Like many, the canine behavioral expert Alexandra Horowitz adopted a dog during the pandemic. She had extra incentive: understanding a puppy’s development. Now she’s turned her observations into a book.
Psychology
Welcome to Barnard Psychology
Our program offers a rigorous exposition of the study of the mind in action. In classroom courses, in instructional laboratories, and in research conducted with the faculty, students explore intellectual perspectives and empirical methods expressed across the discipline of Psychology. The Department also connects our students to many forums in the College and at Columbia University for discussion and refinement of scientific work.
Keep Up to Date on the Psychology Major Requirements
If you entered Barnard in or after Fall 2021, the requirements for completing a
Major in Psychology have changed.
There are now three core introductory psychology courses
- PSYC BC1001, PSYC BC1101, PSYC BC1020 -
which are pre-requisites for all 2000-level PSYC laboratory courses.
Meet our Newest Faculty Member: Erica Musser
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Erica D. Musser, Ph.D. (she/her) is a clinical psychologist focused on developmental psychopathology and neurodevelopmental disabilities, broadly. Dr. Musser was born and raised in central Pennsylvania and was a first-generation college student. She completed her Bachelor of Arts as a double-major in Biology and Psychology at the University of Rochester, a Master of Science in Human Development at the University of Rochester, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology (Clinical specialization) at the University of Oregon. Prior to coming to Barnard College, she was an Associate Professor in the Clinical Science area of the Department of Psychology at Florida International University (FIU) where she also served as the Clinical Director of the FIU Embrace Center for Advancing Inclusive Communities.
Dr. Musser’s research focuses on improving our understanding of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism with respect to assessment, clinical presentation, etiology, and more. She utilizes a multi-method approach that includes behavioral rating scales, computer-based laboratory tasks, lab-based interaction tasks, interviews, and indexes/measures of central (e.g., fMRI) and peripheral (e.g., electrodermal activity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia) psychophysiological functioning to explore the development of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional functioning in youth with and without neurodevelopmental disabilities.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as several foundations (e.g. American Psychological Foundation, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), have funded this work, including a Research Career Development Award (K23) focused on developing skills in fMRI and neuroimaging, broadly, to increase the scope of her work.
Dr. Musser is a dedicated mentor who has mentored 7 doctoral students successfully through the Ph.D. process, as well as numerous undergraduate students through individual research projects and research experiences. She has also provided numerous clinical science Ph.D. students with clinical supervision in the domain of psychoeducational evaluation and autism assessment and evaluation.
In the community, Dr. Musser has a small private practice wherein she provides clients ages 5 years through adulthood with psychoeducational evaluations and autism assessments, and she is currently in the process of seeking board certification as a child and adolescent clinical psychologist via the American Board of Professional Psychology.
Dr. Musser is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Attention Disorders and on the editorial boards of Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology and the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. She is a member of the Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) and the BEA slate on the Board of Psychology in the Public Interest for the American Psychological Association. In her rest and reset time, Dr. Musser is an avid reader, knitter, run-walk-runner, and animal lover. She has a Boston terrier (Pig) and a Labradoodle (Rufus).
Featured Stories
Barnard Psychology Faculty in the News
Scott Barry Kaufman, who teaches the course The Science of Living Well here at Barnard, has just released a new book, Choose Growth: A Workbook for Transcending Trauma, Fear, and Self-Doubt, a research-based toolkit for turning challenging times into a springboard for healing, insight, and new beginnings.
Introducing the incoming editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Dr. Colin Wayne Leach.
Prof. Ann Senghas Publishes Paper on Language Learning Patterns
In December 2020, research by psychology professor Ann Senghas was published in the third chapter of the Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology.
Prof. Tara Well gives a TEDxOcala talk entitled “What Mirror Meditation Can Teach You.”
Barnard and Columbia Psychology Colloquium Series
This series features a selection of guest speakers, providing an opportunity for students and faculty to hear from scientists making new discoveries in the psychological and brain sciences.
Department Colloquiums are open to the public and are held on specific Wednesdays during the academic year at 4pm in room 614 Schermerhorn Hall on Columbia's campus.
Visit Columbia Psychology's website for the AY24-25 schedule.
Contact Us
Barnard Psychology Department
415 Milbank Hall
3009 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
psych@barnard.edu
212-854-2069
(voice mail not checked daily)