Psychology
Bachelor of Science
About This Program | |
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Major Program Contact
Matthew Brubaker, PhD |
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Minor Program Contact
Maysa DeSousa |
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Curriculum and Delivery
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Career Opportunities | |
Paying for Your Education | |
Upcoming Events
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Springfield College remains in the forefront of psychology education by providing the community with broadly trained, practically experienced professionals who are prepared to enter the workplace. Students in the Psychology major explore topics such as research methods, human development, motivation and learning, abnormal psychology, social psychology, and counseling. The goals of Springfield College’s undergraduate psychology program are to introduce students to the primary areas of importance in psychology and to prepare them for ever-growing career opportunities.
Career opportunities for psychology majors can be as varied as health and wellness programs, employee relations, therapeutic childcare assistance, or mental health services in hospitals, residential treatment centers, nursing homes, and mental health agencies. Psychology majors may also opt to seek licensure as an early childhood teacher for students with and without disabilities (PreK-2).
In addition to preparing students to enter the workplace as well-prepared and broadly-trained professionals, psychology students will receive the pre-training that is required to enter graduate school in psychology or in one of the applied fields.
What job can I get with a degree in Psychology?
A degree in Psychology from Springfield College paves the way for a wide range of meaningful career opportunities. Graduates with our doctorate program often become clinical psychologists, providing therapy and mental health services in hospitals, private practices, or community health centers. Another rewarding path is working as a school psychologist, where you'll support students' emotional and academic development within educational settings.
Data is from the 2024 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Psychologists seek to understand and explain thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Through techniques such as observation, assessment, and experimentation, they try to gain a better understanding about how beliefs and feelings influence people.
Psychologists often gather information and evaluate behavior through controlled laboratory experiments, psychoanalysis, or psychotherapy. They may administer personality, performance, aptitude, or intelligence tests. They look for patterns of behavior or relationships between events, and they use this information in their research or when treating clients.
The following are examples of types of psychologists:
Clinical and counseling psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They help people deal with problems ranging from everyday issues to severe, chronic conditions.
Clinical and counseling psychologists typically interview clients, administer diagnostic tests, and provide psychotherapy to individuals, families, and groups. They help clients identify their strengths and available resources to prevent or manage problems, and they design behavior modification plans that they help clients to implement.
Clinical and counseling psychologists sometimes work with a specific population, such as older people, or focus on a specific condition, such as cognitive disorders. Some states permit clinical psychologists to prescribe medication.
Rehabilitation counselors help people with disabilities at various stages in their lives. For example, some work with students to develop strategies for transitioning from school to work. Others help veterans to cope with the mental or physical effects of their military service. Still others help people adapt to disabilities developed later in life from illness or injury.
Continuing on with our Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters degree, Marriage and family therapists work with individuals, couples, and families. Even when treating individuals, therapists focus on family systems. They evaluate family relationships and development to understand how these affect clients’ mental health. Treatment often involves addressing issues, such as low self-esteem and addiction, that impact clients’ relationships.
Marriage and family therapists assess each client’s situation and determine the best type, or types, of technique for treatment. They use a variety of techniques and tools to treat clients. For example, a therapist may apply cognitive behavioral therapy to help the client understand harmful thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and how to replace them with positive ones.