Program Overview

---

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Get an Inside View of Human Behavior

Find answers to the “why” of human behavior in the bachelor's in psychology program at the University at Albany. The curriculum will prepare you for graduate study or a career in human services or counseling.

Through coursework and research, you will learn about aspects of psychology ranging from the affective, biological, and cognitive bases of human behavior, to developmental and social factors.

Program of Study

The program provides a holistic approach to psychology, with courses ranging from Behavior Genetics (discussing the role heredity plays in various personality types) to Psychology and Language (focusing on psychological implications in syntax, semantics and phonology) to the History of Psychology (exploring the evolution of this field of study).

Dive into both theoretical and applied study with opportunities to engage in your own research. You can be mentored by a faculty member and/or be a lab team member helping to implement larger research projects.

You will have the opportunity to conduct high-impact research alongside faculty who specialize in behavioral neuroscience, clinical, cognitive, industrial-organizational, and social-personality psychology.

Required Courses

• Introduction to Psychology or Advanced Introduction to Psychology
• Statistical Methods in Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• One course designated with a "T" suffix

Electives (15 credits with A PSY prefix)

• NOTE: Of the 36 credits required for the major, a student must complete at least 24 credits in courses numbered 300 or above.

Complete 3 credits in each of the following four categories:

• Cognitive Behavioral Approaches (3 credits)
  • Learning
  • Memory and Cognition
• Clinical Developmental Approaches (3 credits)
  • Psychology of Child Development
  • Abnormal Psychology
• Social Basis (3 credits)
  • Social Psychology
  • Personality
• Biological Basis (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Sensation and Perception
  • Behavior Genetics

Academic Advising

All advising for declared psychology majors is coordinated by our academic advisor. The academic advisor and her staff are available throughout the year to meet with students who are interested in the field or who are actively studying psychology. Advisors are here to help declared psychology majors with:

• course selection
• exploration of research opportunities
• involvement opportunities in the major and on campus
• career exploration in the field of psychology, and in related fields
• graduate program exploration

Psychology Undergraduate Mentor program

The Psychology Undergraduate Mentor program pairs undergraduate students with graduate students to provide guidance in areas like career exploration, how to apply to graduate school, networking, how to apply for a research assistant position, professional conferences and organizations, and specializations in psychology.

Mentors and mentees are paired based on their area of interest, their time in the program (newer graduate students are placed with freshmen/sophomore undergraduate students), and can decide the time commitment and meeting style that works best for them.

Honors Opportunities

The Psychology Department offers a structured, research-based honors program for advanced students. The program is research intensive sequence of courses culminating in a empirically-based senior thesis project that is conducted by the student under the supervision of a faculty member.

You can also be recognized for outstanding academic achievement with the Psi Chi Honors Society. Psi Chi members can engage in the campus chapter of the society as well as in the national organization.

Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Options

You can save time and money by beginning your graduate degree coursework while still enrolled as an undergraduate student. Up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, will count towards both degrees – so you’ll complete your combined program in only 5 years and spend less than you would if you completed each program separately. Choose to combine your Psychology undergraduate degree with the following graduate programs:

• MS in Mental Health Counseling This accredited master’s program, approved by the New York State Office of Professions as preparation for licensure, teaches you to facilitate personal growth by using therapeutic methods that prevent and remediate individual and interpersonal conflict.
• MS in Information Science This ALA-accredited master's program covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics related to library science, information processing, information management and data analysis.

Career Outcomes

Psychology professionals often work in human resources, hospitality, business, law enforcement and governmental organizations.

Potential job titles for a BA in Psychology include:

• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Human Resources Specialist
• Sports Psychologist
• Forensic Psychologist
• Criminal Profiler
• Jury Specialist
• Social Worker
• School Counselor

Student Learning Objectives

Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

• Students will demonstrate competence in advanced writing, effective presentation skills, and use of literature in the discipline of psychology
• Student’s will think critically about research in psychology by using basic research methods and analyzing and interpreting data.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in Social Basis of Behavior.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in Clinical/Developmental Approaches in Psychology.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in Cognitive/Behavioral Approaches in Psychology.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in the Biological Basis of Behavior

FAQs

What can you do with a psychology degree?

By earning a BA in Psychology, you’ll gain valuable insight into human behavior that you can put to use in any of a variety of fields, such as human resources, social work or marketing.

If you aspire to work as a licensed therapist or to become a psychologist, completing a BA in Psychology program can provide you with foundational knowledge that will be useful in pursuing the graduate degree you’ll need for your career.

Is the psychology program accredited?

UAlbany is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How long is the on-campus psychology program? How long is the online psychology program?

Full-time students attending on campus or online can complete the BA in Psychology program in four years. Students who attend on a part-time basis will take longer to complete the program.

How do the accelerated undergraduate/graduate programs work?

The combined bachelor’s/master’s programs are five-year programs through which students earn both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. They are accelerated programs that allow students to apply a maximum of 12 credits to both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The cost savings and accelerated nature of these programs are beneficial to undergraduate students who already know they want to pursue graduate education.