St. Bonaventure psychology majors have the opportunity to participate in the fieldwork program although this is not a required part of the program. Participating students are required to work for 80 hours a semester (3 credits) at a community facility. Where the student is placed is dependent on what the student is interested in.
Requirements
- Psychology major
- Junior or senior standing
- Minimum of 2.8 GPA
- Required psychology courses: 101, 215 (Maladaptive behavior), 469 (Clinical methods), and 201 (first semester of Research methods and statistics)
- Dr. Vogel’s approval (prior to registration)
- Agency approval (prior to registration)
Fieldwork sites
The following is a list of some, not all, of the sites that have been used by our students recently.
Juvenile rehabilitation
- Cattaraugus Residential Center – this is a non-secure, minimum risk facility that houses 13-16 year-old court adjudicated males. Possible fieldwork activities include recreational therapy, individual/group counseling, behavior management, program development, and academic tutoring.
Community psychology
- Cattaraugus County Council in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse – students can be involved with juvenile and/or adult clients. The experience is largely observational – attending groups, etc. Students are able to conduct intake interviews.
- Center for Family Unity (Salamanca) – this site has a large variety of opportunities for students. The goal of this site is to promote positive parenting, provide support and guidance to parents. Some of the programs that the student might be involved in are active parenting classes, nurturing programs, step-teen, and parents anonymous.
- Cattaraugus Community Action – this site provides a number of different community services that the student can be involved in: Head start, domestic violence program, rape crisis program, food pantries, emergency homeless program, a transitional group home for adolescents and their babies, etc.
- Catholic Charities – this agency provides family, individual, financial, marital counseling and family planning services.
- Guidepost – day hospital for seriously mentally ill adults – most of those with schizophrenia.
School Psychology and School Guidance Counseling
- Olean City School District Psychological Services – students are exposed to testing, counseling, classroom observations, and other general activities of a school psychologist. May also be involved the a mentoring program for children.
Training and Education of the Handicapped
- The Rehabilitation Center – this site provides a number of different services for mentally and physically disabled clients. Some of the programs that a student might be involved in include the Children’s Learning Center which provides early detection and intervention for children with difficulties. Residential services for children and adults with various disabilities and instruction of basic community living skills for adults with developmental diabilities.