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PSYCHOLOGY

Major: Psychology

Number of 2006 Graduates: 64

The goal of the department of psychology is to introduce students to the breadth of the discipline and give them the opportunity to develop competence, both as scientists and practitioners. As a consequence, our curriculum requires students to sample from core courses like developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, and abnormal psychology. Students are also required to complete courses to provide the foundation for doing psychological research. In addition, students are given the opportunity to explore more specialized areas within the field like psychology of deviance, development of gender roles, or women’s studies.

Traditionally one of the largest majors at the College.
95 % of the students reported overwhelmingly that they were either extremely satisfied or satisfied with our program in a recent survey.
40% of our majors reported that professors were the most beneficial aspect of the program because they are helpful, accessible, and share their professional and personal stories with the students.
40% of our students reported that specific courses were the most beneficial aspect of the program because they contributed to their personal growth and career development.

Our students experience the rewarding mentor-student relationship by working closely with faculty on research projects or internships.

Our undergraduate students present their research in national and regional conferences such as the New England Psychological Association, Eastern Psychological Association, and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Students may participate in the Psychology Club, an exciting place to find other people with similar interests and learn more about the major and career paths.

Our local chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, recognizes students for their academic achievement.

The Department offers annually the Williams James Award to the student who has demonstrated high academic achievement and service to the department.

The Psychology Department also offers a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.

78% of the students who responded to a survey from Career Services attend a graduate program

40% of the majors enter the field of education, 20% hold administrative /management positions, 15% are in sales, and approximately20% are in counseling jobs

Faculty Areas of Interest:

Leonard Doerfler – Cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal models of mood disorders, predictors or psychiatric hospitalization and assessment of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder in heart attack victims.
Regina Edmonds – Family systems theory and the psychological development of women and girls.
Paula Fitzpatrick – Understanding the function of perception and cognition in manual movement, the acquisition of new skills, and becoming proficient in performing these skills.
Maria Kalpidou – The relationship between emotion and behavior regulation in preschool children, the social lives of children with imaginary companions, and the development of attachment to comfort objects.
Amy Lyubchik – The contribution of specific distortions in parent-child interaction to the disorganization of the infant’s attachment strategies.
Ed O’Reilly – How social variables of self-disclosure, discovery, and apology affect forgiveness.
Peter Toscano – Adoption issues in children and adolescents
Arlene Vadum – Interpersonal communication and performative psychology.
Fang Zhang – The cognitive, motivational, and emotional underpinnings of personality and its life span development

Recent Internship Sites

Accelerated Learning Lab School
Community Healthlink
Elder Services of Worcester
Juvenile Court
Girl’s Inc.
Juvenile Court
Massachusetts Department of Social Services
Massachusetts Trial Court
UMASS Medical School
Worcester County Juvenile Court
Worcester Police Department
Worcester Public Schools
Worcester State Hospital
Y.O.U., Inc.

Recent Graduate Schools

Antioch New England University
American International College
Assumption College
Boston College
Boston University
Central Connecticut University
Clark University
Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology
Northeastern University
Simmons College
Smith College
Southern Connecticut State University
Springfield College
Tufts University
University of Connecticut
University of Hartford
University of Massachusetts - Boston

Recent Employers

Chicopee Schools
Caritas House
Community Counseling Center
Community Health Link
Deveroux Foundation
Grafton Job Corps
May Institute
New England Center for Children,
Peace Corps
Residence Life at Lesley College
Road to Responsibility
Saint Francis Care and Behavioral Health
St. Bernadette’s Catholic School
Sweetser Rehabilitation Services
The Bridge of Central Mass
Wetzel Center
West Boylston Schools
Western New England College
Youth Opportunities Upheld (Y.O.U. INC.)

Did you Know?

Through volunteer, community service learning, student teaching and internship placements, students are contributing about 93,000 hours per year to our local communities.