General Requirements

To Obtain a BA in Psychology:

Students must take at least 32 credits in Psychology and 3 credits in Speech as outlined below.

Common Requirements (14 credits):

All undergraduates must take the following courses, beginning with PSY 10200.

1. PSY 10200 - Psychology in the Modern World (a prerequisite for all others)
   Credits: 3
   Hours: 3 hr./wk.
2. PSY 21500 - Applied Statistics (ECO 20150, SOC 23100, and MATH 17300 are acceptable substitutes)
   Credits: 4
   Hours: 5 hr./wk.
3. PSY 32100 - Experimental Psychology
   Credits: 4
   Hours: 2 lect., 4 lab hr./wk.
4. SPCH 11100 or SPCH 11101 (see the following note)
   Credits: 3
   Hours: 3 hr./wk.

NOTE: if you declared Psychology as your major prior to fall 2019, then you are NOT required to complete the Speech course and you only need 11 common requirements credits.

Gateway Requirements (9 credits):

Undergraduates must take at least one course in THREE of the FOUR Major Concentration Areas of Psychology listed below. Each course is 3-credits. Students are encouraged to take more than the minimum number of 200-level courses as they provide distinct and valuable education in different aspects of the field.

1. Developmental
   PSY 22600 - Developmental Psychology OR
   PSY 24600 - Infancy and Childhood
2. Social/Personality
   PSY 24700 - Social Psychology OR
   PSY 24900 - Psychology of Personality
3. Cognitive
   PSY 25300 - Thinking, Knowing, and Remembering
4. Biological
   PSY 25400 - Brain, Mind, and Behavior

Advanced Courses (12 credits):

Students must take four PSY 300-level courses; any 300-level or 400-level courses offered will satisfy this requirement. All advanced courses use the required 200-level gateway courses as prerequisites. PSY 32100 is either a prerequisite or co-requisite for all 300-level courses and does NOT count toward the four advanced courses required.

35 CREDITS to Earn the BA
(or 32 if you declared psychology as your major prior to fall 2019)

Residency Requirement (BA): 21 CREDITS are required to be taken at CCNY (or 20 if you declared Psychology as your major prior to fall 2019).

• These can be a combination of the following:
  • PSY courses
  • SPCH 11100 or SPCH 11101 (only if you declared psychology as your major during fall 2019 or afterward)

To obtain a BS in Psychology:

• All of the above requirements for the BA must be satisfied (35 credits) (or 32 if you declared Psychology as your major prior to fall 2019).
• Four lab science courses (16 credits).
  • After you declare the BS Psychology major, see DegreeWorks for the courses that can be taken. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks. Firefox works well.
  • Most, but not all, students take CHEM 10300 and CHEM 10400 and BIO 10100 and BIO 10200.
• Two calculus courses (8 credits).

  • (MATH 20100 and MATH 212) OR (MATH 20500 and MATH 20900)

  • Typically, BS Psychology students, who are planning on careers in the medical field, take the MATH 20500 and MATH 20900 calculus courses.

  • MATH 20100 and MATH 20500 are both considered entry-level courses, and together do not satisfy the calculus requirement.

• Writing for the Sciences course (3 credits) (ENG 21003).

62 CREDITS to Earn the BS
(or 59 if you declared psychology as your major prior to fall 2019)

Residency Requirement (BS): 38 CREDITS are required to be taken at CCNY (or 36 if you declared psychology as your major prior to fall 2019).

• These can be any combination of the following:
  • PSY courses
  • Calculus courses
  • Laboratory courses in the Sciences
  • ENGL 21003
  • SPCH 1110 or SPCH 11101 (only if you declared psychology as your major during fall 2019 or a afterward)

IMPORTANT

• There are other school requirements that must be satisfied to reach a total of 120 credits to graduate. Those requirements are not the same for BA and BS Psychology majors. Check DegreeWorks for the exact school requirements that apply to you. The Chrome browser will not work with DegreeWorks. Firefox works well.
• All students need to have 80 credits, or their last 30 credits, be taken at CCNY.

Departmental Objectives of the Undergraduate Curriculum

To promote critical thinking and to enable students to acquire and apply critical thinking to the content of a discipline and to practical problems they confront in other settings. We understand critical thinking to include at least these components:

• Evaluating fact-based evidence.
• Engaging in both inductive and deductive logical reasoning.
• Identifying and considering multiple points of view.

