[ graduate program | courses | faculty ]
1533 Mandler Hall
http://psychology.ucsd.edu
All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.
The UC San Diego Department of Psychology emphasizes research in the experimental and theoretical analysis of human and animal behavior, and the study of the mind. Students who major in psychology can expect to develop knowledge in a broad range of content areas, as well as basic skills in experimental and analytic procedures. We offer courses in all major areas of experimental psychology, with areas of specialization in clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, psychology of human health, sensation and perception, and social psychology; a major in business psychology; and a joint major with the Department of Cognitive Science, in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. Students who are interested in considering a major in psychology, or who have declared a major are highly encouraged to consult with the Psychology Student Affairs Office to ensure full understanding of the major requirements.
Degrees offered include:
Students majoring in psychology must have departmental approval for electives taken outside the department. We recommend consulting the Department of Psychology before enrolling in courses offered by other departments. It is recommended that all students seek additional advising from faculty and advising staff to determine whether additional course work in mathematics, programming, physical or biological sciences, philosophy, or in any other discipline may be valuable, given students’ specific academic or professional goals after graduation.
Experimental psychology uses scientific tools and concepts: knowledge of formal systems such as logic or calculus, probability theory, computer science, chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics. Accordingly, students in upper-division courses must have an adequate background in these topics. Prerequisites for individual courses are specified in the catalog.
Lower-division courses for the major should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Meeting these requirements will guarantee an adequate background for the topics of the upper-division psychology courses.
Two Natural Science Courses (choose two of the following)
Two Formal Skills Courses
One Computer Programming Course (choose one of the following)
One Statistics Course (choose one of the following)
Four Psychology Core Courses (choose four of the following)
Eight Upper-Division Psychology Elective Courses (choose eight of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 formal skills |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
1 computer programming |
Year 3 |
||
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
Year 4 |
||
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
This includes the following majors:
Experimental psychology uses scientific tools and concepts: knowledge of formal systems such as logic or calculus, probability theory, computer science, chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics. Accordingly, students in upper-division courses must have an adequate background in these topics. Prerequisites for individual courses are specified in the catalog.
Lower-division courses for the major should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Meeting these requirements will guarantee an adequate background for the topics of the upper-division psychology courses.
Three Natural Science Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Formal Skills Courses
One Computer Programming Course (choose one of the following)
One Statistics Course (choose one of the following)
This includes the following majors:
The research requirement may be satisfied in the lower division, in the upper division, or partially in the lower division and partially in the upper division.
Four Psychology Core Courses (choose four of the following)
Eight Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose eight of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
The clinical psychology specialization provides instruction in the psychological and physiological causes of and treatments for mental illness in children and adults.
One Psychology Core Course in Specialization
Three Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 100 |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
Cognitive psychology includes understanding reasoning, thinking, language, judgment, and decision making in adults and children (including attention, memory, and visual and auditory information processing).
One Psychology Core Course in Specialization
Three Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 105 |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
Developmental psychology entails all aspects of human development with emphases on social and personality development, perceptual development, and language acquisition. This specialization also includes the study of developmental psychopathology.
One Psychology Core Course in Specialization
Three Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 101 |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
Health psychology focuses on understanding how psychological, biological, and environmental factors interact to jointly influence human health. Topics include addiction, impulsive behavior, and issues related to cognitive control.
Three Psychology Core Courses in Specialization
One Additional Psychology Core Course (choose one of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 100 |
PSYC 101 |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
PSYC 104 |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC Research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
Sensation and perception is the study of how our sense organs and brain allow us to construct our consciously experienced representation of the environment. Experiments using computer-controlled stimuli are used to test models of sensory or perceptual processes. Processes of particular interest include color vision, motion perception, and auditory illusions and paradoxes.
One Psychology Core Course in Specialization
Three Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 102 |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
Social psychology is the study of human behavior in social situations. The specialization focuses on topics including emotion, aggression, and social cognition. It also encompasses applied social psychology, including psychology and the law and behavioral medicine.
One Psychology Core Course in Specialization
Three Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Upper-Division Psychology Courses in Specialization (choose three of the following)
Five Additional Upper-Division Psychology Courses (choose five of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
|
Year 3 |
||
PSYC 104 |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 UD PSYC elective |
|
|
1 PSYC research |
Year 4 |
||
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 PSYC area of specialization |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 PSYC research |
|
|
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
The BS in business psychology develops skills to understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues. Students will study aspects of human behavior in the workplace, such as how consumers choose, how people work, and how they make decisions in groups and business settings. Students may choose to complete a twelve-unit concentration in marketing, STEM, or operations.
Lower-Division Course Requirements for the BS in Business Psychology
Business psychology entails a strong foundation of statistical and research methods training, as well as knowledge of formal systems such as calculus, computer programming, and understanding of natural science and how it applies to larger individual and organizational structures and functions. Accordingly, students in upper-division courses must have an adequate background in these topics. Prerequisites for individual courses are specified in the catalog.
Lower-division courses for the major should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Meeting these requirements will provide an adequate background for the topics of upper-division business psychology courses.
