Mar 28, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Psychology


Matthew Dykas, Chair
402 Mahar Hall
315-312-4013
www.oswego.edu/psych 
Directory of Professors 

Psychology—the scientific study of human and animal behavior and how such knowledge can be applied—is useful in many contexts, including health care, education, business, industry, sports and law. SUNY Oswego’s Psychology Department offers a superior program taught in an exciting atmosphere.

The Department of Psychology offers both a major and a minor in psychology. In the baccalaureate program students explore cognition and behavior from the viewpoint of objective research. Theory and research from both environmental and biological perspectives are investigated. Through the application of scientific reasoning and methodology to the study of complex psychological subject matter, our majors acquire the analytical and critical thinking skills valued in the contemporary career marketplace. The rigorous curriculum also provides graduates with the strong, broad background in the field required for admission to graduate programs in psychology or related fields.

The Psychology Department offers a multidisciplinary BA/MBA program jointly with the School of Business. The program is designed to prepare Oswego psychology graduates for careers in business. At the conclusion of the program students receive a BA in Psychology, a minor in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration. Students apply to the MBA program in the second semester of their junior year. Students must complete 30 hours of their coursework. Students must also have an overall minimum GPA of 3.3 and a minimum score of 500 on the Graduate Management Aptitude Test. Each candidate is to submit two letters of recommendation, a purpose statement and official transcripts with their application. Students not qualifying for candidacy in the MBA degree program will graduate with a major in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. Accepted students may take MBA 511 and 517 in their senior year.

The Psychology/Human Computer Interaction (HCI) program is a multidisciplinary program offered jointly by the Department of Psychology and the HCI Program that is designed to allow students who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in HCI to complete both degrees in a shortened time frame. Students receive a BA in Psychology and a MA in Human Computer Interaction upon successful completion of the program. Students are assessed at the end of their sixth semester. At this time they must maintain a 3.0 GPA overall, a C- or better in all undergraduate core courses, have completed all lower division undergraduate courses, and have a minimum of 93 credits. Students not meeting these requirements will be advised and transferred to the stand alone Psychology BA program.

All students enrolled in Psychology Department major programs are encouraged to engage in hands-on work in their area of interest. Students may elect to work on research projects with individual faculty or to pursue advanced research or independent study of their own. The department has excellent resources to support research in comparative and physiological psychology, evolutionary psychology, perceptual processes, human and animal learning, social psychology, experimental psychology and statistics, human factors, cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, gender and sexuality, psychology and law, health psychology and multicultural psychology. The Psychology Department is also home to the Center for Neurobehavioral Effects of Environmental Toxics, an internationally renowned research institute investigating the effects of exposure to environmental pollutants on the cognitive and behavioral development of humans and nonhuman animals. Talented and highly motivated undergraduates will find opportunities to participate in the Center’s ongoing research projects.

Several faculty have federally funded and unfunded research projects that students can become involved with including the areas of infant perception, cardiovascular reactivity, and other areas of ongoing investigation.

The Department of Psychology is very proud to be home to an active chapter of Psi Chi, the national honors society in Psychology, as well as an active Psychology Club that is open to all interested students.

Because of very heavy student interest in the programs offered by the Department of Psychology, admission of first-year students and both internal and external transfer students may be restricted. Consult the Admissions Office (315-312-2250) or the Psychology Department Office (315-312-4013) for current admissions requirements.

The Department of Psychology cosponsors the following programs. The department has a representative-advisor to consult with those interested in the Cognitive Science program and to advise psychology majors who wish to build an elective sequence in this area.

Cognitive Science Major – B.A. Degree 
Cognitive Science Major – B.S. Degree  

Linguistics Major – B.A. Degree 
Philosophy-Psychology Joint Major – B.A. Degree 

The Graduate Advanced Certificate Program - Interdisciplinary Trauma Studies - is cosponsored by the Psychology Department.

Programs

Major

Minor

Honor Requirements for Major