Undergraduates can select from 18 bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont to ascend their people skills in the “Green Mountain State.” Covering 9,616 square miles of New England, Vermont is the United States’ second least populous state with 626,042 residents. Featuring a GSP of $26 billion, Vermont’s economy has a large healthcare and social assistance sector. Mental Health America ranked Vermont #1 nationally for “Access to Care” in 2014. Psychology graduates can excel at top-10 employers like Fletcher Allen Health, Rutland Regional Behavioral Health, Central Vermont Medical Center, Howard Center, and more. According to the BLS, Vermont has the second-highest concentration of jobs for psychologists at 420 and an annual mean wage of $59,710. Train for your career goals with the following NEASC-accredited psychology schools in Vermont.
Bennington College
Society, Culture & Thought
Occupying 440 suburban acres in southern Vermont’s most populous town, Bennington College is a private, nonsectarian institution that’s been co-educational since 1969 to educate 755 students. Applauded for America’s 59th “Best College Dorms” on Niche, Bennington is ranked the 90th best national liberal arts college by the U.S. News. Noted for former faculty like Erich Fromm and Theodore Newcomb, the Society, Culture & Thought division utilizes the 10:1 student-professor ratio to lead discussion-based seminars on the human condition.
Psychology Major
Retaining 83 percent of freshmen, Bennington’s Psychology Major offers term-to-term courses rooted in liberal arts to fulfill undergrads’ intellectual curiosity for learning the nuances of behavior and cognition. The four-year, 128-credit curriculum integrates a 210-hour Field Work Term with placements like the San Francisco Zen Center or NYS Psychiatric Institute. Majors may also study abroad in Mali or Norway, take the Psychology Research Workshop, or join the Latinx Allies.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
One College Drive
Bennington, VT 05201
(802) 442-5401
danderegg@bennington.edu
Castleton University
Psychology Department
Belonging to the Division III North Atlantic Conference, Castleton University is a public, coeducational liberal arts institution endowed for $7.86 million that’s teaching 2,200 Spartans from 165 rural acres in Rutland County near the New York border. Ranked America’s 184th “Best Liberal Arts College” on Niche, Castleton is crowned the ninth-best university and fifth top public school in the North by the USNWR. The Psychology Department charges an average net price of $16,168 for human services career preparation.
B.A. in Psychological Science
Housed in Jeffords Center, the B.A. in Psychological Science at Castleton is aligned with APA guidelines to develop undergrads’ soft skills like communication in the framework of behavioral and cognitive science. The 32-credit major is tailored with four concentrations: Agency, Health Psychology, Developmental Psychology, or Forensic Psychology. With 71 percent retention, the program also lets students conduct an Honors thesis, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, and study abroad with 300+ partners.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
233 South Street
Castleton, VT 05735
(802) 468-1333
Terry.Bergen@castleton.edu
Champlain College
Division of Education & Human Studies
Opened by G.W. Thompson in 1878, Champlain College is a private, co-educational baccalaureate institution that’s enrolling around 2,300 Beavers with a 66 percent acceptance rate on its 22-acre urban campus in Burlington near the ECHO Lake Aquarium. Respected for America’s 14th “Best College Location” on Niche, Champlain is ranked the 91st best college and third most innovative school in the North by the USNWR. The Division of Education & Human Studies offers eight bachelor’s degrees from law to environmental policy.
Psychology (BS)
Reaching a 94 percent placement rate, the Psychology (BS) at Champlain offers an upside-down, 120-credit curriculum for freshmen to immediately learn the practical applications for behavioral theories. Through the Career Collaborative, majors complete a semester-long internship at agencies like the Phoenix House and Howard Center. Undergrads could also benefit from studying away in Dublin, joining Active Minds, volunteering at COTS, and adding the Positive Organization Development Certificate online.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
251 South Willard Street
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 865-5765
bmholmes@champlain.edu
College of St. Joseph
Human Services Division
Enrolling just 350 Fighting Saints, the College of St. Joseph is a small private, nonprofit Catholic liberal arts institution endowed for $3.1 million that’s led by President Lawrence Jensen from a 117-acre rural campus in Rutland just 25 minutes from Killington Ski Resort. Graded “B” for diversity and safety on Niche, CSJ is ranked the Northeast’s 57th best bang for the buck by Washington Monthly. The Human Services Division maintains an 11:1 student-faculty ratio for five bachelor’s majors.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Conducted by tenured, PhD-level faculty trained at Harvard, Brigham Young, Colgate, and more, the Bachelor of Science in Psychology leads to median earnings at $36,900 for undergrads who will solve social problems as behavior specialists. The 120-credit degree blends courses like stress management, sports psychology, and child development with 360 field practicum hours. Students may also take the Pro-C.E.E.D. Small Business Certificate, pledge Psi Chi, and participate in Community Days each Wednesday.
