Department of Psychology
- Faculty
- General Information
- Careers
- Special Programs or Opportunities
- Admission
- Appeals
- Degree Requirements for the Major in Psychology
- Honors Program
- Combined B.A./M.S. Programs
- Courses
FacultyDistinguished Professors
Edward B. Blanchard, Ph.D.
Stanford UniversityJames J. Jaccard, Ph.D.
University of IllinoisRobert A. Rosellini, Ph.D.
DePaul UniversityProfessors Emeritae/i
Morris E. Eson, Ph.D.
University of ChicagoRichard C. Teevan, Ph.D.
University of MichiganProfessors
Bruce C. Dudek, Ph.D.
State University of New York at BinghamtonV. Mark Durand, Ph.D.
State University of New York at Stony BrookLaurie B. Feldman, Ph.D.
University of ConnecticutGordon G. Gallup Jr., Ph.D.
Washington State UniversityAllen C. Israel, Ph.D.
State University of New York at Stony BrookRobert J. McCaffrey, Ph.D.
University of GeorgiaJames H. Neely, Ph.D.
Yale UniversityBruce B. Svare, Ph.D.
Rutgers UniversityFrank Vellutino, Ph.D.
Catholic University of AmericaAssociate Professors Emeritae/i
Shirley C. Brown , Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
Wayne UniversityH. Jean Wilkinson, Ph.D.
University of PittsburghAssociate Professors
Jeanette Altarriba, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt UniversityCheryl A. Frye, Ph.D.
Tufts UniversityW. Trammell Neill, III, Ph.D.
University of OregonMonica L. Rodriguez, Ph.D.
State University of New York at Stony BrookGlenn Sanders, Ph.D.
University of IowaMarcia E. Sutherland, Ph.D.
Howard UniversityCaroline K. Waterman, Ph.D.
State University of New York at BuffaloKevin J. Williams, Ph.D.
University of South CarolinaEdelgard Wulfert, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina, GreensboroAssistant Professors
Drew Anderson, Ph.D.
Louisiana State UniversityHart Blanton, Ph.D.
Princeton UniversitySharon Danoff-Burg, Ph.D.
University of KansasJohn P. Forsyth, Ph.D.
West Virginia UniversityLeslie Fay Halpern, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt UniversityMark Muraven, Ph.D.
Case Western Reserve UniversityHazel Prelow, Ph.D.
University of North TexasSylvia G. Roch
Texas A&M UniversityChristine K. Wagner, Ph.D.
Michigan State UniversityAdjuncts: 18
Teaching Assistants: 45The objective of the department is to provide undergraduate students with a broad, general background in scientific psychology. The program is designed to prepare students for graduate study in psychology as well as a diversity of other fields requiring knowledge of psychological principles. The department expects its students to become well-versed in the theories, research, and applications of the discipline.
The department offers a full program leading to the B.A.; a graduate program leading to the Ph.D. with several major areas of concentration and a clinical training program; and in cooperation with the Department of Educational Psychology and Statistics in the School of Education, the Certificate of Advanced Study and Psy.D. in school psychology.
Careers
With the B.A. degree, professional entry-level positions are possible in public and private human services systems (health, education, social welfare, parole, probation, gerontology, youth, substance abuse); also, personnel administration, and general administrative work. Entry- level jobs could involve delivery of service, research and/or program planning and development. Less traditional occupations include medicine, dentistry, law, optometry, urban planning, genetic counseling, and human factors research.
Special Programs or Opportunities
The department offers opportunities for independent study and research beginning in the sophomore year. Students involved in research activities have supervised access to the department's animal behavior laboratory, human research laboratories, and off-campus professional agencies.
Admission
Declaration of the major in psychology must be made by application to the department. Information on procedures for application is available from the Department Advisement Center (SS 257). Application may be made during any semester at any time prior to final exam week, or prior to August during summer sessions, but must be made before the student has earned 60 credits at the University at Albany.
The criteria outlined below will apply to all course work completed prior to and including the semester during which application is made. The department will notify students of action on the application before the subsequent semester. A Psy 101M, 210, and 211 may not be taken elsewhere after matriculation at Albany.
I. Criteria for Students Admitted as Freshmen to Albany as of Fall 1991 and thereafter:
- The student must have completed at least 24 hours of college credit (sophomore status).
- The student's cumulative grade point average for all course work at the University at Albany must be 2.00 or higher at the time of evaluation of the application.
- The student must have a grade point average of 2.50 or higher for all course work completed in the University at Albany Psychology Department at the time of evaluation of the application.
- The courses A Psy 101M or 102M, A Psy 210 and A Psy 211 must have been completed with a minimum grade of C- in each. Students may be conditionally admitted to the major after completion of the requirements for A Psy 101M and A Psy 210. A Psy 211 must be completed in the next semester following conditional acceptance to be admitted to the major.
II. Criteria for Transfer Students Admitted to Albany for Fall 1991, Spring 1992 and Summer 1992.
Students may not formally declare a major in psychology nor be assigned for advisement in the Department of Psychology until they have completed at least 24 credits in university courses with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 and have completed A Psy 101M with a grade of C- or higher or S. Applicants on academic probation and/or with less than a 2.00 cumulative average will not be considered for admission to the major.
III. Criteria for Transfer Students Admitted to Albany as of Fall 1992 and thereafter:
For purposes of declaration of the major, the department recognizes three categories of transfer students. The criteria for admission to the major are different for these three categories. Transfer students may not apply transfer credit for A Psy 101M, A Psy 210 and A Psy 211 with grades of D toward the major.
- Transfer students who enter the University with less than 42 transfer credits or without credit for A Psy 101M must fulfill the criteria specified in section I. above.
