Applied Psychology
Program Highlights
- SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech has the only Rural Community Psychology program – and one of only a few Organizational Psychology programs – in New York State.
- Students get hands-on practice through a 3-credit experience and a full-time internship position.
- The low student-to-faculty ratio provides students with invaluable personal advisement and individual mentoring.
- Students have opportunities for international travel.
- The program grows significantly in scope from semester to semester.
- Our faculty continually conduct stimulating, ongoing research activities and frequently present their work at prominent national psychology conferences.
- While many psychology programs are designed primarily to prepare students for graduate school, our goal is to give Applied Psychology program graduates the knowledge and skills they will need to find rewarding, real-world employment in their field.
Degree Option
Bachelor of Science (BS)
- 120 Credit Hours (4 Years)
- Two advisement tracks to choose from: Organizational Psychology or Rural Community Psychology
- Students are required to participate in credit-bearing field experience internships as seniors
- Read more details in the College Catalog >>
The goal of the Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology is to produce graduates who, upon graduation, can find employment in educational, government, business or not-for-profit institutions and organizations. The curriculum in Applied Psychology, with an emphasis in either organizational psychology or rural community psychology is on practical applications to real-world problems that will assist students in finding employment in the field.
Students in the Applied Psychology program will gain experience in applying theoretical and practical knowledge to solving problems for business/industry and or social and community problems. This program will have a strong emphasis on national and cultural contexts and facilitate an awareness of both social and political systems and environmental influences on individual, group and organizational development.
The concentration in Rural Community Psychology will focus the application of psychological principles to resolve social problems in a variety of community settings. Attention will be paid to empowering and improving the quality of life for vulnerable social groups such as minorities, children and the elderly through advocacy and education. The concentration in Organizational Psychology will focus on the student’s ability to use basic psychological knowledge and skills to effectively solve real-life problems faced by business and industry.
All Applied Psychology students do core theoretical coursework in their first and second years, after which they choose either a Rural Community concentration or an Organizational concentration in order to meet their individual career goals. These different concentrations offer appropriately tailored coursework and include an internship experience aligned with the student's concentration.
The Rural Community concentration focuses on advocacy or advancement in such community environments as those involving family and children, youth, drugs and alcohol, and poverty. Students in the Organizational track focus on business, organizational psychology or organizational communication.
Students will be exposed to many areas of study in psychology through varied course selections. They can also obtain work experience or get involved in supervised research. Sample courses include:
- General Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
- Adult Development & Aging
- Rural Sociology
- Management Communications
- Research Methods in Behavioral Sciences
- Organizational Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Group Dynamics
- Community Psychology
- Field Experience I & II
Recent graduates of Cobleskill Ag & Tech's Applied Psychology program stepped into careers with a variety of employers including:
- New York State Office of the Deputy Comptroller for Human Resources
- Springbrook
- US Army
- Berkshire Farm
- SUNY Cobleskill
- Bryant and Stratton College
- Columbia Memorial Hospital
Graduates often establish careers as:
- Affirmative Action Officers
- Recreational Workers
- Urban Planning Officers
- Human Resources Agents
- Advertising Copywriters
- Media Buyers
- Health Educators
- Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists
- Hospital Program Administrators
- Psychiatric Assistants
- Directors of Volunteer Services
- Public Statisticians
- Insurance Technicians
- Technical Writers
- Sales Representatives for Academic Texts
- Opinion Survey Researchers
- Lab Assistants
Amy Corbett, Ph.D.
Professor
Warner Hall 201
518-255-5660
corbetab@cobleskill.edu
Dr. Corbett is a professor of Psychology with more than 25 years of experience in higher education. Research and collaboration are integral to her work focusing on mindfulness meditation, becoming more eco-friendly, and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans. These focus areas provide great applied examples in the Research Methods course required of all Psychology majors.
Dr. Corbett’s international psychology coursework offers students a multicultural and advanced educational experience. Students also have independent and supervised research opportunities. Her students can apply to present their research at SUNY-wide and national conferences.
Her education includes a Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology from the University at Albany and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She spends her free time in the mountains & lakes of New Hampshire, where she grew up.
Assistant Professor
518-255-5442
hooplers@cobleskill.edu
Dr. Hoople is an Assistant Professor and has taught college Psychology courses for over 15 years. Dr. Hoople’s specialty is in Sport Psychology and is an Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) CMPC Certified Approved Mentor. Dr. Hoople also recently became certified by Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) in Effective Teaching Practices. As well, Dr. Hoople is also certified by the Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults (MIEA) as a Mindfulness Instructor. Dr. Hoople has also taught over twenty college courses within the Psychology discipline.
Dr. Hoople attained his Doctoral Degree at Argosy University in Counseling Psychology, Master’s Degree from California Coast University and Bachelor’s degree from Towson University. Dr. Hoople enjoys spending time with family, golfing, reading, playing guitar and enjoys sports and rooting for the Buffalo Bills.