YCP@Work: Joshua Fetterman, PhD

Dr. Joshua Fetterman graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from York College in 2003. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What made you choose to pursue a degree in this field? 

I have always been interested in the human mind and human interactions. Psychology is applicable to everyday life in so many ways that I couldn't help but want to better understand it.

How have you used your York College education since graduating?

After graduating, I obtained my Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and I am now an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Chestnut Hill College. The excellent training that I received from the psychology department at York College was instrumental in helping me meet the challenges of graduate school and of becoming an educator myself. I teach many of the same classes I took at York, so the training that I got there still comes in handy literally every day.

What is most challenging about a career in this field? 

Psychology is so widely applicable and such a good basis for any other career that it can be difficult to know the path that you want to follow. Having lots of options before you is great, but it can also be overwhelming.

What do you like best about your career?

I enjoy having the opportunity to continue learning about psychology and I especially enjoy sharing my knowledge of it with a new generation of students. 

What advice would you have for a student who is just starting out in this major?

Work hard. Stick with it. Learn to love science. Once you really understand it, you'll be able to open doors that you never expected.