The Psychology Department at St. Bonaventure offers two majors and a minor:

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science in Psychology
• Minor in Psychology

A degree in Psychology provides a strong foundation for a broad range of careers and graduate school opportunities. You will develop the skills to understand and evaluate human behavior, decision making, personality, group behavior, and mental illness among other topics.

Psychology students participate in a broad range of high-impact activities including research, field experience, community service, and study abroad. Learn more about student research and recent department publications.

The art and science of human behavior

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Both our B.A. and B.S. programs in Psychology teach students the major theories and themes present in psychology and the skills needed to interpret and conduct behavioral research. The two different degree paths allow students to choose tracks within Psychology that best fit into their future plans.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The B.A. program allows more flexibility for additional coursework and emphasizes areas within psychology that better prepare students for counseling or clinical programs.

A B.A. in Psychology in conjunction with appropriate elective courses is an excellent preparation for careers in human services or social services, or post graduate studies in clinical psychology, counseling, developmental psychology, industrial and organizational behavior, school psychology, social psychology, business administration, or law.

Degree requirements and a four-year plan for the B.A. in Psychology

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The B.S. degree focuses more heavily on natural sciences and areas within psychology that better prepare students for pre-health careers or for graduate research programs. Optimal preparation for the B.S. program includes four years of high school mathematics and at least one course in the natural sciences.

A Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology is excellent preparation for careers or graduate studies in animal behavior, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, health psychology, medicine, neuropsychology, perception, psychiatry, or veterinary medicine.

Degree requirements and a four-year plan for the B.S. in Psychology

Specializations for a B.A. or a B.S. in Psychology

From physiology to clinical psychology, psychology is a broad field with many different areas – people (and animals) are complex! Below are three specializations with recommended course sequences that may be of interest to students. For more about the courses, see the Psychology course descriptions in the university catalog.

• Clinical Methods and Fieldwork

  Are you interested in working with people in a clinical or counseling setting? Gaining first-hand experience in the field? Our clinical methods and fieldwork sequence is for you!

  Suggested course sequence:  PSYC 215 Maladaptive Behavior, PSYC 469 Intro to Clinical Methods-Human Services, and PSYC 47X Fieldwork.

• Social Psychology and Extremism

  How do we influence and how are we influenced by our social environments? How do we form prejudices? What are the impacts of hate crimes on the victims and society? These questions can be explored in a series of courses offered through the lens of social psychology.

  Suggested course sequence:  PSYC 212 Social Psychology, PSYC 270 Investigative Psychology, PSYC 370 Psychology of Terrorism, and PSYC 371 Hate Crimes.

• Human Learning and Memory

  What is the best way to study for a test? Why can’t I focus when I study? Why can’t I remember where I put my keys?? These questions can be explored in a series of courses offered through the lens of cognitive psychology.

  Suggested course sequence:  PSYC 422 Cognition and PSYC 423 Human Memory.

Minor in Psychology

We also offer a minor in Psychology for non-majors that offers students an introduction to psychology as a science and allows students to take a variety of psychology classes as electives.

Requirements for the Psychology minor