Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree Programs in New York, SUNY, Part I

best suny schools for psychology

Numerous bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in New York are housed within the 64-campus SUNY system. The State University of New York educates over 467,000 students yearly as one of the United States’ largest college systems. The following eight SUNY schools offer affordable, award-winning education focused on the psyche.

SUNY at Albany

College of Arts and Sciences

Endowed for $49 million, SUNY Albany is a public, state-affiliated RU/VH research institution educating more than 17,500 students from its main 589-acre suburban campus in New York’s capital as well as satellite locations in Guilderland and Rensselaer. Named Kiplinger’s 64th best public value, SUNY Albany is the 129th best national university, 62nd top public school, and 107th best college for former military according to the U.S. News. The Times Higher Education included SUNY Albany within the top 250 universities globally. As the largest academic unit, the College of Arts and Sciences has 39 majors for analyzing the natural world as engaged citizens.

B.A. in Psychology

At SUNY Albany, the B.A. in Psychology is a restricted, upper-division major offered to undergraduates interested in the theoretical and applied study of psychological principles. Students develop their understanding of the biological, cognitive, and social bases of behavior for diverse community professions. After 60 credits of general education, psychology students complete 36 major credits and 15 elective credits. Majors then engage in undergraduate research with faculty advisors. Cutting-edge facilities include the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, Center for Problem Gambling, and Occupational Health Psychology Lab. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher can declare Honors for a senior thesis.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Social Sciences 399B
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
(518) 442-4820
psychology@albany.edu
Program Link

SUNY at Binghamton

Psychology Department

Founded in 1946 as Triple Cities College, SUNY Binghamton is a public, space-grant research institution divided into eight colleges to educate around 16,800 students on an 887-acre suburban campus in Vestal just five miles from downtown. Honored among Greene’s “Public Ivies,” SUNY Binghamton is ranked the 89th best national university, 37th top public school, and 72nd top college for veterans by the U.S. News. Kiplinger’s also noted Binghamton as America’s fourth best public value for out-of-state students. The Psychology Department offers the 67th best psychology degrees nationwide with small classes, world-class faculty, and pioneering research.

Psychology B.A.

The Psychology B.A. program at SUNY Binghamton offers great flexibility for undergraduates to develop a solid experimental background that aligns with their unique career interests. The 58-credit major offers diverse electives from addiction and behavior disorders to personality and psychological testing. Students work one-on-one with faculty advisors to tailor a curriculum that suits their post-graduate plans. Specific plans are available for those working toward the PhD in Clinical Psychology or Cognitive and Brain Sciences. During the senior year, B.A. majors can complete an independent study project or internship. The Fleishman Center maintains partnerships like SUNY Upstate Medical and the Johnson City Mentor Program.

Psychology B.A. with Applied Behavior Analysis Track

For further specialization, undergraduates at SUNY Binghamton could earn the Psychology B.A. with an Applied Behavior Analysis Track. This 21-credit extension qualifies students for using techniques to shape positive behaviors. Students are highly trained to conduct precise analysis on learning patterns to customize treatment interventions that elicit acceptable behaviors. Coursework will delve into autism, behavior disorders, learning theory, developmental psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and psychological assessment. B.A. majors benefit from hands-on practice experience in the on-campus Institute for Child Development. Seniors can also apply for teaching assistantships and independent research study. Graduates continue studying for the BCBA exam at top-notch schools like Ohio State, Columbia, and CSULA.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Science 4, Room 230
4400 Vestal Parkway East
Binghamton, NY 13902
(607) 777-2449
ugpsyc@binghamton.edu
Program Link

SUNY at Fredonia

Psychology Department

Nestled on a 256-acre rural campus in Chautauqua County just five miles inland from Van Buren Point on Lake Erie, SUNY at Fredonia is a public, co-educational liberal arts institution carrying a $30.9 million endowment to educate over 5,400 students. Ranked 287th nationally in Money magazine for awarding financial aid to 75 percent of entrants, Fredonia is crowned the North’s 66th best regional college and 16th top public university by the U.S. News. Honored with Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement classification, Fredonia offers two bachelor’s degree options in its Psychology Department.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Adhering to the student learning outcomes from the APA, the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program exposes Fredonia undergraduates to the fundamental applications of psychological principles in bettering communities. Students learn the scientific approaches of researching behavior to solve practical problems in cognitive and emotional processes. Housed in Thompson Hall, the four-year program includes 35 major credits. B.A. students can specialize their coursework with tracks in School and Child Psychology, Forensic Psychology, or Counseling and Healing. There’s also an Industrial-Organizational Minor available. Outside the classroom, students can complete internships, join Psi Chi, and/or take a three-week summer trip to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Consisting of 41 major credits, the Bachelor of Science in Psychology involves more in-depth discovery of the scientific principles that guide researchers’ investigation into the human mind, behavior, and emotion. Students practice the experimental methods used for conducting psychological studies in preparation for research-oriented roles. B.S. majors can declare a Biopsychology or Cognitive Neuroscience emphasis for specialization. Rigorous coursework is heavily focused in statistics, biology, chemistry, physics, and brain development. Students can complete an independent study or Honors thesis project with Fredonia’s PhD-level faculty. Available facilities include the Adult Language Research Lab and Institute for Autism Research. The program has an average retention rate of 79 percent.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Thompson Hall W357
280 Central Avenue
Fredonia, NY 14063
(716) 673-3129
Psychology.Department@fredonia.edu
Program Link

