# Psychology (Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer)

Coastline College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Psychology

Source: https://catalog.cccd.edu/coastline/pathways/behavior-culture-society/psychology/psychology-associate-arts-degree-transfer/

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 American Psychological Association 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.

Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) are open to all Coastline students. Students who do not plan on transferring to a California State University school should consult their Counselor regarding the benefits of an AA-T/AS-T degree based on their goals. Students earning an AA-T or AS-T and intending on transferring to a California State University school receive transfer admission benefits for specific majors at many California State University campuses. Visit the Transfer Information catalog page for more information.

#### Program Learning Outcomes

1.  Characterize the nature of psychology as a science.
2.  Apply the major theories, principles, and concepts of psychology to everyday life.
3.  Utilize investigative methods to collect, interpret, and present scientific data on psychological topics.

### Requirements

#### Associate Degree for Transfer Requirements

1.  Minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units. A minimum of 12 units must be in residence within Coast Colleges (Coastline College, Golden West College, and/or Orange Coast College).
2.  Minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework.
3.  Completion of a minimum of 18 semester units in an Associate Degree for Transfer major as detailed in the catalog. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of “C” or better or a “P” if the course is taken on a “pass-no pass” basis.
4.  Certified Completion of the California Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (CalGETC - Coastline Option 2 General Education pattern).

#### Requirement for the Major

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Required Core** | |  |
| **Complete the following:** | |  |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC C280 | Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| **List A** | |  |
| BIOL C100 | Introduction to Biology | 3 |
| or PSYC C250 | Psychobiology |  |
| **List B** | |  |
| **Select one of the following or any course from List A not used above:** | | 3 |
| ↳ PSYC C118 | Life Span Developmental Psychology |  |
| ↳ SOC C100 | Introduction to Sociology |  |
| **List C** | |  |
| **Select one of the following or any course not selected from List A or B above:** | | 3 |
| ↳ PSYC C116 | Child Growth and Development |  |
| ↳ PSYC C165 | Principles of Human Sexuality 1 |  |
| ↳ PSYC C170 | Psychology of Aging |  |
| or ↳ AGNG C170 | Psychology of Aging |  |
| ↳ PSYC C255 | Abnormal Psychology |  |
| ↳ PSYC C260 | Social Psychology |  |
| **Units Required for Major** | | 20 |
| **CalGETC pattern** | | 34 |
| **Transfer Electives as needed to reach 60 transferable units** | | Varies |
| **Total for Degree** | | 60 |