Psychology, BS

Location(s): California Campus, Clarion Campus, Edinboro Campus

The Psychology Department at Penn West is a friendly department with dedicated high-quality teachers and award-winning advisors who focus exclusively on you- our undergraduate students. The department’s faculty will help you prepare for your future career with individual attention, research opportunities, and supervised internships.

We offer a very flexible Bachelor of Science degree designed to serve students interested in a wide range of career paths. This includes students who are preparing for graduate training in psychology and related fields as well as those who directly enter a career. Students find work in almost any field but are especially suited in fields including mental health, counseling, social work, art therapy, pre-med and health-related careers, neuroscience, schools, business and industry, law and the criminal justice system, the non-profit sector, as well as government service and the military.

Advisement Sheet

Student Learning Outcomes

Key Concepts - Students will be able to describe, apply, and synthesize key concepts, principles, overarching themes, theoretical perspectives, historical trends or empirical findings in psychology.
Problem-Solving and Information Literacy Skills - Students will develop problem-solving, critical thinking and information literacy skills and apply them in the interpretation of psychological phenomena.
Ethical Standards - Students will apply ethical standards to their work (oral, written, interpersonal, service learning) and endorse values that build community. For instance: furthers science, addresses justice, reduces dysfunction.
Communication - Students will be able to communicate effectively orally and in writing. They will apply APA style in all written communication.
Professional Direction - Students will synthesize material and discoveries from their experiences at PennWest (courses, advising meetings, service/research learning) to create a meaningful professional direction after graduation by applying self-efficacy and self-regulation, teamwork and project management skills.

Curriculum Requirements

General Education

Oral Communication - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Written Communication - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Quantitative Reason - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Technological Literacy - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Arts and Humanities - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Arts and Humanities - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Arts and Humanities - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Social Sciences - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Social Sciences - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Social Sciences - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Natural Sciences and Tech - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Natural Sciences and Tech - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Natural Sciences and Tech - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Student Elective Credit Hours: 3

Competencies

Quantitative Applications - PSYC 3000 - Psychological Statistics Credit Hours: 4 (1 lab/3 lecture)
and
Applied Methodologies - PSYC 3010 - Research Methods in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
Intercultural Fluency - PSYC 2100 - Social Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
Intercultural Fluency - PSYC 3120 - Cross Cultural Psychology Credit Hours: 3
Ethical Reasoning - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Information Literacy - Any Course Credit Hours: 3
Writing Intensive -
PSYC 3010 - Research Methods in Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
Writing Intensive - Select From:
PSYC 4800 - Capstone Seminar in History & Systems
Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4900 - Capstone Seminar in Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4910 - Capstone Lab in Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4920 - Capstone Research Project in Psychology
Credit Hours: 3
Keystone Experience - Select From:
PSYC 4800 - Capstone Seminar in History & Systems Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4900 - Capstone Seminar in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4910 - Capstone Lab in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 4920 - Capstone Research Project in Psychology Credit Hours: 3

Major

Required Major Courses

PSYC 1000 - Introduction to Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 3000 - Psychological Statistics Credit Hours: 4 (1 lab/3 lecture)
PSYC 3010 - Research Methods in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 2100 - Social Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3120 - Cross Cultural Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 3200 - Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3240 - Psychology of Adulthood and Aging Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 1300 - Psychology of Personal Growth and Wellness Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 2330 - Stress Management Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3300 - Health Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3350 - Abnormal Psychology Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 3600 - Cognitive Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3620 - Learning Theory Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 3700 - Drugs and Human Behavior Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3720 - Brain and Behavior Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 3740 - Sensation and Perception Credit Hours: 3
PSYC 3900 - Independent Study in Psychology Credit Hours: 1 TO 3
OR
PSYC 3995 - Research Seminar in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 4950 - Field Experience in Psychology Credit Hours: 3 TO 6
OR
PSYC 4955 - Internship in Psychology Credit Hours: 3 TO 12
OR
PSYC 3600 - Cognitive Psychology
Credit Hours: 3 (if not counted above)
OR
PSYC 3620 - Learning Theory
Credit Hours: 3 (if not counted above)
OR
PSYC 3720 - Brain and Behavior
Credit Hours: 3 (if not counted above)
OR
PSYC 3740 - Sensation and Perception
Credit Hours: 3 (if not counted above)
4 PSYC 3000 or higher courses Credit Hours: 12 (not counted above)
PSYC 4800 - Capstone Seminar in History & Systems Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 4900 - Capstone Seminar in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 4910 - Capstone Lab in Psychology Credit Hours: 3
OR
PSYC 4920 - Capstone Research Project in Psychology Credit Hours: 3

Major Electives

Any 4 additional PSYC courses (or approved cognate courses) not counted above in MAJOR Credit Hours: 12

Total Credits: 120

Depending on the program of study, students may need to complete additional credits to ensure the total credit hour requirement is met.

Accelerated Bachelors to Masters Programs