A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from an accredited Massachusetts college or university can be the start of many different successful career paths. Students earning an undergraduate psychology degree graduate with a strong liberal arts degree that can lead to:
- a career in psychology
- entrance into a graduate program
- a career in many related fields such as social work, medicine, law, and human resources
The state of Massachusetts offers undergraduate students many different options for earning such a degree. With traditional on-campus options, online options, and hybrid options, students can choose what works best in their lifestyle and schedule. Earning a psychology degree is easier and more flexible than ever before.
Nichols College
The Department of Undergraduate Studies
Founded in 1815, Nichols College is a private liberal arts coeducational college. It awards associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and:
- 12 specializations in its business program
- five majors in its liberal arts program
- an Educator Preparation Program for middle and secondary education
Nichols College is located in Dudley and has a current undergraduate enrollment of 1,330 students. The college mission is “transforming today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education”. In 2016, US News and World Report ranked Nichols College as the 36th best Northern Regional Colleges. The Department of Undergraduate Studies supports a number of excellent majors and areas of study in the humanities, the sciences, business and beyond.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The BA in Psychology degree program provides students with core knowledge in the foundations of psychology. It teaches the skills and knowledge in research methods needed to effectively study human effect, behavior, and cognition.
Students become skilled in critical thinking, quantitative and qualitative research, and the ability to interact effectively with groups of people from diverse backgrounds. The program requires 120 credits for completion – including core liberal arts coursework, 24 credits of electives and the opportunity for specialization taking three of the following areas of study:
- Educational Psychology
- Psychology of Adolescence
- Group Dynamics
- Special Topics in Psychology
- Internship in Psychology
Graduates from the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program have the knowledge they will need to secure a position in the field of psychology as well as pursue graduate study in psychology or a related area.
Accreditations
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact Nichols College
Nichols College
The Department of Undergraduate Studies
Psychology Department
129 Center Road
Dudley Massachusetts 01571
(800) 470-3379
E-Mail: admissions@nichols.edu
Program Website
Northeastern University
The College of Science
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private coed institution located in Boston. The university awards bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, potentially leading to doctoral training at the main campus as well as advanced degrees at graduate campuses in Charlotte, North Carolina and Seattle, Washington.
Current undergraduate enrollment is over 16,000 students. Northeastern participates in a cooperative education program that mixes classroom study with professional experience across seven continents. In 2011, the university opened the George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security.
In 2016, US News and World Report ranked Northeastern University as the 47th best National College. Located in The College of Science, the Psychology Department provides a variety of coursework in the fundamental science of mind, brain, and behavior, and on topics related to:
- clinical
- counseling
- educational psychology
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Curriculum for the BS degree program in psychology includes the ways in which brain function determines behavior:
- how we see, hear, and learn
- what constitutes normal and abnormal personality
- nature of language and cognitive processing
- the way that emotions affect behavior
- and the way individuals work in groups
Students are involved in using:
- laboratory practice and experimentation
- individual research projects
- small-group seminars students
Students can elect to participate in directed study courses. These are individualized research experiences under the supervision of a faculty member. There are available co-op placements include both community and laboratory settings, depending on a student’s interests. The BS in psychology helps to prepare students for academic careers in teaching and research, and in professional careers in:
- business
- public and social services
- education
- mental health
- law
- medicine
Students are also prepared for graduate study in all areas of psychology, including clinical programs.
The program requires 128 credit hours for completion including 68 semester hours in the major. Students must earn a minimum of 64 Northeastern University semester hours in order to receive a bachelor’s degree.
Accreditations
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Northeastern University
College of Science
Department of Psychology
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02115-5000
(617) 373-2200
E-Mail: admissions@neu.edu www.northeastern.edu/admissions
Program Website
Pine Manor College
The Psychology Department
Founded in 1911, Pine Manor College (PMC) is a private coed liberal arts college located in Chestnut Hill, a suburb of Bostons. Pine Manor awards associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, as well as a master of Fine Arts degree. The main campus serves almost 500 students, with 75 percent living on campus. The mission for PMC is “a commitment to educating and empowering a diverse student body with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges of career, community, and citizenship in today’s global society”. In 2016, US News and World Report ranked Pine Manor College as a Tier 2 National Liberal Arts College.
The Psychology Department is home to a robust Bachelor of Arts degree program designed to train students for graduate studies, employment in psychology or employment in a number of related areas.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The BA in Psychology includes coursework that allows students to grow in understanding themselves and others through a study of social, developmental, cognitive and biological perspectives.
