INFORMATION FOR
The Department of Psychology provides the opportunity for degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The department prepares students for employment in areas such as social services, education, health, and research fields, as well as graduate education in diverse fields of study.
"My favorite part of being a Psychology major here at William Paterson is meeting new people and using the resources we have on campus... the human brain is just very interesting to me."– Victoria Zanca '25, President of WP Psychology Club and Vice President, PSI CHI
Alumni in arts, humanities, and social sciences are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in Psychology (NACE)
Noteworthy Psychology Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
The BA in psychology provides a broad understanding and appreciation of the field of psychology as a multifaceted discipline with both scientific and humanistic aspects. In addition to the mastery of specific course content, the program seeks to develop the student's ability to think critically about issues in the field. Moreover, the program is designed to help students: (1) integrate their knowledge of psychology with concepts and research from related disciplines, and (2) discover opportunities for application of knowledge in psychology to the solution of human problems. The program serves as preparation for graduate study in psychology or in such areas as law, social work, and public administration. In addition, the program prepares students for entry into bachelor's level careers.
View requirements and course descriptions:
Loading...
Psychology is the study of mental activities and behaviors that can be applied to the betterment of a wide range of other disciplines. The minor program in psychology is designed to allow students to explore critical topics and ideas in psychology in an easily adaptable format. With hundreds of course offerings each year in more than 60 subject areas and sub-disciplines of the field, students have the capacity to select areas of interest and explore them deeply. In addition, the program seeks to develop the student's ability to think critically about concepts and research in psychology and its application to the solution of human problems.
This minor is an 18-credit program that prepares students for careers in social science research in various industries like social advocacy organizations, local government agencies, scientific consulting services, grantmaking services, and professional organizations. Students enrolled in the program learn the various tasks and responsibilities of research assistants in behavioral and social science: (1) Data collection (through observations, interviews, surveys); (2) Data management, data entry, and data cleaning; (3) Assistance with preparation of research reports, manuscripts and presentations; (4) Preparation of tables, graphs, fact sheets and executive summary of research findings; (5) Descriptive and inferential analyses of data using computer software; (6) Coding and discourse analysis of qualitative data using computer software. The program consists of 4 required courses and two elective courses that can be completed over the course of 12 months.
The Certificate in Behavioral and Social Science Research Skills is a 12-credit program that prepares students for careers in social science research in various industries like social advocacy organizations, local government agencies, scientific consulting services, grantmaking services, and professional organizations. Students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to perform various tasks and responsibilities in behavioral and social science research, such as data collection, data management, data analysis, and report writing. The certificate is designed for degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students who are pursuing research careers in behavioral and social science. Learn more »
» Current students sign-up here: Declare Certificate » If you are not currently enrolled as a student, please apply here.
The Certificate in Forensic Psychology is a 12-credit program that prepares students for roles that blend psychology and the legal system—such as in victim advocacy, law enforcement, courts, and corrections—by providing insight into criminal behavior and mental health within legal contexts. The certificate is designed for degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students. Learn more »
The UI/UX Research certificate emphasizes quantitative and qualitative research methods with an introduction to design. This certificate prepares students for User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) careers. The UI/UX approach has become the standard for developing apps and is commonly employed as a part of the process to implement and update product experiences, ranging from online dating apps to television/media apps, to navigating driving directions with maps. This is a rapidly growing area of employment that combines social science research skills with aesthetic design. Students develop a skillset in analysis, evaluation, and the implementation of designs that enable product users to have fulfilling interactions with software and virtual environments. Learn more »
The UI/UX Design certificate emphasizes design and human behavior. This certificate prepares students for User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) careers. The UI/UX approach has become the standard for developing apps and is commonly employed as a part of the process to implement and update product experiences, ranging from online dating apps, to television/media apps, to navigating driving directions with maps. This is a rapidly growing area of employment that combines social science research skills with aesthetic design. Students develop a skillset in analysis, evaluation, and the implementation of designs that enable product users to have fulfilling interactions with software and virtual environments. Learn more »
The master's program in clinical and counseling psychology prepares students for the professional practice of counseling, assessment, and/or mental health research. The curriculum provides a solid grounding in both theories and interventions that can be applied to a wide variety of mental health, academic, and research settings. We emphasize professional competency, ethical responsibility, cultural competency, self-awareness, and current body of knowledge in the scientific, methodological and theoretical foundations of practice. Our program expects students to become compassionate and caring scientist-practitioners with motivation to continue learning and furthering their development throughout their professional careers. The program requires the student to submit either a comprehensive master's project (in which he or she presents a clinical project in writing and integrates relevant empirical, theoretical, social, ethical, cultural, diagnostic, and therapeutic issues in the discussion) or a research project that makes an original contribution to the literature. Learn more »
The doctoral program (PsyD) in clinical psychology is a practitioner-scholar oriented program that provides a direct route for students who hold a bachelor's degree in psychology to pursue advanced studies and obtain a master's in clinical and counseling psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology. When a student enrolls in the PsyD program, he or she will study in a small community of peers and mentors, and will have the opportunity to get training in empirically based treatments and interventions taught by outstanding faculty with diverse interests in both clinical practice and research. The program offers individualized attention and state-of-the-art facilities in our Science Complex, which has clinical, teaching, and research facilities, in addition to a psychology clinical training suite that features recording and monitoring capabilities. A dedicated graduate student study suite is available for work and study and for developing a sense of community. Learn more »
Real-world experiences in the psychology program include a wide array of internships in social services, clinical, geriatric, and research settings. Students have the opportunity to work closely with professors in their research labs and conduct their own research projects. Students can earn membership in Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, and join the Psychology Club. Students in the University Honors College can choose from three psychology honors tracks in clinical and neuropsychology, cognitive science, and social science.
In our psychology programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including:
Career opportunities at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels in psychology include: social services, health care, human resources, marketing, market research at the Bachelor's level; social worker (MSW), counselor (e.g., alcohol/drug abuse, school, mental hospital, agency), organizational consultant, community college instructor, research technician at the Master's level; clinical psychologist (private practice, hospital, mental health clinic), counseling psychologist (college or other school counseling center), organizational psychologist (consulting firm or large corporation), research psychologist (university or corporation) at the Doctoral level
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
