Mount Ida College

The current curriculum for the psychology major allows students to obtain a sampling of sub-disciplines in psychology and customize the degree to best suit their personal interest areas.

There are 5 new tracks in psychology currently being proposed at Mount Ida College, 4 of which will offer specialization in areas of interest to make you more competitive within the field of psychology. Each track is designed to help students meet entry-level career requirements and/or pursue advanced degrees in their chosen subfields.

General Psychology Track (revised)

The revised curriculum will remove the practicum experience and include a senior thesis, a capstone experience that investigates a topic of personal interest in depth. This track is ideal for students who wish to have a more flexible degree program. For instance, a student might focus on the psychological impact of workplace harassment and design her or his thesis accordingly. This degree is also appropriate for graduate school preparation when the other tracks do not adequately meet the student’s individual interests.

 

Mental Health Worker Track

This proposed track combines psychology and human services courses to meet the requirements for entry-level positions as a mental health worker. It fulfills the educational requirements for the Licensed Social Work Associate (L.S.W.A.) credential (additional supervised practicum hours and a passing grade on the national licensing exam are required), and can also serve as an excellent springboard program for those wishing to pursue advanced degrees in Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Psychology, and Social Work.

 

Research Track

Students with an exceptional curiosity and aptitude for investigation will have an opportunity to build their quantitative and qualitative skills in developing, executing, and presenting research in formats customary to the field (research reports, poster sessions, paper presentations). Graduates will be able to work at research institutions (hospitals, pharmaceutical and clinical research agencies, universities, etc.) and become more competitive applicants for doctoral level education where research is expected.

 

Forensic Psychology Track

Because students cannot major and minor in the same discipline, the Forensic Psychology track was designed for students who might want a central focus in forensic psychology. Courses direct students to relevant psychology and criminal justice courses, as well as specific liberal arts courses, that prepare them for work where human behavior and the legal system intersect (alternative incarceration programs, probation, juvenile detention, etc.). Students may also go on to pursue graduate work in forensic psychology.

 

Developmental Psychology Track

This track has three paths of human development that can be studied in greater depth by students wishing to work with a particular population (child, adolescent or adult/aging). Because the main focus is on developmental issues, it prepares students for many different types of work with a target group. This may include research on a particular cohort and/or future graduate study that further defines work or research with children, adolescents, or adults.