Program Details
Create change through hands-on learning, fieldwork, and community impact.
Psych and COMMUNITY Studies Students will:
About the Program
From their first semester through their last, students in the psychology and community studies program are engaged with experiential learning in the classroom and in the community. They work with faculty, peers, community members and partner organizations on the issues that matter to them, whether that’s food insecurity, prejudice and discrimination, substance use, poverty, or effects of the environment and policy on community.
Every student has an internship in a field related to their interest in order to gain experience, network, and inform career decisions. Every student works in a small group to conduct research with a community partner who needs information. In their senior year, students develop, plan and accomplish a capstone project with a community partner of their choosing.
Students also have options in getting coursework that either certifies or prepares them for certification for immediate employment upon graduation in social services: Behavioral Health Professional, provisional or full Mental Health and Rehabilitation Technician, or Drug and Substance Use Counseling.
Applied Psychology
The program emphasizes applied psychology, which combines a traditional focus on the discipline of psychology with courses preparing students for professional and graduate education. The term “Applied” indicates the emphasis on Service Learning and Community Engagement, which presents students with opportunities to apply knowledge and theories to real world applications, often in collaboration with other students and community agency partners.
