PSY General Track Program Coordinators: Professor Daniel DePaulo, ddepaulo@bmcc.cuny.edu; Professor David Calcedo, dcaicedo@bmcc.cuny.edu
PSY STEM Track Program Coordinator: Professor Janice Walters, jwalters@bmcc.cuny.edu
The Social Science, Human Services and Criminal Justice Department offers a major in Psychology which will lead to an Associate in Arts degree. Psychology is the study of how people behave, think and feel. It includes learning about memory, reasoning, personality and mental health.
There are many opportunities in this field from working as a counselor or case manager with children or adults to conducting market research in the business world. Schools hire school psychologists; businesses use organizational psychologists for career counseling and human resources; and forensic psychologists work in the criminal justice system. A psychology background is also good preparation for a career in teaching, law or medicine.
Choice of General or STEM Concentration
Students majoring in Psychology can choose between the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) concentration or the General concentration. The STEM concentration, developed with the assistance of a National Science Found (NSF) grant, prepares students for careers in neuroscience or medicine. Course requirements for both tracks are listed further down on this page.
Extracurricular Activities
There is a Psychology Club, as well as a Neuroscience Club, both meeting on Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.
Research Opportunities
BMCC Psychology professors are involved in a variety of research projects and there are opportunities for students to work with them and gain valuable experience in this area.
Transfer Options
BMCC has articulation agreements with several four year colleges so that you can seamlessly continue your studies there.
Explore Careers
BMCC is committed to students’ long-term success and will help you explore professional opportunities. Undecided? No problem. The college offers Career Coach for salary and employment information, job postings and a self-discovery assessment to help students find their academic and career paths. Visit Career Express to make an appointment with a career advisor, search for jobs or sign-up for professional development activities with the Center for Career Development. Students can also visit the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning to gain real world experience in preparation for a four-year degree and beyond. These opportunities are available to help BMCC students build a foundation for future success.
Related Communities
This program is offered in-person, online and in a hybrid format.
Requirements
Psychology Program Maps
Required Common Core
| English Composition | 6 |
| Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning1,2 | 3 |
| Life and Physical Sciences1,3 | 3 |
| TOTAL REQUIRED COMMON CORE | 12 |
Flexible Core4
| Creative Expression5 | 3–6 |
| Individual and Society | 3 |
| Scientific World6 | 3–6 |
| U.S. Experience in Its Diversity | 3 |
| World Cultures and Global Issues | 3 |
| TOTAL FLEXIBLE COMMON CORE | 18 |
| TOTAL COMMON CORE | 30 |
Curriculum Requirements
- The course is designed to introduce the students to psychological research. Students will learn about the research process by analyzing the ethical issues in research, conducting literature reviews, collecting, analyzing and interpreting the data, as well as summarizing and presenting the findings. Students may be presented with an opportunity to work with faculty on designing and implementing a research project. The course includes both theoretical and applied (lab) components.
Prerequisite: PSY 100 and two PSY 200-level courses
Concentration Requirements
- This course explores cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes across the lifespan. Attention is given to how biological sociocultural factors shape the individual. Prerequisite: PSY 100
OR
- This course explores biological, cognitive, and emotional growth from conception through adolescence. Attention is paid to the interplay of individual and sociocultural factors that influence the course of psychological development. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- The course focuses on exploring, critically evaluating and applying theories and concepts to the study of personality psychology. It also discusses research, assessment and influences of personality on human behavior and everyday life. Prerequisite: PSY 100
OR
- This course focuses on historical perspectives, contemporary trends, theoretical models and scientific research in the assessment and classification of mental illness. The etiology and treatment of psychological disorders are discussed with emphasis on the role of biological, cognitive, psychodynamic and sociocultural factors. Prerequisites: PSY 100
- This course studies the social world and how it has evolved over time, as well as how individuals are influenced and structured by social interactions in small groups and by larger social forces. The course covers major sociological theories and research methods, and key concepts such as culture, socialization, social class, race/ethnicity, gender, technology, social inequality, and social change.
