2015-16 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Psychology
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View Psychology Flowsheets
Faculty
Professor Sophia R. Evett, Chairperson
Professors: Joanna Gonsalves, David W. Gow, Jr., Martin Krugman, Teresa M. Lyons, Patricia V. Markunas, Benjamin O. Miller, Patrice M. Miller, Janet Todaro, Marcia L. Weinstein, Andrea S. Zeren
Associate Professors: Carlos F. Aparicio, Darlene Crone-Todd, Timothy J. Eddy, Michael Mobley, Anne Noonan
Assistant Professor: Ashita Goswami, Jessica Graham, Daniel Walinsky
Faculty Emeriti
Professors: Kenneth C. Basilio, Leonard P. Zani
Programs Offered
Concentrations
Applied Behavior Analysis
Minor
Psychology
Special Program
Honors
Psychology Programs
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It encompasses a variety of theoretical and applied points of view, such as the behavioral, biological, clinical, cognitive, developmental, evolutionary, and social perspectives. The Department’s goals are to provide students with a solid background in psychology, as well as to prepare students for graduate education or for entry into careers related to psychology.
Combined Bachelor of Science Psychology/Master of Science Industrial/Organizational Psychology
The Psychology department also offers an integrated bachelor’s/master’s degree program in Psychology with an application process occurring in the second year. Students seeking initial licensure to teach in the public schools must apply to the combined program and complete an approved minor in Teacher Education. Students will apply to the licensure program in the spring of their second year and will begin the licensure program in their third year. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate portion will continue to a fifth year and will graduate with a Master of Education with eligibility for initial licensure at the conclusion of the fifth year of study, assuming all academic and licensure standards are met.
Admissions requirements to the licensure program include, but are not limited to:
- A passing score on the Communication and Literacy portions of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL);
- 3.0 minimum GPA in prior college course work;
- Demonstrated work with children;
- Interview;
- Recommendation form from EDC115 Exploring Education instructor (if class was taken at SSU);
- In-person writing sample from a prompt.
Exceptions may be made to the above-referenced requirements at the discretion of the admissions committee. Retention in the program is based on satisfactory academic progress (maintenance of a 3.0 GPA) and the passing of specific MTEL tests required for licensure in the chosen field. Students who do not meet these retention guidelines must exit the program and complete a degree without licensure.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The following are required: A minimum of 35 credits in psychology, satisfaction of the foreign language requirement, 3 credits in mathematics, a 4-credit biology lab course, an additional 3 or 4 credit biology course and a minor.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The following are required: A minimum of 41 credits in psychology, 3 credits in mathematics, a 4-credit biology lab course, an additional 3 or 4 credit biology course and 6-8 additional credits in science and mathematics electives.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology - Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration
This concentration has the same requirements as the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with three specific content courses that must be completed: PSY 210 , PSY 328 , and PSY 338 . In addition, students must complete at least three credits in two or more PSY level 4 courses in behavior analysis (internship, seminar or research project).
Psychology Major Requirements
Psychology courses are divided into four levels, as outlined on the flowsheets.
Level 1 courses (PSY 101 or PSY 170H , PSY 203S , PSY 204R ) provide students with their first exposure to the field of psychology, its methods, and its tools. It is recommended that students enroll in PSY 203S /PSY 204R in their sophomore year.
Level 2 courses deepen students’ understanding of issues, methods, and theories in several major subfields of psychology. Course are divided into two groups: Division A: PSY 210 , PSY 211 and PSY 212 , and Divison B: PSY 215 through PSY 252 .These courses are to be taken after completing PSY 101 or PSY 170H .
Level 3 courses build on Level 1 and Level 2 courses, examine specialized areas of psychology, and operate at a higher level of sophistication. These courses are to be taken after completion of 6 or more credits at Level 2.
Level 4 courses require students to work at an advanced level, individually or in small groups, under the guidance of a faculty member. Students are expected to draw upon knowledge and skills gained in lower-level courses and apply that expertise to a specific issue or problem in psychology. These courses should be taken in the junior or senior year. Some Level 4 courses require advance planning by the student and a minimum grade point average.
Level 4 options include:
• advanced research courses,
• advanced seminars,
• directed study or research, in which students work one-on-one with a faculty member,
• honors directed study or independent research, and
• internship, in which students apply psychology in community, institutional and business settings.
Internship in Psychology
Psychology majors who meet the GPA and credit hour requirements may choose to do an internship in psychology (PSY 520 or PSY 521 ). The internship gives students an opportunity to apply psychology in community, institutional and business settings. Information about the internship program is available in the Psychology Department office and on our website: http://www.salemstate.edu/psychology.
Support Courses
All students must take an approved biology lab course, a biology elective, and a math course. Additional support courses are described above as part of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
Departmental Honors
Students may earn departmental honors by conducting a directed study or directed research project with a faculty mentor. Students must meet the GPA requirements to register for PSY 600H or PSY 601H . A three-member faculty committee will evaluate the project.
Honors Program
Psychology majors in the University’s Honors Program should follow the honors curriculum (described under the “The Commonwealth Honors Program ” in this catalog) including completion of PSY 170H - Honors: Foundations of Psychology , and, in the senior year, PSY 600H - Honors in Psychology or PSY 601H - Honors Independent Research in Psychology .
Psi Chi
The Psychology Department sponsors a chapter of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, whose purpose is to foster scholarship and advance the science of psychology. Membership is open to students who meet the academic requirements. For more information, students should inquire in the Psychology Department office.
Psychology Club
The Psychology Club is a student run organization of students interested in psychology. It provides members with a place to discuss psychology topics, it works to educate the student body on mental health and wellness and promote overall well-being and it engages in charity and volunteer work in the community.
Psychology Minor
The Psychology minor consists of 15 credits in Psychology: PSY 101 or PSY 170H ; one level 2 course from Division A and one from Division B; and six credits of PSY electives numbered PSY 210 through PSY 353 . Students wishing to declare a minor in psychology must complete the required Request for Declaration / Change of Minor form, available in the Psychology Department office. For additional information, see Psychology Minor .
Further Information
Information about the Psychology major and minor, including flowsheets and course descriptions, is available in the Psychology Department, Meier Hall 239 or on our website: http://www.salemstate.edu/psychology. Application forms for directed study, independent research and internships are also available.
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