Navigating CUNY Psychology Undergraduate Programs: A Comprehensive Guide to Requirements and Opportunities
The City University of New York (CUNY) system offers diverse and comprehensive undergraduate psychology programs designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the science of mind and behavior. These programs cater to a wide range of interests and career aspirations, from those seeking immediate entry into human services or business-related fields to those planning to pursue advanced degrees in psychology, neuroscience, or related disciplines. This article provides a detailed overview of the requirements, curriculum options, and career prospects associated with CUNY's psychology undergraduate programs, drawing upon specific examples and program features to illustrate the breadth and depth of the educational experience.
Introduction to CUNY Psychology Programs
CUNY's psychology programs are designed to familiarize students with the scientific study of mind and behavior, employing methods ranging from simple observation to rigorous experimentation. A major in Psychology includes courses that apply to a variety of practical settings, including the workplace, clinical, legal, and school environments.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology: A Broad Foundation
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology is a popular choice for students seeking a broad understanding of the field and its applications. The BA program is an excellent foundation for a variety of careers including those in human and social services, management and business, marketing and market research, health care, and government. This program also offers the essential knowledge and training typically required for admission to graduate programs in psychology. Students interested in graduate professional programs in the law, international development, and administration will benefit from the program’s strong emphasis on critical thinking, ethics, and multiculturalism.
Core Curriculum and Learning Outcomes
Consistent with the American Psychological Association’s educational goals, the online Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology is designed to enable students to:
- Develop a strong knowledge base in psychology.
- Understand and apply research methods in psychology.
- Use critical and creative thinking skills in psychology.
- Understand and apply psychological principles.
- Reflect the values in psychology.
Students will also develop competencies in information and technological literacy, communication skills, sociocultural and international awareness, personal development, and career planning and development. General education courses complement this specialized study and emphasize critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, effective communication and the exploration of the foundations of knowledge and culture.
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The CUNY SPS BA in Psychology online degree program focuses on scientifically studying the human mind and behavior. Throughout the program, students also gain a solid foundation in research methodology, motivation, learning, social behavior, and development that they can apply toward a variety of careers in psychology and related fields as well as graduate studies. Students learn how to conduct research, interpret behavioral situations, and communicate effectively while developing sociocultural and international awareness.
Consistent with the American Psychological Association's educational goals, the BA in Psychology enables students to:
- Acquire a robust knowledge base including familiarity with the major concepts, content domains, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in the field of psychology
- Apply basic research methods in psychology, including design, data analysis, and interpretation
- Use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes
- Administer psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues at the local, national, and global levels.
Online BA in Psychology
The program’s fully online format separates it from other psychology programs, allowing students to read course materials, participate in class discussions, and complete assignments on a more flexible schedule.
The online BA in Psychology investigates why people behave the way they do. Throughout the program, students gain insight into motivation, learning, social behavior, and development across the lifespan. Students learn how to conduct research, design surveys, interpret behavioral situations, and communicate effectively. The online BA in Psychology provides a strong foundation in the four areas that underlie most work in Psychology: Developmental Psychology, Socio-Cultural Approaches, Learning and Cognition, and Biological Bases of Behavior, as well as hands-on experience in commonly used behavioral methods of psychologists. All students complete a Senior Project, an in-depth exploration of a topic of particular interest and career relevance. Career planning is integrated and emphasized throughout the program.
Major Concentration Areas
Undergraduates must take at least one course in THREE of the FOUR Major Concentration Areas of Psychology listed below. Each course is 3-credits. Students must take four PSY 300-level courses; any 300-level or 400-level courses offered will satisfy this requirement. All advanced courses use the required 200-level gateway courses as prerequisites.
Read also: CUNY Admission Guide
Advanced Coursework Tracks
Students select one of three tracks for their advanced coursework: Organizational Psychology, Psychological Development, or Psychopathology. Students select one of four tracks for their advanced coursework: Health Psychology, Organizational Psychology, Psychological Development, or Psychopathology
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology: A Scientific Focus
The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Psychology is intended for students pursuing careers in medicine, nursing, or scientific research. The BS Psychology Online program includes coursework leading to a Bachelors of Science (B.S.) degree in Psychology through fully online asynchronous courses. Take classes at your own pace and on your own time.
Curriculum Differences Compared to BA
The BS program may offer advantages for those students who intend to go on to graduate/professional school in such fields as neuroscience, medicine, allied health professions, or other sciences. The BS is also a good choice for those students who have already completed the math and science requirements listed below, and those who are generally successful in math and science courses. To determine whether the BA or the BS is the better option for you, we recommend that you meet a Psychology Faculty Advisor.
Science and Math Requirements
In fulfilling the department requirement for courses in related departments, we recommended that students electing to major in psychology select appropriate courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, computer methodology, sociology, and philosophy. Many other electives in the social sciences and humanities, however, will be accepted. Four lab science courses (16 credits). After you declare the BS Psychology major, see DegreeWorks for the courses that can be taken. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks. There are other school requirements that must be satisfied to reach a total of 120 credits to graduate. Those requirements are not the same for BA and BS Psychology majors. Check DegreeWorks for the exact school requirements that apply to you. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks.
