Psychology

Explore human behavior and build your career helping others. York College’s psychology degree program prepares you with marketable skills that empower you to make a difference.

A degree in Psychology from York College of Pennsylvania opens up a wide range of opportunities. Whether you’re interested in clinical practice, research, healthcare, community health, education, or any other field—this dynamic program allows you to pursue your passion.

As you learn the fundamentals of research and work side-by-side with professors, you’ll examine the full scope of human behavior. Psychology courses and beyond-the-classroom experiences are grounded in the scientific method, ensuring that you develop skills in evidence-based decision-making. Internships and real-world research projects are core to our program, so you’ll graduate with meaningful experience in your field.

As a Psychology major, you’ll build professional skills that translate across a variety of industries and workplace settings. Discover a versatile, employer-friendly Psychology degree program at York College.

Apply Request Information

An overhead view shows two people in lab coats and gloves gathered around a table containing models and illustrations of the human brain.

Majoring in Psychology

Key Courses
Psychology Courses

Our bachelor’s degree in Psychology includes a diverse selection of required courses and electives, paired with internship and research opportunities. Reflecting the science of psychology, students complete a thoughtful and intentionally sequenced research curriculum.

Core content domain courses include:
- PSY 100: General Psychology
- PSY 210: Fundamentals of Biopsychology
- PSY 243: Social Psychology
- PSY 250: Multicultural Awareness
- PSY 307: Cognitive Psychology
- PSY 321: Developmental Science
- PSY 330: Adult Psychopathology
Students also take courses that focus on the practice of psychology, and you may customize your education based on goals for your future career. Elective courses will allow you to study topics like forensic psychology, intimate relationships, industrial organizational psychology, child psychopathology, counseling theories, and sustainability.

4+1 Graduate Degree Opportunities

Psychology majors may choose to pursue a 4+1 graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. By pairing their undergraduate degree in Psychology with this graduate program, students can earn both their bachelor's degree and M.Ed. in as few as five years total.
Career Opportunities & Benefits
Careers in Psychology

The Psychology program at York College prepares students with the necessary background to pursue a variety of professional careers within or related to the field of psychology.

Graduates have gone on to work in counseling programs, schools, healthcare agencies, and therapy services across Pennsylvania and nationwide.

With a degree in Psychology, you can also find career options that include:
- Case manager
- Researcher
- Psychiatric technician
- Marketing strategist
- Career/employment counselor
- Child development specialist
- Probation or parole officer
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist (PSR)
- Social Service aide
Those who continue to graduate degrees in Psychology open up further opportunities for roles in counseling, social work, human resources, academia, clinical psychology, forensics, and more.

Psychologist Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual wage for those with Psychology degrees is $50,000 as of 2019. Students who go on to pursue graduate-level education and obtain licensure as a psychologist have the potential to earn significantly higher wages, with the highest 10% of earners reaching salaries over $130,000 per year.

Benefits of Earning a Degree in Psychology

Psychology degrees and related skills are needed in a variety of industry settings, and demand for these jobs typically outpaces the supply of professionals.

The job outlook for psychologists is expected to increase 8% between 2020 and 2030. Meanwhile, demand for marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 16% during that time. School/career counselor jobs should increase 11% and substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are projected to see growth of 23% during this decade—much higher than the national average for all careers.

Professionals often work in rewarding positions, dedicating their careers to helping others. The skills obtained in a Psychology degree program are highly adaptable, making graduates marketable in multiple areas.

York College works closely with students to identify how their unique interests, skills, and values align with their future career path. Learn more by visiting our Career Development Center.

Visit the Career Development Center
Internships & Work Experience
Internships & Work Experience

Internships and research opportunities are core parts of the curriculum for York College’s Psychology major. Students may complete up to two internships to earn credit toward their bachelor’s degree. Past internships include:
- Mental health agencies
- Sport psychology
- Research
- Industrial-organization/business-related psychology
- Local schools and educational settings
Students also gain real-world experience through projects and other coursework. York College Psychology classes have completed a variety of community-centered efforts, including:
- Creation of a website focused on healthy relationships (PSY 260: Psychological Perspectives on Intimate Relationships)
- Development of campus intervention programs to encourage environmentally behavior (PSY 215: Sustainability and Psychology)
- Research on topics ranging from effective structuring of study time to student attitudes toward alcohol
Visit Handshake
Mentorship & Community

Mentorship & Community

In the Psychology degree program, you’ll be part of a close-knit community of students and professors. This built-in support network allows numerous opportunities for collaboration, including with faculty who are active researchers.

Students receive individualized advising from faculty who are knowledgeable about the field of psychology and remain mindful of a student’s holistic well-being throughout the advising process.

The student-run Psychology Club is also active on campus. This group of enthusiastic students helps to boost mental health awareness across campus through projects and events.

Meet the Faculty
High-Demand Skills
Psychology Skills

As a graduate of York College’s Psychology degree program, you’ll stand out to future employers and graduate programs. Your Psychology major will help you to develop a unique blend of functional and job-ready skills, including:
- Critical thinking
- Cultural awareness and cultural competency
- Public speaking
- Professional writing
- Scientific research
- Evidence gathering
- Application of the scientific method
- Interpersonal communication
- Conducting interviews
- Developing programs
- Counseling
Best Minors for Psychology Majors

A minor can offer you further specialization and a broader knowledge base, so your education will match your career goals. In addition to your Psychology major, York College offers a number of related minors to help you customize your degree:
- Advertising
- Applied Youth Development
- Biology
- Communication
- Creative Writing
- Human Services
- Public Administration
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- French, Spanish, or related language
Explore more minors and dual major opportunities, or talk with one of York College’s career counselors if you aren’t sure which degree is right for you.

View All Majors and Minors

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from college psychology courses?

At York College, psychology classes are grounded in scientific inquiry. You’ll work with your professors, who each have their own areas of expertise and research interests. Advanced students may collaborate with faculty on research projects and present their work at student or professional conferences.

You’ll get an education that has been tailored to prepare you for the workplace, using a curriculum influenced by the American Psychological Association (APA) and their guidelines for workplace readiness. You’ll take on real-world projects and gain résumé-worthy experience, long before graduation. Through it all, faculty in the Psychology major believe in the value of a close-knit community with individualized advising. You’ll have all the support you need to tailor your academic coursework to your desired career.
How do I get psychology internships?

Students in the Psychology program at YCP may receive academic credit for up to two internships. In the past, students have interned in a variety of industries and types of workplace. Psychology degrees are versatile, as are our students’ internship placements. Of course, mental health and other healthcare settings are a natural fit—but York students also intern at schools, research institutes, and corporate businesses.

Your faculty advisor will be able to provide advice about which internship sites may work best for you. Once you have an idea of what you’d like to achieve through your internship, you should begin exploring internship job postings on Spartan Career Path and contact the Career Development Center for next steps.
Are there master’s programs for psychology?

As a Psychology major, you may choose to further your education through a graduate degree and/or additional certification. Depending on your goals and interests, you’ll have a number of opportunities. These could include medical school, law school, social work programs, advanced psychology master’s and doctorate degrees, and much more.

York College’s Psychology degree program also offers you a unique opportunity to enter a 4+1 program with our M.Ed. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). This pathway allows you to complete both your bachelor’s in Psychology and a master’s degree in ABA in as few as five years. Graduates of the ABA graduate program position themselves to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® examination.