- Transfer students who enter the University with 42 or more transfer credits, have transfer credit for A Psy 101M and 210 with a grade of C- or higher in each, and have a 2.5 average for all psychology courses will be conditionally admitted to psychology as a major and receive advisement in the psychology department. Such students must complete A Psy 211 in their first semester here with a grade of C- or higher or their admission to the major will be withdrawn.
- Transfer students who enter the University with 42 or more transfer credits, have transfer credit for A Psy 101M, A Psy 210 and A Psy 211 with a grade of C- or higher in each, and have a 2.50 average in all psychology courses taken may immediately declare psychology as a major.
Appeals
Students who do not meet the above criteria may retake courses in the A Psy 101M, A Psy 210 and A Psy 211 sequence in order to achieve the minimum grade of C-. The criterion of a 2.50 average in psychology courses at the time of application to the major will be affected by duplicated enrollment in the following way: if courses are retaken, calculation of the average in psychology will use both grades.
Students who are denied admission to the major may appeal the decision by petitioning the department chair. Such appeals will be evaluated at the beginning of each semester, prior to the final date for adding courses. The decision on the appeal will be made by the department chair and the director of the advisement center.
Degree Requirements for the Major in Psychology
General Program B.A.: A minimum of 36 credits in psychology: including A Psy 101M or 102M, A Psy 210, and A Psy 211; 15 credits in psychology from the following list: A Psy 203, 214, 270, 314, 327, 338, 380, 381, 382, 384, 385, 387; 12 credits of electives with an A Psy prefix. Courses not taken from the previous list may be used as electives. NOTE: within the 36 credits required for the major a student must complete at least 12 credits in courses numbered 300 or above.
For psychology majors who satisfy the major requirements as outlined in this bulletin, A Psy 210 and 211 are restricted to A-E grading after matriculation at Albany.
A maximum of 3 credits in independent study courses (A Psy 297, 397, and 497Z) may be applied to major credit but may not be used to satisfy the 300-or-above requirement. No more than 6 additional credits in these independent study courses may be used for graduation credit.
Honors Program
A psychology major, or double major with psychology listed first, may file an application for admission with the Honors Committee as early as the second semester of the sophomore year or as soon as the minimum requirements for admission to the program have been satisfied. The duration of the program is three semesters and commences only in the fall semester.
The minimum requirements for admission include completion of A Psy 101M or 102M, 210 and 211. If the student has not been able to complete A Psy 211 by the first semester of the junior year, it is possible to obtain permission to take A Psy 211 concurrently with the Honors Seminar. A grade point average of 3.30 or higher overall for all course work taken for graduation credit at the University is required, as is a 3.50 grade point average or higher for psychology courses applicable toward the major.
Honors students must complete 48 hours in psychology including A Psy 101M or 102M, 210, 211, 310, 399, and 499 (6 credits). In addition, students must submit a senior honors thesis acceptable to the research sponsor and the Honors Committee.
The program commences with the Honors Seminar (A Psy 399) in the fall semester of the junior year. A Psy 211 must be taken at this time if it has not already been completed.
The seminar introduces that student to (advanced) issues of scientific method and experimental design. As soon as the student has a general idea for the research project, he or she is encouraged to discuss the project with a potential research sponsor, especially as regards feasibility. By the end of the seminar course, the student should be conversant with a problem area, have arranged a research sponsor and be ready to submit a research proposal. The Honors student will conduct the research in two project courses (A Psy 499) during the second semester of the junior and the first semester of the senior year.
The Honors Thesis written by the end of the second project course will consist of a review of the literature, the hypothesis to be tested, an experimental design (from the research proposal), data collected, any statistical analysis, and a discussion.
Students in the honors program are required to maintain an overall grade point average of 3.30 or higher during the junior and senior years and an overall grade point average of 3.50 or higher for all psychology courses applicable toward the major. The work of each candidate in the honors program will be reviewed at the completion of the junior year by the Departmental Honors Committee.
Students not meeting the above-stated standards at that time may be precluded from continuing in the program for the senior year. Students who remain below the stated standards throughout their senior year will not be eligible for a degree with Honors.
After completion of the above requirements, the records of the candidate will be reviewed by the Departmental Honors Committee who shall recommend, to the department, candidates for the degree with honors in psychology.
Combined B.A./M.S. Programs
The combined B.A./M.S. programs in psychology/counseling and psychology/ rehabilitation counseling provide an opportunity for students of recognized academic ability and educational maturity to fulfill integrated requirements of undergraduate and master's degree programs from the beginning of their junior year. Carefully designed programs can permit students to earn the B.A. and M.S. degrees within nine semesters and a summer session.
The combined programs require a minimum of 162 credits, of which at least 54 must be graduate credits. In qualifying for the B.A., students must meet all University and college requirements, including the requirements of the undergraduate major described previously, the University minor requirement, the minimum 90-credit liberal arts and sciences requirement, the general education requirements, and residency requirements. In qualifying for the M.S., students must meet all University and college requirements as outlined in the Graduate Bulletin, including completion of a minimum of 54 graduate credits and any other conditions such as a research seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, professional experience, and residency requirements. Up to 12 graduate credits may be applied simultaneously to both the B.A. and M.S. programs.
Students are considered as undergraduates until completion of 120 graduation credits and satisfactory completion of all B.A. requirements. Upon meeting B.A. requirements, students are automatically considered as graduate students.
Students may be admitted to the combined degree programs at the beginning of their junior year, or after the successful completion of 56 credits, but no later than the accumulation of 100 credits. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation from faculty are required for consideration.