Information and Policies
Academic Advising for the Program
The Psychology Department has an advising office located at 273 Social Sciences 2, (831) 459-2002, psyadv@ucsc.edu. The advisers assist students in obtaining information regarding major requirements and petitions, course planning, substitution of transfer courses for advance enrollment, careers, and graduate schools. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the advising office throughout their college career. Transfer students are encouraged to consult the Transfer Information and Policy Section.
Getting Started in the Major
Students interested in pursuing the psychology major should complete PSYC 1, Statistics requirement (PSYC 2, STAT 5, STAT 7 & STAT 7L or AP Statistics 4 or 5), and the precalculus mathematics requirement. PSYC 1 and the Statistics requirement should be taken for a letter grade. After completing these three lower-division required courses, students may petition to declare the psychology major subject to the grade requirement described in the Qualification to the Major section below.
High school students considering psychology as their university major find that the best preparation is a solid general education in English writing, mathematics at least through precalculus, biological and physical sciences, and social sciences.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the psychology major should demonstrate competency in:
- Application of knowledge with critical thinking skills. Students should be able to use critical thinking to evaluate and interpret evidence, and to apply psychological concepts, theories, and research findings to individual, social, and cultural issues.
- Application of research methods with values and integrity. Students should be able to apply basic research methods in psychology, with sensitivity to ethical principles.
- Communication skills. Students should be able to demonstrate effective communication skills following professional conventions in psychology appropriate to purpose and context.
- Awareness of sociocultural diversity and societal inequality. Students should be able to understand the complexity of sociocultural diversity and societal inequality in the inquiry and analysis of psychological issues.
Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process
Major Qualification
Students may petition to declare the psychology major once they have demonstrated foundational skills by completing each of the following three requirements:
One of the following courses
Mathematics requirement
| AM 3 | Precalculus for the Social Sciences | 5 |
| AM 6 | Precalculus for Statistics | 5 |
| MATH 3 | Precalculus | 5 |
| MATH 4 | Mathematics of Choice and Argument | 5 |
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
Or take the placement exam
Score 300 or higher on the ALEKS Mathematics Placement or score a 3, 4, or 5 on either the AP Calculus AB or the AP Calculus BC examination.
Plus take the following course and obtain a B- or better
| PSYC 1 | Introduction to Psychology | 5 |
PSYC 1 must be taken in order to declare. If a B- or better grade is not achieved in PSYC 1, achieving a B- or better in PSYC 10 will fulfill declaration requirements.
Plus one of the following options and obtain a grade of B- or better
Or a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam.
Satisfying qualification to the major
Every student who satisfies qualification to the major and who petitions to declare the major by the campus declaration deadline will be admitted to the major. Students who satisfy the qualification to the major but who petition to declare the major after the deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis for admission to the major; admission is not guaranteed.
Transfer students should also consult the department's Transfer and Information Policy section below.
Appeal Process
Students who did not satisfy the major admission requirements but believe that there are extenuating circumstances concerning their performance in the foundational courses may file a written appeal describing these circumstances; however, such appeals are rarely granted. Appeals may be filed in the undergraduate advising office or by emailing psyadv@ucsc.edu. Students must file the appeal within 15 days of denial of major declaration. The department will notify the student and college of the decision within 15 days of the receipt of the appeal.
How to Declare a Major
To declare the major, students may attend drop-in advising and complete the paperwork with a peer adviser, attend a major declaration workshop, or book an appointment with an undergraduate adviser. Drop-in advising is available Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Transfer Information and Policy
Transfer Admission Screening Policy
The following courses or their equivalents are required prior to transfer, by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall:
- Minimum grade of B- (2.7)* in a course articulated to UC Santa Cruz's PSYC 1, Introduction to Psychology (An AP Psychology score of 4 or 5 can substitute for PSYC 1.) *Note: If a grade of C (2.0) or C+ (2.3) was earned in an equivalent course, a student must earn a minimum grade of B- (2.7) in a course articulated to UC Santa Cruz's PSYC 10, Introduction to Developmental Psychology.
- Minimum grade of B- (2.7) in a course articulated to UC Santa Cruz's PSYC 2, Introduction to Psychological Statistics, or STAT 5 or STAT 7 & STAT 7L, Statistics. (An AP Statistics score of 4 or 5 can substitute for PSYC 2 or STAT 5.)
- Minimum grade of C (2.0) in a course articulated to UC Santa Cruz's MATH 3, Precalculus. (An AP Calculus AB or BC score of 3, 4, or 5 can substitute for MATH 3.) Please note that an acceptable course in calculus may be used as a substitution of this course requirement. Business calculus is also acceptable.
