Psychology, Associate of Arts Degree Major
Banner Code: 3_AA_PSYC
Control Number: 18222
Financial Aid Eligible
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Students majoring in psychology learn the major perspectives for understanding human behavior: behavioral, biological, cognitive, cross-cultural, evolutionary, humanistic, and psychodynamic. Students will acquire skills to analyze behavior, including statistical methods and research design, and will learn to document findings in APA style; descriptive research methods and experimental methods are covered. Students will gain an understanding of the following topics: neuroscience; sensation and perception; consciousness; learning; memory; thinking, language and intelligence; motivation and emotion; lifespan development; personality; social psychology; stress, health, and coping; psychological disorders; and therapies. Completion of the major provides a solid foundation for a psychology transfer program and many careers in the social service fields. A Master’s degree or higher is required for most counseling or research psychologist positions.
Program Level Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Characterize the nature of psychology as a science.
- Apply the major theories, principles, and concepts of psychology to everyday life.
- Utilize investigative methods to collect, interpret, and present scientific data on psychological topics.
Associate Degree Requirements
Unit Requirement
Complete at least 60 units of acceptable college work with a minimum of 12 units completed in residence at Coastline. Earn an overall grade point average of 2.0 or higher from all colleges attended and a 2.0 or higher grade point average at Coastline.
*Students must be in good academic standing (not on probation and/or disqualification) during the semester graduation is petitioned.
Program of Study
Complete the required courses in one of the programs as detailed In the Requirements for the Major section of this catalog. All coursework must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
General Education
Complete one of the three General Education options below (visit the General Education page for details):
Option 1 — AA/AS Local Degree GE: designed for students pursuing an Associate degree and who may or may not be planning to transfer to a four-year university. The degree is transferable to many colleges and universities.
Option 2—CSU GE Breadth: designed for students who are planning to transfer to a university in the CSU system. It may also be appropriate for transfer to some independent colleges and universities.
Option 3—IGETC: designed for students who are planning to transfer to a university in the CSU or UC system. It also may be appropriate for transfer to some independent colleges and universities.
Global and Multicultural Studies Requirement
Complete at least 2.5 units from any Global and Multicultural Studies courses. See what courses fulfill the Global and Multicultural Studies Requirement.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| Complete the following: | ||
| PSYC C100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC C280 | Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| MATH C160 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| Program Electives | ||
| Select nine units of the following: | 9 | |
| Child Growth and Development | ||
| Life Span Developmental Psychology | ||
| Principles of Human Sexuality 1 | ||
| Psychology of Aging | ||
| Psychobiology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Units Required for the Major | 20 | |
| Local General Education, CSU General Education, or IGETC pattern | Varies | |
| Electives to satisfy unit requirement | Varies | |
| Total Units | 60 | |