Psychology Major

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The psychology major is designed for students who desire to learn the fundamentals of behavioral science within the context of a traditional liberal arts education. Students receive a comprehensive exposure to the foundations of psychological theory and application, and are introduced to laboratory and field research. The psychology major prepares students for a wide variety of professional and business careers, and it provides the necessary foundation for graduate study in psychology or related disciplines.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will:

Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology
Respect and use critical thinking, skeptical inquiry and a scientific approach to understanding human behavior and psychological processes
Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation
Apply psychological theory, methodology and findings to develop a greater understanding of the whole person, as an individual and as a member of a large community, society, and culture
Be able to communicate psychological information effectively in a variety of formats
Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity

Major Requirements (48 units)

Foundational (20 units - 5 courses)

Usually taken freshman and sophomore years.

Breadth (12 units - 3 courses)

Complete 3 courses from the following:

Psychology Diversity (4 units - 1 course)

Complete 1 course from the following:

Upper Division Electives (8 units - 2 courses)

Courses counted toward the Psychology Breadth or the Psychology Diversity requirement may not also be counted toward the Psychology Elective requirement.

Advanced Research Methods (4 units - 1 course)

Note:

Students must obtain at least a “C” grade in each required course in the major. Courses that receive a grade of C- or below will not count toward the Psychology Major or Minor Programs. Students may retake no more than one course applied towards the Psychology major. The Pass-Fail option is not allowed for courses required by the Major or Minor.