OR
- The evolution and behavior of human beings as cultural animals are the focus of this course. Students are introduced to the basic concepts and methods of the major divisions of anthropology: physical, social and cultural; archeology and linguistics. Emphasis is placed on preliterate societies to facilitate the study of the interrelation of various aspects of culture.
| XXX xxx | Liberal Arts Elective | 3 |
| XXX xxx | General Electives1 | 5 |
Choose 9 credits from the following:
- The course introduces students to major theories and scientific findings in social psychology emphasizing personal and situational behavior. Research and application in the areas of social thinking, social influence and social relations are discussed. Topics include, but are not limited to, attitudes and beliefs, conformity, prejudice, group behavior and leadership, communication and persuasion. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course will cover the psychology of death and dying in our society. Throughout the semester we will examine the attitudes and values about death and dying, the developmental processes on death and dying as well as the sociocultural-perspectives, both the legal and ethical concerns of death and dying, as well as the issues of grief and bereavement. The text and supplemental readings will provide the groundwork for the assignments and class discussions. Students will be expected to remain open to different experiences, feelings and values. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course will provide an introduction to statistical methods utilized in the behavioral sciences. Topics that will be discussed include probability theory, descriptive statistics, correlation/regression, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square. Students will also learn how to analyze data using statistical software and how to report their results in APA style. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course introduces students to the relationship between the brain, human behavior, and experience. Topics may include: the structures and functions of the brain, and the neurological bases for learning, memory, sensation and perception, motivation and emotion, gender, addiction, and psychological disorders.
Prerequisite: PSY 100 - The course focuses on exploring, critically evaluating and applying theories and concepts to the study of personality psychology. It also discusses research, assessment and influences of personality on human behavior and everyday life. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course explores cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes across the lifespan. Attention is given to how biological sociocultural factors shape the individual. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course involves the interpersonal and institutional socialization of women in contemporary American society and the effect of these processes on individual personality through an examination of existing roles and exploration of alternatives. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course explores biological, cognitive, and emotional growth from conception through adolescence. Attention is paid to the interplay of individual and sociocultural factors that influence the course of psychological development. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- The course is designed to introduce the students to historical, cultural and contemporary perspectives as well as scientific research in cognitive psychology. Topics include but are not limited to memory, perception, language, problem solving, decision making and cognitive neuroscience. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course focuses on historical perspectives, contemporary trends, theoretical models and scientific research in the assessment and classification of mental illness. The etiology and treatment of psychological disorders are discussed with emphasis on the role of biological, cognitive, psychodynamic and sociocultural factors. Prerequisites: PSY 100
- The course presents Black experiences through a psychological lens. Leaning on the work of leading Black psychologists and other theorists, this course examines critical issues related to race, ethnicity, education, Black families and other social factors embedded in both contemporary and historical contexts. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- The course will examine theoretical and methodological approaches and challenges to studying the impact of culture on psychological processes and how people construct cultural meaning. Topics may include: definition and methods of cultural psychology, self and identity, motivation and emotion, cognition and perception, morality, mental health, and migration and cultural assimilation. Implications of cultural psychology for social policy and clinical practice will be discussed. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology applies the principles of scientific psychology to the study of human behavior in organizations and workplace settings. Topics may include but are not limited to job analysis, employee selection, training and development, evaluation of performance, job satisfaction, leadership, organizational culture, structure, development and communication.
Prerequisite: PSY 100
| Concentration Requirements | 26 | |
| Total Curriculum Requirements | 30 | |
| Total Program Requirements | 60 | |
- The course is designed to introduce the students to psychological research. Students will learn about the research process by analyzing the ethical issues in research, conducting literature reviews, collecting, analyzing and interpreting the data, as well as summarizing and presenting the findings. Students may be presented with an opportunity to work with faculty on designing and implementing a research project. The course includes both theoretical and applied (lab) components.
Prerequisite: PSY 100 and two PSY 200-level courses
Concentration Requirements
- This is an integrated course in analytic geometry and calculus, applied to functions of a single variable. It covers a study of rectangular coordinates in the plane, equations of conic sections, functions, limits, continuity, related rates, differentiation of algebraic and transcendental functions, Rolle's Theorem, the Mean Value Theorem, maxima and minima, and integration.