Bachelor of Science in Community Development and Counseling
Selectively admitting 70 percent of applicants, the Bachelor of Science in Community Development and Counseling at CSJ shapes undergrads’ helping-related capacity to protect the welfare and strength of multicultural communities. Featuring a 120-hour and 240-hour practicum, the four-year degree has three main specialties: Clinical Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and School Counseling. Majors may participate in Human Services Club, intern at Rutland Regional Behavioral Health, or pursue a Fifth-Year Certificate.
Bachelor of Science in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services
Another of CSJ’s bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont is the Bachelor of Science in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, a 120-credit offering that matches SAMHSA national competencies for addiction professionals. At least 240 practicum hours are integrated with agencies like Maple Leaf Treatment and Valley Vista for ASAC certification. Majors may also earn the Provider Scholarship, join Alpha Delta Omega, and study abroad in Greece.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
71 Clement Road
Rutland, VT 05701
(802) 773-5900
admissions@csj.edu
Green Mountain College
Undergraduate Program
Nestled on a 155-acre rural campus at the foothills of the Taconic Mountains in Poultney, Green Mountain College is a private, nonprofit Methodist liberal arts institution devoted to environmental study with over 750 Eagles and a $2.92 million endowment. Placed in Sierra Magazine’s top 10 coolest schools for sustainability, GMC is ranked America’s 189th “Most Diverse College” on Niche. The Undergraduate Program provides 22 majors ranging from renewable energy to adventure education with 68 percent retention.
B.A. in Psychology
Building atop the 37-credit Environmental Liberal Arts (ELA) sequence, the B.A. in Psychology gives GMC undergrads the strong grounding in modern psychological thought for addressing social sustainability issues. Featuring a 14:1 student-faculty ratio, the 122-credit curriculum offers exciting opportunities like taking GreenMap Trips, adding the Biopsychology Minor, contributing to the InterCultural Center, and attending the Honors Tea. Alumni have excelled at top-notch graduate schools like SUNY Albany, Hofstra, and DePaul.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
1 Brennan Circle
Poultney, VT 05764
(802) 287-8293
admissions@greenmtn.edu
Johnson State College
Behavioral Sciences Department
Named after U.S. Constitution signer William Samuel Johnson in 1828, Johnson State College is a public, interdisciplinary liberal arts institution that’s enrolling around 1,700 Badgers upon its quaint 350-acre rural campus in Lamoille County, Vermont’s third-least populous county. Noted for the eighth “Best Student Life” statewide, JSC was ranked America’s 254th best master’s-level university for social mobility and service by Washington Monthly. The Behavioral Sciences Department in McClelland Hall provides stimulating discussions with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio.
B.A. in Psychology
Available on-site in Johnson or via Distance Learning for transfers with 60+ credits, the B.A. in Psychology teaches JSC undergrads the empirical-based methods to improve human performance. Within the “Finish in Four” framework, the 36-credit major has optional Health & Sport Psychology and Pre-Professional Counseling concentrations. Each year, majors perform over 6,800 hours of quality service with internships at the Lamoille Teen Center, Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Infant Humor Project, and more.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
337 College Hill
Johnson, VT 05656
(802) 635-1308
Susan.Green@jsc.edu
Lyndon State College
Social Sciences Division
Established in 1911, Lyndon State College is a public, coeducational liberal arts institution attracting around 1,500 Hornets to its 195-acre rural campus in Northeast Kingdom’s village of Lyndonville near the Passumpsic River. Ranked Vermont’s eighth “Best College that Accepts the Common App” on Niche, LSC is the 55th most affordable small college nationwide. With a net price of $13,469, the Social Sciences Division offers associate and bachelor’s degrees emphasizing experiential learning.
Psychology and Human Services, B.S.
