Department of Psychology

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Department of Psychology

133 Holmes Hall
(585) 395-2488

Chairperson and Professor: Robert J. Miller; Professor: Frederick Gravetter; Associate Professors: David Abwender, Stacy Birch, Kelly Brennan-Jones, Lori-Ann Forzano, Janet F. Gillespie, Susan Shonk; Assistant Professors: Melissa Brown, John J. Chelonis, Marcie Desrochers, Herbert C. Fink, Matthew K. Mulvaney.

• Requirements
• Courses

Psychology is the science of behavior. It covers the behavior of humans and animals, normal and abnormal behavior, and behavior across the life span. The field is concerned both with the development of principles of behavior and with their application to individuals, society, and the institutions of government, business, and mental health.

The undergraduate major in psychology is often taken in preparation for graduate education in the field, which is necessary for professional work in psychology. However, the study of behavior relates to almost any program of study or vocation, and courses in psychology are required or recommended for many programs offered at SUNY Brockport.

At SUNY Brockport, the psychology major provides students with a broad exposure to these different aspects of the discipline, while allowing concentration in a particular area of interest.

The following psychology courses meet the Knowledge Areas requirement in the General Education core:

• Natural Sciences: PSH 110
• Natural Sciences with lab: PSH 112

The following course meets the Contemporary Issues requirement in the General Education core:

• PSH 457

The following course meets the Perspectives on Women requirement in the General Education core:

• PSH 433

Major in Psychology

All majors are required to complete a minimum of 36 credits of psychology, half of which (18 credits) must be taken at SUNY Brockport. Courses graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory may not be counted toward the major. One may elect to take more than the minimum, but not more than 54 credits in psychology will count toward a degree. The major consists of a required core, one course from each of four content areas, and five electives to be selected with advisement.

Core
To ensure a common foundation, all majors must take, in the listed order, a general psychology course (either PSH 110 or 112), PSH 202 Introductory Statistics, and PSH 301 Research Methods in Psychology.

Group I (one required):

• PSH 341 Biopsychology
• PSH 342 Animal Behavior
• PSH 352 Sensation/Perception

Group II (one required):

• PSH 331 Personality
• PSH 332 Social Psychology
• PSH 384 Child Psychology

Group III (one required):

• PSH 334 Abnormal Psychology
• PSH 336 Clinical Psychology
• PSH 397 Health Psychology

Group IV (one required):

• PSH 322 Conditioning and Learning
• PSH 325 Motivation
• PSH 351 Cognitive Processe

Group V (five required):
Each student selects at least five additional psychology courses with the approval of a faculty advisor. To make normal progress in the major, a student should complete some of the knowledge courses, as well as the general psychology course (PSH 110 or 112) and PSH 202, before entering his/her junior year. Transfer students should see a psychology faculty advisor as soon as possible.

Minor in Psychology
A minor in psychology consists of 18 credits, nine of which must be upper-division. There are three specifically required courses: a general psychology course (PSH 110 or 112), Introductory Statistics (PSH 202), and Research Methods in Psychology (PSH 301). The remaining nine credits (three courses) are to be selected from the Department of Psychology course offerings with advisement. Courses graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory may not be counted toward the minor. At least half of the minor credits (nine) must be taken at SUNY Brockport.

Psychology Courses

NOTE: 100- and 200-level courses are core course prerequisites (an introductory psychology course is a prerequisite for nearly all other courses offered; a statistics course is a prerequisite for PSH 301 Research Methods). Those courses at the 300 level cover basic content areas in the discipline of psychology and comprise the breadth requirement in the major; 400-level courses cover more specific content areas in the discipline (the distinction between 300- and 400-level courses is one of content focus, not necessarily content difficulty).

NOTE: Courses at the 100, 200, and 300 level are generally offered every semester. Information regarding scheduled offerings of 400-level courses can be obtained from the department secretary or from the Schedule of Courses published each semester.

NOTE: Students may not receive credit for more than one of PSH 110 and 112. If students wish to repeat one of these courses, they must take the same course again; substitutions are not permitted.