Sep 28, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Psychology, B.S.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Psychology major at York College of Pennsylvania provides students with the necessary background to pursue a number of professional careers within and related to psychology. Core Requirements and Content Domains have been designated to provide the integral background for further educational and professional growth. Elective courses allow the student to concentrate on their individual career goals and interests.

The Psychology faculty assist each student in preparing for their career and/or graduate school goals. It is important that each Psychology major meet with an advisor at least once per semester. A program advising guide is also available on Psychology Community of SSN. Students who wish to declare Psychology as a major after the first semester of the freshman year must contact the chair of the Department of Psychology, Dr. Jennifer Engler, at jengler@ycp.edu.

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements

Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Psychology must complete PSY 370 , PSY 490 , and at least 9 additional credits of Psychology courses at the 300 level or higher at YCP. 100-level or 200-level transfer courses in Psychology cannot be used to satisfy 300 or 400-level Psychology course requirements. These courses will be transferred as free electives. Students must also complete graduating outcome assessments.

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirements

Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours
Students may take six credits of the same foreign language courses to fulfill their Global Citizenship requirement under the following conditions:
a. Six credits of the same, non-Spanish, foreign language OR
b. Six additional, advanced Spanish credits beyond the major requirement of SPN102

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:

FLM 216 Introduction to Film 3 credit hours
HIS 101 The Foundation of the West 3 credit hours
LIT 200 Introduction to Literary and Textual Studies 3 credit hours
PHL 221 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credit hours
PHL 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours crosslisted as WGS 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:

ART 101 Art and Visual Culture 3 credit hours
CRW 272 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credit hours
MUS 186 Listening to Music 3 credit hours
THE 154 Introduction to Theatre 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Social and Behavioral Sciences courses:

ECO 205 Economic Perspectives 3 credit hours
ENT 150 Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
MKT 100 Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
PS 110 Introduction to Political Science 3 credit hours
REC 101 Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society 3 credit hours
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Natural and Physical Sciences courses:

BIO 204 Exploring Biology 3 credit hours
CHM 240 Perspectives on the Molecular World 3 credit hours
CHM 241 Perspectives on the Molecular World Lab 0 credit hours
G 151 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credit hours
G 152 Introduction to Physical Geography Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 252 Science and Sustainability 3 credit hours

Constellation Requirement

The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Students who transfer in 60 credits or more at the time of admission to the college will be waived from the Constellation requirement, except for Education majors. The waiver applies to the requirement for graduation but does not waive the credits to graduate; students need to meet the overall bachelor’s degree credit requirement.

Required Courses

Core Requirements

PSY 200 Essential Skills and Tools in Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 270 Design and Analysis I 3 credit hours
PSY 271 Design and Analysis II 3 credit hours
PSY 370 Design and Analysis III 3 credit hours
PSY 490 Senior Capstone in Psychology 3 credit hours

Content Domains

Students should consult the Psychology Major Advising Guide, located in the Psychology community of the Spartan Success Network for suggestions on how to best sequence Psychology Content Domain courses.

PSY 100 General Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 210 Fundamentals of Biopsychology 3 credit hours
PSY 243 Social Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 250 Multicultural Awareness 3 credit hours
PSY 307 Cognitive Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 321 Developmental Science 3 credit hours
PSY 330 Adult Psychopathology and Mental Health 3 credit hours

Psychology Electives

Students must complete 12 credits of the following:

HSV 370 Case Management 3 credit hours
PSY 215 Sustainability and Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 216 Forensic Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 225 Health Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 227 Childhood Exceptionalities 3 credit hours
PSY 260 Psychological Perspectives on Intimate Relationships 3 credit hours
PSY 309 Learning and Memory 3 credit hours
PSY 310 Brain and Behavior 3 credit hours
PSY 331 Child Psychopathology and Mental Health 3 credit hours
PSY 375-399 Special Topics in Psychology 1-3 credit hours
PSY 421 Psychology Cooperative Internship 3 credit hours
PSY 422 Psychology Cooperative Internship 3 credit hours
PSY 431 Psychology Teaching Practicum 1 credit hour
PSY 432 Psychology Teaching Practicum II 1 credit hour
PSY 440 Personality 3 credit hours
PSY 441 Counseling Theories in Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 498 Independent Study in Psychology 1-3 credit hours
PSY 499 Independent Study in Psychology 1-3 credit hours

Non-Psychology Requirements

Students who test out of one or both of SPN 101 and SPN 102, through the foreign language placement process, are able to earn these credits by taking other elective courses.

MAT 109 Quantitative Reasoning 3 credit hours
SPN 101 Foundation of Spanish and Hispanic Studies 3 credit hours
SPN 102 Foundation of Spanish and Hispanic Culture 3 credit hours

Physical Activity and Wellness

Students are required to complete 1 credit of Physical Activity and Wellness (PAW).

General Elective Courses

Students must complete 20 credits of free elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year (30 credits)

FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
PSY 100 General Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 200 Essential Skills and Tools in Psychology 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Foundations course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours

Sophomore Year (31 credits)

SPN 101 Foundation of Spanish and Hispanic Studies 3 credit hours
SPN 102 Foundation of Spanish and Hispanic Culture 3 credit hours
Foundations - Advanced Communication course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspective course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspective course 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours
Psychology Elective course 3 credit hours
Physical Activity and Wellness course 1 credit hour
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Junior Year (30 credits)

MAT 109 Quantitative Reasoning 3 credit hours
PSY 270 Design and Analysis I 3 credit hours
PSY 271 Design and Analysis II 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours
Psychology Elective course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Senior Year (29 credits)

PSY 370 Design and Analysis III 3 credit hours
PSY 490 Senior Capstone in Psychology 3 credit hours
Psychology Elective course 3 credit hours
Psychology Elective course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Elective courses 8 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours