Office & Contact Information

The Major Programs

The psychology program at UC Davis is broad and includes students and faculty with a variety of interests. The department has developed around five core areas of psychology:

• Perception, Cognition, & Cognitive Neuroscience (PCCN) involves the study of awareness and thought, and includes such topics as perception, learning, memory, language and cognition.
• Biological Psychology covers a broad spectrum of topics including evolutionary, neurobiological, and molecular mechanisms of behavior.
• Social-Personality Psychology involves the study of the individual in their social environment and includes such topics as personality & individual differences, emotions, stereotyping & prejudice, intergroup relations, the psychology of religion and psychological health & dysfunction.
• Developmental Psychology involves the study of changes in behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities that occur throughout the lifespan. Typical and atypical development is examined using a variety of methods including behavioral, neuroimaging, and physiological assessments.
• Quantitative Psychology involves the study of linear & nonlinear models, psychometrics, mixed-effects models, and dynamic models, including experimental design, analysis of variance, regression, multivariate analysis, latent growth models, time series models, and factor analytic models.

The department offers the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) program for students interested in the liberal arts and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program geared for students with an interest in either biology or mathematics. The main objective of both programs is a broad introduction to the scope of contemporary psychology. In addition to completing a number of common core courses for their degree, students may take approved elective courses from a wide range of topics including Educational Psychology, Interpersonal Communication, and Psychological Anthropology, to name a few. The department strongly encourages students to become involved in individual research projects under the direction of faculty members and to participate in our internship program to broaden experience and understanding of the field of psychology.

Change of Major Process

Before declaring a major in Psychology, students must complete PSC 001 and PSC 041 with a combined grade point average of at least 2.500 in those two courses. Both courses must be taken for a letter grade. If a 2.500 GPA is not attained in these two courses, a 2.000 GPA in a minimum of three upper division Psychology courses is also acceptable for major declaration. Once students have completed these courses with the required GPA, they must save their progress toward the major on a Degree Worksheet in OASIS, and then submit a Change of Major Form in OASIS.

Career Pathways

A degree in psychology provides broad intellectual foundations that are useful to the graduate for the development of careers in a variety of areas, including social work, teaching, business, management, and counseling. An undergraduate education in psychology also provides excellent preparation for graduate study. Individuals with degrees in psychology may enter graduate programs to prepare for teaching, research, or clinical/counseling careers in psychology, or may go on to professional schools for training in veterinary and human medicine, law, and many other professions.

Honors & Honors Program

In order to be eligible for high or highest honors in Psychology, the student must both meet the college criteria for honors and complete a research project involving a minimum of 6 units of coursework over at least two quarters which represents an original analysis of data on psychological phenomena. Courses PSC 194HA-PSC 194HB or other approved courses can be used to satisfy the unit requirement. This project is to be written in thesis form and approved by the department. The quality of the thesis work will be the primary determinant for designating high or highest honors at graduation.

Recommended for All Majors

Students who plan to do graduate work in any area of psychology are strongly encouraged to gain experience through research and internship activities.

Major Advisor

Staff advisors are located in the Blue Ridge Office Building. For information about how to contact a major advisor, see Major Advising.

Graduate Study

The Department offers programs of study and research leading to the Ph.D. degree in psychology. For more detailed information regarding graduate study, see Graduate Students .

Graduate Advisor

See Graduate Students.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. Respective of the Emphasis, the minimum number of units required for the Psychology Bachelor of Science are 99 (Biological Emphasis) & 85 (Quantitative Emphasis).

