Psychology & Mental Health
Achieving an ongoing balance among all of the elements that contribute to a robust and productive life is a skill that can be acquired through education and practice. Helping others find ways to integrate body, mind and spirit in healthy activities is an exciting and innovative career opportunity for many University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) students.
Career Options
Making a difference in a key area of need, students who follow this area of focus might become:
Featured students of Psychology and Mental Health Pathway
Breann Ahlman, ‘14
"My Capstone experience helped prepare me to get a better understanding of the connection between physical and mental health."
Abby Cink, ‘17
"These experiences taught me important lessons about leadership, adaptability and listening. I worked my senior year to expand how I thought about mental health and to work to educate others about mental health."
Naomi Hazard, ‘18
"I found learning from professors in smaller class sizes was important to my experience and education, and being surrounded by world class health care is a bonus!"
Emily Jorgenson, '16
"My Capstone was also based solely on experiences I was passionate about. After various personal experiences with addiction and mental health in my own life, I knew I wanted to make an impact larger than myself."
Sifa Mosiori, ‘17
"By exploring the mind, body and soul I was able to recognize my passion for psychology, and I’ve been able to explore that post graduation. Working in the mental health field, all those components of a person are important to understand how to help clients with their needs."
Mason Schlief, ‘20
"I traveled to Thailand for three weeks where I was able to learn about other ways of life and how they are connected to the things in my soil. This provided me with a new idea on what I wanted to do upon graduation and led me to collaborating with a UMR faculty member regarding creative ways to address the issue of mental health."
Students pursuing the Psychology & Mental Health have engaged in meaningful experiences such as these listed below.
- Current University of Minnesota Rochester students: reach out to your Student Success Coach for more information.
- Prospective students: contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
Internships and volunteer opportunities
Internships and volunteer opportunities allow you to gain valuable experience in a professional field. These opportunities help students develop marketable skills and competencies through hands-on experience, build a network of contacts and gain insight into a professional field. These experiences assist students in finding a career that aligns with personal and professional goals and passions.
- Fernbrook Family Center
- Mayo Clinic Generose Internships - UMR Program Promoted in the HUM Contemplation of Mental Health Using Creativity and Qualitative Analysis Course
- NAMI (volunteer and internship)
- Mayo Clinic Sleep Center
- Women's Shelter
- Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge
- Family Service Rochester: Family Access Center Volunteer
- Dorothy Day Hospitality House
- RT: Autism Awareness Foundation, Inc.
- Rochester Center for Autism
- Cardinal of Minnesota
- Hiawatha Homes
- Diversity Home Health Group
- Olmsted Friendship Place
- Catholic Charities of Southern MN Wellness Programs
- Rochester Art Center Rotational Exhibits
- Gift of Life Transplant House
Employment During Undergraduate
You will have various opportunities for employment during your undergraduate studies. The organizations listed below are good places to explore employment opportunities.
Research
As a student in health sciences, you will have many opportunities to participate in research. Below is a list of previous research experiences students in the Psychology & Mental Health have participated in.
On Campus:
| Addiction in the Media | Dr. Molly Dingel |
|---|---|
| Social Movements | Dr. Molly Dingel |
| Research in empirical Bioethics of causes & perceptions of addiction | Dr. Molly Dingel |
| Women's health and health care disparities | Dr. Marcia Nichols |
| Qualitative study in women's health/body perception | Dr. Marcia Nichols |
| Understand anxiety disorder and the variety of treatments available | Dr. James Winchip |
Visit the faculty directory for more.
Other experiences
There are other avenues to participate in that will prepare you for a future career in psychology & mental health, such as:
- Student Groups
- To Write Love on Her Arms
- SASHA (Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Awareness)
- Student representation on Chancellor’s Committee to Prevent Sexual Misconduct
- Mental Health First Aid
- Winona State Social Work Weekly Gathering