Applying the above processes to problem-solving:

• To enable students to understand basic and more advanced psychological theories, principles, and concepts in a variety of areas such as, human development, social interaction, psychopathology, cognitive processes, and the biological bases of behavior.
• To enable students to explore connections between published research findings and their applications. This will prepare students to apply psychological concepts to their own lives and experiences.
• To enable students to evaluate hypotheses, research designs, research findings, and theories.
• To enable students to formulate questions and hypotheses, design research protocols, and analyze research findings.
• To enable students to develop competence in quantitative reasoning and applying statistical procedures on a conceptual level and through the use of statistical software packages.
• To enable students to understand the difference between pseudo-science and science and apply such understanding to media reports about psychology.
• To enable students to apply psychological concepts and principles to understanding social, political, and cultural phenomena (including, for example, issues of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability).
• To enable students to act ethically, both in the conduct of research and in their everyday interactions.
• To enable students to develop effective communication skills in oral, written, and numerical formats.

Last Update: 03/12/2021

A student in the Masters Program in General Psychology has two choices for completing the degree:

1. Involves more coursework
2. Involves a research-intensive thesis experience

With either choice the program includes two mandatory courses:

V0100: Advanced Experimental Psychology I
Credits: 4
Hours: 2 lect., 4 lab hr./wk.

V0500: Statistical Methods in Psychology I
Credits: 3
Hours: 2 rec., 2 lab. hr./wk.

The student also must take one course from the following areas:

- Cognition
- Sleep
- Neuroscience
- Psychometrics
- Psycholinguistics
- Psychopharmacology

Or else achieve a score in at least the 65th percentile on the advanced psychology section of the Graduate Record Examination.

If the student chooses to complete the program without a thesis, he or she must complete 40 credits (including the two mandatory courses). If a student chooses to complete the program with a thesis, 31 credits are required. In either case, the student must maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0.

Students choosing the thesis option are required to enroll in B9900 for which they receive 3 credits with no grade until they complete their thesis. Most students will also enroll for B9800 for at least one semester prior to B9900 while they develop their thesis plans and complete the proposal.

The degree requires 60 credits to be completed in two years, four or five classes taken in each of four semesters.  Students are required to enroll in at least four classes in each of four semesters.  Classes are commonly scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 - 4:30 PM and 5:00 - 7:30 PM with one 10 AM - 12:30 PM course usually on Tuesdays.  To be accepted into the program, students must agree to commit to this schedule.  We are sorry that we are unable to accept part-time students into the program.

The Two-Year, 4 Semester Sequence*

Semester 1 - Fall

• Developmental Psychology (PSY V2000)
• Psychopathology (PSY V5500) 
• Theories and Techniques of Counseling (PSY V6532)
• Professional Orientation and Ethics (PSY V6584)
• Foundations on Mental Health Counseling and Consultation (PSY V6597)

Semester 2 - Spring

• Trauma and Resilience (PSY V6540)   
• Group Dynamics and Group Counseling (PSY V6556) 
• Assessment and Appraisal of Individuals, Families, Couples, and Groups (PSY V6575)
• Clinical Instruction (PSY V6587)
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Diagnosis & Treatment (PSY V7000)

Semester 3 - Fall

• Multicultural Issues in Counseling (PSY V6560)
• Research and Program Evaluation (PSY V6563)
• Counseling Adolescents (PSY V6582)
• Practicum in Counseling I (PSY V6589)
• Family and Couples Counseling - I (PSY V6593)

Semester 4 - Spring   

• Psychoeducation and Community-Based Interventions (PSY V6564)
• Practicum in Counseling II  (PSY V6590)
• Lifestyle and Career Development (PSY V6591)
• Family and Couples Counseling - II (PSY V6594)

 Elective (may be taken in any semester or during a summer or winter session)

* Updated 3/30/2021

If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, then please contact Dr. Tiffany Floyd at  tfloyd@ccny.cuny.edu

Course requirements for the Ph.D. degree include a minimum of 90 academic credits (up to 15 credits can be transferred in from other accredited Master's Programs in Psychology at the discretion of the Program Director) completed within the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 500 hours of face to face clinical work at the Psychological Center, a year-long internship requirement, and defense of a dissertation thesis. The curriculum has broad and general courses as well as treatment-oriented and specialized courses. We offer sequences in research methods, assessment, clinical practica, theory, psychopathology, evidence-based treatments, and diversity & difference.

Dissertations in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology may consist of a broad range of topics and methods. Typically, our students are on an internship after their fourth or fifth year, having completed the dissertation proposal prior to applying for an internship. Required course work can be completed within three years, in-residence clinical training in four years.

