B.A. in Psychology for Students Beginning Prior to Fall 2024
If you are an established student who began at Buffalo State prior to Fall 2024 or later, click here for information about the old BA in Psychology.
Majors
Applied Psychology, B.A.
The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology is a scientifically-oriented undergraduate program designed to prepare students for applied graduate study and careers. As part of the program, students will complete training in evaluating psychological science and professional skills. All students will also complete an internship, a service-learning course, or an independent project to gain experience in the field.
All majors begin in the B.A. program.
The B.A. degree requires 36 hours in psychology.
Applied Psychology, B.A. Overview Academic Roadmap (PDF)
Psychological Science, B.S.
The Bachelor of Science in Psychological Science program is designed for students interested in a more traditional path in psychology that is geared toward research-focused graduate studies and careers that emphasize advanced research training. Students in the BS will complete courses that emphasize research methodology and will complete either an independent study, honors thesis, special project, or course in advanced research methods to prepare them for this path.
The BS in Psychological Science requires 42 credit hours.
Students interested in this pathway may enroll following the completion of PSY 350 Statistics in Psychological Research with a grade of B- or higher.
Psychological Science, B.S. Overview Academic Roadmap (PDF)Psychological Science, B.S. Honors Degree
BS in Psychological Science students who are performing exceptionally well in their courses may apply for the departmental honors designation.
The honors designation includes an added emphasis on independent work and requires that students conduct a comprehensive original honors thesis under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The thesis is a two-semester course, PSY 496 and PSY 498.
Special Admission Requirements
- A 3.25 cumulative average in all courses taken at Buffalo State
- A 3.5 cumulative average in psychology courses taken at Buffalo State
- A minimum of 24 hours in psychology taken at Buffalo State
Transferred courses will be considered for credit toward a student's psychology requirements, but the grades from these courses will not be used in computing the cumulative average.
A 45-hour sequence of courses is required for the B.S. honors degree.
If you are interested in an Honors Degree in Psychology, see your faculty adviser no later than your junior year.
Specialization Areas
Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology focuses on disturbances of human behavior (for example, neuroses or psychoses), how they develop, and how they can be treated. A clinical psychologist might work as a psychotherapist.
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Psychology studies the ways in which people gain knowledge about the world and how that knowledge is represented, stored, retrieved, transformed, and related to other behaviors.
Developmental Psychology
Developmental Psychology studies the development of behavior from birth through old age; the growth of intelligence and the patterns are special topics in this field.
Social Psychology
Social Psychology studies how personality, attitudes, and behavior are influenced by the social environment. Social psychologists study topics such as stereotyping, prejudice, aggression, conformity, and other group behaviors.
Behavioral Neuroscience
Behavioral neuroscience and the related fields of neuropsychology and biopsychology study how the brain and other physiological systems influence behavior. Behavioral neuroscientists examine such varied topics as the experience of pain, ingestive behavior, learning and memory, medical and mental disorders, and substance use and abuse.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Industrial/Organizational Psychology studies how psychological principles apply to organizational settings. Industrial/organizational psychologists are often employed in business and government settings.
Minors, Credentials, and Graduate Pathways
Psychology, Minor
The psychology minor is offered for those students who wish to follow a systematic plan of study in psychology while completing a major in another department.
Specifically, the minor is designed to give students a broad background in psychology.
As designed, the minor is flexible and should meet the needs of many students. Accordingly, students should seek advisement to determine what courses would best suit their own particular interests and needs.
Psychology Minor OverviewChild Advocacy Studies, Certificate
Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) is a nationally recognized curriculum to train students how to effectively address child abuse and neglect in real-world applications through Multidisciplinary Team coordination.
At SUNY Buffalo State, CAST is a three-course certificate program designed to prepare undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines to recognize and respond to child abuse and neglect.
CAST OverviewPsychology B.A./B.S.-Applied Behavior Analysis, M.S., Combined Pathway
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the scientific study of behavior and learning used to develop interventions to improve lives through behavior change. Behavior Analysts work with people with a variety of conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, developmental disabilities, and others. The Department of Psychology partners with the Buffalo State Department of Exceptional Education to provide a streamlined pathway to their master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.
Enrollment in this combined pathway allows highly qualified, currently-enrolled SUNY Buffalo State students to begin work on a Master of Science (M.S.) in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) while completing a bachelor’s degree in either Applied Psychology (B.A.) or Psychological Science (B.S.). Twelve (12) credits of designated master’s courses would be incorporated into the B.A. or B.S. program and count toward both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.
Admission into the combined pathway is highly selective. Matriculated undergraduate students may apply to the BA/MS or BS/MS pathway in their third year (junior year) and will complete all of the application requirements for the program. The admission application process includes a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and in Psychology, a statement of intent, 3 letters of reference, and a faculty interview.
To learn more about:
Spanish for Mental Health Professionals, Microcredential
The Psychology Department has a strong emphasis on training students towards careers in the Mental Health professions. Similarly, the Modern and Classical Languages Department emphasizes providing students with employable skills and experiences in applied language-based fields consistent with its current 'Spanish for Specific Purposes' orientation.
This microcredential is a 3 course (9 credit) sequence that pairs Spanish literacy with cross-cultural and abnormal psychology for those focused on working in Mental Health fields.
Required Courses (6 credits)
• PSY 381 Psychology of Culture
AND
• SPA 398 Spanish for Health and Social Service Professionals
AND
1 Additional Course (3 credits)
• PSY 392 Abnormal Psychology
OR
• PSY 393 Abnormal Child Psychology
See your advisor for more information.