Boasting a 93 percent placement rate, the Psychology and Human Services B.S. at LSC is an NEBHE-eligible program fostering the social explanations of behavior for real-world application. Within the 54-credit major, students choose from four tracks: General Psychology, Child/Adolescent Development, Community Mental Health/Substance Abuse, or Elder Populations. There’s also a 4+1 B.S./M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Skills are sharpened with a 300-hour internship at agencies like the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program or Lyndon Town School.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
1001 College Road
P.O. Box 919
Lyndonville, VT 05851
(800) 225-1998
admissions@lyndonstate.edu
Marlboro College
Division of Undergraduate Studies
Positioned off Route 9 on 360 rural acres in the Green Mountains near Bennington, Marlboro College is a small, yet rigorous private, nonprofit liberal arts institution tracing back to 1946 that’s educating around 300 scholars with a $40 million endowment. Claiming the #8 spot for “Professors Get High Marks” on The Princeton Review, Marlboro is ranked America’s 128th best liberal arts school by the USNWR. The Division of Undergraduate Studies offers tutorials in 33 plans of concentration for 73 percent freshman retention.
Bachelor’s Plan of Concentration in Psychology
With an unbelievably low student-faculty ratio of 6:1, Marlboro’s Plan of Concentration in Psychology lets bachelor’s students study psychological phenomena for insights on individual experiences. After the liberal arts core, juniors step into an elevated academic realm with tracks for Counseling, Developmental Psychology, Experimental Psychology, or Education. Other opportunities include studying abroad in Mongolia, taking classes at Hampshire College, finishing the Clear Writing Requirement, and landing the WSP Internship.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
2582 South Road Box A
Marlboro, VT 05344
(802) 257-4333
ttoleno@marlboro.edu
Middlebury College
Social Sciences Division
Known for presenting the first bachelor’s to an African American, Alexander Twilight, in 1823, Middlebury College is a private, nonprofit CLAC liberal arts institution endowed for $1 billion that’s educating around 2,500 students on 350 rural acres in the Champlain Valley. Deemed America’s 13th “Best Small College” on Niche, Middlebury is ranked the fourth-best national liberal arts school and 11th top value by the USNWR. The Social Sciences Division confers six bachelor’s degrees with the country’s 19th best undergrad teaching.
Psychology Major
Retaining 96 percent of freshmen, Middlebury’s Psychology Major is an APA-aligned, four-year bachelor’s option for learning to apply methodologies for identifying and evaluating factors that influence our behaviors. The 10-course major offers core courses in Clinical, Cognitive, Social/Personality, Developmental, and Physiological. Undergrads may also conduct research in the Alcohol Addiction Lab, select the Education Studies Minor, intern with Kids Free to Grow, get inducted into Psi Chi, and attend the Clifford Symposium.
Neuroscience Major
In McCardell Bicentennial Hall, Middlebury Panthers find an alternative to bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont with a Neuroscience Major for in-depth study about the central nervous system’s role in behavior. With an 87 percent four-year graduation rate, the 10-course major integrates courses from cell biology to cognitive psychology. Students can also benefit from researching in the Systems Neuroscience Lab, presenting at the SfN Annual Meeting, and studying abroad at 40+ universities.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
276 Bicentennial Way
Middlebury, VT 05753
(802) 443-5720
mccauley@middlebury.edu
Norwich University
College of Liberal Arts
Nicknamed the “Birthplace of ROTC,” Norwich University is a private, nonprofit military academy opened in 1819 under President James Monroe that’s now endowed for $175.8 million and educating over 3,400 cadets from 1,200 rural acres in Northfield within the Green Mountains. Ranked the North’s 80th top college and 44th best for vets school by the USNWR, Norwich confers the 103rd best online bachelor’s programs nationwide. The College of Liberal Arts retains 75 percent of freshmen with 11 majors from Chinese to history.
Psychology Major
Selectively admitting 66 percent of applicants, the Psychology Major at Norwich confers a B.A. to teach cadets how to analyze and articulate scientific principles of passive or aggressive behaviors. For 120 total credits, the four-year curriculum map spans courses in biopsychology, personality, adolescent psychology, and perception before a senior thesis. Undergrads may also study at the CityLAB in Berlin, join the Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society, intern with Alliance for Peacebuilding, and minor in Neuroscience.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
158 Harmon Drive
Northfield, VT 05663
(802) 485-2428
kfleming@norwich.edu
Saint Michael’s College
School of Liberal Studies
Operated by the Society of Saint Edmund since 1904, Saint Michael’s College is a private, nonprofit residential Catholic institution endowed for $91.3 million to enlighten around 2,300 faithful students from a 440-acre suburban campus in Colchester near Malletts Bay. Ranked the 99th best national liberal arts school by the USNWR, Saint Michael’s is graded A- as America’s 72nd “Best Small College” on Niche. The School of Liberal Studies composed a 4-4 curriculum of 128 credits for diverse majors from anthropology to journalism.
