Psychology

About the Program

As a Psychology student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from faculty who work in the field, enjoy small classes, and have hands-on learning that prepares you for the career you want. Many of our graduates enter the field in jobs doing social work, counseling, and other roles, oftentimes receiving job offers from your internship site. There is also an active Psychology Club that makes service-learning trips with opportunities to network with professionals in the field.

You can pair your degree with a minor or with one of our two concentrations that lead to much-needed licenses and credentials in the field.

Psychology Program

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology program is designed for students interested in careers in the Behavioral Health field and for advanced study in fields such as Psychology, Social Work and Counseling.  Hands-on experience, job shadowing, participation in service and experiential learning projects, and internships are core elements that set our program apart.

Concentrations

Customize your Psychology degree to match your career goals with one of these concentrations.

MHRT/C Certificate Concentration

Prepare for a career in mental health rehabilitation with a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certification, a State of Maine certification.

Substance Misuse Concentration

Help those who struggle by pursuing a concentration in substance misuse.

Psychology, AA*

The Associate of Arts in Psychology will provide you with a sound liberal arts foundation with the fundamentals of anthropology, psychology, and sociology.

*Pending Approval

Human Services, AA

The Associate of Arts in Human Services will prepare you for work in the behavioral health field, meeting the requirements for certification as a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician – Community (MHRT/C).

Psychology, Minor*

The Psychology minor will provide you with a foundation in behavioral health science that enables you to increase your understanding of individual and group behavior.

*Pending Approval

Online Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Community (MHRT/C) Certificate

The MHRT/C certification prepares students to provide services to adults with serious mental illness. Many careers within the behavioral health field require the MHRT/C certification. The content and skills covered in the MHRT/C curriculum also transfer to other roles/populations in the behavioral health field.

Employers who have hired our graduates include:

  • Maine Department of Health and Human Services
  • Northern Maine Medical Center
  • Life by Design
  • Aroostook Mental Health Center
  • Melmark
  • Northern Maine General
  • Northern Light Acadia Hospital
  • Aroostook County Action Program
  • Community Care
  • Madawaska School Department
  • Spurwink
UMFK Behavioral Science students at NMMC

Potential employers include:

  • Northern Lighthouse
  • Wings for Children and Families
  • Catholic Charities Maine
  • Maine Family Planning
  • Maine Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Child Development Services
  • Community Health and Counseling
  • Hope and Justice Project
  • Sweetser
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • TRIO Programs
  • University of Maine System

License and certification opportunities include:

  • Conditional Social Work License (LSWX)
  • Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)
  • Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Community Certification (MHRT/C)

Graduates have careers as:

  • Adult & Child Case Manager
  • Community Integration Specialist
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Mental Health Counselor
  • Clinical Therapist/Counselor (Advanced Study)
  • Family Support Counselor
  • Crisis Counselor
  • TRIO Counselor
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
  • Social Worker Academic Counselor/Advisor
  • Foster Care
  • Program Administration/Coordinator Advocate

Career Outlook and Earning Potential

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Potential Occupations and Employment Outlook

Program Requirements

  • PSY 100: Introduction to Psychology
  • PSY 232: Trauma and Resiliency
  • PSY 270: Case Management
  • PSY 308: Life Span Human Development
  • PSY 332: Substance Abuse Counseling
  • PSY 360: Social Psychology
  • PSY 362: Abnormal Psychology
  • PSY 497: Community Behavioral Health Internship OR
  • SSC 241: Writing and Critical Analysis in the Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • SSC 340: Research Methods
  • SSC 440: Research Methods and Theory Seminar (Capstone I) AND
    SSC 441: Senior Research in Social Sciences (Capstone II)
  • SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 110: Introduction to Human Services & Community Mental Health
  • MAT 251: Statistics I

Required Additional Credits

18 Additional credits required through one of the following 3 options:

  1. Complete Behavioral Health MHRT-C Concentration
  2. Complete Misuse Counseling Concentration
  3. Complete a Minor (other than Psychology)

Maine Department of Health and Human Services

An example of where our graduates work today

100%

Students who complete internships before graduating

1:16

Faculty to Student Ratio

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.

Arts and Sciences

About the Program

As an Arts & Sciences student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from small classes, supportive faculty, and hands-on learning as you prepare for the career you want! Opportunities to create your own minor and experience classes that you prefer make this degree program perfect for the self-starter!

You have the option of pairing your degree with a minor or with one of our three concentrations.

Arts and Science Program

Dive deeper into UMFK’s Bachelor of Arts and Science program.

