Why Study Psychology at New College?
As a Psychology student at New College, you will work closely with faculty who are experts in the fields of developmental psychology, social psychology, biopsychology, and cognitive psychology, plus you will develop skills related to lab and field experiments, field observations, participant interviews, data analysis, archival work, and video and audio analysis. All provide excellent preparation for graduate school and careers in the field.
Psychology area of concentration
Psychology is the scientific study and application of knowledge related to the behavioral and cognitive processes of humans and other animals. Students in the NCF psychology program will develop familiarity with existing knowledge of at least four broad subfields within psychology, as well as develop depth of knowledge in an area of their choosing. Classes will provide students with a critical and methodological framework to evaluate this body of existing knowledge, and the statistics, methods, and lab courses will provide multiple opportunities for them to acquire and practice the skills they need to create new knowledge in the field. The program is designed to give students the tools needed to think critically about psychological concepts, whether as careful consumers of scientific information in everyday life, or as researchers creating new knowledge in a lab. The ability of our graduates to apply their knowledge and skills in these ways will serve to foster greater insight into individual and group behavior.
The Area of Concentration in psychology is designed both for students wishing to pursue graduate work in the field and for students who need to gain skills appropriate for meaningful work. The program includes courses often listed as prerequisites for graduate schools in the discipline as well as an emphasis on critical thinking, clear speaking and writing, project management, data analysis, and fruitful collaboration. The major also provides the breadth characteristic of a liberal arts education.
• View Psychology Academic Learning Compact
• View Psychology courses offered in last 5 years
For an Area of Concentration in psychology, eight specific courses are required (listed below). In addition, at least two advanced-level courses in psychology and the Psychology Senior Seminar (two terms) are required to complete the Area of Concentration.
1) Introductory Psychology Seminar: a prerequisite for most other psychology courses; usually taken in fall of first year; we will accept an Intro Psych class from another college as a substitute IF there is a transcript on file at the registrar’s office showing a grade of B or better.
(2) Introduction to Statistics: provides the knowledge necessary to understand the experimental literature in psychology and to conduct statistical tests of their own data; usually taken in the second year or fall of third year.
(3) Research Methods: develops the skills necessary to design, execute, and report empirical research; usually taken in the spring of the third year.
(4-7) Four of the six following second tier courses must be taken; most students have at least three of them completed by the end of the third year:
- Behavioral Endocrinology
- Biological Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Social Psychology
(8) A laboratory course: Labs are taught in Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Social and Personality Psychology, Biological Psychology, and Neuroscience and Behavior; this must be a full semester or equivalent (i.e., two mods) activity; usually taken in the second or third year;
Plus
TWO Advanced-level Psychology classes and/or tutorials: these require at least one second tier class as a prerequisite, so they are usually taken in the spring of the second year or later; each must be full semester or equivalent (i.e., two mods) activity;
Plus
Psychology Senior Seminar: normally completed as part of the student’s final two contracts.
Joint Disciplinary AOC Requirements
The requirements for the “slash” AOC in psych are seven classes.
(1) Introductory Psychology Seminar: a prerequisite for most other psychology courses;usually taken in fall of first year; we will accept an Intro Psych class from another college as a substitute IF there is a transcript on file at the registrar’s office showing a grade of B or better.
(2) Introduction to Statistics: provides the knowledge necessary to understand the experimental literature in psychology and to conduct statistical tests of their own data; usually taken in the second year or fall of third year.
(3) Research Methods: develops the skills necessary to design, execute, and report empirical research; usually taken in the spring of the third year.
(4-6) Three of the six following second tier courses must be taken; most students have at least two of them completed by the end of the third year:
- Behavioral Endocrinology
- Biological Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Social Psychology
(7) A “mini” laboratory course: (one mod credit) – See psych faculty for options; a full term lab will also fill this requirement; usually completed in the third of fourth year,
Plus:
ONE advanced-level Psychology course or tutorial: these require at least 1 second tier class as a
prerequisite, so they are usually taken in the spring of the second year or later; must be full semester or equivalent (i.e., 2 mods) activity.
Other Recommended Courses
In order to provide some breadth and perspective, psychology students are encouraged to take courses in other disciplines that will complement their programs. Recommended courses include those from the general areas of philosophy, mathematics, computer science, biology, physics, anthropology, sociology, political science and religion.
Faculty
- Michelle E. Barton, Associate Professor of Psychology
- Gordon B. Bauer, Adjunct Professor of Psychology, Professor of Psychology – Emeritus
- Kathleen Casto, Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Peter Cook, Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Catherine Cottrell, Associate Professor of Psychology
- Heidi E. Harley, Professor of Psychology; Director of Environmental Studies
- Steven Graham, Associate Professor of Psychology
Recent Theses
- Academic Satisfaction in College Students and Relatedness to Instructors, Parents, and Peers
- Association of Executive Function and Bilingualism to Programming Skills in Children age 5-6
- Do Children Who Know More, Care More? Environmental Knowledge and Scope of Justice
- Serial Position Learning in Honeybees
- Recovery From Rape-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Synchrony Between a Mother-Calf Pair of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Rhythm Discrimination in the Bottlenose Dolphin - The Strong and the Silent: Young Men and Emotional Intimacy
- Basic Husbandry Training of Two West Indian Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
- Exploring the Influence of Language on Pitch Perception: The Tritone Paradox in Spanish-Speaking, English- Speaking and Bilingual Populations
Careers of Psychology Graduates
Campus Visit Coordinator
New College of Florida
Senior Client Executive
Origami Risk
Attorney
Law Offices of John Baez
Associate Scientist
MedImmune, Hayward, California
Program Analyst
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
SAMPLE PATHWAYS to complete AOC Requirements
These pathways show how you could complete the AOC requirements within four years at New College or within two years after earning an associate’s degree. Please consult with your academic adviser to determine the most appropriate courses for your area of concentration.
