Excellent choices for bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in New York keep coming. Below we’ll explore the undergraduate options available at universities (R-Sa).
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Cognitive Science Department
Founded by Lieutenant Governor Stephen van Rensselaer in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private, STEM-focused research institution educating over 7,000 students from its 265-acre suburban campus in Troy on the banks of the Hudson River. Named among Newsweek’s 25 “New Ivies,” RPI is ranked the 41st best national university, 38th top value, and 33rd best college for veterans by the U.S. News. Within the Cognitive Science Department, students can discover America’s 158th best psychology degrees.
B.S. in Psychology
Set within a four-year template, the B.S. in Psychology program allows RPI undergraduates to learn the procedures used by psychologists to examine factors affecting human behavior. The acquired knowledge on individual perception and social interaction provides practical value in various industries from healthcare to education. Psychology courses begin the freshman year to introduce students to cognitive psychology, social psychology, motivation, learning theory, experimental methods, statistics, and abnormal psychology. In the senior year, students complete original thesis research with a supervising professor. Individuals admitted into the 124-credit program hold an average SAT score of 1376.
B.S. in Cognitive Science
Psychology students seeking a more interdisciplinary major could pursue RPI’s renowned B.S. in Cognitive Science degree. This 124-credit program aims to discover the fundamental principles underlying the complexity of human, animal, and artificial minds. Students progress through courses from psychology and neuroscience to linguistics and computer science to open several career paths. With a student-faculty ratio of 15:1, the program includes individualized research mentoring. Students benefit from the Institute’s cutting-edge research on cognitive robotics, artificial intelligence, cognitive engineering, human reasoning, and more. There’s also a Cognitive Science Concentration for the B.S. in Games & Simulation Arts and Sciences.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Carnegie Building 108
110 8th Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 276-6473
osgane@rpi.edu
Program Link
Roberts Wesleyan College
Division of Social Sciences
Affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, Roberts Wesleyan College is an accredited private, non-profit Christian liberal arts institution endowed for $16.4 million to educate over 1,700 students from its beautiful 188-acre campus in Rochester’s suburb of Chili. Placed #1 in New York in Niche’s rankings for health and safety, RWC is the North’s 83rd best regional college according to the U.S. News. Roberts Wesleyan also made Money magazine’s top colleges for providing 97 percent of students with financial aid. The Division of Social Sciences offers criminal justice, psychology, social work, and homeland security degrees with a 11:1 student-faculty ratio.
B.A. in Psychology
Available in a traditional four-year or accelerated three-year format, the B.A. in Psychology program takes an applied approach for preparing Roberts Wesleyan students for human services careers. The 120-credit curriculum contains 90 credits of general education for liberal arts-infused training from a Christian worldview. Students are trained with the “helping” skills for entry-level counseling and behavior modification. Graduates often find jobs serving mentally ill, disabled, delinquent, addicted, and grieving persons or attend graduate school. Students prepare by completing at least 90 clock hours of internship. Partnering organizations include Hillside Children’s Center, Rochester Mental Health, and Monroe BOCES.
B.S. in Psychology
For a stronger emphasis on research, the B.S. in Psychology program is available to RWC students striving for admission into science-oriented graduate study. Requiring only 60 general education credits, the Bachelor of Science integrates greater depth of laboratory coursework in the natural and life sciences. Over four years full-time, majors will study cognitive psychology, physiology, chemistry, biology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, psychological testing, research methods, and statistics. Two research practicum courses are required with the college’s PhD-level faculty. Graduates have been successfully admitted into prestigious grad schools from Syracuse and SUNY Buffalo to UNLV.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Carpenter Hall (Building 13)
2301 Westside Drive
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 594-6680
psychology@roberts.edu
Program Link
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Liberal Arts
Classified as a private doctoral-granting, career-focused institution with moderate research activity, Rochester Institute of Technology educates around 16,800 students across nine academic colleges on its 1,300-acre suburban campus in Henrietta just 13 miles south of Rochester. Featured in Yahoo’s “Most Wired Colleges” list, RIT is ranked the seventh-best college, fourth top value, sixth-best university for veterans, and second most innovative school in the North by the U.S. News. The College of Liberal Arts integrates cutting-edge technology into 13 Bachelor of Science programs focused on global awareness and social justice.
