Psychology

Chairperson: David Page
Professors: Bush, Ph.D., Page, Ph.D, Silva, Ph.D.; Associate Professors: Bockes, Ph.D., and Enerson, Ph.D.; Assistant Professors: Hughes, Ph.D., Fahy, Ph.D., Gutheil, Ph.D. and Steitz, Ph.D.

Nazareth College’s mission is “to educate its students in the liberal arts and sciences and in professional fields so as to foster commitment to a life informed by intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic values; to develop skills necessary for the pursuit of a meaningful vocation; and to inspire dedication to the ideal of service in their communities.” The overall goal of the psychology program is to reinforce the College’s mission by giving students a solid grounding in our discipline’s diverse theoretical perspectives, research methods, and empirical findings, and invite students to explore the relevance of psychology to their lives and to the improvement of society. Graduates of our program should be well prepared to undertake graduate study in psychology, but that is by no means our only objective. The prominent place that we give to research and experiential learning will enable students to think critically and communicate clearly using evidence to support their conclusions. These are intellectual skills that stand one in good stead in daily life and in any number of career choices. An appreciation of the diversity of coherent points of view from which to understand human behavior is preparation not only for specialized graduate study but also for a more sensitive and open-minded relationship with one’s community and a more enlightened sense of one’s own being.

The Psychology Major is a liberal arts major and not a pre-professional program. Work within the field of psychology requires an advanced degree in the discipline, at least a master’s degree. Many of our students combine their study of psychology with a concentration in inclusive education (NYS Certification: Childhood & Childhood with Disabilities). These students usually find employment within school systems soon after graduation and within five years earn the required Master’s Degree for Professional Certification. Most of our students pursue advanced degrees within psychology in areas such as counseling, school counseling, or school psychology in preparation for work in human services or education. Some seek the Ph.D. degree for careers in college/university teaching and research while others obtain graduate degrees in related disciplines such as business (e.g. human resources or organizational development) or social work.

Optional Psychology Honors Program is available for students with a 3.5 GPA in Psychology and an overall GPA of 3.0. This program is designed to give the serious Psychology major a more in-depth experience in research as a preparation for graduate study. Students take Honors independent research in the junior year, and both History of Psychology and Senior Seminar as integrators of previous courses in the senior year.

The department offers a BA in Psychology and a minor in Gerontology.