Arctic Studies Certificate

Earn a certificate in Arctic Studies.

Concentrations

Customize your arts and sciences degree to match your career goals with one of these concentrations.

Allied Health

Prepare for a career in healthcare administration and more.

Self-Designed

Customize your studies to what you are passionate about.

Minors

Pursue a minor to gain additional specialized skills to attract an employer or pursue an area of interest.

Arctic Studies

Learn about the economics, business, governance, environment, culture, and sustainability of the Arctic.

English

Develop communication and analytical skills; broaden you knowledge of literature, writing, or editing as a complement to your major.

Self-Design

Create you own minor by selecting courses around a broad theme or question. You will work on original research or a creative work.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Completion of 120 semester hours of credit.
  2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
  3. Completion of at least 36 semester hours of upper-level credits (course numbers 300 and above) in each of which the student shall have earned the grade of “C” or better.
  1. Completion of General Education Requirements
  2. At least 30 semester hours must be completed at the University of Maine at Fort Kent or through UMFK programs.

First Mile

Mile Marker for US ROUTE 1. US Route 1 is 2,369 miles long. The northern terminus begins in Fort Kent, Maine and ends in Key West, Florida

1:16

Faculty to student ratio

French and English

UMFK is a bilingual campus.

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.

Applied Forest Management

About the Program

Accredited by the Society of American Foresters, UMFK’s Applied Forest Management program offers small classes, hands-on learning, and experienced faculty. You’ll explore topics such as tree planting and tending, species identification, forest ecology and habitat management, and more. The degree will also provide you a pathway to becoming a Maine Licensed Forester.

Bryce Coffin, UMFK class of 2021, talks with an employee while standing in the woods near a feller buncher

About the Forestry Program

Prepare for a career in forestry with UMFK’s Associate of Science applied forest management program.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certificate

Earn a GIS Certificate, available on-campus or online. GIS provides a wealth of career opportunities. GIS can be applied to any field of study.

Career Opportunities in Applied Forest Management

This is a great time to seek a career in forestry! The ratio of jobs to graduates is at an all-time high, and that ratio is only expected to increase. Changes in the forest industry have created many new, technologically advanced positions.

Graduates find work as:

  • Foresters
  • Forest technicians
  • Rangers for the Maine Forest Service
  • Forest operations
  • Rangers for federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S.D.A. Forest Service
  • GIS specialists
Forest students learn how to assemble hoses for their fire protection course.

Professional Certification

After you earn your degree and acquire four years of supervised work experience, you’ll be eligible to become a Maine Licensed Forester. Students also test for the S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws certification and a Maine Pesticide Applicator’s License.

A forestry professor works with two students in the woods

Minors

Customize your degree to match your career goals with one of these minors.

Forestry Minor

You will gain general knowledge of Maine’s most important natural resource and an understanding of forest biology and management.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Minor

With a GIS background you will have a competitive advantage easily find starting positions with government agencies or private firms.

Potential employers include:

  • Consulting foresters
  • Land management companies
  • Forest industry
  • Forestry, conservation, and agriculture departments of the state and federal governments.
  • Logging contractors
  • Surveyors

Employers who have hired our graduates in recent years include:

  • American Forest Management
  • Irving Woodlands LLC
  • James W. Sewall Company
  • Landvest
  • Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
  • Maine Forest Service
  • Maine Land Use Regulation Commission
  • Seven Islands Land Company
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Wagner Forest Management, Ltd.

Foresters

Foresters are responsible for the conservation of working forests. This means monitoring the health and directing the growth of forest stands where timber is harvested while following laws, best management practices, and scientific research to build and conserve habitats for fish and wildlife. Foresters understand history and write the future. Daily tasks vary according to the size and goals of the landowner or agency. A forester may provide comprehensive services to many small landowners or specialize in a particular aspect of forestry within a larger company or agency.

Two options for baccalaureate degrees are available to AFM students who wish to earn a four-year degree at UMFK that builds on the Forestry curriculum. The Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree is designed for students who wish to own a business, while the Conservation Law Enforcement with Natural Resources concentration is designed for students who wish to enter public service. Either of these degrees can be finished in four years.

Forestry students learn how to use equipment at the Tenth Mountain Ski Center

While some companies have placed our graduates directly into forester positions, several local companies prefer to have employees with baccalaureate degrees. Those employers worked with UMFK to develop a baccalaureate degree in business with a concentration in forestry. Both degrees, Associate of Science Applied Forest Management and Bachelor of Science Business Management Major, can be completed in four years.