Three Natural Science Courses (choose three of the following)
Three Formal Skills Courses
One Computer Programming Course (choose one of the following)
One Statistics Course (choose one of the following)
Two Business Fundamentals Courses
Two Research Experience Courses
Choose one of the options below:
*If the two research courses are 199s, at least one of them must culminate in a research paper approved by the faculty adviser and be submitted to the Psychology Student Affairs Office no later than 3:00 p.m. Thursday of the final exam week of the student’s graduating quarter. Business psychology students are encouraged to seek 199s with Rady faculty.
Two Psychology Core Courses in Business Psychology
Two Additional Psychology Core Courses (choose two of the following)
Three to Four Business Courses (choose twelve units of the following)
Students may choose to take electives in the same functional area and thus have a concentration in marketing, STEM, or operations. Alternatively, they may choose to elect courses spanning areas, opting for no concentration.
Marketing Concentration
STEM Concentration
Operations Concentration
Three Additional Psychology Electives in Business Psychology (choose three of the following)
One Open Elective in Psychology (choose one of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
|
|
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
1 computer programming |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
|
|
PSYC 60 |
PSYC 70 |
MGT 18 |
MGT 16 |
||
Year 3 |
|
|
PSYC 104 |
PSYC 105 |
1 Bus PSYC MGT |
1 PSYC core |
1 PSYC core |
1 Bus PSYC elective |
1 Research |
||
Year 4 |
|
|
1 Bus PSYC MGT |
1 Bus PSYC MGT |
1 UD PSYC elective |
1 Bus PSYC elective |
1 Research |
1 Bus PSYC elective |
In addition to major requirements, students must complete college and university general-education requirements to graduate.
The BS in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience (CBN) is a major jointly administered by the Departments of Psychology and Cognitive Science. Cognitive and behavioral neuroscience seeks to determine, understand, and examine the links between neural activity and perception (e.g., color vision, attention), basic behaviors (e.g., appetitive drives such as hunger and sleep), and higher level cognitive function (e.g., working memory and executive function) using multiple tools ranging from single-unit physiology to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).
Lower-Division Course Requirements for the BS in CBN
Cognitive and behavioral neuroscience uses scientific tools and concepts—knowledge of formal systems such as calculus, computer programming, understanding of basic neurobiology, and additional knowledge in chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics. Accordingly, students in upper-division courses must have an adequate background in these topics. Prerequisites for individual courses are specified in the catalog.
Lower-division courses for the major should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. These requirements will guarantee an adequate background for the topics of the upper-division CBN courses.
Three Natural Science Courses
Plus choose two of the following
Four Formal Skills Courses
One Computer Programming Course (choose one of the following)
One Statistics Course (choose one of the following)
By petition, MATH 11 will be accepted for the major.
Four CBN Core Courses
Two Research Experience Courses (choose two of the following)
Six Upper-Division Courses in CBN (choose six of the following)
Two Additional Upper-Division Elective Courses (choose two of the following)
FALL |
WINTER |
SPRING |
Year 1 |
||
MATH 10A or 20A |
MATH 10B or 20B |
MATH 10C or 20C |
COGS 17 |
1 natural science |
1 natural science |
Year 2 |
||
PSYC 60 or COGS 14B |
PSYC 70 or COGS 14A |
1 computer programming |
Year 3 |
||
COGS 107A |
1 CBN core |
1 CBN core |
1 CBN core |
1 CBN elective |
1 CBN elective |
|
|
1 CBN research |
Year 4 |
||
1 CBN elective |
1 CBN elective |
1 CBN elective |
1 CBN elective |
1 additional elective |
1 additional elective |
1 CBN research |
|
|
Students are encouraged to participate in the department’s honors program, which is strongly recommended for all students interested in graduate school. A minimum overall GPA of 3.3 (transfer GPA of 3.5 for transfer students) is a prerequisite. Admission is granted by application in the fall quarter of the junior year (Deadline: mid-November, see department website for exact date). This program is composed of the following courses:
Winter:
Spring:
Successful completion of the honors program requires a minimum grade of A– in PSYC 194A, PSYC 194B, and PSYC 194C, and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the upper-division courses taken for the major.
The minor in psychology consists of seven four-unit courses from the Department of Psychology course offerings, of which at least twenty units (five four-unit courses) must be upper division. At least four upper-division courses must be taken at UC San Diego for a letter grade. Psychology 199 (Independent Study) may count for one upper-division course toward the minor.
If PSYC 60 (Statistics) is chosen as one of the lower-division courses, it must be taken for a letter grade. To declare or change your minor, use the minor tool on TritonLink. A grade point average of at least 2.0 is required for graduation.
Lower- or upper-division psychology courses may be transferable for use in a psychology major or minor. A petition is required for any course not listed on assist.org. Full instructions can be found on the psychology website.
Only upper-division courses from four-year universities will be considered by petition toward upper-division requirements in the psychology majors or minor.
Students are often able to participate in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) and UC San Diego’s Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP) while still making progress toward the major. Students considering this option should discuss their plans with the Department of Psychology Student Affairs Office before going abroad. Courses taken abroad must be approved by the Department of Psychology in order to be applied to the major. Students may receive credit for a maximum of three upper-division psychology courses from their courses taken abroad. Information on EAP/OAP is detailed in the Education Abroad Program section of the UC San Diego General Catalog. Interested students should contact the Study Abroad UC San Diego office.