The Hunter College Psychology Program provides a broad and integrative approach to understanding the complexities of behavior and mental processes, encompassing a wide array of specializations and research methods to equip students with a deep and versatile knowledge of the field.
Psychology is concerned with all aspects of the study of behavioral, developmental and cognitive processes, and employs a broad spectrum of approaches, from the social to the biological to understand them. The Hunter College Psychology Program reflects the diversity of psychology as a science and as a profession. Its course offerings span this spectrum from clinical, social, and developmental psychology to ethology (animal behavior), biopsychology, and behavioral neuroscience.
The Undergraduate Program in Psychology is designed to provide the student with training in both the evaluation and generation of research data. The core sequence of Statistical Methods in Psychology (PSYCH 24800) and Experimental Psychology (PSYCH 24900 or 25000) is central to the program and is a prerequisite for all upper-level psychology courses. Performance in both the Psychological Statistics and Experimental Psychology sequence will be enabled through extensive preparation in mathematics, laboratory sciences and the development of excellent writing skills.
Psychology Majors can choose one of seven different tracks, Animal Behavior, Physiological, Cognitive, Developmental, Social, Clinical, and Health Psychology (in addition to the general requirements). These tracks are grouped within three broad content areas, in order to provide students with increased breadth and appropriate depth. Students complete the Undergraduate Program prepared for many possibilities in careers such as psychology, education, social & welfare services, health services, and industry. It also fulfills the course requirements for entering most psychology graduate programs.
The Department of Psychology also offers two master's programs: an MA in General Psychology and an MA in Animal Behavior and Conservation (ABC). The master's program in psychology allows students to tailor their studies and thesis work toward the areas of Applied, Developmental, Social and/or Biological Psychology. The master’s program in ABC, which includes the option of a “thesis” or a “non-thesis” track, is designed for students interested in the fields of Animal Behavior, Conservation and Animal Welfare. A Certificate under the ABC program is also available (registered with the New York State Education Department and open to post-baccalaureate students who by virtue of prior education or experience are qualified for additional training). Hunter's Psychology Faculty are also on the faculty of several doctoral programs housed at the CUNY Graduate Center. Qualified undergraduate students in their senior year may be admitted to graduate courses with the approval of the instructor and the department's graduate advisor. The presence of graduate programs at Hunter increases opportunities for undergraduates to interact and work with graduate students in research laboratories.
Although Psychology is a large department, students have personal contact with faculty members through an extensive advisement system, involvement in departmental activities and committees, supervised field placement and participation in research laboratories under the guidance of faculty mentors as part of our independent study, honors, BP-ENDURE, MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) & MBRS/RISE (Minority Biomedical Research Support/Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement) programs.
A broad range of applied research opportunities are available within the department in developmental psychology, social psychology, human adjustment, animal behavior, physiological psychology and abnormal psychology. Departmental affiliations with mental health and community organizations make it possible for students to integrate their academic studies of personality, abnormal and child psychology with supervised practical experience by means of field placements and opportunities for applied research.
The Psychology major, as part of the bachelor’s degree program, prepares the student for many career possibilities in psychology, education, social and welfare services, health services and industry and fulfills the course requirements for entering most psychology graduate programs. A background in psychology combined with special training in other disciplines within the college may be especially useful in preparing for careers in human resources, medicine, law, nursing, speech pathology, social work, special education, counseling and music, art and dance therapy.
