BS Psychology

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Program Learning Objectives

  1. Students completing foundation courses should demonstrate breadth of knowledge and application of psychological ideas to “real-world” problems; Students completing a baccalaureate degree should show depth in their knowledge and application of psychological concepts and frameworks to complex problems. These include: a) understanding of how personality, culture, social context, and intergroup dynamics explain behavior; b) understanding cognitive and perceptual processes and their biological foundations and; c) knowledge of mental and physical health and illness.

  2. Students should be able to understand scientific principles, think critically, and interpret, design, and conduct psychological research.

  3. Students will develop intrapersonal knowledge and interpersonal skills to contribute to building a society responsive to multicultural and global concerns. 

  4. Students should demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills.
  5. Students will develop skills and experience to enable them to succeed personally and professionally.

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:

  • 60 units of upper-division courses
  • Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
  • 2.0 GPA
  • U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)

Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit.

MAJOR COURSES
PSY 102Orientation to the Psychology Major2
Select from the following (E): 14
General Psychology
General Psychology
PSY 252Social Psychology4
PSY/CD 256Developmental Psychology4
PSY 323The Helping Relationship4
PSY 329Research Methods in Psychology4
PSY 333Quantitative Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences4
PSY 340Biopsychology (Upper-Division B) 14
PSY 372Multicultural Psychology (USCP)4
Biological and Cognitive
Select from the following:8
Behavioral Effects of Psychoactive Drugs
Cognition
Sensation and Perception
Memory
Learning
Cognitive Neuroscience
Social and Personality
Select from the following:8
Behavior in Organizations
Personality
Teamwork
Conflict Resolution: Violent and Nonviolent
Applied Social Psychology
Cross-Cultural International Psychology
The Social Psychology of Prejudice
Mental and Physical Health
Select from the following:8
Psychology of Aging
Health Psychology
Introduction to Positive Psychology
Introduction to Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Child Abuse and Neglect
Supervised Fieldwork and/or Research Internship
Select from the following:10
Research Internship I
Research Internship II
Supervised Fieldwork I
Supervised Field Work II
PSY 461Senior Project Seminar2
PSY 462Senior Project2
PSY electives (300-400 level) 212
SUPPORT COURSES
Select from the following (B2): 14
Principles of Animal Science
General Biology
Biology of Sex
Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology
Select from the following (GE Electives): 14
Human Genetics
Behavioral Genetics
STAT 217Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Methods (B4) 14
Select from the following:4
Children's Development in Diverse Cultures
African Americans in Popular Culture
Native Americans in Popular Culture
Asian Americans in Popular Culture
Latina/os in Popular Culture
Gender, Race, Culture, Science & Technology
Critical Race Theory
The Social Construction of Whiteness
African American Psychology
Intergroup Dialogues
Psychology of Gender
Contemporary Issues in Women's and Gender Studies
Women, Gender and Sexuality in Global Perspective
Sexuality Studies
Religion, Gender, and Society
GENERAL EDUCATION (GE)
(See GE program requirements below.)52
FREE ELECTIVES
Free Electives 328
Total units180

General Education (GE) Requirements

  • 72 units required, 20 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
  • If any of the remaining 52 units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
  • See the complete GE course listing.
  • A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: A1 (Oral Communication), A2 (Written Communication), A3 (Critical Thinking), and B4 (Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning). 
Area AEnglish Language Communication and Critical Thinking
A1Oral Communication4
A2Written Communication4
A3Critical Thinking4
Area BScientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning
B1Physical Science4
B2Life Science (4 units in Support) 10
B3One lab taken with either a B1 or B2 course
B4Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (4 units in Support) 10
Upper-Division B (4 units in Major) 10
Area CArts and Humanities
Lower-division courses in Area C must come from three different subject prefixes.
C1Arts: Arts, Cinema, Dance, Music, Theater4
C2Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English4
Lower-Division C Elective - Select a course from either C1 or C24
Upper-Division C4
Area DSocial Sciences - Select courses in Area D from at least two different prefixes
D1American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement)4
D2Lower-Division D4
Upper-Division D4
Area ELifelong Learning and Self-Development
Lower-Division E (4 units in Major) 10
Area F Ethnic Studies
F Ethnic Studies4
GE Electives in Areas B, C, and D
Select courses from two different areas; may be lower-division or upper-division courses.
GE Electives (4 units in Support plus 4 units in GE) 14
Total units52