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Psychology

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses Faculty

Associate Degrees for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Psychology

The Associate in Arts degree in Psychology for Transfer provides a clearly articulated curricular track for students who wish to transfer to a CSU campus, while also serving the diverse needs of students interested in the breadth and depth of the field of psychology. Additionally, this degree exposes students to the core principles and practices of the field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths.

The degree was designed to facilitate students’ successful transfer to four-year programs that prepare them for advanced study in a variety of graduate programs, as well as a variety of careers such as nursing, sales and marketing, teaching, and law enforcement. Psychologists with graduate degrees and professional certificates have a broad range of employment opportunities including, but not limited to, clinical practice, research, and teaching. Clinical psychologists work in a variety of settings and with a wide range of clients. Research psychologists work in a range of fields associated with the study of human behavior, including biomedical, sports psychology, and cognitive neuroscience.

The Associate in Arts degree in Psychology for Transfer provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system.

The Associate in Arts degree in Psychology for Transfer (A.A.-T.) may be obtained by the completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program outlined below (earning a C or better in these courses), and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education‐Breadth Requirements.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
PSYC 310 Biological Psychology 3
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3) 3 - 4
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
   or STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
PSYC 335 Research Methods in Psychology 3
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
PSYC 320 Social Psychology (3)
PSYC 340 Abnormal Behavior (3)
   or PSYC 481 Honors Abnormal Behavior (3)
PSYC 370 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
PSYC 373 Child Psychology (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 31
PSYC 354 The Psychology of Family Life and Intimate Relationships in a Diverse Society (3)
PSYC 356 Human Sexuality (3)
PSYC 361 Psychology of Women in a Multicultural Society (3)
PSYC 365 Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
   or HSER 330 Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
PSYC 390 Psychology of Death and Dying (3)
Total Units: 18 - 19

1Or any of the major electives or courses not used above.

The Associate in Arts in Psychology for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • differentiate between scientifically derived knowledge versus pseudoscience within the field of psychology.
  • compare and contrast the major theoretical perspectives in psychology.
  • define and apply basic psychological terminology regarding behavior, cognition, and emotion, and be able to express it clearly when writing or speaking about psychology.
  • evaluate psychological data, use the scientific method, draw reasonable conclusions, recognize the ethical implications of these conclusions, and apply these to personal, community, and scientific problems.
  • employ and integrate psychological principles that lay the foundation for life-long personal growth and development of interpersonal and social skills.
  • demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and social skills in interactions with a diverse population using principles of equity, justice, and inclusion.

Career Information

The Associate in Arts degree in Psychology for Transfer provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer and many other 4-year universities. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. The degree was designed to facilitate students’ successful transfer to four-year programs. From there, students are prepared for a variety of careers such as case management, sales and marketing, health care facility administration, teaching, and law enforcement. The degree also prepares students to continue their academic studies in post-graduate programs. Psychologists with graduate degrees and professional certificates also have a broad range of employment opportunities including, but not limited to, licensed psychologists, industrial/organizational psychologists, consumer psychologists, and research psychologists.

Associate Degrees

A.A. in Psychology

Psychology focuses on the study of behavior of humans and other animals. It involves both pure and practical application of science to matters of everyday life.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
PSYC 310 Biological Psychology 3
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences 3
PSYC 335 Research Methods in Psychology 3
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
PSYC 320 Social Psychology (3)
PSYC 370 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
PSYC 373 Child Psychology (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 31
PSYC 305 Psychology Applied to Modern Life (3)
PSYC 320 Social Psychology (3)
PSYC 340 Abnormal Behavior (3)
   or PSYC 481 Honors Abnormal Behavior (3)
PSYC 342 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
PSYC 354 The Psychology of Family Life and Intimate Relationships in a Diverse Society (3)
PSYC 356 Human Sexuality (3)
PSYC 359 Stress Management and Health (3)
PSYC 361 Psychology of Women in a Multicultural Society (3)
PSYC 365 Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
   or HSER 330 Issues of Diverse Populations (3)
PSYC 370 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
PSYC 372 Child Development (3)
   or ECE 312 Child Development (3)
PSYC 373 Child Psychology (3)
PSYC 374 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
   or GERON 302 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
PSYC 390 Psychology of Death and Dying (3)
PSYC 400 Introduction to Chemical Dependency (3)
   or HSER 340 Introduction to Chemical Dependency (3)
Total Units: 18

1PSYC 320, PSYC 370, and PSYC 373 may be used for this requirement if not used previously.

The Psychology Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus the local ARC General Education Requirement, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See ARC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • differentiate between scientifically derived knowledge versus myth and conjecture within the field of psychology.
  • compare and contrast the major theoretical orientations in psychology.
  • define basic psychological terminology regarding behavior, cognition, and emotion, and be able to express it clearly when writing or speaking about psychology.
  • evaluate psychological data using the scientific method, draw reasonable conclusions, recognize the ethical implications of these conclusions, and apply these to personal, community, and scientific problems.
  • employ psychological principles that lay the foundation for life-long personal growth and development of interpersonal and social skills.
  • demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and social skills in interactions with a diverse population using principles of equity, justice, and inclusion.

Career Information

The Psychology degree is designed to facilitate students’ successful transfer to four-year programs that prepare them for advanced study in a variety of graduate programs. Psychologists with graduate degrees and professional certificates have a broad range of employment opportunities including, but not limited to, clinical practice, research, and teaching. Clinical psychologists work in a variety of settings and with a wide range of clients. Research psychologists work in a range of fields associated with the study of human behavior, including biomedical, sports psychology, and cognitive neuroscience.