Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Psychology is the science of human behavior and mental processes.

Our psychology major curriculum is grounded in the American Psychological Association’s (APA) guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major.

Our graduates are not only prepared for the mental health fields but also find careers in diverse areas including communications, business, advertising, human resources, and social services.

At a Glance

• Dynamic curriculum blends academics and real-world applications.
• Enthusiastic, dedicated faculty with broad expertise.
• Faculty-student collaboration in classroom and research.
• Two optional concentrations available for interested students:
  • Clinical/Counseling
  • Forensic Psychology
• Diverse internship opportunities.
• Individual senior research projects with one-on-one mentoring.
• Strong preparation for career and graduate studies.
• Flexibility in helping students double major in related fields, including Criminal Justice and Social Work.

Curriculum

Saint Joseph’s psychology degree is grounded in the APA’s guidelines, with a particular focus on:

• Providing students with a broad understanding of psychology’s core areas, including: learning, cognition, personality, social processes, and human development.
• Teaching students to understand and apply scientific thinking and research methods to psychological questions, and to extend these critical thinking skills to other areas of endeavor.
• Introducing students to applied areas of psychology, e.g., clinical, counseling, health, and educational psychology.
• Instilling in students the values of scientific psychology, e.g., intellectual curiosity, respect for empirical evidence, ethical action, appreciation of human diversity, and social responsibility.

Clinical/Counseling Concentration

This optional concentration is designed for students with a particular interest in careers in clinical/counseling psychology and other areas of mental health and human services. The concentration provides a solid foundation for graduate work or employment in these fields.

Forensic Psychology Concentration

This optional concentration is designed for students with a particular interest in the interaction of psychology and the law. Forensic Psychology is a broad field – practitioners work in areas such as crime trends, criminal profiling, mental health treatment for offenders and substance abusers, jury selection, impact of divorce, custody, and more. This concentration does not lead to a professional license; rather it provides a foundation for graduate work or entry-level employment.

Psychology Minor

A minor in psychology is available and requires students to take a minimum of 18 credits.

Career moves

Students interested in applied work can choose from a variety of off-campus internship sites. Recently, students have completed internships at the Center for Grieving Children, Youth Alternatives Ingraham, Windham Primary School, Sweetser, and Spring Harbor Hospital.

The psychology major emphasizes broadly applicable skills such as critical thinking, quantitative ability and writing, so our graduates are also well prepared for employment in diverse areas including communications, business, advertising, human resources, and social services.

Graduate Study

Psychology students emerge from Saint Joseph’s program well-prepared for graduate study in psychology and related fields; recent graduates have gone on to master’s and doctoral degree programs at University of Connecticut, University of Southern Maine, University of New England, Tufts University, University of Vermont, Springfield College, Duquesne University, Harvard University, and more.

Related programs

• Criminal Justice
• Social Work