Psychology Major
From Saint Edmund’s Hall, the Psychology Major takes the 11:1 student-faculty ratio to unite SMC’s undergrads in the scientific discovery of principles underlying behavioral and thought patterns. The 11-course major challenges upper-classmen with 8-10 hours of weekly practicum at organizations like Outright Vermont and The Howard Center. Other opportunities include joining Psi Chi, conducting research in the Virtual Reality/Perception Lab, adding the Peace Corps Prep track, and seeking the M.A. in Clinical Psychology.
Neuroscience Major
Another of the bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont with 89 percent retention for SMC Purple Knights is the Neuroscience Major, which marries biology, chemistry, and psychology for multidisciplinary study on the nervous system’s capabilities. Offering an optional double-major in Biochemistry, the 14-course major spans from genetics and evolution to spatial cognition. Students could also picture the brain in the Scientific Imaging Suite, intern with Supportive Living Inc., research in the Animal Lab, and join Science Club.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
One Winooski Park
Colchester, VT 05439
(802) 654-2383
rcarrico@smcvt.edu
Southern Vermont College
Donald Everett Axinn Division of Social Sciences
Originally called St. Joseph Business School until 1974, Southern Vermont College is a private, nonprofit and nonsectarian liberal arts institution in Bennington on the NYS border that’s attracting around 425 Mountaineers from 19 states with a 96 percent financial aid rate. Graded “A-” for diversity on Niche, SVC is ranked America’s 218th best baccalaureate college by Washington Monthly. The Donald Everett Axinn Division of Social Sciences employs PhD-level faculty trained at Syracuse, Rutgers, Stony Brook, and more.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Charging an average net price of $23,727 yearly, the Bachelor of Science in Psychology at SVC offers flexible, self-designed education for building the behavioral science foundation for diverse people-oriented careers. The 11-course major integrates electives in the three tracks of Clinical, Theoretical, and Developmental with at least one practicum assignment. Majors could also intern at Hoosick Falls Health Center, study abroad in 17 countries, join the Presidential Scholars Program, and minor in Community Advocacy.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
982 Mansion Drive
Bennington, VT 05201
(802) 447-6349
sstein@svc.edu
University of Vermont
College of Arts and Sciences
Endowed for $467.7 million, the University of Vermont is New England’s fifth oldest public, land-grant research institution split into nine colleges to educate over 11,800 Catamounts from 450 urban acres in Burlington just 31 miles from Plattsburgh, New York. Applauded as America’s #1 “Most Liberal College” on Niche, UVM is ranked the 92nd best national university and 38th top public school by the U.S. News. The College of Arts and Sciences also stands out for the country’s 66th best psychology programs.
Psychological Science (B.A./B.S.)
As UVM’s second-most popular major, the Psychological Science (B.A./B.S.) enrolls 5 percent of incoming freshmen to explore the STEM “hub science” concerned with people’s behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. Ranging from 45 to 50 credits, the major builds core psychological knowledge with electives in three categories: Biobehavioral, Social and Developmental, and Clinical. Undergrads may also investigate in the Hammack Research Lab, intern at Turning Point Substance Abuse Center, become VIA-Big Buddies mentors, and travel to Finland.
Neuroscience (B.S.)
Launched in 2010, the Neuroscience (B.S.) is linked with the College of Medicine for UVM undergrads looking for bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont that focus on how the brain regulates actions. The 54-credit major spans from biology to psychology with Advanced Options in Behavioral/Cognitive, Cell/Molecular, and Research. Majors could also join the Society for Neuroscience Chapter, study in the MRI Center for Biomedical Imaging, or intern with the Genes and Addiction Center.
Accreditation
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
2 Colchester Avenue
Burlington, VT 05405
(802) 656-2670
psychology@uvm.edu
Through 2024, the BLS predicts that psychology jobs will skyrocket with much faster-than-average growth at 19 percent for 32,500 new positions. Psychology grads can claim titles like behavioral health technician, case manager, rehabilitation specialist, clinical lab associate, probation officer, HR manager, and more. CNN Money recognized career counselors for having America’s 46th best job with an “A” for personal satisfaction. Lay the basic foundation for your calling in health or human services with these bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in Vermont.
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