SUNY at Geneseo

Department of Psychology

Initially named the Wadsworth Normal and Training School in 1871, SUNY Geneseo is a public, space-grant liberal arts institution educating approximately 5,600 students in primarily baccalaureate education on its 220-acre rural campus in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Recognized among the Fiske Guide’s 44 “Best Buy Schools,” SUNY Geneseo is the North’s 14th best college and second top public university with the #1 best undergraduate teaching according to the U.S. News. Located in the newly rehabilitated Bailey Hall, the Department of Psychology confers Geneseo’s fourth most populous major for studying human and animal behavior.

Psychology Major

Leading to a bachelor’s degree, the Psychology Major at Geneseo prepares undergraduates with the fundamental quantitative, analytic, writing, and thinking skills required for diverse professions. The 40-credit liberal arts major studies all main branches of psychological thought to expand students’ understanding of others. Students may add a Cognitive Science or Organizational Behavior minor to supplement studies in biological, developmental, social, and abnormal/clinical psychology. Upper-division majors with a minimum 3.0 GPA can benefit from meaningful internships with placements like Livingston County Mental Health or Catholic Family Center. Students could also join the Psychology Club, apply for the $1,500 Carol Kramer Award, and undertake an Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Bailey Hall Room 130
1 College Circle
Geneseo, NY 14454
(585) 245-5205
dehart@geneseo.edu
Program Link

SUNY at Purchase College

School of Natural & Social Sciences

Enrolling over 4,100 students, SUNY at Purchase College is a public, co-educational liberal arts institution founded by Nelson Rockefeller in 1967 with the motto “Think Wide Open” and a beautiful 550-acre suburban campus in Westchester County. Named the country’s 240th best college for civic engagement in Washington Monthly, SUNY Purchase is ranked the 171st top liberal arts school and ninth best public university by the U.S. News. The Princeton Review also included SUNY Purchase in its “Guide to 353 Green Colleges.” Known for earning the Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring, the School of Natural & Social Sciences fosters students’ inquiry skills in 10 majors from biochemistry to economics and psychology.

Psychology B.A. Program

At Purchase State, undergraduates in the Psychology B.A. Program are trained to think about behavioral, social, and cultural questions from a scientific perspective to better understand the human condition. Taught in the Natural Sciences Building’s modern classrooms, the eight-semester program contains 40 major credits. Students can customize their learning with a Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration or follow the generalist track. Rooted in the liberal arts, the program has an apprenticeship model for working closely with faculty mentors. Along with research, students can practice their skills in off-campus facilities like the New York State Psychiatric Institute or NYU Hospital. Associate degree students could join Purchase’s Bridges to the Baccalaureate program for transfer.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Natural Sciences Room 2065
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
(914) 251-6630
sciences@purchase.edu
Program Link

SUNY College at Brockport

School of Science and Mathematics

As one of New York’s most selective four-year, public liberal arts institutions, SUNY College at Brockport enrolls around 8,100 students with an acceptance rate of 41 percent on its 464-acre wooded campus in Monroe County just 25 miles west of Rochester. Honored with the NSLP’s Financial Literacy Leadership Award in 2010, SUNY Brockport is ranked the 58th best college and 14th top public school in the North by the U.S. News. GI Jobs magazine also deemed Brockport among its “Military Friendly” universities. The School of Science and Mathematics is divided into eight departments promoting scientific thought from meteorology to computer science.

Psychology Major (BA, BS)

Offering a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, the Psychology Major at SUNY Brockport engrosses undergraduates in the debate over nature and nurture while studying the various factors influencing human behavior. Following APA’s guidelines, the 40-credit major focuses on contemporary psychological principles across the lifespan. Both tracks build upon the Delta College core, but the BA requires proficiency in a foreign language. Major content areas are biological, cognitive, sociocultural, developmental, and clinical psychology. For capstone, students complete a senior seminar with independent research or internship. The BCEC offers practicum training at St. Joseph’s Villa, Clara Barton School, Unity Health Systems, and more.