Biological Emphasis

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Preparatory Subject Matter
Psychology 1
Choose one:		4
PSC 001	General Psychology
or PSC 001V	General Psychology
or PSC 001Y	General Psychology
Statistics 1
Choose one:		4
PSC/CMN/SOC/POL 012Y	Data Visualization in the Social Sciences
STA 013	Elementary Statistics
or STA 013Y	Elementary Statistics
STA 100	Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences
Research Methods 1
PSC 041	Research Methods in Psychology	4
or PSC 041V	Research Methods in Psychology
Mathematics
Choose one series:		6-8
MAT 016A	(Discontinued)
or MAT 016B DISCONTINUED
OR
MAT 017A & MAT 017B	Calculus for Biology & Medicine and Calculus for Biology & Medicine
OR
MAT 021A & MAT 021B	Calculus and Calculus
Physics
Choose (PHY 007A & PHY 007B) or (PHY 010 or PHY 010C or PHY 010CY):		3-8
PHY 007A & PHY 007B	General Physics and General Physics
OR
PHY 010	Topics in Physics for Nonscientists
or PHY 010C	Physics of California
or PHY 010CY	Physics of California
Biological Science
BIS 002A	Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth 2	5
BIS 002B	Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution	5
BIS 002C	Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life	5
Chemistry
CHE 002A	General Chemistry	5
CHE 002B	General Chemistry	5
Choose one series:		6-8
CHE 008A & CHE 008B	Organic Chemistry: Brief Course and Organic Chemistry: Brief Course
OR
CHE 118A & CHE 118B	Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
OR
CHE 128A & CHE 128B	Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal		52-61
Depth Subject Matter
BIS 101	Genes & Gene Expression	4
or BIS 101V	Genes & Gene Expression
NPB 101	Systemic Physiology	5
Core Group A: Perception, Cognition, & Cognitive Neuroscience; choose two:		8
PSC 100	Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
or PSC 100Y	Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
PSC 130	Human Learning & Memory
PSC 131	Perception
PSC 132	Language & Cognition
PSC 133/CGS 107/ECN 107	Neuroeconomics/Reinforcement Learning & Decision Making
PSC 135	Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biological Foundations of the Mind
PSC 136	Psychology of Music
PSC 139	Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience
Core Group B: Psychobiology; choose three:		10-12
PSC 101	Introduction to Biological Psychology
PSC 113	Developmental Psychobiology
PSC 121	Physiological Psychology
PSC 122/NPB 150	Advanced Animal Behavior
PSC 123/NPB 152	Hormones & Behavior (3 units) 3
PSC/NPB 124	Comparative Neuroanatomy (3 units) 3
PSC 125	Behavioral Epigenetics
PSC 126	Health Psychology
PSC 137	Neurobiology of Learning & Memory
PSC 159	Gender & Human Reproduction
Core Group C: Social/Personality; choose one:		4
PSC 151	Social Psychology
or PSC 151V	Social Psychology
PSC 152	Social Cognition
PSC 154	Psychology of Emotion
or PSC 154V	Psychology of Emotion
PSC 158	Sexual Orientation & Prejudice
PSC 161	Psychology of the Self
PSC 162	Introduction to Personality Psychology
PSC 165	Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PSC 168	Mental Health, Mental Illness, & Problems in Living
Core Group D: Developmental; choose one:		4
PSC 140	Developmental Psychology 4
or PSC 140V	Developmental Psychology
or PSC 140Y	Developmental Psychology
or HDE 100A	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100AV	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100B	Middle Childhood & Adolescence
PSC 141	Cognitive Development
PSC 142	Social & Personality Development
PSC 143	Infant Development
PSC 145	Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSC 146	The Development of Memory
PSC 148	Developmental Disorders
Approved Major Electives
Additional units to achieve a total of 40 units of approved upper division major elective coursework. Each course may only be used to satisfy one Psychology major requirement; the same course cannot be used for multiple Psychology major requirements. 3		12-14
Approved Psychology Electives
Any upper division Psychology (PSC) course(s), except PSC 197T, including:
Any course listed in the Core Groups above that you are not using to fulfill a Core Group requirement, plus:
PSC 103A	Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data
PSC 103B	Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data
PSC 104	Applied Psychometrics: An Introduction to Measurement Theory
PSC 107	Questionnaire & Survey Research Methods
PSC 120	Agent-Based Modeling
PSC 124L	Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory
PSC 134	Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
PSC 138	Consciousness & Cognition
PSC 150	Relationship Science: Lust, Love, & Evolution
or PSC 150V	Relationship Science: Lust, Love, & Evolution
PSC 153	Psychology & Law
PSC 155	The Psychology of Cultural Appropriation
PSC 156	The Psychology of Diversity in Aging
PSC 157	Stereotyping, Prejudice, & Stigma
PSC 169	The Science of Multi-Cultural Psychology
PSC 170	Psychology of Religion
PSC 175	Genius, Creativity, & Leadership
PSC 180A	Research in Cognitive & Perceptual Psychology
PSC 180B	Research in Psychobiology
PSC 180C	Research in Personality & Social Psychology
PSC 180D	Research in Developmental Psychology
PSC 182	Methods in Laboratory Research
PSC 185	History of Psychology
PSC 190	Seminar in Psychology
PSC 192	Fieldwork in Psychology
PSC 194HA	Special Study for Honors Students
PSC 194HB	Special Study for Honors Students
PSC 198	Directed Group Study
PSC 199	Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (May be taught abroad)
Additional Non-Psychology Elective Options
AAS 141	Psychology of the African American Experience
ANT 132	Psychological Anthropology
CHI 120	Chicana/o Psychology
CHI 121	Chicana/o Community Mental Health
CHI 122	Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
CHI 123	Psychological perspectives on Chicana/o & Latina/o Children & Adolescents
CMN 120	Interpersonal Communication
or CMN 120V	Interpersonal Communication
CMN 122	Nonverbal Communication
CNS 100	Consumer Behavior 3
EDU 110	Educational Psychology: General
EXB 102	Introduction to Motor Learning & the Psychology of Sport & Exercise
HDE 100A	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100AV	Infancy & Early Childhood
HDE 100B	Middle Childhood & Adolescence
HDE 100C	Adulthood & Aging
HDE/ENT 117	Longevity
HDE 163	Cognitive Neuropsychology in Adulthood & Aging
LIN 171	Introduction to Psycholinguistics
NPB 102	Animal Behavior 3
NPB 168	Neurobiology of Addictive Drugs
POL 170	Political Psychology
SOC 126	Social Interaction
SOC 135	Social Relationships
SOC 152	Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 171	Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal		47-51
Total Units		99-112

