Fitchburg State College's Behavioral Sciences Department offers students the education
and experience in one of the most fascinating fields of study that looks at who we are, what we do and why.
Four-Year Undergraduate Program
The Behavioral Sciences explore fundamental issues regarding the experiences of individuals in society through a range of majors and minors; students gain the academic background and research capabilities for both graduate study and immediate
entry into a variety of career fields. Focused field experience enhances what is learned in the classroom and broadens students’ options in their chosen fields.
Criminal Justice
The Criminal Justice major focuses on substantive knowledge about the criminal justice system, including its history, present operation, and future directions. It looks at the academic skills needed to think critically about it, including theories as to why people commit crime, organizational issues, research and evaluation methods, and moral and ethical dimensions. Whether students seek careers in fields such as law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, or whether they seek a broad grounding in social science, they are exposed to the whole range of issues presented in criminal justice.
Human Services
The Human Services program helps students develop competence in communicating
effectively with a wide range of people, assessing clients’ needs, as well as planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating services. Professionally supervised field experiences integrate academic study with hands-on, real world applications. The program prepares students for graduate study and careers in family/children’s services, aging/gerontology, mental health and mental disabilities, human services administration, addiction treatment, and community-based criminal justice services.
Psychology
The Psychology major focuses on general psychology with possible concentrations in developmental or industrial organization psychology. Students study key theoretical explanations of human behavior as well as the methods employed in psychological research. Students develop important skills in interpersonal communication, problem solving, observation, interpretation and analysis. The Psychology concentration may serve as a stepping stone to graduate school for those students who wish to pursue careers in psychology, psychiatry, guidance counseling, therapy or human resources.
Sociology
The Sociology major addresses major concerns of the field such as culture, stratification, social problems and social institutions.
Students study major theoretical explanations of collective behavior across the life course and in different societies. The knowledge base and research skills developed in this major will help students prepare for a variety of careers in research, government, social services, and industry.
Facilities
The Behavioral Sciences Department also has its own facilities, which include laboratories for infant studies, experimental psychology, cognitive studies and interpersonal
skills. These facilities, coupled with the dynamic and energetic teaching available from the faculty, provide the necessary resources for an exceptional education.
Faculty
The Behavioral Sciences faculty offer a wide variety of experiences to students who attend the college. Every faculty member holds a doctoral degree, and many provide leadership in their fields through research, publishing, clinical practice, consulting and involvement in regional and national professional organizations. Their areas of expertise and interest are varied and cover many of the relevant issues in modern behavioral analysis and intervention. Our faculty members are recognized scholar-researchers in such areas as motivation, addictive behaviors, feminist theory, community
studies, law and justice, police, courts and corrections, child and adolescent development, gerontology and services to elder adults, HIV and AIDS, euthanasia and end of life decision making, marital and family therapy, child abuse and neglect, organizational behaviors, professional ethics, program evaluation, childhood behavior problems, effective teaching strategies, international development issues and suicide prevention.
Internships
Students in the Behavioral Science Department are offered numerous opportunities for practicum placement as part of their course work. In addition, internships are either encouraged
or required during the senior year. The Behavioral Science Department offers three internship options.
Direct Service: Interns provide supportive and/or counseling services directly to clients.
Business and Industry: Interns work in local organizations,
doing everything from personnel activities and interviewing to helping design and administer innovative
programs to meet community needs.
Research: Interns work as research assistants on active research projects. Students are involved in a range of activities, which can include literature reviews, data collection and data analysis.
Results
Graduates of the Behavioral Sciences Department have found positions with local, state, federal and private agencies,
as well as in business and industry. They are employed as caseworkers, residential counselors, police and correction
officers, urban planners, personnel recruiters, human resource generalists, marketing assistants, and neighborhood
support and outreach workers.
Leading companies and agencies that employ our graduates include:
LUK Crisis Center, Inc.
Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare
Massachusetts Department of Youth Services
Massachusetts Department of Social Services
Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
Contact
For more information about the Behavioral Sciences Department at Fitchburg State College, please contact the Admissions Office for open house and visit options.
