Department of Psychology Messiah College

1
Department of PsychologyMessiah College

http//www.messiah.edu/departments/psychology
2
What is Psychology?

• Psychology is the study of the behavior and
  mental processes of humans.
• Draws students who want to work with people

3
Why Study Psychology?

• A human being is a microcosm of the universe, a
  rare example of Gods power, goodness, and
  wisdom, and contains withinenough miracles to
  occupy our minds. John Calvin

4
Distinctives of Psychology at Messiah College

• Students
• Faculty
• Facilities
• Faith Integration
• Enrollment has consistently been one of the
  highest for all the departments at Messiah
  College.

5
Psychology Curriculum atMessiah College

• Comparable to psychology programs at other
  schools
• Students will take courses that are theoretical,
  clinical, and experimental nature
• Many courses combine academic theory with hands
  on experience

6
Psychology at Messiah College Degrees
offered

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology
• ? with optional Counseling Concentration
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology
• B.S. in Biopsychology
• Psychology Minors
• ? Psychology
• ? Counseling
• ? Community Psychology

7
Psychology at Messiah College
B.A. vs. B.S. Whats the Difference???
a B.S. in Psychology ? is designed for students
who intend to work in a field that has a stronger
emphasis on science or math or for those who wish
to pursue graduate studies that lean more towards
research and the sciences.

• a B.A. in Psychology
• prepares students for placements in entry-level
  positions in the helping professions or for
  graduate school in many sub-fields of psychology.

8
Psychology at Messiah College Division of
Credits for the B.A. B.S. in Psychology
9
Psychology at Messiah College B.S. in
BIOPSYCHOLOGY

• Biopsychology is the scientific study of the
  biology of behavior and mental processes (such as
  learning, memory, perception, attention,
  motivation, emotion, and cognition).
• Our B.S. in Biopsychology is a collaborative
  effort with the Department of Biological
  Sciences.
• Prepares students who are interested in fields
  such as
• ? Medicine ? Psychopharmacology
• ? Psychiatry ? Neuropsychology
• ? Cognitive neuroscience ? Behavioral genetics
• ? Evolutionary Psychology ? Comparative
  Psychology

10
Psychology at Messiah College Division of
Credits for the B.S. in Biopsychology
11
Psychology at Messiah College Concentrations
and Minors

• Counseling Concentration ideal for students who
  are interested in counseling or a
  counseling-related field. In this concentration,
  students take a specified 12 credits that provide
  a firm grounding in the basics of counseling.
• Psychology Minor designed for non-majors who
  wish to develop a more sophisticated
  understanding of the person.
• Counseling Minor prepares graduates for entry
  level positions which require basic people
  helping skills
• Community Psychology Minor provides students
  with an understanding of 1) the individual in the
  context of his/her community, and 2) the theories
  of assessment and evaluation of community-based
  programs and agencies.
• Lists of required courses for our minors can be
  found in the college catalog or on-line at
  www.messiah.edu

12
Psychology at Messiah College State-of-the-Art
Equipment

• An academic building that includes
• Interview rooms with recording capability
• Group observation/counseling area with
• recording capability
• Physiological recording equipment for
  Biopsychology
• Biopac Student Lab Equipment
• EEG (electroencephalogram - brain waves)
• EOG (electrooculogram - eye movement)
• EMG (electromyogram - muscle contraction)
• EKG (electrocardiogram-- heart)
• reaction time measurement.

13
Psychology at Messiah College Opportunities
in Psychology

• Join the Psychology Club, which hosts speakers,
  movie nights, and other events related to
  Psychology
• Become a member of Psi Chi, the national honor
  society for Psychology
• Connect faith and academics through the
  completion of service learning projects related
  to psychology
• Research, write, and present with faculty members
• Complete a Senior Major Honors Project
• Gain additional experience through an internship
  or practicum related to Psychology

14
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• John Addleman, Ph.D.

• Research Professional Interests
• Evaluation Assessment of Local Service Agency
  Projects
• Fathering Issues
• Childrens Views of Parenting
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Adolescent Development
• Positive Psychology
• Senior Seminar

15
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Fathering
• Divorce
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Technology Its Psych. Effects
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Opportunities in Psychology
• Cognition
• Personality
• Experimental Psychology
• Science, Technology the World

• John Bechtold, Ph.D.

