The Department of Psychology at Yalova University was established in 2020 under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
With the appointment of Asst. Prof. Sinem Baltacı, Asst. Prof. Zehra Ertuğrul Yaşar, and Asst. Prof. Neslihan Yaman to the academic staff in the fields of Applied Psychology, Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology, the department initially defined its fundamental objectives and goals. Subsequently, efforts to establish the Undergraduate Program were initiated. Taking into account the Accreditation Criteria for Psychology Departments of the Turkish Psychological Association and the Turkish Qualifications Framework Regulations of the Vocational Qualifications Authority, a four-year undergraduate program was designed and approved by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) in 2021.
- In the 2021–2022 academic year, the department admitted its first cohort of students with a quota of 60+2 and achieved full enrollment.
- In the 2022–2023 academic year, again with a quota of 60+2, the department reached full enrollment; with additional transfers, a total of 130 students were enrolled across the 1st and 2nd years.
- In the 2023–2024 academic year, with the same quota and full enrollment, and together with student transfers, the department offered education to 193 students across the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years.
- In the 2024–2025 academic year, the department has reached a total of 261 students across all four years of study, once more achieving full enrollment with a quota of 60+2, including transfer students.
- On May 28, 2021, Asst. Prof. Sinem Baltacı, who had been serving as Acting Chair, was officially appointed as Department Chair.
- On November 8, 2022, she stepped down from this position, and Assoc. Prof. Filiz Sayar was appointed on November 9, 2022.
- On September 7, 2023, Assoc. Prof. Filiz Sayar resigned from the position, and Prof. Hasan Kaplan was appointed on September 8, 2023.
- On September 12, 2024, Prof. Hasan Kaplan resigned, and on September 13, 2024, Assoc. Prof. Sinem Baltacı was appointed as Acting Chair.