Exploring The Psychology Major
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology degree is designed to prepare students for further study at the graduate level or for employment in a wide variety of settings. It is the objective of the program to provide students with a well-rounded education in the basic principles and methodology of psychology. Emphasis in all programs is placed on the traditional perspectives, knowledge of research design, understanding the etiology of psychopathology, human development, appreciating the mind-body connection, problem resolution, as well as the critical reviewing of literature and writing in APA format and using library and information resources.
This section is designed to provide you with an introduction to the BA in Psychology program, highlighting the various course requirements for the core curriculum, psychology major core, major specific courses, and general electives for each major.
Bay Path Online offers 3 different majors within the BA in Psychology degree:
Child Psychology
Forensic Psychology
General Psychology
University Core
The Bay Path Core Curriculum provides a coherent and substantive educational basis for students to become confident and resourceful contributors to an increasingly interdependent world. The core consists of a total of 40 credits and is required for all undergraduate students regardless of program of study. These requirements are consistent across all undergraduate psychology majors, providing a consistent core and comprehensive liberal arts education for all students.
| General Education Core Curriculum | Credits |
| Lab Science (4 credit lab science + 3 credit science) | 7 |
| ENG-114 Critical Reading and Response | 3 |
| ENG COMP/Writing (ENG-134) | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 |
| Humanities/Art Elective | 3 |
| MAT-120 Statistics | 3 |
| Social Science | 3 |
| Social Science | 3 |
| PSY-101 Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Financial Literacy Elective | 1 |
| WEL-100/220 Women Empowered Learners and Leaders | 3 |
| WEL-350 Strategies for Career and Personal Growth | 2 |
| Total | 40 |
Psychology Core
The psychology major core courses have been aligned to provide a consistent foundation within the psychology pathway. All of the psychology pathways include a set of psychology core requirements (33 credits) consistent across all programs, with the exception of Forensic Psychology. These courses are organized by relevant knowledge domains of an undergraduate psychology education. These domains are outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA) and help to ensure that students are exposed to the core content areas within the field.
With this foundation of core psychology courses, all psychology students will be exposed to the recommended broad-based perspective of the field. This design provides consistent requirements for all psychology majors and concentrations, allowing for increased flexibility and reducing the risk of credit loss should a student choose to change within the psychology pathway.
Psychology Major Specific Pathways
In addition to the psychology major core (33 credits) taken by all psychology degree seekers, students will also have the opportunity to complete a set of concentration-specific courses related to their major. The chart below highlights the 3 degree programs currently offered at Bay Path Online. Please note that all of these programs are bachelor’s degrees in psychology (BA).
| Child Psychology | Forensic Psychology | General Psychology |
| 15 Credits | 18 credits | 3 credits |
| PSY-300 Psychopathology | PSY-150 Survey of Forensic Psychology | 400-level Psychology Elective |
| Applied Elective | PSY-341 Drugs and Behavior | |
| PSY-425 Parenting | PSY-342 Crisis Intervention | |
| EDU Elective | PSY-335 Psychology of Criminal Behavior | |
| 400-level Psychology Elective | PSY-336 Psychology of Female Offender | |
| PSY-441 Seminar in Forensic Psychology |
To review the course descriptions and prerequisites for each course listed, please refer to the Academic Catalog for additional information.
General Electives
The remainder of your credits are covered under the General Electives umbrella. Each program includes a set of general elective requirements, as shown below:
|
Child Psychology |
Forensic Psychology |
General Psychology |
| 32 Credits | 32 Credits | 44 Credits |
General electives allow you to pursue interests, explore new fields, or complement your chosen major with additional depth, minors, or industry credentials beyond what is required by your program of study.
For a full list of course options, please review the course description list in the Academic Catalog. In addition to providing course codes and course descriptions, this list will also include the required prerequisites for each course.