The Keuka College psychology program offers unique concentrations you won’t find anywhere else to customize your psychology degree in the areas of mental health psychology, developmental disabilities and forensic psychology. These areas of focus are uniquely suited to build upon your knowledge of human development and behavioral concepts to help you hone in on a specific career path that can lead to diverse opportunities within each specialty. When combined with the experiential learning we offer within the classroom and our hands-on Field Period™ program, which provides an opportunity to develop real-world experience in an array of professional settings, you will graduate with a solid toolkit of skills ready to apply across the field of human services.
Keuka College also offers a minor in psychology that pairs well with majors in criminal justice and criminology, political science and history, or sociology. Our psychology major also pairs well with a second major in child and family studies.
Mental Health Psychology Concentration
If you desire to work in a counseling setting with individuals or families, consider our mental health psychology concentration. The range of courses within this concentration include the assessment of dysfunctional and maladaptive behavior; the primary approach to psychological intervention; and theories of psychopathology, treatment planning, implementation, and evaluation. You will complete a practicum (lab) experience in a mental health or health care setting, and both a junior and senior research seminar where you’ll focus on more advanced topics in research methods and associated statistical analysis.
Developmental Disabilities Concentration
If you have a desire to work with people disabilities in non-educational settings, our developmental disabilities concentration may be right for you. Thanks to a range of courses in education for youth and those with special needs, as well as courses in behavior analysis and modification, you will gain a foundation in meeting the unique needs of this at-risk population. Further, hands-on experience can be added to your knowledge through direct work with our D.R.I.V.E. students, a group of young adults ages 18 - 25 with developmental disabilities who are mainstreamed into select campus courses. D.RI.V.E students may attend a range of courses from our psychology, social work, education and occupational therapy programs, and they can earn an educational certificate for completing life-learning skills in those classes, assisted by OT, social work, education and psychology majors. D.R.I.V.E. is a collaboration between the Penn Yan Central School District, ARC of Yates County and Keuka College.
Forensic Psychology Concentration
Forensic psychology is where the criminal justice system and the study of psychology intersect, and if you become a specialist within this field, you are likely to provide mental health services to those within prisons or on probation. Courses involving psychological tests and measures, deviance and social control, abnormal psychology, constitutional law, and ethnic diversity will prepare you to provide a range of support to law enforcement, caseworkers, and judicial officials.
