Psychology

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