Components of the Psychology BA Degree
The Psychology BA program at University Park has four main components:
- Psychology Requirements (More details below)
- General Education Requirements
- Liberal Arts Bachelor of Arts Requirements
- Electives (Any credited course to bring you to the total of 123 credits required for graduation)
Entrance to Major Requirements
The Psychology Degree program has Entrance to Major requirements that students must fulfill prior to declaring the major during the spring of their Sophomore year. Students must successfully complete all four courses listed in the below chart with a “C” or higher as well as maintain a Cumulative GPA above a 2.0 before being able to declare the major. These Entrance to Major requirements; better known as ETMs, are also required for any student Changing Location from another PSU location or transferring in from another institution.
Entrance to Major Requirements
- PSYCH 100 (3 credits)
- PSYCH 200 or STAT 200 (4 credits)
- General Quantification/GQ (3 credits) – Other than PSYCH 200 or STAT 200
- General Social and Behavioral Sciences/GS (3 credits) – Other than PSYCH 100
PSYBA Major Course Requirements
(47 credits; including 6 credits that also count towards General Education)
For the complete list of requirements please visit the University Bulletin.
Remember: Each major requirement MUST be completed with a “C” or higher to fulfill degree requirements.
Prescribed Courses (13 credits)
- PSYCH 100 (3 credits) – Entrance to Major Requirement (ETM)
- PSYCH 105 (3 credits)
- PSYCH 301W (4 credits)*
- PSYCH 490 (3 credits)**
* STAT/PSYCH 200 (4 credits) and PSYCH 100 (3 credits) are prerequisites for PSYCH 301W
**PSYCH 301W (4 credits) and 6.0credits of PSYCH 4xx are prerequisites for PSYCH 490 (The prerequisites may NOT be taken concurrently)
Additional Courses (34 credits)
- 6 credits of General Quantification/GQ – 3 credits for ETM (These will double count in General Education)
- PSYCH 200 or STAT 200 (4 credits) –ETM
- 12 credits of 200-level PSYCH including 3 credits from each category. PSYCH 294, 295, 296, and 297 may not be used for this requirement.
A. PSYCH 253, PSYCH 256, PSYCH 260, OR PSYCH 261
B. PSYCH 212, PSYCH 221, PSYCH 231, OR PSYCH 238
C. PSYCH 243, PSYCH 269, PSYCH 270, OR, PSYCH 281 - 12 credits of 400-level PSYCH (NOT including PSYCH 490 and NOT including more than 3credits of PSYCH 494, 491H, 493, 495,496 or 480)
Required Sequencing and Coursework
As mentioned on our Policies page, many students are not aware that there is a course sequence within the major degree requirements. This can tend to cause students problems when they had not planned for it when studying abroad or taking a semester off for an internship. It is vital for students to understand prerequisites to courses and to plan for them in their long term plan schedule. Lack of planning can delay graduation especially since such courses as PSYCH 105 and PSYCH 490 are only offered during the fall and spring semesters.
Examples
Prerequisite(s) | Course(s) |
|---|---|
PSYCH 100 | PSYCH 105 |
PSYCH 100 | PSYCH 200-level courses |
PSYCH/STAT 200 AND PSYCH 100 | PSYCH 301W |
PSYCH 301W AND 6.0 credits of PSYCH 400-levels | PSYCH 490 |