Program Description

Psychology is the study of behavior and experience. As such, it includes topics as diverse as emotion, cognition, personality, social processes, behavioral neuroscience, psychopathology, and development. The psychology program at Purchase College offers basic and advanced courses, as well as research opportunities, in all of these areas. Regardless of the subject matter, there is a strong emphasis on the use of scientific methodology to pursue knowledge.

Many of our graduates pursue graduate training in psychology, social work, education, neuroscience, medicine and/or law; others want a broad-based liberal arts education in psychology, but do not pursue advanced work after graduation. The psychology major is designed to serve the needs of both types of students.

Program Faculty

Requirements for the Major

• Introduction to Psychology
• Behavioral Statistics
• Experimental Psychology
• Physiological Psychology
• Five elective courses in psychology (at least four must be upper level)
• General Biology I or General Biology II or
  Human Anatomy and Physiology I
• One course in philosophy
• One course in anthropology or sociology
• Psychology Junior Seminar
• Psychology Senior Seminar I & II
• Senior Project in Psychology

Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
Please visit the psychology program site for requirements.

Representative Elective Courses

Adolescent Psychology
Child Development
Cognitive Development
Cognitive Psychology
Development of Language
Developmental Psychopathology
Health Psychology
Human Memory
Human Neuropsychology
Personal/Social Relationships
Physiological Psychology
Psychological Perspectives on the Self
Psychology of Emotion
Psychology of Music
Psychology of Personality
Psychology of Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Psychology of Terrorism
Sensation and Perception
Social Cognition
Social Development
Social Issues in Developmental Psychology
Social Psychology
Sports Psychology

Representative Alumni

• Dina Artzt ’82, MA, Teachers College, Columbia University; senior vice president–investments, UBS Financial Services, Inc.
• Stephanie Columbia-Mueller ’96, MSW, Fordham University; youth and family social worker
• David Frost ’03, PhD, Graduate Center, City University of New York; assistant professor of sexuality studies, San Francisco State University
• Michael Gayle ’86, PhD, SUNY Stony Brook; associate professor of psychology, SUNY New Paltz
• Kay Kubo Germano ’06, PhD in applied developmental psychology, Fordham University
• Nina Gottlieb ’06, PsyD, Yeshiva University; psychotherapist
• Rosemary Greene ’05, JD, Northwestern University School of Law; associate attorney, Goetz, Gallik & Baldwin PC, Bozeman, Mont.
• Elisabeth Gruskin ’92, MPH, DPH, University of California, Berkeley; research scientist
• Elizabeth Hartley ’07, MBA, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; JD candidate (expected in 2013), Roger Williams University School of Law; law clerk, Lisa & Sousa Ltd.
• Helayna Herschkorn ’08, PsyD student (school psychology), St. John’s University
• Daniel Jacobson ’08, graduate student, MA program in industrial organization, Hofstra University
• Ildiko Juhasz ’05, MA in early childhood education, Hunter College, City University of New York
• Rachel W. Kallen ’00, PhD, University of Connecticut; assistant professor of psychology, University of Cincinnati
• Joe Khanna ’92, JD, SUNY Buffalo School of Law; vice president, cardholder solutions, consumer credit and communications counsel, MasterCard Worldwide
• Amy Malkin-Ingoglia ’95, PhD, University of Maryland; clinical psychologist and military sexual trauma coordinator, Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System Brooklyn Campus
• Ronen Marmur ’90, MD, PhD, Einstein College of Medicine; rheumatologist, Mount Kisco Medical Group
• David Mednick ’84, PsyD, Yeshiva University; clinical neuropsychologist, Mednick Psychological Consulting and Clinical Services LLC; clinical psychologist and co-director of student counseling and psychological services, Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Susan Nappi (Krasnicki) ’93, MPH, Yale University; research associate/project coordinator, Yale University
• Krystal Perkins ’02, PhD, Graduate Center, City University of New York; assistant professor of psychology, University of West Georgia
• Philip Santoro ’97, MS, Queens College, City University of New York; school psychologist
• Kyle Saud ’10, MA, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York
• Jason Van Ora ’01, PhD, Graduate Center, City University of New York; assistant professor of psychology, Kingsborough Community College
• Gavin Walsh ’07, MS in quantitative finance, Fordham University; analytics associate, Bridgewater Associates LP, Westport, Conn.

For more information, please visit the psychology program site.

Updated Dec. 12, 2012

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