OpenPSYC was created by Drs. Scott Roberts, Ryan Curtis, and Dylan Selterman while at the University of Maryland to serve as a free alternative to a textbook for students in PSYC 100: Introduction to Psychology. It has been subsequently used and modified by their colleagues.

OpenPSYC is designed to help students explore psychological theory, research, and practical applications of psychological science. After completing this course in psychology, students will be able to:

- Explain patterns of thought and behavior in the context of psychological theories and provide scientific evidence to support their ideas.
- Describe the basic ethical principles that should guide scientific research on the thought and behavior of living organisms.
- Demonstrate analytical skills by critiquing psychological claims and designing valid research that could test their hypotheses.
- Apply psychological concepts and research findings in a way that improves their own academic, personal, and professional life.

Each module is structured around key prompts -- Learning Objective Questions -- and followed by links to the articles, videos, and interactive demonstrations students will need to answer those questions.