B.S. in Psychology
Using the scientific method, the B.S. in Psychology program at RIT examines the correlative relationships between brain function, social environment, and human behavior. Students develop the analytical skills to conduct research that broadens understanding of mental processes. RIT’s technical strength makes the program ideal for future graduate scholars in the psychological and biological sciences. The 45-credit major offers five specialized tracks: Clinical Psychology, Biopsychology, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, or Visual Perception. Each uniquely includes a co-operative experience for applied psychological research training. In the final eighth semester, students must propose and complete an APA-style senior thesis.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
George Eastman Hall 2323
1 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 475-4554
amhgss@rit.edu
Program Link
Russell Sage College
School of Liberal Arts
Established by suffragist Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage to honor her husband Russell in 1916, Russell Sage College is a private, non-profit women’s liberal arts institution enrolling around 900 female students annually from its 10-acre urban campus in Troy within New York’s Capital District. Offering 21 bachelor’s degrees in The Sage Colleges, RSC is crowned the North’s 100th best regional college and 72nd top school for former military by the U.S. News. The School of Liberal Arts is a large academic division conferring majors in English, history, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, and more.
Psychology Major (B.A.)
RSC offers a Psychology Major (B.A.) to introduce the techniques and instruments used in the psychological field to answer questions about choice behavior. Undergraduates are taught what psychologists have historically hypothesized about and the conclusions they’ve drawn from empirical research. Then, students are able to design their own experiments with faculty mentors to participate in the discovery of psychological truths. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, the program offers engaged learning for a 120-credit Bachelor of Arts. Required courses like abnormal psychology, counseling theory, and personality lead to 47 elective credits. There’s a specialized track for future M.S. in Occupational Therapy students.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
65 First Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 244-2217
rscadm@sage.edu
Program Link
Sage College of Albany
School of Professional & Continuing Education
Regionally accredited by the MSCHE, Sage College of Albany is a private, co-educational teaching institution supporting over 850 students on an intimate nine-acre urban campus in Albany, New York’s burgeoning capital on the Hudson River. Formed by a merge of Sage Junior College and Sage Evening College in 2001, SCA is named the country’s 374th best private school in Forbes magazine. According to the U.S. News, The Sage Colleges combine for the North’s 100th best university and 72nd top educator of veterans. Within the School of Professional & Continuing Education, learning is self-paced for professionals pursuing education with other life commitments.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
As the Capital Region’s only evening psychology program, the Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Sage is designed for busy working adults with transfer credits from other regionally accredited colleges. Students must have already completed general education and introductory level psychology courses for admission. The 40-credit completer program builds upon the fundamentals for more advanced knowledge on human behavior. Evening courses Monday through Thursday in Albany will delve into group dynamics, social psychology, personality, cognition, environmental psychology, health policy, motivation, and more. Its purpose is to enhance analytical reasoning and creative thinking skills for the workplace or graduate school.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
140 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
(518) 292-1774
SPCEDean@sage.edu
Program Link
Saint Bonaventure University
School of Arts & Sciences
Enrolling approximately 2,200 students, Saint Bonaventure University is a private, non-profit Roman Catholic institution grounded in Franciscan values to award over 50 degrees from its 500-acre rural campus in Allegany just 20 minutes from the Pennsylvania border. Honored as Kiplinger’s 96th best private value, SBU is ranked the 24th best regional university and 18th top college for veterans in the North by the U.S. News. The School of Arts & Sciences is SBU’s most diverse school with 16 departments serving the Clare College core curriculum and multidisciplinary majors.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Empathetic problem-solvers looking to master the art of psychology for the gratifying “helping” professions could pursue SBU’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. This 35-credit major primarily infuses Clare College’s liberal arts education with knowledge on human cognitive processes. With an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, professors personally encourage curiosity in courses from social and personality to health psychology. More than 90 percent of majors participate in community service and field practicum. The university’s placement network includes Olean School District, Catholic Charities, Olean General Hospital Behavioral Health Unit, and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office. B.A. students are also active in the Psi Chi Honor Society.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Another option at Saint Bonaventure is the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a scientific-based undergraduate major with strong sub-concentration in the natural sciences. Curriculum prerequisites include four years of high school math and three years of high school science. The 38-credit major involves a more intensive study of statistics and experimental methods for researching aspects of behavior and thought. B.S. students actively participate in faculty research and sometimes present at the Penn-York Undergraduate Research Conference. The four-year program offers optional study abroad trips in 30+ countries. Boasting a 100 percent placement rate, alumni attend graduate schools like Duquesne, Temple, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
De La Roche 100E
3261 West State Road
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
(716) 375-2488
gprivite@sbu.edu
Program Link
Saint John Fisher College
School of Arts & Sciences
Named for the venerated bishop and martyr of 14th century England, Saint John Fisher College is a private, non-profit Roman Catholic liberal arts institution enlightening over 3,700 students from a 154-acre suburban campus in Rochester’s eastern suburb of Pittsford near the Erie Canal. Given a financial grade of B from Forbes, SJFC is ranked the 146th best national university and 119th top school for former military by the U.S. News. Washington Monthly also crowned SJFC as America’s 147th best college for social mobility and service. The School of Arts & Sciences offers 20 undergraduate majors to cultivate students’ integrity, ethical judgment, and thoughtful citizenship.