Forest Technicians

Technicians carry out the day-to-day tasks of forestry. They provide skills in areas such as forest inventory, boundary surveying, timber marking, timber harvesting and road layout, and the supervision of harvesting, thinning, and planting crews. One outstanding option for an industry position is UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Government employers may prefer UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Conservation Law Enforcement with Natural Resources concentration or Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Forestry student working in the woods

In Maine, forest technicians and foresters compete for entry-level positions. Forest technicians generally have stronger field skills. However, individuals seeking advancement, whether in industry or government, should consider a baccalaureate degree. One outstanding option for an industry position is UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in business management. This degree is recommended by local industry representatives. Government employers may prefer UMFK’s Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.

Forest Rangers

Forest rangers are in the business of forest protection.  Their job involves the detection, prevention, and suppression of forest fires and the monitoring of potentially damaging native and invasive insect populations.  Additionally, the job involves a great deal of public education. In some states, forest rangers are involved in prescribed burning. This is a forest management tool used in forest regeneration, to reduce fuels and fire potential, and to enhance wildlife habitat.

In Maine, forest rangers have the added duty of enforcing forestry and environmental law. A Maine forest ranger’s work includes preparing and updating fire action plans, training firefighters, and supervising suppression operations. They patrol assigned regions and conduct equipment inspections. They also report and prosecute violations, investigate suspicious fires and suspected criminal activities, and conduct public information and education programs. Their enforcement duties also involve preparing records and reports that are used by the Maine Attorney General.

UMFK Adam Bagley Forestry Alumni

Students wishing to pursue careers in administration or who wish to seek advancement within government agencies must consider a baccalaureate degree. UMFK offers such an opportunity through its Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science Degree in Rural Public Safety Administration, and its Bachelor of Conservation Law Enforcement with a Natural Resources concentration.

Forest Operations

Forest operators include equipment operators and crew supervisors. A recent trend has emerged where the forest industry is seeking forestry-educated individuals to run wood processors and other equipment. Several recent graduates are working in such positions. Others have become contractors and are running their own harvesting and operations companies. The UMFK business management major, coupled with a forestry degree, is a useful combination for individuals seeking careers in the business side of forestry. Both degrees can be completed in four years.

Forestry student thinning trees.

GIS/GPS Technicians

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field continues to provide many career opportunities for our students and graduates. There have been an increased number of paid internships in GIS and global positioning (GPS) for our students. Graduates in forestry have enough background in GPS and GIS to qualify as technicians for the growing GIS Industry. GIS technicians perform digitizing (mapping), GPS data collection, and basic GIS tasks. State government and private corporations currently have openings for mapping or cartographic technicians.

UMFK GIS student working on their laptop in the science lab.

Students seeking employment as a GIS specialist may further their studies with the GIS Minor if they are Bachelor’s students, or GIS Certificate if they are Associate’s students, the GIS concentration under the Computer Systems Administration Major, or one in the Environmental Studies Program. GIS specialists have more extensive training in database management, programming, and geospatial analysis and are currently sought after by the industry. Both educational options at UMFK provide graduates with the skills to compete in this growing field. UMFK is a member of the Maine GIS Education Consortium, a group of University of Maine System Schools actively promoting GIS undergraduate education and post-graduate educational opportunities.

Program Requirements

  • FOR 100: Introduction to Forestry
  • FOR 131: Spreadsheets for Natural Resource Professionals
  • FOR 109: Dendrology
  • FOR 132: Forest Protection I
  • FOR 242: Map and LiDAR Interpretation
  • FOR 208: Forest Products, Harvesting, and Transportation
  • FOR 290: Forest Mensuration
  • GEO 103: Introduction To Global Positioning Systems
  • FOR 203: Surveying for Foresters
  • FOR 226: Forest Operations
  • FOR 332: Forest Inventory and Analysis
  • BUS 211: Introduction of Business
  • FOR 260: Silvics (Forest Ecology)
  • FOR 360: Silviculture
  • GIS 300: GIS Applications I
  • ENV 302: Wildlife Conservation & Management
    OR
    ENV 334: Wildlife Science
    OR
    ENV 354: Wildlife Habitat Interactions
  • SSC 327: Interpersonal Skills for Supervisors
  • FOR 330: Forest Protection II
  • FOR 350: Forest Management Practicum
  • FOR 361: Silvics/Silviculture Lab

Quality

Accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF)

71

Credits needed to complete your degree

US Forest Service

One of our many internship opportunities

Next Steps

Tell us about yourself to learn more about the benefits of earning your degree at UMFK.