Useful Links:

- Path to a degree for a Model Course Sequence...Learn More
- Learning Goals for Examinations...Learn More

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FAQ

Making the decision to pursue graduate school training should not be taken lightly. Graduate education involves time out of the employment market, a high degree of critical evaluation, significant autonomy, and considerable financial expenditure. However, earning the degree is a rewarding experience and will provide you with the credentials you need to pursue your career in psychology. If your future career plans require further education, this section will provide you with the basics of what you need to do to pursue graduate work.                                                                                                

Here are some important tips that will help you with the application process:

1. Start early
   You should be thinking about whether or not to apply to graduate school at the end of your sophomore or beginning of your junior year. If you decide to pursue graduate school training, you should consider arranging an independent study course or taking additional courses that advance your research skills and knowledge. Find out what the minimum GPA is for admission to graduate programs.
   
    
2. Prepare for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
   Find out about this important test NOW. Most graduate departments require that you take this standard aptitude test. There are many study aids available to help you prepare (courses, books, etc). Degree programs vary in their test score requirements so you should check with the particular schools you are applying to; successful applicants typically score above 500 on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE.  Some psychology departments require students to take the psychology subject test. Check with the individual institutions to determine if they require this standardized test.  There are some programs within CUNY, such as Project Ascend describe in this handbook in Section III that help you prepare for this examination.
   
    
3. Take time to choose an appropriate school, here are some important tips:
   
   - You should make sure you apply to schools that are accredited. Institutional accreditation certifies that an institution has met minimum standards of quality. 
   
   - Locate institutions with appropriate programs. As you begin to explore which areas of psychology interest you, you will want to search for and apply to schools that offer a program in that area. Peterson's Guide to Graduate Study is a helpful publication for finding schools with programs in your area of interest. You should also use the APA publication, Graduate Study in Psychology and Associated Fields (see https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/4270104 ) You can order the book from the web (http://www.apa.org/books) or by phone: 1-800-347-2721, ext. 5510. You can if you know of a faculty member at a particular institution that works in the area you are interested in; you should contact them for more information. Hint: Many universities have their faculty and their interests posted on the department's Website.
   
   - There may be personal factors that help you decide where you would like to pursue graduate work.  Relationships, geographic location, tuition, availability of financial aid, student/faculty ratio and a host of other variables that may be uniquely important to you may also contribute to your choice of school.
   
   - Apply to several schools. Graduate student selection is very competitive. Often there are very few slots for which hundreds of people have applied. There is no exact number of schools to which you should apply. Some students apply to 5 schools, others to 14. The APA offers some helpful advice about applying to graduate school (https://www.apa.org/education/grad/applying).
   
    
4. Take sufficient time to put together your application package
   This takes planning, thoughtfulness and careful consideration. In addition to a personal statement and your standardized test scores, letters of recommendation are required in your application to graduate school. It takes a lot of time to collect this information, coordinate it and get it to the schools on time. Develop a time-line and follow it.
   
    
5. Letters of recommendation are important
   So, contact faculty early and in writing to request letters of recommendation.  Choose advisors carefully.  Does this person know you? How do they know you?  Can they give you a positive evaluation in terms of your potential for graduate study? Are there faculty members with whom you have taken more than one course?  Admissions committees usually consider the letter of recommendation quite seriously.  This is another reason to try and get to know the faculty outside of class and to do independent study and field work that allows faculty to get to know you.   When you know faculty and they know you it is more likely that they can accurately judge your performance and potential for graduate study.
   
    
6. Be thoughtful about how you secure letters of recommendation
   Typically a school requires three letters of recommendation. You want to select faculty members with whom you have worked closely and can write a strong letter on your behalf. (Check the directory to the left of the Psychology Offices door to find out which instructors are faculty members.) It is also recommended that you request letters between four and six weeks in advance of their due date. It is advised that you provide your letter writer with pertinent information about yourself (what classes you had with them, what research or fieldwork you did with them, a copy of your transcript, your extra-curricular activities etc). You also need to provide your letter writers with a stamped envelope addressed to the institution to which you are applying. If you are requesting several letters you might want to make up a list of letters in the order of the due dates and list each due date so that the faculty member can use this guide.  Any faculty advisor or the Department Chair can answer questions you have about recommendation letters.
   
    
7. Give the time and attention to detail to the personal essay that it deserves
   Graduate schools require admissions essays.  They are used to judge your potential for graduate study and the "fit" between you and the graduate program. Therefore they are very important in admissions decisions. You should take special care to produce an essay that will support your application.  A good essay begins with a careful self-assessment.  What is unique about you? Prepare a first draft and follow it with enough subsequent drafts to produce your best writing. Use samples and have someone edit it for you. Donald Ascher's Graduate admissions essays—what works, what doesn't and why,[1] is a useful reference for writing graduate school essays, choosing a school and getting letters of recommendation from faculty.
   
    
8. Financial Aid Information is available from the APA
   
   Phone: 202 336-5970 or https://www.apa.org/about/awards/index
   
    
9. Information is also available from the U.S. Department of Education
   
   https://studentaid.gov/