Psychology

Why Study Psychology?

Psychology is an excellent liberal arts major that allows you to explore and better understand the mind, how it functions and how it is influenced by biological, social, cultural and economic factors. Yet, there is also a practical advantage to studying psychology. Our students often report that they better understand themselves, and their relationships and other life experiences. Psychology is at play in practically every experience of our lives. It has been studied by individuals who have made their mark in a variety of fields within and beyond psychology including law, medicine and the arts.

For students who plan to pursue careers in psychology, earning an associates’ degree in Psychology from Community College of Philadelphia will allow you to establish and continue your necessary academic preparation beyond the associate’s degree. In order to practice psychology, you will need to have earned at least a Master’s degree and, in many cases, a Ph.D. or Psy.D.

Career Options

Careers

Find your path.

Mental Health Counselors – est. salary $54,737*
Marriage and Family Therapist – est. salary $71,312
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary – est. salary $94,811

**EMSI Data, 2022; The greater Philadelphia region; a percentage of people in these jobs may have a bachelor's degree or higher.

 

Transfer Opportunities

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Courses and Completion Sequence

The following courses and sequence of courses is designed for the optimal success and completion of the Psychology degree/certificate. Any alterations should be discussed with your academic advisor.

Semester 1

Course Number and Name Credits Advisory Notes Course Type
PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology or
PSYC 101H - 101H Introduction to Psychology (Honors)
3 credits Complete with a grade "C" or better Cultural Analysis & Interpretation
ENGL 101 - English Composition I or
ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors)
3 credits   Writing/Research/Info Lit 1
CIS 103 - Introduction to Information Technology 3 credit Complete with a grade "C" or better Technological Competency
MATH 150 - Introductory Data Analysis (or higher) 3 credit Complete with a grade "C" or better
Prerequisite for PSYC 167
Quantitative Reasoning
SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology or
SOC 101H - Introduction to Sociology (Honors) or
ANTH 112 - Cultural Anthropology 
3 credit   Major Course

Semester 2

Course Number and Name Credits Advisory Notes Course Type
ENGL 102 - The Research Paper or
ENGL 102H - The Research Paper (Honors)
3 credits   Writing/Research/Info Lit 2
PSYC 205 - Psychopathology/Abnormal Psychology 3 credits   Major Course
BIOL 106 - General Biology I 4 credits   Natural Sciences
PSYC 110 - Descriptive Research Methods in Psychology 3 credits Pass with a grade "C" or better.
Prerequisites for PSYC 210.
Major Course
Psychology Elective: Developmental Approaches (choose one)
PSYC 201 - Child Psychology
 or 
PSYC 209 - Adolescent Psychology or 
PSYC 211 - Personality Theory
 3 credits These courses should be of interest to students pursuing careers where they need to understand the specific characteristics, abilities, motivations and vulnerabilities of children and adolescents as well as how those childhood and adolescent experiences can lay the foundation for the ways they think and behave as adults.  Major Course 

Semester 3

Course Number and Name Credits Advisory Notes Course Type
PSYC 167 - Foundations of Statistical Methods for Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 credits FNMT 118 or MATH 161 placement
Pass with a grade of "C" or better.
Requirement for PSYC 210
Major Course
PSYC 215 - Developmental Psychology or
PSYC 215H - Developmental Psychology (Honors) 
3 credits   Major Course
AH 116: Therapeutic Communication or
any course that meets the Oral Communication/
Creative Expression requirement.
3 credits Three credits in Oral Communication/Creative Expression (OCCE) are required. Students may take one three-credit OCCE course, or may elect to take three one-credit OCCE courses. General Elective
General Elective 3 credits For students uncertain about what general elective to choose, we recommend taking at least two foreign language courses. Temple University, a common transfer institution for CCP students, requires students to earn a C or better in a first and a second-level foreign language course. Any language course in Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Hebrew, Japanese, or Spanish may be chosen. General Elective
BIOL 107 - General Biology II or
Science Elective
3 or 4 credits   Scientific Reasoning

Semester 4

Course Number and Name Credits Advisory Notes Course Type
Psychology Elective: Social and Cultural Approaches (choose one)
PSYC 221 - Social Psychology or
PSYC 220 - Cross-Cultural Psychology or 
PSYC 222 - Forensic Psychology
3 credits These courses explore and help explain the specific ways in which social and cultural factors can lead us to think and behave differently compared to and during interactions with members of other social and cultural groups. These courses should be of interest to students pursuing careers where they will be providing direct support or service to others, especially members of racially or ethnically diverse communities. Major Course

Psychology Elective: Biological and Cognitive Approaches (choose one)
PSYC 202 - Human Sexuality or
PSYC 230 - Cognitive Psychology or
PSYC 232 - Biological Foundation of Behavior

3 credits The more detailed and focused explorations of the different domains of human functioning—e.g., biological, cognitive— offered in these courses can help students better appreciate the diverse roles and significance of our biological design and our cognitive processes. These courses should be of special interest to any student who plans to pursue research or clinical/counseling careers in psychology.  Major Course
PSYC 210 - Experimental Research Methods in Psychology 3 credits   Major Course
General Elective 3 credits   General Elective
PHIL 151/RS 151 - World Religions or
Humanities Elective 
3 credits For students uncertain about what Humanities elective to take, we recommend HUM 120,
HUM 130, HUM 150, HUM 180, HUM 190. These are courses that explore diverse cultures and provide an expanded view of the human experience.
General Elective

General Education Requirements:

All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the MyCCP portal, and in the Student tab, under Electronic Forms, click on the Records and Registration Forms link, then choose Request For Course Substitution Of Graduation Requirement link. A more detailed explanation of the College's general education requirements is also available.

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