B.A. in Psychology
Offering ample flexibility, the B.A. in Psychology program at SJFC shows students how the science of human behavior can be applied to solve practical individual or community problems. Firmly rooted in liberal arts, this 52-credit major explores multiple domains of applied psychology, including counseling, child development, substance abuse, and mental illness. B.A. students are required to select a minor after consulting with their faculty advisor. Popular minors are Gerontology, Women & Gender Studies, African American Studies, Catholic Heritage, Spanish, and Ethics. Students complete one 13-week field practicum at placements like the Crestwood Children’s Center and Rochester School for the Deaf.
B.S. in Psychology
Unlike the Bachelor of Arts, the B.S. in Psychology is a non-minor option for Saint John Fisher students seeking greater emphasis on quantitative and research skills than application. Each program offers preparation for graduate school, but the B.S. is best suited for future Ph.D. and PsyD candidates. This 70-credit major minimizes liberal arts study with in-depth biology, chemistry, physics, math, statistics, psychopathology, biopsychology, and neuroscience courses. Students must complete two laboratory courses for hands-on experience. Seniors have the ability to complete independent research with a faculty mentor. The Career Center lists available co-operatives with companies like Allergan and the Sackler Institute.
Honors in Psychology
High-achieving undergraduates needing extra challenge beyond the regular B.A. or B.S. could join SJFC’s Honors in Psychology program. Students benefit from undertaking an in-depth study of human behavior and mental processes for graduate school preparation. Admission to the Honors track requires completing at least 12 psychology credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. In the sophomore year, students must write a qualifying paper, or literature review, for the upper-division Honors program. Accepted majors will gain extra credits in developmental, social, clinical, cognitive, experimental, and counseling psychology. The rigorous degree culminates in a senior thesis research project.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Pioch Hall 103K
3690 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 385-8011
mghera@sjfc.edu
Program Link
Saint Joseph’s College
Psychology Department
As an elite ACSSJ member, Saint Joseph’s College serves over 4,600 students as a private, liberal arts Roman Catholic institution with two campuses in Patchogue on Long Island’s South Shore and the Clinton Hill neighborhood of NYC’s Brooklyn borough. Named among Military Times magazine’s “Best for Vets,” SJC is the North’s 74th best regional college and 56th top former military educator according to the U.S. News. With a high retention rate of 83 percent, the Psychology Department offers values-oriented education that quenches students’ thirst for answers about human behavior.
Psychology Major
At SJC’s Brooklyn or Long Island campus, the Psychology Major is delivered with a traditional, four-year bachelor’s degree format to pursue intriguing study on how people think, feel, and act. The program has a liberal arts foundation for a well-rounded understanding of contemporary human issues. Within the 36-credit major, professional growth is promoted with small classes and service-learning. Majors can have summer study abroad experiences in England, Romania, Nicaragua, Argentina, and more. Faculty-led trips offer generous stipends up to $2,000. Further specialization is available with the Concentration in Psychology for Child Study. Saint Joseph’s also offers a Certificate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Certificate in Addictions Counseling.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
SJC Brooklyn
245 Clinton Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 940-5300
dzaech@sjcny.edu
SJC Long Island
155 West Roe Blvd.
Patchogue, NY 11772
(631) 687-5100
dtreboux@sjcny.edu
Program Link
Saint Thomas Aquinas College
School of Arts and Sciences
Occupying a 60-acre suburban campus off Route 340 in Sparkill within New York’s Rockland County, Saint Thomas Aquinas College is a private, four-year Catholic liberal arts institution founded in 1952 and enrolling approximately 2,400 students per term. Distinguished on the Princeton Review’s Financial Aid Honor Roll, STAC is ranked the 109th best regional college in the North by the U.S. News. According to the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Saint Thomas Aquinas also offers “one of the strongest curricula” nationwide. The School of Arts and Sciences produces analytical, ethical thinkers ready to excel in fields from art therapy to forensic science.
Bachelor’s in Psychology
Following the APA’s undergraduate guidelines, the Bachelor’s in Psychology program at STAC trains scientist-practitioners with the fundamental skills required to perform ethical research and foster human development. Rooted in the social sciences, the 120-credit curriculum progresses through 100- to 400-level courses to pave pathways into human services. Electives can include child psychology, group therapy, substance abuse, gender studies, gerontology, and more. In the senior year, motivated students can begin taking courses at NYU’s School of Social Work for an MSW. Didactic instruction is supplemented with outside-of-class learning through guided trips, service projects, and co-operative placements. The college has an average retention rate of 76 percent.
Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
125 Route 340
Sparkill, NY 10976
(845) 398-4191
smarell@stac.edu
Program Link
Don’t settle your search through the Empire State for quality mental health and research training yet. Our next section of bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in New York will cover Part I of SUNY colleges here.
Related resource:
Top 20 Graduate Degree Programs in Forensic Psychology