Psychology

Karen Wolford, Chair
402 Mahar Hall
315-312-4013
www.oswego.edu/psych

Distinguished Teaching Professor: Jacqueline Reihman

Professors: Thomas Darvill, Edward Lonky, Rhonda Mandel, Paul Roodin, Karen Wolford

Associate Professors: Leigh F. Bacher, Pamela Brand, Laura Brown, Rebecca L. Burch, Brooks Gump, Kristen Link, David Sargent, Dorothy Shedlock, Paul Stewart, Stephen Wurst

Assistant Professors: Roger Brooks, Matthew Dykas, Bernadette Sibuma, Andrew Smiler

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 major programs in both psychology and human development. In the baccalaureate program in Psychology 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 BA program in Human Development combines an in-depth knowledge of the principles and theories of human development with a rigorous background in basic and applied research, this program  provides students with the skills for immediate job placement in the human services area as well as the necessary background to continue their education at the graduate level. Under faculty advisement, each human development major designs a multi-disciplinary learning agreement that provides the student with knowledge from psychology and related disciplines relevant to his or her individual interests. All human development majors complete two semesters of field placements. Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or greater may apply to this program in their junior year.

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. They must meet the standard requirements for admission which include a minimum 2.6 GPA and a minimum score of 450 on the Graduate Management Aptitude Test. Each candidate must also submit two letters of reference 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 the second semester of their junior year to determine whether they will continue in the program. At this time they must have a 3.0 GPA overall, C- or better in all undergraduate core courses, completed all lower division undergraduate courses and have earned a minimum of 93 credit hours to continue in the BA/MA program. 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, and health 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 other 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 or the Psychology Department Office for current admissions requirements.

Cognitive Science–B.A. 
Cognitive Science–B.S. 
Linguistics–B.A. 
Philosophy-Psychology Joint–B.A. 

The Department of Psychology cosponsors these 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.