General Requirements and Policies
GPA and Course Grades
A minimum grade of C is required in all courses in the Psychology major, both required courses and Psychology electives, and all Psychology minors, as well as all prerequisite courses. Where there are prerequisites, a student may not progress to the next course in the sequence without having a C in the prerequisite course(s). Students must earn grades of “C” or higher in PSY 1001 and in PSY 2100, BIO/ENV 2100, or STA 2000 to enroll in PSY 3001 Research Methods, a required course for the major. Students are expected to complete the major requirements in place at the time they are officially accepted into their programs.
Read also: CUNY GPA Guide
Credit Requirements
Majors typically take a total of 62 credits within the Psychology program. 14 credits are distributed across required courses, 3 credits in Speech, and the remaining 21 credits are distributed across Gateway Requirements (Major Concentrations) and Advanced Courses. There are other school requirements that must be satisfied to reach a total of 120 credits to graduate.
DegreeWorks
After you declare the BS Psychology major, see DegreeWorks for the courses that can be taken. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks. Check DegreeWorks for the exact school requirements that apply to you. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks.
Preparing for Graduate Studies in Psychology
Making the decision to pursue graduate school training should not be taken lightly. Graduate education involves time out of the employment market, a high degree of critical evaluation, significant autonomy, and considerable financial expenditure. However, earning the degree is a rewarding experience and will provide you with the credentials you need to pursue your career in psychology. You should be thinking about whether or not to apply to graduate school at the end of your sophomore or beginning of your junior year. If you decide to pursue graduate school training, you should consider arranging an independent study course or taking additional courses that advance your research skills and knowledge.
GRE and Subject Tests
Find out about this important test NOW. Most graduate departments require that you take this standard aptitude test. There are many study aids available to help you prepare (courses, books, etc). Degree programs vary in their test score requirements so you should check with the particular schools you are applying to; successful applicants typically score above 500 on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE. Some psychology departments require students to take the psychology subject test.
Accreditation
You should make sure you apply to schools that are accredited.
Selecting Programs and Faculty
Locate institutions with appropriate programs. As you begin to explore which areas of psychology interest you, you will want to search for and apply to schools that offer a program in that area. Peterson's Guide to Graduate Study is a helpful publication for finding schools with programs in your area of interest. 5510. You can if you know of a faculty member at a particular institution that works in the area you are interested in; you should contact them for more information.
Application Strategies
Apply to several schools. Graduate student selection is very competitive. Often there are very few slots for which hundreds of people have applied. There is no exact number of schools to which you should apply. Some students apply to 5 schools, others to 14. This takes planning, thoughtfulness and careful consideration.
Letters of Recommendation
In addition to a personal statement and your standardized test scores, letters of recommendation are required in your application to graduate school. It takes a lot of time to collect this information, coordinate it and get it to the schools on time. So, contact faculty early and in writing to request letters of recommendation. Choose advisors carefully. Does this person know you? How do they know you? Can they give you a positive evaluation in terms of your potential for graduate study? Typically a school requires three letters of recommendation. You want to select faculty members with whom you have worked closely and can write a strong letter on your behalf. (Check the directory to the left of the Psychology Offices door to find out which instructors are faculty members.) It is also recommended that you request letters between four and six weeks in advance of their due date. It is advised that you provide your letter writer with pertinent information about yourself (what classes you had with them, what research or fieldwork you did with them, a copy of your transcript, your extra-curricular activities etc). You also need to provide your letter writers with a stamped envelope addressed to the institution to which you are applying.
Admissions Essays
Graduate schools require admissions essays. They are used to judge your potential for graduate study and the "fit" between you and the graduate program. Therefore they are very important in admissions decisions. You should take special care to produce an essay that will support your application. A good essay begins with a careful self-assessment. What is unique about you? Prepare a first draft and follow it with enough subsequent drafts to produce your best writing. Use samples and have someone edit it for you.
Ph.D. Program Considerations
Course requirements for the Ph.D. degree include a minimum of 90 academic credits (up to 15 credits can be transferred in from other accredited Master's Programs in Psychology at the discretion of the Program Director) completed within the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 500 hours of face to face clinical work at the Psychological Center, a year-long internship requirement, and defense of a dissertation thesis. The curriculum has broad and general courses as well as treatment-oriented and specialized courses. Dissertations in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology may consist of a broad range of topics and methods. Typically, our students are on an internship after their fourth or fifth year, having completed the dissertation proposal prior to applying for an internship.
Mission and Goals of CUNY Psychology Programs
Psychology Program Mission Statement The mission of the Psychology discipline is to encompass the knowledge, skills, and values that are necessary for students to acquire as undergraduates within the context of a liberal arts education while incorporating the broad theoretical and research bases of psychology using a variety of pedagogical models to prepare them for entrance into the workforce or acceptance into graduate or professional schools upon receipt of the baccalaureate degree. Students will reflect upon the importance of diversity and cross-cultural issues in the discipline.
Psychology Major Program Goals
- Goal 1: Knowledge Base and Application: Students will demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings, to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavioral phenomena.
- Goal 2: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Students will demonstrate critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and an understanding of effective research methods. Students will be able to interpret scientific literature, and apply it to explain behavior and psychological phenomena.
- Goal 3: Communication Skills: Students will learn to effectively communicate, demonstrating competence in their written work.
- Goal 4: Ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world: Students will be able to recognize and apply the ethical standards of the discipline, and consider the impact of sociocultural issues on psychological theory, science and practice.
Online Psychology Academy
The Online Psychology Academy provides students from CUNY community colleges with a seamless path to enroll in the fully online BA in Psychology degree at CUNY SPS.
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