methods.
Jessica Arthur-Cameselle - Sport psychology and clinical psychology--eating disorders in athletes, treatment of anxiety disorders, and burnout from sport.
P. Susan Gerrity - Developmental psychology-- attachment, friendship and love, development of self perceptions and beliefs about self and others; identity, positive development, and coping & emotion regulation
Julie Higgins - Cognitive Psychology--memory, how interference influences memory processes, cognitive aging, cognitive neuroscience, and source memory
Anthony C. Santucci - Biopsychology-- biological bases of mental illnesses, neuroscience, physiological measures, effects of emotions, head trauma, and psychopharmacology
George Schreer - Social psychology--stereotyping, prejudice, social stigma, persuasion, aggression, and group processes
FACULTY EMERITUS
Everett Delahanty
Overview
The psychology major at Manhattanville College provides strong academic preparation for graduate training and for careers through the diverse expertise of the faculty in areas including abnormal, biological, clinical, cognitive, cultural, developmental, personality, and social psychology. Students explore the study of behavior from both the empirical and the theoretical perspectives. Students also become familiar with statistical procedures and develop skills in research design. Students are encouraged to participate in faculty member’s research programs and in the research projects of other students. In addition to classroom work, internships and research placements are available.
The Psychology Department offers a broad program covering areas of biological, clinical, cognitive, cultural, developmental, personality, and social psychology. The Psychology major emphasizes the scientific nature of psychology and provides strong academic preparation for graduate training and for careers in a variety of fields including education, business, social work, and research. In addition to classroom work, internships and research experiences are available. Students are encouraged to participate in faculty member’s research programs and in the research projects of other students.
Faculty and Professional Interests
Jessyca Arthur-Cameselle: Sport psychology and clinical psychology--eating disorders in athletes, treatment of anxiety disorders, and burnout from sport.
Katherine Bao: Positive Psychology--increasing happiness, sustaining happiness, adaptation to positive life events, and romantic relationships
Alison S. Carson: Cultural psychology--acculturation processes, culture change and identity, and qualitative research methods.
P. Susan Gerrity: Developmental psychology-- attachment, friendship and love, development of self perceptions and beliefs about self and others; identity, positive development, and coping & emotion regulation
Julie Higgins: Cognitive Psychology--memory, how interference influences memory processes, cognitive aging, cognitive neuroscience, and source memory
Anthony C. Santucci: Biopsychology-- biological bases of mental illnesses, neuroscience, physiological measures, effects of emotions, head trauma, and psychopharmacology
George E. Schreer: Social psychology--stereotyping, prejudice, social stigma, persuasion, aggression, and group processes
A minimum of 13 courses are required for the major.
I. Three Required Core Courses |
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PSY 1004: Fundamentals of Psychology PSY 2012: Statistics for the Social Sciences PSY 2040: Research Methods in Psychology |
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II. Five Content Breadth Courses (Pick one from each area) |
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Breadth Area |
OFFERED FALL |
|
OFFERED SPRING |
Biological |
PSY 2008: Sensation and Perception |
or |
PSY 2004: Physiological Bases of Behavior |
Cultural |
PSY 2042: Psychology and Culture |
or |
PSY 2046: Psychology of Identity |
Developmental |
PSY 2001: Devel. Psych.-Childhood |
or |
PSY 2052: Devel. Psych.-Adulthood |
Personality/Clinical |
PSY 2036: Personality Psychology |
or |
PSY 2011: Abnormal Psychology |
Social |
PSY 2009: Social Psychology |
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PSY 2009: Social Psychology |
III. One Capstone Course |
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A capstone course is a 3000 or 4000-level course taken in the junior or senior year. |
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IV. Four Elective Courses (at least one at the 3000-level or above) |
The recommended course sequence for the major is:
Freshman Year: PSY 1004: Fundamentals of Psychology, and one of the five content breadth courses
Sophomore Year: PSY 2012: Statistics, and four remaining content breadth courses
Junior Year: PSY 2040: Research Methods in Psychology, and two or three (of the four) electives
Senior Year: Capstone and remaining elective courses
Five courses are required for the minor in Psychology. PSY 1004: Fundamentals of Psychology and a minimum of four additional courses are required. Students are encouraged to take electives from different content breadth areas in order to be broadly educated in the field of psychology.
Important Considerations for the Psychology Major and Minor
No more than half of the courses used for the major or the minor can be transferred to Manhattanville. Students must get written approval (on the "Transfer Credit Approval Form”) from the Chairperson of Psychology for all courses taken elsewhere to be used toward the Psychology major or minor. This includes both current Manhattanville students and transfer students who want to use courses taken at other schools for the major or minor. Students receiving either a "4" or a "5" on a high school AP Psychology exam can apply that credit toward PSY 1004 upon presenting the Registrar’s Office with the appropriate documentation from the College Board confirming the student’s AP exam score.
The minimum criteria to be eligible for Departmental Honors are:
1) Both PSY 4020: Writing Review Articles and PSY 4025: Research and Writing Experience or
2) At least one semester of PSY 4020: Writing Review Articles followed by PSY 4030: Field Work Experience
Following the completion of these minimum requirements, Departmental Honors are awarded based on the recommendation of the full Psychology Department faculty’s evaluation of the intellectual quality of a student’s entire psychology program.
Departmental Distinction is given to graduating psychology majors who, although not meeting the requirements for Departmental Honors, have demonstrated outstanding performance in the classroom, in the laboratory, or in the field, or who have exhibited dramatic intellectual growth and development of scholarly sophistication during their time at Manhattanville. Distinction is awarded based on the recommendation of the full psychology department faculty.
The Psychology Department also awards the Everett J. Delahanty Jr. Prize in Psychology. This prize is awarded to the senior psychology major who has achieved the highest cumulative psychology GPA, and, because the award is intended to recognize students who undertake challenging coursework, it is awarded to students who also included at least four courses at the 3000-level or higher. In addition to these criteria, awarding of this prize requires that the full Psychology Department’s faculty judge that the intellectual quality of a student’s entire psychology program and performance is superior. The fulltime faculty of the Psychology Department serves as the Prize Committee and is responsible for determining the recipient of this prize. The Committee is not bound to make an award each year. The Committee can make more than one award if more than one student is deemed to qualify for this special prize.
Students planning to major in Psychology should declare a psychology major as soon as possible. Students are advised not to wait until the end of the sophomore year because some courses are reserved for major and minors, and many opportunities needed for graduate school begin earlier than the junior year. (See Academic Advising web page “Forms” to obtain an “Undergraduate Declaration/Change of Program, Minor or Change of Advisor Form.”)
Additional information about the department including faculty research interests and course syllabi can be found on the department's Web page located at http://www.mville.edu/undergraduate/academics/majors/psychology.html In addition, several Psychology faculty members maintain their own personal Web pages on the college’s Web site.
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