Prerequisite: MAT 206 or MAT 206.5
Course Syllabus - This course will provide an introduction to statistical methods utilized in the behavioral sciences. Topics that will be discussed include probability theory, descriptive statistics, correlation/regression, t-test, ANOVA, and chi-square. Students will also learn how to analyze data using statistical software and how to report their results in APA style. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course introduces students to the relationship between the brain, human behavior, and experience. Topics may include: the structures and functions of the brain, and the neurological bases for learning, memory, sensation and perception, motivation and emotion, gender, addiction, and psychological disorders.
Prerequisite: PSY 100 - The course is designed to introduce the students to historical, cultural and contemporary perspectives as well as scientific research in cognitive psychology. Topics include but are not limited to memory, perception, language, problem solving, decision making and cognitive neuroscience. Prerequisite: PSY 100
| XXX xxx | General Electives1 | 4 |
Choose 9 credits from the following:
- The course introduces students to major theories and scientific findings in social psychology emphasizing personal and situational behavior. Research and application in the areas of social thinking, social influence and social relations are discussed. Topics include, but are not limited to, attitudes and beliefs, conformity, prejudice, group behavior and leadership, communication and persuasion. Prerequisite: PSY 100
OR
- The course focuses on exploring, critically evaluating and applying theories and concepts to the study of personality psychology. It also discusses research, assessment and influences of personality on human behavior and everyday life. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course explores cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes across the lifespan. Attention is given to how biological sociocultural factors shape the individual. Prerequisite: PSY 100
OR
- This course explores biological, cognitive, and emotional growth from conception through adolescence. Attention is paid to the interplay of individual and sociocultural factors that influence the course of psychological development. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course will cover the psychology of death and dying in our society. Throughout the semester we will examine the attitudes and values about death and dying, the developmental processes on death and dying as well as the sociocultural-perspectives, both the legal and ethical concerns of death and dying, as well as the issues of grief and bereavement. The text and supplemental readings will provide the groundwork for the assignments and class discussions. Students will be expected to remain open to different experiences, feelings and values. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course involves the interpersonal and institutional socialization of women in contemporary American society and the effect of these processes on individual personality through an examination of existing roles and exploration of alternatives. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- The course is designed to introduce the students to historical, cultural and contemporary perspectives as well as scientific research in cognitive psychology. Topics include but are not limited to memory, perception, language, problem solving, decision making and cognitive neuroscience. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course focuses on historical perspectives, contemporary trends, theoretical models and scientific research in the assessment and classification of mental illness. The etiology and treatment of psychological disorders are discussed with emphasis on the role of biological, cognitive, psychodynamic and sociocultural factors. Prerequisites: PSY 100
- The course presents Black experiences through a psychological lens. Leaning on the work of leading Black psychologists and other theorists, this course examines critical issues related to race, ethnicity, education, Black families and other social factors embedded in both contemporary and historical contexts. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- The course will examine theoretical and methodological approaches and challenges to studying the impact of culture on psychological processes and how people construct cultural meaning. Topics may include: definition and methods of cultural psychology, self and identity, motivation and emotion, cognition and perception, morality, mental health, and migration and cultural assimilation. Implications of cultural psychology for social policy and clinical practice will be discussed. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology applies the principles of scientific psychology to the study of human behavior in organizations and workplace settings. Topics may include but are not limited to job analysis, employee selection, training and development, evaluation of performance, job satisfaction, leadership, organizational culture, structure, development and communication.
Prerequisite: PSY 100
| Concentration Requirements | 26 | |
| Total Curriculum Requirements | 30 | |
| Total Program Requirements | 60 | |
Footnotes
- These credits can be satisfied by taking STEM variants in the Common Core.
- Students pursuing the STEM Concentration are advised to take MAT 206.5 or MAT 206 to satisfy this requirement.
- Students pursuing the STEM Concentration are advised to take BIO 210 to satisfy this requirement.
- No more than two courses in any discipline or interdisciplinary field can be used to satisfy Flexible Core requirements.
- Students pursuing the General Concentration are advised to complete 6 credits and students pursuing the STEM Concentration are advised to complete 3 credits to satisfy this requirement.
- Students pursuing the General Concentration are strongly advised to complete 3 credits (PSY 100) and students pursuing the STEM Concentration are advised to complete 6 credits (PSY 100 and BIO 220) to satisfy this requirement.
Note
Please note, these requirements are effective the 2022-2023 catalog year. Please check your DegreeWorks account for your specific degree requirements as when you began at BMCC will determine your program requirements.