16
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Counseling Supervision
• Positive Psychology
• Social Justice
• Research Methodology
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Counseling Techniques
• Graduate Courses

• Sara Cho Kim, Ph.D.

17
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Henry A. Danso, Ph.D.

• Research Professional Interests
• Immigration Attitudes
• Intelligence Test Performance
• Reconciliation
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Social Psychology
• Lifespan Development
• Topics Research

18
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Severe and Persistent Mental Illness
• Recovery Model
• Personality Disorders
• Integration of Psychology with Faith
  Perspectives
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Introduction to Psychology
• Introduction to Social Research
• Psychology of Aging
• Personality

Heather Hostler, Psy. D
19
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Integration of Psych Theology
• Christian Higher Education
• Faculty Development in Classroom
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Psychology Seminar
• Women and Men in American Society

Rhonda Jacobsen, Ed.D.
20
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Impact of Beliefs on Behavior
• Impact of Technology on Families
• Impact of Work on Adolescent Development
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Counseling Theories
• Abnormal Psychology
• History and Systems of Psychology
• Adolescent Development
• Graduate Courses

Charles D. Jantzi, Psy.D.
21
Psychology at Messiah CollegeThe Faculty

• Research Professional Interests
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Developmental Disabilities
• Psychological and
• Neuropsychological Evaluation
• Mood Disorders
• Body Image and Spirituality
• Frequently Taught Courses
• Psychological Testing
• Group Dynamics
• Life Span Development
• Graduate Courses

Valerie Lemmon, Psy.D
22
Psychology at Messiah CollegeAlumni Profiles

• Eric Allen, Class of 2006
• Graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in
  Philosophy
• Education plans
• Eric is currently attaining his MA in
  psychology, after which he hopes to pursue his
  MSW, LSW, LCSW, and eventually his Ph.D. in
  psychology
• Career plans
• Own his own practice
• Teach in an undergraduate setting
• Guide students on their way to licensure
• Current Positions
• Outpatient therapist doing individual
  psychotherapy as well as family therapy and group
  therapy.
• Student Assistance Programs (SAP) Agency
  Representative for two different school districts
  running support groups and doing
  pre-consultations for students who are possibly
  in need of further assistance.

23
Psychology at Messiah CollegeAlumni Profiles

• Kelly Sherman, Class of 2007
• Graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a
  Counseling Minor
• Current Program Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
  at Immaculata University
• Current Employment
• -Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS) with
  CCRES/CCIU in Lancaster, PA
• (1 yr 9/07-present)
• -Graduate Assistantship Learning Support
  Specialist at Immaculata University
• (2 months 9/07-present)
• Messiah Experience
• I started my current program feeling like I was
  miles ahead of my peers in terms of my
  experiences and knowledge. At Messiah, I was
  able to be involved in a multitude of activities
  that has given me the depth of experience
  necessary to be marketable in nearly any
  experience I desire from children to adults,
  from making behavior plans for persons with
  special needs to doing therapy with adults with
  serious mental illness from working in a school
  environment to inpatient hospitals to rehabs to
  higher education.

24
Psychology at Messiah CollegeAlumni Profiles

• Melanie Huber, Class of 2006
• Graduated with a B.A. in Psychology
• Current Education Program
• Masters of Special Education at George Mason
  University
• Melanie will graduate with a teaching license to
  work with children who have learning
  disabilities, mental retardation, autism, as well
  as sometimes kids with emotional disabilities.
  She plans to pursue a career as a special
  education teacher.
• Experiences since Graduation
• Melanie worked as a camp counselor with special
  needs children at summer camp
• She also worked for a year at The Center for
  autism in Springfield, VA

Melanie and the special needs 2nd graders at
Cunningham Park Elementary in Vienna, VA.
Current Employment Special Education
Instructional Assistant at an elementary school
in Virginia
25
Psychology at Messiah College Alumni Profile