¹

Strongly recommended that PSC 041 or PSC 041V and PSC 012Y or STA 013 or STA 013Y or STA 100 be completed in the first year.

²

Recommended to take CHE 002A before taking BIS 002A.

³

If you take one or more 3-unit course(s), you will need additional PSC Major Elective units to fulfill the 40 total units of upper division PSC required in the major.

⁴

Students who have completed HDE 100A or HDE 100AV or HDE 100B prior to PSC 140 or PSC 140V or PSC 140Y will receive 2 units of credit for PSC 140 or PSC 140V or PSC 140Y.

Quantitative Emphasis

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Preparatory Subject Matter
Psychology 1
Choose one:		4
PSC 001	General Psychology
or PSC 001V	General Psychology
or PSC 001Y	General Psychology
Statistics 1
Choose one:		4
PSC/CMN/SOC/POL 012Y	Data Visualization in the Social Sciences
STA 013	Elementary Statistics
or STA 013Y	Elementary Statistics
STA 100	Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences
Research Methods 1
PSC 041	Research Methods in Psychology	4
or PSC 041V	Research Methods in Psychology
Mathematics
MAT 021A	Calculus	4
MAT 021B	Calculus	4
MAT 021C	Calculus	4
Computer Science Engineering
ECS 032A	Introduction to Programming	4
or ECS 032AV	Introduction to Programming
or ECS 036A	Programming & Problem Solving
Chemistry
Choose (CHE 002A & CHE 002B) or (CHE 002AH & CHE 002BH) or CHE 010:		4-10
CHE 002A & CHE 002B	General Chemistry and General Chemistry
OR
CHE 002AH & CHE 002BH	Honors General Chemistry and Honors General Chemistry
OR
CHE 010	Concept of Chemistry
Physics
Choose (PHY 007A & PHY 007B) or (PHY 010 or PHY 010C or PHY 010CY):		3-8
PHY 007A & PHY 007B	General Physics and General Physics
OR
PHY 010	Topics in Physics for Nonscientists
or PHY 010C	Physics of California
or PHY 010CY	Physics of California
Biology
Choose BIS 002A or a combination, as below:		5-8
BIS 002A	Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth 2
OR a combination of:
BIS 010	Everyday Biology
AND
ANT 001	Human Evolutionary Biology
or MCB 010	Introduction to Human Heredity
or NPB 010	Elementary Human Physiology
or ANT 001Y DISCONTINUED
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal		40-54
Depth Subject Matter
Psychology Statistical Analysis and Applied Psychometrics Courses
PSC 103A	Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data	5
PSC 103B	Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data	4-5
or PSC 104	Applied Psychometrics: An Introduction to Measurement Theory
Statistics
Choose one series:		8
STA 106 & STA 108	Applied Statistical Methods: Analysis of Variance and Applied Statistical Methods: Regression Analysis
OR
STA 130A & STA 130B	Mathematical Statistics: Brief Course and Mathematical Statistics: Brief Course
OR
STA 131A & STA 131B	Introduction to Probability Theory and Introduction to Mathematical Statistics
Core Group A: Perception, Cognition, & Cognitive Neuroscience; choose two:		8
PSC 100	Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
or PSC 100Y	Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
PSC 130	Human Learning & Memory
PSC 131	Perception
PSC 132	Language & Cognition
PSC 133/CGS 107/ECN 107	Neuroeconomics/Reinforcement Learning & Decision Making
PSC 135	Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biological Foundations of the Mind
PSC 136	Psychology of Music
PSC 139	Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience
Core Group B: Psychobiology: choose two:		6-8
PSC 101	Introduction to Biological Psychology
PSC 113	Developmental Psychobiology
PSC 121	Physiological Psychology
PSC 122/NPB 150	Advanced Animal Behavior
PSC 123/NPB 152	Hormones & Behavior (3 units) 3
PSC/NPB 124	Comparative Neuroanatomy (3 units) 3
PSC 125	Behavioral Epigenetics
PSC 126	Health Psychology
PSC 137	Neurobiology of Learning & Memory
PSC 159	Gender & Human Reproduction
Choose one course from Group C or Group D:		4
Core Group C: Social/Personality
PSC 151	Social Psychology
or PSC 151V	Social Psychology
PSC 152	Social Cognition
