The Classes
The psychology major includes the study of statistics and research methods, and allows you to choose course topics in the areas of clinical, developmental and social psychology as well as cognitive neuroscience, such as:
- Abnormal psychology
- Organizational psychology
- Motivation and emotion
- Sensation and perception
- Childhood psychology
All psychology majors also take Advanced Research Methods. In this class, you will design and execute your own research project by selecting a topic, developing your methodology, and collecting and analyzing data. You will present your findings to faculty and peers at the Psychology department's annual poster session presentation.
The Faculty
The faculty who teach these courses are experts in their respective knowledge areas. This translates into exceptional course content, experiential activities and research opportunities. Faculty specialties include:
- Animal cognition & behavior
- Clinical psychology
- Personality & social psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Cultural psychology
- Street & sexual harassment
- Industrial-organizational psychology
- Cognitive science
- Sport and performance psychology
Hands-on Learning
Professors in this department are eager to collaborate with students on research projects — an essential experience for students considering postgraduate studies. Many of these partnerships lead to journal publications and academic presentations. Students regularly present their work at regional and national conferences, including the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) and American Psychological Association (APA).
Recent research topics include:
- Effects of organizational culture on decision-making and employee attitudes
- The impact of coping with discrimination
- Using cultural scripts to communicate mental illness in non-Western cultures
- Bullying and factors related to bullying among children, teens, and athletes
- Animal behavior and communication, including how animals adapt to different environments
- Aspects of shapes that are judged as beautiful
- Mother-adolescent conflict narratives and self-competencies
- Women's experiences of street harassment and catcalling
- Using cultural scripts to communicate mental illness in non-Western cultures
- Mindfulness and emotion regulation processes
Some students seek internship experiences with agencies, hospitals, and private practices. Past placements include:
- Center for Visual Management
- Child Psychiatric Epidemiology Group at Columbia University
- Federation of Organizations
- Methodist Home for Nursing and Rehabilitation
- NYU Langone Medical Center
- NYC Department of Probation
- New York Presbyterian Hospital
- NYU Summer Program for Kids
At Home and Abroad
You will have the opportunity to study in some of the most interesting places in the world. Choose to study away or abroad for a semester or a year through Manhattan College's Study Abroad programs. Or take part in a faculty-led study abroad excursion that focuses on a specific area of psychology.
Past excursions include:
- A winter intersession program exploring the concept of happiness in Scandinavia
- A two-week summer program researching the behavior and communication of wild dolphins in the Bahamas
And let’s face it: there is no better place than New York City to observe and study human behavior. The Big Apple is home to more than 8 million people from all over the world, all with different backgrounds, beliefs and perspectives. At the end of four years, you will know exactly what makes New York City — and by proxy, the world — tick.