At which campus can I study this program?
Begin Campus
Any Penn State Campus
End Campus
Abington
Program Description
Building on the interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary strengths of Penn State Abington, the Psychological and Social Sciences B.S. is designed to respond to the demand for a program emphasizing the social and behavioral sciences leading to an understanding of human behavior and its influence upon society as well as the influence of social forces on individuals. The program is distinguished by its interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary coursework and required field experience. The degree program offers students a choice of course clusters focused on specialized areas such as social psychology, developmental studies, organizational behavior and leadership, bio-behavior and diversity, and counseling. The B.S. provides a broad theoretical foundation in social and psychological theory as well as the opportunity to engage in supervised field experience. In addition, the B.S. degree emphasizes quantitative research skills and requires the completion of a senior thesis. The major is designed to prepare students for a variety of career fields including human resources, business administration, mental health, and social work as well as for continued study in graduate or professional school.
What is Psychological and Social Sciences?
Psychological and Social Sciences fosters an understanding of human behavior and its influence on society as well as the impact of social forces on individuals. It includes the disciplines of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and human development and family studies.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You are curious about people’s behavior.
- You are interested in knowing why people behave the way they do.
- You possess a keen interest in how culture and society impact individuals.
- You are a critical thinker and want to develop strong research and communication skills.
- You are interested in a career in mental health or counseling, market research, consulting, occupational therapy, or research oriented careers.
- You want to go to graduate school (Masters or Ph.D. level).
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science degree in Psychological and Social Sciences, a minimum of 121 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Electives | 15-17 |
| Requirements for the Major | 67-68 |
7-8 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3-4 credits of GN courses; 4 credits of GQ courses.
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol 
appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)
- Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| ANTH 45N | Cultural Diversity: A Global Perspective | 3 |
| MATH 110 | Techniques of Calculus I | 4 |
| PSYCH 100 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 200 | Elementary Statistics in Psychology | 4 |
| SOC 471 | Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| BBH 301W | Values and Ethics in Biobehavioral Health Research and Practice | 3 |
| or HDFS 301 | Values and Ethics in Health and Human Development Professions | |
| BIOL 141 & BIOL 142 | Introduction to Human Physiology and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| or BIOL 110 | Biology: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity | |
| CAS 352 | Organizational Communication | 3 |
| or CAS 455 | Gender Roles in Communication | |
| HDFS 129 | Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | 3 |
| or PSYCH 212 | Introduction to Developmental Psychology | |
| PSYCH 301W | Basic Research Methods in Psychology | 3-4 |
| or HDFS 312W | Empirical Inquiry in Human Development | |
| SOC 1 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| or SOC 5 | Social Problems | |
| Select 3 credits of the following: | 3 | |
| Internship | ||
| Professional Practicum in Human Services | ||
| Internship | ||
| Internship | ||
| Select 7 credits of the following: | 7 | |
| Research Project | ||
| Research Project | ||
| Research Projects | ||
| Research Project | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas 1 | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 6-15 credits of the following HDFS and PSYCH courses: | 6-15 | |
| Infant and Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Adult Development and Aging | ||
| Sexual Identity over the Life Span | ||
| Family Development | ||
| Developmental Problems in Childhood and Adolescence | ||
| Developmental Transition to Adulthood | ||
| Development Throughout Adulthood | ||
HDFS 468 | ||
| Introduction to Social Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology | ||
| Advanced Research Methods in Psychology | ||
| Adolescence | ||
| Topics in Developmental Psychology | ||
| Development Throughout Adulthood | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Social Psychology of Interpersonal/Intergroup Relationships | ||
| Applied Social Psychology | ||
| Language and Thought | ||
| Personality Theory | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Clinical Neuropsychology | ||
| The Psychology of Gender | ||
| Introduction to Clinical Psychology | ||
| Work Attitudes and Motivation | ||
| Leadership in Work Settings | ||
| **SPECIAL TOPICS** | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Select 6-15 credits of the following SOC and ANTH courses: | 6-15 | |
| World Archaeology | ||
| North American Archaeology | ||
| Humans as Primates | ||
| Biocultural Evolution | ||
| Indigenous North America | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Foreign Studies | ||
| Sex and Evolution | ||
| Intellectual Background of Archaeology | ||
| Anthropology Museum Studies | ||
| Internship | ||
| Ethnography of the United States | ||
| Introductory Social Psychology | ||
| Sociology of the Family | ||
| Sociology of Aging | ||
| Racism and Sexism | ||
| Sociological Perspectives | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Sociology of Health | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Sociological Theory | ||
| Sociology of Deviance | ||
| Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America | ||
| Sociology of Education | ||
| Social Stratification | ||
| Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective | ||
| Work and Occupations | ||
| Gender, Occupations, and Professions | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Select 0-9 credits of the following other social sciences courses: | 0-9 | |
| Diversity and Health | ||
| Gender and Biobehavioral Health | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Rhetoric of Film and Television | ||
| Gender Roles in Communication | ||
| Group Procedures in Guidance and Counseling | ||
| The Mass Media and Society | ||
COMM 120 | ||
| Cultural Aspects of the Mass Media | ||
| Learning and Instruction | ||
| The Psychology of Gender | ||
| 1 | At least 12 credits must be at the 400 level. |
Program Learning Objectives
- Knowledge and Application
- Describe key psychological and sociological concepts and theories.