In addition, the following courses are recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation:
- PSYC 10, Introduction to Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 20, Cognition: Fundamental Theories
Prospective students are also encouraged to complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or to complete all UC Santa Cruz general education requirements before matriculation.
Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student
Transfer students who satisfy the requirements of the screening policy can declare the major at any time after matriculation at UC Santa Cruz. See the How to Declare the Major Section.
Letter Grade Policy
PSYC 1 and the statistics requirement must be taken for a letter grade. If alternative courses are taken to meet the major qualification requirements, they must also be taken for a letter grade (e.g., PSYC 10).
Course Substitution Policy
Students who want to fulfill requirements with courses taken at other colleges (excluding articulated courses from California community colleges) must petition for the substitution of their transfer courses at an orientation session or at an appointment with the department adviser. PSYC 100, Research Methods in Psychology and the senior seminar must be taken at UC Santa Cruz.
Double Majors and Major/Minor Combinations Policy
Upper-division courses from other departments taken to fulfill the psychology elective requirement may not be counted toward another major or minor (See “Course Requirements” in “Upper-Division Courses” below). Students wishing to pursue double majors or a major/minor combination are encouraged to meet with an adviser to create an academic plan to do so.
Study Abroad
Up to three courses taken through EAP may be approved for the major, prior course approval required. Please see the advising office if you are considering EAP and want to try to obtain approval for such courses to count toward the major.
Honors
Honors in the psychology major are awarded to graduating seniors whose UC Santa Cruz grade point average is a 3.6 or higher in psychology courses (1-189).
Highest honors in the major are reserved for students who meet the honors criteria as well as successful completion of a senior thesis, or whose UC Santa Cruz grade point average is a 3.9 or higher in psychology courses (1-189).
Psychology Field Study Program
The Psychology Field-Study Program provides qualified students an opportunity to apply classroom learning to direct experience in a community agency. Each year about 200 students develop new skills and clarify personal and professional goals by working as interns in schools, corporations, law enforcement agencies, research organizations, mental health services, and other social service agencies where they are supervised by professionals. Psychology faculty members sponsor the students’ field study helping them to integrate their field experience with coursework and guiding them in related academic projects.
The two-quarter program is open to junior and senior psychology majors who must apply at least one quarter in advance. There are information meetings and individual meetings to help students develop a learning plan, select a placement, and choose an academic project. Application information is included in the information meetings.
General Psychology Major
Course Requirements
Thirteen courses are required for the general major: five lower-division courses in preparation for the major and eight upper-division courses. The lower-division courses are prerequisites for virtually all of the upper-division courses and should be completed as early as possible, or by the end of the sophomore year. Some upper-division courses have additional prerequisites.
Lower-Division Courses
Take this course:
| PSYC 1 | Introduction to Psychology | 5 |
Or a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology exam.
Plus one of the following options:
Or a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam.
Plus
| PSYC 10 | Introduction to Developmental Psychology | 5 |
Plus
| PSYC 20 | Cognition: Fundamental Theories | 5 |
Plus one of the following courses:
| AM 3 | Precalculus for the Social Sciences | 5 |
| MATH 3 | Precalculus | 5 |
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
Score 300 or higher on the ALEKS Mathematics Placement or score a 3, 4, or 5 on either the AP Calculus AB or the AP Calculus BC examination.
Appropriate equivalent courses may be substituted for any of the lower-division requirements.
Upper-Division Courses
Eight upper-division courses are required for the general major. At least five of the eight courses (including PSYC 100), must be taken through the psychology program at UC Santa Cruz, not transferred from elsewhere (the five courses include psychology courses only, not the out-of-department course). After all substitutions have been made, students must satisfy the fundamental requirement that they take at least one upper-division UC Santa Cruz psychology course from each of the Developmental, Cognitive and Social subfields.