• J.R. Nissley, Psy.D. Class of 1999
• Current Employment Forensic Psychology
• Employer Hugh S. Smith, Ph.D., Associates,
  P.C.
• Psychological Associate performs forensic
  assessments in areas such as fire-setting, sexual
  offense, predatory behavior, personality
  concerns, and more!
• J.R. also
• Has taught Child Development here at Messiah
  College
• Has taught classes at Harrisburg Area Community
  College
• Is doing a post-doctoral fellowship in Texas
  focusing on rural psychology

26
Psychology at Messiah College
Alumni Experiences and Reflections

• My experience in the Psychology Department
  helped prepare me
• for graduate school. I have more knowledge in a
  variety of areas
• of psychology than most of my classmates.
• ?
• My experience as a Psychology major gave me a
  solid foundation of how to interact and begin to
  understand other human beings. Learning about
  cognitive development, abnormal behavior,
  theories/skills of counseling, and about groups
  has enriched my understanding of human behavior
  and has been especially applicable in my work
  with college students as a residence hall
  director.
• ?
• Messiah College is invested in their students
  the
• Psychology Department staff is a great reflection
  of the
• principles of Messiah College.

27
Psychology at Messiah College
Post-Graduation Assessment
Year Professional Employment Advanced Degree Other
2007- Psychology 36 55 9
2006- Psychology 60 29 11
2005- Psychology 40 37 23
2004- Psychology 67 15 18
2003- Psychology 83 17 0
From the programs start to date, all of our
biopsychology graduates have become
professionally employed in the first year after
graduation.
Other includes volunteer opportunities,
missions work, and employment unrelated to the
degree earned.
28
Psychology at Messiah CollegeExamples of
Student Entry-Level Positions

• Case Manager
• organizes and coordinates services and supports
  for patients, such as children with mental health
  problems and their families oversees the overall
  medical, personal, and social service needs of
  the patients.
• Counselor
• provides professional help in coping with life
  issues such as emotional and relationship
  difficulties helps clients and families evaluate
  their patterns of problem solving and develop
  more effective ones
• Psychiatric Assistant
• Assists counselors in non-therapeutic therapy.
  Monitors and assesses patient progress to ensure
  that patient treatment objectives are met.
  Records and reports patient information.
  Implements patient treatment plans and selects
  patient activities.

29
Psychology at Messiah CollegeExamples of
Student Entry-Level Positions

• Crime Victim Advocate
• counsels victims and their families accompanies
  and supports victims through the criminal justice
  process provides community education, training
  and consultation
• Social Worker
• provides social services and assistance to
  improve the social and psychological functioning
  of children and their families and to maximize
  the family well-being and academic functioning of
  children.
• Therapeutic Staff Support
• provides one-to-one behavioral health
  interventions to a  child or adolescent with a
  serious emotional disturbance in order to prevent
  more restrictive services or out-of-home
  placement and to promote age-appropriate
  psychosocial growth. 

30
Psychology at Messiah CollegeExamples of
Student Entry-Level Positions

• Rehab Specialist
• manage the components important in the
  rehabilitation process of individuals with
  physical and mental disabilities. They help
  prevent fragmentation and gaps in services to
  people seeking to move from psychological and
  economic dependence to independence.
• Residential Counselors
• Person in charge of group homes. The residents
  of these homes include emotionally disturbed,
  developmentally disabled, and mentally ill youth
  and adults. People in homes supervised by
  residential counselors may also have physical
  problems, but the problems that keep them from
  being self-sufficient are primarily mental or
  emotional.
• Home Care Aide
• helps elderly, disabled, and ill persons live in
  their own homes or in residential care facilities
  instead of in a health facility.

31
Psychology at Messiah CollegeGraduate Schools
of Recent Grads

• Messiah College Masters of Arts in Counseling
• American University
• Biola University, Rosemead School of Psychology
• Evangelical Theological Seminary
• MCP Hahneman University
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania
• Jerusalem University College
• Millersville University
• New York University
• Regent University
• Shippensburg University
• Wheaton College Graduate School

32
Psychology at Messiah CollegeGraduate Schools
of Recent Grads

• State University of NY at Albany and Brockport
• Temple University
• Towson University
• Mount St. Marys College
• University of Connecticut
• University of Maryland
• University of Wisconsin
• St. Josephs University
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
  University
• William and Mary School of Law

33
Department of PsychologyMessiah College

• http//www.messiah.edu/departments/psychology