2 Overview of the Psychology Program

The mission of Bard’s Psychology Program is to serve a foundational role in engaging the College and broader community with the science of human behavior. We serve as a hub for the mind and behavioral sciences through our curricular and co-curricular offerings that augment the course of study for all students, especially those in the Divisions of Science, Mathematics, and Computing and Social Studies, as well as through our leadership in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Concentration Our excitement and our challenge stem from the field’s enormous breadth, as we cover topics ranging from genes to social systems.

In all courses, we strive to:

  1. introduce students to foundational content in psychology’s subfields (social, cognitive, developmental, and abnormal psychology, as well as neuroscience);
  2. take a multi-level approach to answering psychological questions;
  3. engage students in integrative, critical thinking about the mechanisms underlying human thought and behavior;
  4. educate students in the process of science as it applies to human behavior;
  5. provide inclusive education for students of all backgrounds;
  6. provide hands-on learning opportunities for students to engage in the above; and
  7. prepare students to excel in their chosen field.

The Program cultivates an environment where teaching and research mutually inform one another by supporting faculty research, providing opportunities for students to become engaged in research during the academic year and summer and through the Senior Project (completed by all Bard students), encouraging students to gain internships and externships, and hosting speakers from other institutions.