Research Methods
One course in each of the following subfields (three courses):
- Developmental (courses numbered PSYC 101-PSYC 119)
- Cognitive (courses numbered PSYC 120-PSYC 139)
- Social (courses numbered PSYC 140-PSYC 159)
One additional 5-credit upper-division course from THREE of the subfields listed below (i.e., a total of three courses, each from a separate subfield):
- Developmental (PSYC 101-PSYC 119)
- Cognitive (PSYC 120-PSYC 139)
- Social (PSYC 140-PSYC 159)
- Clinical-Personality (PSYC 160-PSYC 179)
- Methods (PSYC 180-PSYC 189)
- Independent Study (PSYC 193-PSYC 199)
One upper-division course outside of psychology:
One upper-division course from one of the following related areas outside of psychology The course must be 5 credits, and neither crosslisted with psychology nor taught by psychology faculty. These courses also cannot be counted twice in cases of double majors or minors:
- Anthropology
- Community Studies
- Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Economics
- Education
- Environmental Studies
- Feminist Studies
- History of Consciousness
- Latin American and Latino Studies
- Legal Studies
- Linguistics
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Sociology
- Or a specific course from the list below:
- CMPM 146
- CMPM 148
- CSE 104
- CSE 140
- STAT 131
- STAT 132
- STAT 162
Upper-Division Seminar:
One of the upper-division courses must be an upper-division seminar; these courses are psychology courses identified within the General Catalog by their course descriptions containing the phrase “satisfies seminar requirement.”
Students can access a full list of courses on the department’s website. Upper-division courses and their catalog descriptions are grouped within each of the subfields.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in psychology is satisfied by completing PSYC 100 and a seminar. Seminar courses are psychology courses identified within the General Catalog by their course descriptions containing the phrase “satisfies seminar requirement,” and are numbered PSYC 119, PSYC 139, PSYC 159, and PSYC 179.
Comprehensive Requirement
UC Santa Cruz requires that every student satisfy a senior exit/comprehensive requirement prior to graduation. Psychology students will satisfy this requirement by receiving a passing grade in a psychology seminar which is also part of the DC requirement (see above). To ensure that all students can meet the seminar requirement, students are encouraged to enroll in only one senior seminar. Students would only be allowed to enroll in additional seminars after all who still need to fulfill their seminar requirement have enrolled.
Planners
Following are two recommended academic plans for frosh, and one additional plan for transfer students. Plan One is a suggested guideline for frosh who are committed to the major early in their academic career. Plan Two is for frosh who are considering the major or who need more preparation. Students should note that AM 3 is a requirement for the major and is a prerequisite for PSYC 2 and PSYC 100. The third planner is a suggested two-year guideline for transfer students.
Frosh Plan One
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 1st (frosh) |
AM 3 |
PSYC 2 |
PSYC 10 |
| PSYC 1 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 2nd (soph) |
PSYC 20 |
|
PSYC 100 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
upper-division
cognitive |
upper-division
developmental |
upper-division
social |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
upper-division
PSYC elective |
upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
upper-division
PSYC elective |
| |
out of dept.
course |
|
| |
|
|
The courses listed above will satisfy the PE, SR, and DC general education requirements. All other GE requirements have to be satisfied.
Frosh Plan Two
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 1st (frosh) |
MATH 2 |
PSYC 20 |
PSYC 1 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 2nd (soph) |
AM 3 |
PSYC 2 |
PSYC 10 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
PSYC 100 |
upper-division
cognitive |
upper-division
developmental |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
upper-division
social |
out of dept.
course |
upper-division
PSYC elective |
upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
upper-division
PSYC elective |
|
| |
|
|
The courses listed above will satisfy the PE, SR, and DC general education requirements. All other GE requirements have to be satisfied.
Transfer Plan
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 3rd (junior) |
PSYC 100 |
PSYC 20 |
upper-division
developmental |
| PSYC 10 |
upper-division
social |
|
| |
|
|
4th (senior)
|
upper-division
cognitive |
out of dept.
course |
upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
upper-division
PSYC elective |
upper-division
PSYC elective
clinical-personality |
|
| |
|
|
Intensive Psychology Major
Course Requirements
The intensive major involves additional upper-division coursework, including a requirement of an advanced methods class and research. Students intending to take the intensive major should declare this on their proposed study plan during the junior year, outlining their plan for completing the requirements. The intensive major requires 16 courses. Note: the intensive major designation appears on the transcript but it does not formally appear on students’ diplomas.
Lower-Division Courses
Take this course:
| PSYC 1 | Introduction to Psychology | 5 |
Or a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Psychology exam.
Plus one of the following options:
Or a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam.
Plus
| PSYC 10 | Introduction to Developmental Psychology | 5 |
Plus
| PSYC 20 | Cognition: Fundamental Theories | 5 |
Plus one of the following courses:
| AM 3 | Precalculus for the Social Sciences | 5 |
| MATH 3 | Precalculus | 5 |
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
Score 300 or higher on the ALEKS Mathematics Placement or score a 3, 4, or 5 on either the AP Calculus AB or the AP Calculus BC examination.
