Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
The Psychology major offers a broad preparation in the science of psychology. Theoretical approaches, research techniques, laboratory experiences and internships are hallmarks of the psychology program.
Graduates often pursue careers in mental health, social services, public health, education, and personnel-related settings. Many majors go on to graduate work in such fields of psychology as: counseling, developmental, family, social, clinical or experimental.
Students may pursue a course of study which meets their individual needs and interests. Electives are selected by the student with the advice of the student's academic advisor.
Program Learning Objectives
- 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.
- Students should be able to understand scientific principles, think critically, and interpret, design, and conduct psychological research.
- Students will develop intrapersonal knowledge and interpersonal skills to contribute to building a society responsive to multicultural and global concerns.
- Students should demonstrate competence in writing and in oral and interpersonal communication skills.
- 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:
- 40 units of upper-division courses
- 2.0 GPA
- Graduation Writing Requirements (GWR)
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| PSY 1102 | Orientation to the Psychology Major | 2 |
| PSY 2201 | Introductory Psychology (4B) 1 | 3 |
| PSY/CD 2229 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 2240 | Biopsychology (5B) 1 | 3 |
| PSY 3333 | Advanced Research Methods | 4 |
| PSY 3372 | Multicultural Psychology | 4 |
| PSY 4461 | Senior Project Seminar | 2 |
| PSY 4462 | Senior Project | 2 |
| Foundation | ||
| Select from the following: | 3 | |
| Personality | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Cognitive | ||
| Select from the following: | 4 | |
| Cognition | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Learning and Memory | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Mental and Physical Health | ||
| Select from the following: | 4 | |
| Health Psychology | ||
| Child and Adolescent Mental Health | ||
| Introduction to Clinical and Counseling Psychology | ||
| Adult Mental Health and Psychopathology | ||
| Child Abuse and Neglect | ||
| Social and Personality | ||
| Select from the following: | 4 | |
| Organizational Behavior | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
| Psychology of Conflict and Justice | ||
| Applied Social Psychology | ||
| Applied Personality | ||
| Cross-Cultural International Psychology | ||
| The Social Psychology of Prejudice | ||
| Internships | ||
| Select from the following: | 6 | |
| Research Internship I | ||
| Research Internship II | ||
| Supervised Fieldwork Internship I | ||
| Supervised Fieldwork Internship II | ||
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select any 3000-4000 level PSY courses | 8 | |
| SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| STAT 1110 | Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods (2) 1 | 3 |
| Professional Skills | ||
| Select from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Intergroup Communication | ||
| Intergroup Dialogues | ||
| The Helping Relationship | ||
| Teamwork | ||
| Upper-Division Science | ||
| Select from the following: (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 | 3-4 | |
| Human Genetics | ||
| Gender, Race, Culture, Science, and Technology | ||
| Nutrition and Exercise for Health and Disease Prevention | ||
| Public Engagements with STEM | ||
| Human Factors and Technology | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | ||
| Select from the following: (Upper-Division 4) 1 | 3-4 | |
| Critical Race Theory | ||
| Gender, Race, Class, Nation: Critical Computing and Engineering Studies | ||
| Social Constructions of Whiteness | ||
| Intergroup Dialogues | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| Feminist/Queer Transnational Studies | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below) | 28 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 2 | 26-28 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If a General Education (GE) course 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.
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 43 units required, 15 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 28 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: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning).
| Lower-Division General Education | ||
| Area 1 | English Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| 1A | Written Communication | 3 |
| 1B | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| 1C | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 3 | Arts and Humanities | |
| 3A | Arts | 3 |
| 3B | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 3 |
| Area 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | |
| 4A | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 3 |
| 4B | Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Area 5 | Physical and Life Sciences | |
| 5A | Physical Sciences | 3 |
| 5B | Life Sciences (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| 5C | Laboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) | 1 |
| Area 6 | Ethnic Studies | |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | ||
| Upper-Division 2/5 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| Upper-Division 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Total Units | 28 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.