Psychology, Minor College of Letters & Science

The Minor Program

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.

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.

Minor Advisor

Staff advisors are located in Young Hall; psychadvising@ucdavis.edu; 530-752-5104. For more information on how to make an appointment or join Drop-In Advising hours, please see Yellow Cluster Undergraduate Advising Center.

Graduate Study

The Department offers programs of study and research leading to the Ph.D. degree in psychology. Detailed information regarding graduate study may be obtained on our website.

Graduate Advisor

See Graduate Students.

PSC 041Research Methods in Psychology 14
One course from each of the following four groups:
Core Group A: Perception, Cognition, & Cognitive Neuroscience
Choose 4 units:4
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Human Learning & Memory
Perception
Language & Cognition
Neuroeconomics/Reinforcement Learning & Decision Making
Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biological Foundations of the Mind
Psychology of Music
Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience
Core Group B: Psychobiology
Choose 3-4 units:3-4
Introduction to Biological Psychology
Developmental Psychobiology
Physiological Psychology
Advanced Animal Behavior
Hormones & Behavior (3 units)
Comparative Neuroanatomy (3 units)
Behavioral Epigenetics
Health Psychology
Neurobiology of Learning & Memory
Gender & Human Reproduction
Core Group C: Social/Personality
Choose 4 units:4
Social Psychology
Social Cognition
Psychology of Emotion
Psychology of Emotion
Sexual Orientation & Prejudice
Psychology of the Self
Introduction to Personality Psychology
Introduction to Clinical Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Core Group D: Developmental
Choose 4 units:4
Infancy & Early Childhood
Infancy & Early Childhood
Middle Childhood & Adolescence
Developmental Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Development
Social & Personality Development
Infant Development
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
The Development of Memory
Developmental Disorders
Psychology Subtotal19-20
Approved Major Electives
Additional units to achieve a total of 20 units of approved upper division major coursework.4-5
Psychology of the African American Experience
Psychological Anthropology
Chicana/o Psychology
Chicana/o Community Mental Health
Psychology Perspectives Chicana/o & Latina/o Family
Psychological perspectives on Chicana/o & Latina/o Children & Adolescents
Interpersonal Communication
Nonverbal Communication
Consumer Behavior (3 units)
Educational Psychology: General
Introduction to Motor Learning & the Psychology of Sport & Exercise
Infancy & Early Childhood
Infancy & Early Childhood
Middle Childhood & Adolescence
Adulthood & Aging
Longevity
Cognitive Neuropsychology in Adulthood & Aging
Introduction to Psycholinguistics
Animal Behavior (3 units)
Neurobiology of Addictive Drugs
Political Psychology
Social Interaction
Social Relationships
Juvenile Delinquency
Sociology of Violence & Inequality
Approved Major Electives Subtotal4-5
Total Units23-25
1

Please note that PSC 001 or PSC 001Y is a prerequisite for PSC 041 and all upper division PSC courses.

2

Except PSC 197T.