PSC 154	Psychology of Emotion
or PSC 154V	Psychology of Emotion
PSC 158	Sexual Orientation & Prejudice
PSC 161	Psychology of the Self
PSC 162	Introduction to Personality Psychology
PSC 165	Introduction to Clinical Psychology
PSC 168	Mental Health, Mental Illness, & Problems in Living
Core Group D: Developmental
PSC 140	Developmental Psychology 4
or PSC 140V	Developmental Psychology
or PSC 140Y	Developmental Psychology
or HDE 100A	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100AV	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100B	Middle Childhood & Adolescence
PSC 141	Cognitive Development
PSC 142	Social & Personality Development
PSC 143	Infant Development
PSC 145	Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSC 146	The Development of Memory
PSC 148	Developmental Disorders
Approved Major Electives
Additional units to achieve a total of 40 units of approved upper division major elective coursework. 3		10-13
Approved Psychology Electives
Any upper division Psychology (PSC) course(s), except PSC 197T, including:
Any course listed in the Core Groups above that you are not using to fulfill a Core Group requirement, plus:
PSC 120	Agent-Based Modeling
PSC 124L	Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory
PSC 134	Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
PSC 138	Consciousness & Cognition
PSC 150	Relationship Science: Lust, Love, & Evolution
or PSC 150V	Relationship Science: Lust, Love, & Evolution
PSC 153	Psychology & Law
PSC 155	The Psychology of Cultural Appropriation
PSC 156	The Psychology of Diversity in Aging
PSC 157	Stereotyping, Prejudice, & Stigma
PSC 169	The Science of Multi-Cultural Psychology
PSC 170	Psychology of Religion
PSC 175	Genius, Creativity, & Leadership
PSC 180A	Research in Cognitive & Perceptual Psychology
PSC 180B	Research in Psychobiology
PSC 180C	Research in Personality & Social Psychology
PSC 180D	Research in Developmental Psychology
PSC 182	Methods in Laboratory Research
PSC 185	History of Psychology
PSC 190	Seminar in Psychology
PSC 192	Fieldwork in Psychology
PSC 194HA	Special Study for Honors Students
PSC 194HB	Special Study for Honors Students
PSC 198	Directed Group Study
PSC 199	Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates
Additional Non-Psychology Elective Options
AAS 141	Psychology of the African American Experience
ANT 132	Psychological Anthropology
CHI 120	Chicana/o Psychology
CHI 121	Chicana/o Community Mental Health
CHI 122	Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
CHI 123	Psychological perspectives on Chicana/o & Latina/o Children & Adolescents
CMN 120	Interpersonal Communication
or CMN 120V	Interpersonal Communication
CMN 122	Nonverbal Communication
CNS 100	Consumer Behavior 3
EDU 110	Educational Psychology: General
EXB 102	Introduction to Motor Learning & the Psychology of Sport & Exercise
HDE 100A	Infancy & Early Childhood
or HDE 100AV	Infancy & Early Childhood
HDE 100B	Middle Childhood & Adolescence
HDE 100C	Adulthood & Aging
HDE 117	Longevity
or ENT 117	Longevity
HDE 163	Cognitive Neuropsychology in Adulthood & Aging
LIN 171	Introduction to Psycholinguistics
NPB 102	Animal Behavior 3
NPB 168	Neurobiology of Addictive Drugs
POL 170	Political Psychology
SOC 126	Social Interaction
SOC 135	Social Relationships
SOC 152	Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 171	Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal		45-51
Total Units		85-105

¹

Strongly recommended that PSC 001, PSC 041 or PSC 041V, and PSC 012Y or STA 013 or STA 100 be completed in the first year. Recommended to take Statistics before taking PSC 041 or PSC 041V.

²

Recommended to take CHE 002A before taking BIS 002A.

³

If you take one or more 3-unit course(s), you may need additional PSC Major Elective units to fulfill the 40 total units of upper division PSC required in the major.

⁴

Students who have completed HDE 100A or HDE 100AV or HDE 100B prior to PSC 140 or PSC 140V or PSC 140Y will receive 2 units of credit for PSC 140 or PSC 140V or PSC 140Y.