Online Degrees

Melanie S. Levine, Ph.D.
Associate Faculty

Contact info:
Email: mlevine@instructor.post.edu

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Biography

Academic Background:

Dr. Levine graduated from Indiana University in 1996, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude. In 1999, she earned a Master’s Degree in Industrial Organization Psychology from Columbia University, Summa Cum Laude. From there, she obtained a combined Doctoral Degree in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University in 2009. Her dissertation topic focused on the effects of warning messages on gambling beliefs and behavior.

Teaching Background:

Dr. Levine currently teaches at Post as an adjunct faculty member in the undergraduate online program. She has extensive teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate level. She has taught at Hofstra University, Montclair State University, Queensborough Community College, and St. John’s University. She has also been invited to guest lecture at SUNY School of Optometry, Nassau Community College, and the College of New Rochelle. Dr. Levine has taught in the areas of Clinical Psychology and Industrial Organizational Psychology.

Teaching Philosophy:

Dr. Levine’s knowledge of differential learning styles combined with her training experience from psychoeducational testing has translated into varied, interesting, and multimodal learning experiences for her students. She is very aware of how learning can vary student to student, and of the impact of success and failure on her students. If a student is not performing well, she will work with him or her to identify which factor or factors may be contributing to this. In addition, she varies her instructional style and mode, and to the best of her ability, accommodates all of the different learning styles, as well as motivational levels, that her students will inevitably possess. For example, a combination of lecture, group discussion, media presentation, small group work, and classroom exercises has proven successful for her. These activities engage the auditory, visual, and hands on learners, and the change of gears keeps them stimulated and involved.

Dr. Levine shows a deep commitment to learning and to her students by meeting with them, or speaking to them in case of online course, whenever they need extra time, whether it is for help with the readings, questions about an assignment or exam, or just to explore a psychological topic in general. She encourages students to seek out learning experiences outside of the classroom, including seminars, workshops, clubs, conferences, etc. As a teacher and a mentor, many students seek her out with personal questions or for advice about school or career issues, which indicates that they trust her and feel very comfortable talking to her. Part of Dr. Levine’s teaching philosophy also centers around ensuring that students learn, not just earn a good grade. She discourages questions such as, “how do I get an A in your class”, and instead encourages, “how can I understand this material better?” She foster an environment of critical thinking, thinking outside the box, asking questions, inspiring each other, bouncing ideas off of each other, and really internalizing the material, not mere rote memorization. Not only will these skills help the students get the “grade they want”, but they will understand and remember the concepts and be able to apply them in and out of the classroom.

Professional Background:

Dr. Levine began her career working as a therapist at the Albert Ellis Institute, in Manhattan, NY. She began there as intern, graduated to a fellow, and then remained on as a staff therapist for three years. She treated patients with disorders such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, anger, psychotic disorders, grief, etc. She served as an adjunct professor at several universities while treating patients. After receiving her license, she left the Albert Ellis Institute, and opened up two private practices of her own, one in Manhattan and one in Long Island, NY. She is now treating patients in these locations, while continuing to teach.

Professional Memberships:

• Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
• New York State Psychological Association (NYPSA)

Research & Conference Presentations:

Radosevich, D. J., Levine, M.S., Sumner, K., & Johnson, V. A. (2009). The Role of Expectancy Theory in Goal Striving Processes. International Journal of Business Research.

Radosevich, D.M., Levine, M.S., and Kong, G. (2009). The Influence of Conscientiousness and Anxiety on Decision-Making. International Journal of Business Research.

Radosevich, D. J., Levine, M.S., Sumner, K., & Johnson, V. A. (2009). The Role of Expectancy Theory in Goal Striving Processes. Presented at International Academy of Business and Economics, Las Vegas, NV.

Radosevich, D.M., Levine, M.S., and Kong, G. (2009). The Influence of Conscientiousness and Anxiety on Decision-Making. Presented at International Academy of Business and Economics, Las Vegas, NV.

PhD Dissertation Project – Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Dr. William Sanderson. Effect of Warning Messages on College Student Gambling Behavior and Irrational Beliefs.

Fuller, J. R., Hickey, M. L., Levine, M. S., & Doyle, K. (2007). Cognitions, Interpersonal Relations, and Life Satisfaction in Outpatients. Paper presented at American Psychological Association Conference.