Psychology (Honors Track Available)

Psychology is the discipline that enables us to understand why people think, feel and act as they do and how to study these phenomena scientifically. If understanding human nature excites you, whether as an intellectual challenge or as the basis for choosing a profession, then psychology is the field to study. It will help you understand how we develop across the life span, how we perceive the world, how we learn and remember, how humans interact with each other and how abnormal behavior develops and is modified. It offers a foundation for successful practice in many fields and for a deep understanding of human experience. It also offers a scientific basis for enabling positive individual and social change.

The Department of Psychology sees as its mission both the preparation of future psychological professionals and the teaching of psychology as a branch of the liberal arts and sciences.  In its first role, the department provides students with the knowledge and skills to prepare them for graduate work.  In its second role, the department aims to prepare educated individuals who can think critically about psychological issues and who grasp the relevance of psychology to the understanding of individual and social experience.

The department offers both a major and an honors major in psychology as well as a minor in psychology and a minor in art therapy. Dr. Melech Press serves as the division chair for the Psychology Department.

The Behavioral Science Pathway Program

Are you thinking of pursuing an MS degree in either Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I-O Psychology, or Applied Behavior Analysis? If you’d like to try out the program before completing your undergraduate degree and get a jump start on your elective graduate coursework the Behavioral Science Pathway program is a great opportunity. By participating in this program, you can reduce your course load in graduate school, and in some cases earn your MS degree faster. Through this program, you will enroll as a Master of Science student in the School of Health Sciences (SHS) of Touro University. To learn more about the Pathway program and see if it will help your academic journey, visit our Behavioral Science Pathway Program page.

Required Courses (22 credits)

  • PSYN 101 - Introduction to Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 301 - Experimental Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 301.6 - Experimental Psychology Lab - 1 credits
  • PSYN 351 - Biological Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 493 - Advanced Topics for Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 201 - Developmental Psychology - 3 credits
  • MATN 261 - Statistics for Social Science Majors - 3 credits
  • PSYN 335 - Abnormal Psychology - 3 credits

Four Electives from the Following: (12 credits)

  • PSYN 102 - Social Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 205 - Psychology of Motivation # @ - 3 credits  
  • PSYN 210 - Theories of Learning @ - 3 credits 
  • PSYN 216 - Adolescent Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 221 - Industrial Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 231 - Psychological Testing # @ - 3 credits
  • PSYN 302 - Experimental Psychology II - 3 credits
  • PSYN 310 - Theories of Personality # - 3 credits
  • PSYN 311 - Psycholinguistics - 3 credits
  • PSYN 312 - Cognition and Memory - 3 credits
  • PSYN 314 - Group Dynamics - 3 credits
  • PSYN 326 - Forensic Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 325 - Drugs and Behavior (Psychoactive Drugs) # - 3 credits
  • PSYN 332 - History and Systems of Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 340 - Introduction to Counseling and Therapy # - 3 credits
  • PSYN 345 - Psychology of Health and Illness - 3 credits
  • PSYN 401 - Psychology of the Exceptional Child # @ - 3 credits
  • PSYN 402 - Clinical Psychology # - 3 credits
  • PSYN 420 - Eating Disorders - 3 credits
  • PSYN 432 - Neuropsychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 481 - Independent Study in Psychology - 3 credits
  • PSYN 485 - Internship in Psychology* - 3
  • PSYN 494 - Senior Honors Project in Psychology - 3 credits

Total Credits in Program 34

Comments:

  • Students may, with prior written department approval, count up to three credits of courses in related fields (outside of psychology) toward the major. 
  • # courses marked with a pound sign are recommended to those students with a clinical interest. 
  • @ courses marked are recommended for those students with an interest in the education field.
  • Students who graduate with a Psychology major may NOT go back and complete an honors psychology major. 

Honors Psychology

The Department of Psychology has added an honors major.  Students who complete the honors major satisfactorily will be graduated with honors in psychology. Requirements for the honors major are all those of the standard major, with the following additions (a total of 43 Credits):

  • PSYN 496 -  Honors Seminar (3 credits)
  • PSYN 494 - Senior Honors Project (3 credits)

Five electives in psychology, which must include PSYN 312 Cognition and PSYN 332 History and Systems.

To be admitted to the honors major, a student must have

  • Declared themselves as a psychology major
  • Have taken at least 21 credit hours in psychology, including PSYN 301
  • Have a GPA in psychology classes taken at Touro of 3.4 or higher
  • Have an overall GPA at Touro of 3.0 or higher
  • Complete a brief application for the honors major

Graduate Courses in School Psychology

Qualified advanced students may enroll in a selected number of graduate courses in school psychology which can be applied towards the Master of Science degree in School Psychology offered by Touro’s School of Health Sciences. Students seeking more information should contact the Psychology Department or the Office of the Dean.