Appropriate equivalent courses may be substituted for any of the lower-division requirements.
Upper-Division Courses
Eleven upper-division courses are required for the intensive major:
Research Methods
One course in each of the following subfields (three courses):
- Developmental (courses numbered PSYC 101-PSYC 119)
- Cognitive (courses numbered PSYC 120-PSYC 139)
- Social (courses numbered PSYC 140-PSYC 159)
One additional 5-credit upper-division course from THREE of the subfields listed below (i.e., a total of three courses, each from a separate subfield):
- Developmental (PSYC 101-PSYC 119)
- Cognitive (PSYC 120-PSYC 139)
- Social (PSYC 140-PSYC 159)
- Clinical-Personality (PSYC 160-PSYC 179)
- Independent Study (PSYC 193-PSYC 199)
One of the following:
Two quarters of study from one of the following:
One five-credit course outside of psychology:
One upper-division course from one of the following related areas outside of psychology The course must be 5 credits, and neither crosslisted with psychology nor taught by psychology faculty. These courses also cannot be counted twice in cases of double majors or minors:
- Anthropology
- Community Studies
- Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
- Economics
- Education
- Environmental Studies
- Feminist Studies
- History of Consciousness
- Latin American and Latino Studies
- Legal Studies
- Linguistics
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Sociology
- Or a specific course from the list below:
- CMPM 146
- CMPM 148
- CSE 104
- CSE 140
- STAT 131
- STAT 132
- STAT 162
Upper-Division Seminar:
One of the upper-division courses must be an upper-division seminar; these courses are psychology courses identified within the General Catalog by their course descriptions containing the phrase “satisfies seminar requirement.”
Students can access a full list of courses on the department’s website. Upper-division courses and their catalog descriptions are grouped within each of the subfields.
Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement
Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement in psychology is satisfied by completing PSYC 100 and a seminar. Seminar courses are psychology courses identified within the General Catalog by their course descriptions containing the phrase “satisfies seminar requirement.” are designated in the campus catalog with the text “satisfies seminar requirement.,” and are numbered PSYC 119, PSYC 139, PSYC 159, and PSYC 179.
Comprehensive Requirement
UC Santa Cruz requires that every student satisfy a senior exit/comprehensive requirement prior to graduation. Psychology students will satisfy this requirement by receiving a passing grade in a psychology seminar which is also part of the DC requirement (see above). Passing a seminar course is also required for the major. Courses that meet this requirement are designated as seminars in the campus catalog as “satisfies seminar requirement.”
Planners
Following are two recommended academic plans for frosh, and one additional plan for transfer students. Plan One is a suggested guideline for frosh who are committed to the major early in their academic career. Plan Two is for frosh who are considering the major or who need more preparation. Students should note that AM 3 is a requirement for the major and is a prerequisite for PSYC 2 and PSYC 100.
Frosh Plan One
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 1st (frosh) |
AM 3 |
PSYC 2 |
PSYC 10 |
| PSYC 1 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 2nd (soph) |
PSYC 20 |
|
PSYC 100 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
Upper-division
cognitive |
Upper-division
developmental |
Upper-division
social |
Out of
department
course |
|
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
| |
Upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
PSYC 181/
PSYC 182 |
| |
|
|
The courses listed above will satisfy the PE, SR, and DC general education requirements. All other GE requirements have to be satisfied.
Frosh Plan Two
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 1st (frosh) |
MATH 2 |
PSYC 20 |
PSYC 1 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 4th (soph) |
AM 3 |
PSYC 2 |
PSYC 10 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| 3rd (junior) |
PSYC 100 |
Upper-division
cognitive |
Upper-division
social |
| |
Out of
department
course |
Upper-division
developmental |
| |
|
|
| 4th (senior) |
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
Upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
PSYC 181/
PSYC 182 |
| |
|
|
The courses listed above will satisfy the PE, SR, and DC general education requirements. All other GE requirements have to be satisfied.
Transfer Plan
| |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
| 3rd (junior) |
PSYC 100 |
Upper-division
developmental |
Upper-division
cognitive |
| PSYC 10 |
Out of
department
course |
Upper-division
social |
| PSYC 20 |
|
|
4th (senior)
|
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
PSYC 193/
PSYC 194/
PSYC 195 |
Upper-division
PSYC elective
(seminar) |
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
Upper-division
PSYC elective |
PSYC 181/
PSYC 182 |
| |
|
|