Psychology major’s core coursework provides the skills and knowledge of theories, methods, and research techniques in psychology. Students are required to take a concentration in Expressive Therapy, Human Services, General Psychology, or Organizational Psychology. This allows them to pursue their specific areas of career interest. Learning Outcomes of the Psychology Program include the ability to:
- Show familiarity with major theories in psychology
- Familiarity with the scientific method and the research designs used in psychology
- Read primary research studies critically and analytically
- Formulate hypotheses, analyze data using appropriate statistics and communicate findings
- Exhibit familiarity with the major content areas of psychology: developmental psychology, personality theories, abnormal psychology, social psychology, physiological psychology, cognitive psychology and their interactions
- Understanding the behavioral effect of gender, race, ethnicity, culture, and history
- Apply the principles of psychology to current issues and real-life problem solving
- Show ethical issues involved in conducting and applying the results of psychological research
- Familiarity with ethical issues in the field of psychology
- Graduates of the program are prepared to be effective practitioners or to continue on to pursue graduate school.
Accreditations
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts (AICUM)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Pine Manor College
400 Heath Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(617) 731-7000
E-Mail: sbrowne@pmc.edu
Program Website
Regis College
Psychology Department
Founded in 1927 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Regis College is a Catholic liberal arts and sciences college located in Weston. Remaining a competitive women’s college, Regis enrolled its first co-educational class in fall 2007 and current enrollment is around 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Regis offers a bachelor of arts degree in more than 39 areas of concentration. Regis College ranks among the top 100 schools in the US in the outcome-based ETC College Rankings Index compiled by Educate To Career, Inc. (ETC).
The mission as stated by the college is “empowering women and men to challenge themselves academically, to serve and lead through education in the arts, sciences, and professions”. As a Catholic College, Regis remains a diverse and welcoming community guided by the values of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Curriculum for the BS in Psychology degree program includes the study of human behavior from a variety of perspectives, from the biological bases of behavior to the sociocultural influences on behavior. Courses in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities allow students to pursue a particular area of career interest.
Students have an opportunity to participate in internships in schools and psychiatric facilities. Graduates of the program are prepared to enter graduate school or pursue careers in:
- mental health facilities
- education
- research
- business
Graduates are also equipped to:
- conduct research and critically analyze information
- to think creatively
- to present their ideas persuasively in both written and oral formats
- to work collaboratively with others
The BS in Psychology program requires 120 credit hours for completion. Learning Outcomes for graduates of the BA in Psychology include the skills and knowledge to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology
- Understand the socio-cultural factors of individual differences to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds
- Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology complying with APA guidelines and code of ethics
- Demonstrate basic understanding of the way psychological theory and research can be applied to multiple professional domains including counseling and education as well as in everyday life
- Using reasoning to recognize, develop, defend, and criticize arguments and other persuasive appeals
Accreditations
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Regis College
Psychology Department
235 Wellesley Street
Weston Massachusetts 02493
(781) 768-7000
E-Mail: admission@regiscollege.edu
Program Website
Salem State College
The College of the Arts and Sciences – Psychology Department
Established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, Salem State University is a four-year public located in Salem. Salem is one of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, enrolling almost 10,000 students in graduate and undergraduate programs. The university awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the Arts and Sciences, as well as Business and Certifications in more than 40 academic disciplines. Salem State’s mission is “providing a high quality, student-centered education preparing a diverse community of learners to contribute responsibly and creatively to a global society, and serve as a resource to advance the region’s cultural, social and economic development”.
In 2016, US News and World Report ranked Salem State University as a Tier 2 Northern Regional Universities. The Psychology department provides students with a broad-based background in psychology.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of brain, mind, and behavior. It’s an exciting, rapidly expanding, and ever-changing field of scientific inquiry. The BA in Psychology degree program offers students the opportunity to understand how different areas of psychology can be used to answer questions and create real-world solutions. Through coursework, students learn to apply research methods, to interpret behavior and mental processes through diverse psychological perspectives.
The BA program looks at specific areas of practical and research-based human behavior, in a range of areas. The program prepares students for graduate training or for entry into careers related to psychology. The BA in Psychology program requires 35 credits of core psychology coursework, a minor and requires a foreign language.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The BS in psychology program covers many topics including:
- individual development
- cognition and memory
- personality
- abnormal behavior
Coursework for the program allows students to study both social and cultural processes. Students gain a deeper understanding of the methodology of psychology through laboratory work designed to allow broad-based samples of the sub-fields of psychology. A required senior internship integrates different aspects of psychology, providing a solid grounding in the methods of scientific psychological inquiry. Students will also have opportunities to carry out research on their own. This enhances their psychological studies. The BS program requires 41 credits of Psychology coursework, with an optional minor and two math and science electives.
Accreditations
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts (AICUM)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
Salem State University
College of the Arts and Sciences
Psychology Department
352 Lafayette Street
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
(978)542-6000
E-Mail: patricia.kantorosinski@salemstate.edu
Program Website
With so many colleges and universities offering exceptional undergraduate psychology options, each student can choose a program that works best. Some students have the ultimate goal of pursuing a graduate degree in a specialized area of psychology. Other students may be unsure and choose a psychology degree for its flexibility. The many programs throughout the state offer students the degree of specialization and different degree options (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science) that will help each student achieve their goals.
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