Major Requirements

Credits Required: 

Total credits: 120

Credits at CSUMB: 25

Credits in the major: 41

If you are interested in majoring in psychology, you are encouraged to contact a psychology advisor as soon as possible. You will guided by an advisor to create your path to graduation.

The structure of the major is perhaps most easily understood by grouping the Major Learning Outcomes (MLOs) into three areas: lower-division core, upper-division core and area courses.

Major Requirements and Learning Outcomes are identified below. In order to graduate, students must also meet all general education and university requirements. 

Core Courses

  • Lower-division core (must be completed before moving on to upper-division core or area courses):
  • PSY 100: Introduction to Psychology (4 units)
  • GE-certified statistics CSU-B Area B4 (e.g., STAT 100)
  • PSY 200/L: Intro/Research/Methd/Data/Anal (4 units)
  • (Please note: PSY 100 and STAT 100 are prerequisites for PSY 200/L)
  • Upper-division core:
  • PSY 300: Expermntl/Psy & Human/Assesmnt (3 units)
  • PSY 301/L: Adv/Psychological Statistics (4 units)
  • OR
  • PSY 305/L: PSY Testing & Measurement (4 units)
  • PSY 302/L: PSY/Resear/Methods/Data/Analys (4 units)
  • PSY 400: Psychology Capstone (3 units)
  • Area courses
  • You must take one course from each of the following five areas (i.e., 5 courses in total)

Biological Psychology

Required Courses

  • Choose one of the following:
  • PSY 310: Biological Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 315: Psychopharmacology (3 units)

Clinical Psychology

Required Courses

  • Choose one of the following:
  • PSY 320: Psychopathology (3 units)
  • PSY 321: Clinical Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 322: Theories & Methds of Counselng (3 units)
  • PSY 329: Health Psychology (3 units)

Cognitive Psychology

Required Courses

  • Choose one of the following:
  • PSY 330: Cognitive Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 331: Human Learning & Memory (3 units)
  • PSY 332: Decsn Making & Prblm Solving (3 units)
  • PSY 333: Cognitive Neuroscience (3 units)
  • PSY 334: Perception (3 units)

Developmental Psychology

Required Courses

  • Choose one of the following:
  • PSY 340: Developmental Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 341: Psych of Thought & Language (3 units)
  • PSY 346: Cognitive Development (3 units)
  • PSY 347: Social & Emotional Development (3 units)

Social Psychology

Required Courses

  • Choose one of the following:
  • PSY 350: Social Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 352: Theories of Personality (3 units)
  • PSY 353: Soc Psy/ Gender (3 units)
  • PSY 354: SocPsy/CrimJustice (3 units)
  • PSY 355: Social Psy and Soc Justice (3 units)

MLO 1 Theory and Content of Psychology

Demonstrate familiarity with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends. Outcomes include describing and applying psychology's concepts, language and theories, explaining its major perspectives and demonstrating understanding of its breadth and depth.

Required Courses

  • MLOs 1, 3 and 5 require you to take five area courses total (not five courses for each MLO). Each of the five area courses meet different parts of MLOs 1, 3 and 5.

MLO 2 Research Methods in Psychology

Understand and apply basic research methods, including research design, data analysis and interpretation. Outcomes include differentiating research methods, evaluating aptness of research conclusions, designing and conducting basic studies and generalizing research conclusions appropriately.

Required Courses

  • PSY 301/L: Adv/Psychological Statistics (4 units)
  • OR
  • PSY 305/L: PSY Testing & Measurement (4 units)
  • AND
  • PSY 302/L: PSY/Resear/Methods/Data/Analys (4 units)

MLO 3 Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology

Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and the scientific approach. Outcomes include using and engaging in critical thinking, using reasoning in arguments and persuasion and approaching problems with sophistication.

Required Courses

  • MLOs 1, 3 and 5 require you to take five area courses total (not five courses for each MLO). Each of the five area courses meet different parts of MLOs 1, 3 and 5.

MLO 4: Application of Psychology

By applying psychological training, the interdisciplinarity of the program becomes evident. Students understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social and organizational issues. Outcomes include identifying psychology's major applications, articulating how it can be used toward social understanding and public policy, and recognizing the ethical complexities of applying psychology.

Required Courses

  • PSY 400: Psychology Capstone (3 units)

MLO 5: Values in Psychology

This outcome demonstrates the interdisciplinarity of the major, especially through its emphasis on ethics and respect for science. Students weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically and reflect other values underpinning psychology. Outcomes include understanding the need for ethical behavior, tolerance of ambiguity, demonstration of skepticism and intellectual curiosity, attunement to scientific evidence, civic responsibility and respect for human diversity.

Required Courses

  • MLOs 1, 3 and 5 require you to take five area courses total (not five courses for each MLO). Each of the five area courses meet different parts of MLOs 1, 3 and 5.

Concentrations