Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 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.

Psychology, B.S. Learning Outcomes

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 100 Exploring Global Literature 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

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.

See Generation Next General Education Requirements for more information.

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 307 Cognitive Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 321 Developmental Science 3 credit hours
PSY 330 Adult Psychopathology and Mental Health 3 credit hours

Cultural Competence Domain

PSY 250 Multicultural Awareness 3 credit hours

Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

CCJ 369 Race and the Criminal Justice System 3 credit hours
ECO 340 Sustainable Development Economics 3 credit hours
G 241 International Service Learning: Making a Difference in a Globalizing World 1 credit hour AND
G 242 International Service Learning: Making a Difference in a Globalizing World 2 credit hours
G 348 Cultures and Environments Field Series 3 credit hours AND
G 349 Cultures and Environments Field Series 3 credit hours
GER 215 Social Aspects of Aging 3 credit hours
GER 312 Psychological Aspects of Aging 3 credit hours
GER 320 Working with Older Adults 3 credit hours
GER 330 Death, Dying, and Bereavement 3 credit hours
GER 410 Health in the Later Years 3 credit hours
HIS 370 History of Alcohol and Drugs in American Life 3 credit hours
HIS 421 Nazi Germany and the Holocaust 3 credit hours
HIS 471 Gender in History 3 credit hours OR
HIS 472 Gender in History 3 credit hours
HSP 365 International Cuisine & Culture 3 credit hours
IBS 401 International Economics 3 credit hours
MUS 299 Innovations in Music and Culture Since 1900 3 credit hours
NUR 331 Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Healthcare Professionals 3 credit hours
NUR 385 Comparative Health Care 3 credit hours
PAW 320 Yoga: Practice and Purpose (Coed) 3 credit hours
REL 265 World Religions 3 credit hours
SOC 260 Gender and Society 3 credit hours
SOC 315 Race, Ethnicity, and Society 3 credit hours
SPM 300 International Sport and Entertainment 3 credit hours
WRT 341 History of Women’s Rhetorics 3 credit hours
WRT 406 Accessibility and Usability Research 3 credit hours
Any FRN, GRM, or SPN course 3 credit hours

Psychology Electives

Students must complete 12 credits of the following:

HSV 370 Case Management Principles 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 231 Positive Psychology 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
SPM 310 Sport Behavior 3 credit hours

General Elective Courses

Students must complete 24 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
Foundations - American Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Global Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Quantitative Fluency course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Psychology Content Domain course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Sophomore Year (30 credits)

PSY 200 Essential Skills and Tools in Psychology 3 credit hours
PSY 250 Multicultural Awareness 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 Cultural Competence Domain course 3 credit hours
Psychology Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Junior Year (30 credits)

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 Cultural Competence 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
Elective course 3 credit hours

Senior Year (30 credits)

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