Psychology (BS/MA) Combined Degree

High-achieving undergraduates seeking research careers to charter intriguing territory into the human mind could obtain the Psychology (BS/MA) Combined Degree in five years. The intensive dual program develops on solid baccalaureate education with advanced training in psychological research. Juniors can apply after completing 75 credits with a minimum 3.25 psychology GPA. Master’s students have three available tracks for Clinical with Applied Emphasis, Clinical with Research Emphasis, or Experimental with Research Emphasis. SUNY Brockport’s PhD-level faculty serve as mentors for active research agendas. Graduates can pursue applied counseling or research assistant positions and doctoral study after the culminating master’s thesis.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Holmes Hall Room 120
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420
(585) 395-2488
psychdpt@brockport.edu
Program Link

SUNY College at Buffalo

College of Natural and Social Sciences

Classified as a Carnegie Master’s I institution, SUNY College at Buffalo offers more than 230 academic programs to 10,600 students on its 127-acre urban campus in Western New York’s largest city along the Lake Erie shoreline. Located within one of the American Planning Association’s “Top 10 Great Places in America,” SUNY Buffalo State is ranked the 122nd best regional college, 37th top public school, and 85th best school for veterans in the North by the U.S. News. Buffalo State employs 51 professors who’ve won the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence. The College of Natural and Social Sciences operates the high-profile Great Lakes Center to develop students’ analytical and problem-solving skills.

B.A. in Psychology

With a student-faculty ratio of 16:1, the B.A. in Psychology program is a close-knit, liberal arts major for Buffalo State majors seeking a broad introduction to behavioral theories for applied psychology. Offering more flexibility than the B.S., the 120-credit curriculum includes just 39 required psychology courses. Free electives can survey everything from biology and sociology to organizational behavior and forensic science. The Bachelor of Arts is well-suited to the college’s interdisciplinary Gerontology Minor too. Students with a minimum 2.5 GPA can complete internships at off-campus sites like Family Help Center and Ivoclar Vivadent. There’s also the Psychology Students Interested in Community Outreach (PSICO) program.

B.S. in Psychology

More in-depth inquiry into human behavior for undergraduates’ well-defined goals in specialized careers is possible with the B.S. in Psychology. This 120-credit program at Buffalo State contains 42 major credits with additional laboratory work. Students complete the same intellectual foundations courses before fine-tuning their research and math skills. B.S. majors then select from six concentrations: Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Environmental Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Psychology of Infancy, or Aging. The four-year curriculum map includes applying scientific methods in hands-on research. Many students present at the Annual Student Research and Creativity Celebration. Honors designation is offered for a minimum 3.5 psychology GPA.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Classroom Building C312
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 878-6215
norviljm@buffalostate.edu
Program Link

SUNY College at Cortland

Psychology Department

Established by industrial Elmer A. Sperry in 1868, SUNY College at Cortland is a public, co-educational teaching institution endowed for $11.7 million to serve over 7,100 students from its quaint 211-acre rural campus in the rolling hills of New York’s Southern Tier. Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll four times, SUNY Cortland is ranked the 74th best university and 20th top public college in the North by the U.S. News. In Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Cortland State also landed among the nation’s 100 best public values. The Psychology Department has first-rate laboratories for fostering students’ positive contributions to existing knowledge on brain and behavior.

Psychology (B.S.) Major

Ideal for curious undergraduates wondering what motivates a person’s actions and feelings, the Psychology (B.S.) Major at SUNY Cortland offers immersion into psychological principles. Students learn from multidisciplinary factor at a 17:1 ratio for understanding human behavior from a scientific perspective. Innovative teaching methods and participation in real-world research equips students for graduate school. The 120-credit program spans eight semesters to produce promising researchers, counselors, school psychologists, behavior analysts, I/O psychologists, etc. First-year students can adjust to academic life easily thanks to the Study Place Project (TSP2). Majors may also join the Psychology Club or Psi Chi Honor Society for networking. Study abroad trips are available to 40+ countries, including Costa Rica and Ghana.

Accreditation

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Old Main Room 132
P.O. Box 2000
Cortland, NY 13045
(607) 753-4218
melvyn.king@cortland.edu
Program Link

Applying to colleges in the SUNY system is simple and efficient with just one online application! So, maximize your higher learning choices by reviewing the Part II section of SUNY bachelor’s in psychology degree programs in New York here.

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