Psychological and Social Sciences, B.S.

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).

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
2. have third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Psychological and Social Sciences, a minimum of 121 credits is required:

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.

Course List

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
ANTH 495	Internship
HDFS 495C	Professional Practicum in Human Services
PSYCH 495	Internship
SOC 495	Internship
Select 7 credits of the following:		7
ANTH 494	Research Project
HDFS 494	Research Project
PSYCH 494	Research Projects
SOC 494	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
HDFS 229	Infant and Child Development
HDFS 239	Adolescent Development
HDFS 249N	Adult Development and Aging
HDFS 250	Sexual Identity over the Life Span
HDFS 315	Family Development
HDFS 432	Developmental Problems in Childhood and Adolescence
HDFS 433	Developmental Transition to Adulthood
HDFS 445	Development Throughout Adulthood
HDFS 468
PSYCH 221	Introduction to Social Psychology
PSYCH 281	Introduction to Industrial-Organizational Psychology
PSYCH 407	Advanced Research Methods in Psychology
PSYCH 412	Adolescence
PSYCH 415	Topics in Developmental Psychology
PSYCH 416	Development Throughout Adulthood
PSYCH 420	Advanced Social Psychology
PSYCH 422	Human Sexuality
PSYCH 423	Social Psychology of Interpersonal/Intergroup Relationships
PSYCH 424	Applied Social Psychology
PSYCH 426	Language and Thought
PSYCH 438	Personality Theory
PSYCH 441	Health Psychology
PSYCH 470	Abnormal Psychology
PSYCH 478	Clinical Neuropsychology
PSYCH 479	The Psychology of Gender
PSYCH 481	Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PSYCH 484	Work Attitudes and Motivation
PSYCH 485	Leadership in Work Settings
PSYCH 496B	**SPECIAL TOPICS**
PSYCH 497	Special Topics
Select 6-15 credits of the following SOC and ANTH courses:		6-15
ANTH 2N	World Archaeology
ANTH 11	North American Archaeology
ANTH 22	Humans as Primates
ANTH 40	Biocultural Evolution
ANTH 146	Indigenous North America
ANTH 197	Special Topics
ANTH 199	Foreign Studies
ANTH 216N	Sex and Evolution
ANTH 321W	Intellectual Background of Archaeology
ANTH 380	Anthropology Museum Studies
ANTH 395	Internship
ANTH 448	Ethnography of the United States
SOC 3	Introductory Social Psychology
SOC 30	Sociology of the Family
SOC 35	Sociology of Aging
SOC 103	Racism and Sexism
SOC 109	Sociological Perspectives
SOC 110	Sociology of Gender
SOC 309	Sociology of Health
SOC 403	Advanced Social Psychology
SOC 405	Sociological Theory
SOC 406	Sociology of Deviance
SOC 409	Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America
SOC 416	Sociology of Education
SOC 429	Social Stratification
SOC 430	Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective
SOC 455	Work and Occupations
SOC 456	Gender, Occupations, and Professions
SOC 471	Qualitative Research Methods in Sociology
SOC 497	Special Topics
Select 0-9 credits of the following other social sciences courses:		0-9
BBH 302	Diversity and Health
BBH 315	Gender and Biobehavioral Health
CAS 352	Organizational Communication
CAS 415	Rhetoric of Film and Television
CAS 455	Gender Roles in Communication
CNED 404	Group Procedures in Guidance and Counseling
COMM 100N	The Mass Media and Society
COMM 120
COMM 411	Cultural Aspects of the Mass Media
EDPSY 14	Learning and Instruction
WMNST 471	The Psychology of Gender

Program Learning Objectives

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Knowledge and Application:
  • Describe key psychological and sociological concepts and theories.
  • Apply concepts and theories to empirical and real life situations.

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 2021-22 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).

Psychological and Social Sciences, B.S. at 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.

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.

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

http://abington.psu.edu/psychological-and-social-sciences