- Apply concepts and theories to empirical and real life situations.
- Effective Communication (Writing and Speaking)
- Communicate social scientific knowledge orally in a clear and accurate manner.
- Communicate social scientific knowledge in writing in a clear and accurate manner.
- Critical Thinking and Scientific Reasoning
- Understand and utilize the scientific method and basic research methods.
- Demonstrate critical thinking in the analysis and evaluation of information to distinguish the scientific from the nonscientific.
- Ethics and Diversity
- Evidence knowledge of and appreciation for cultural diversity and relativity in human experience, and for the complexity of human behavior and interactions.
- Acquire an ethical lens that applies to concrete professional situations and broader issues in society and culture.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
Abington
Michael Bernstein
Associate Professor of Psychology
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7479
mjb70@psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2020-21 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contain suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).
Abington Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 15 or ENGL 30* | 3 | PSYCH 212 or HDFS 129* | 3 |
| PSYCH 100* | 3 | BIOL 110 or 141 and 142* † | 4 |
| MATH 110 | 4 | General Education Course | 3 |
| General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PSYCH 200* | 4 | PSYCH 301W* | 4 |
| ANTH 45N* | 3 | ENGL 202A | 3 |
| SOC 1 or 5* | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| Humanities (GH) (US;IL) | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| CAS 100A or 100B | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Elective | 3 | HDFS 301* | 3 |
| SOC 471* | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| General Education | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Major Selection any level* 1 | 3 | Major Selection any level* 1 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Major Selection 400 level* 1 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| XXX 494 Senior Thesis 1* | 3 | XXX 495 Internship* | 3 |
| Major Selection 400 level* 1 | 3 | Major Selection 400 level* 1 | 3 |
| Major Selection 400 level* 1 | 3 | XXX 494 Senior Thesis 2* | 3 |
| Major Selection any level* 1 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective (US/IL) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits 121 | |||
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.
| 1 | At least 12 of 21 required major selection credits must be at the 400 level. 6-15 credits of major courses are required in courses designated PSYCH and/or HDFS. 6-15 credits of major courses are required in courses designated SOC and/or ANTH. 0-9 credits of major courses are required in courses designated other Social Sciences from the approved PSS program list. |
Advising Notes
PSYCH and/or HD FS courses for Major Requirements:
PSYCH 221, 281, 407, 412, 415, 416, 420, 422, 423, 424, 426, 438, 441, 470, 478, 479, 481, 484, 485, 496B, 497, HD FS 220, 239, 249, 250, 315, 432, 433, 445, 468
SOC and/or ANTH courses for Major Requirements:
SOC 003, 030, 035, 103, 109, 110, 309, 403, 405, 406, 409, 416, 429, 430, 455, 456, 462, 497, ANTH 002, 011, 022, 040, 146, 197, 199, 216, 321W, 380, 395, 448, 464
Other Social Sciences courses for Major Requirements:
BBH 302, 315, CAS 352, 415, 455, CN ED 404, 407, ED PSY 014, COMM 100, 120, 411, WMNST 471
Courses cross-listed with the above may be petitioned to meet the 400-level requirement.
Career Paths
A bachelor of science degree in Psychological and Social Sciences is designed to prepare students for a variety of career fields including human resources, business administration, mental health, and social work, or continued study in graduate and professional schools. The Penn State Abington Center for Career & Professional Development supports and serves students in all areas related to career development and preparation including career counseling and coaching, internships, resume creation, interview training, and job search strategies.
Careers
With a bachelor of science degree in Psychological & Social Sciences, you will be prepared for careers in child and geriatric care; counseling, clinical, and social work; education; human resources; marketing/marketing research; occupational therapy; and research.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
A baccalaureate degree in Psychological & Social Sciences prepares students to earn graduate degrees in a variety of fields or obtain admission to MBA programs and law schools, among other post-graduate opportunities.
Contact
Abington
DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7479
mjb70@psu.edu