Psychology B.A. Curriculum

The major includes 14 units of core courses, 18 to 21 units of basic courses and 9 to 12 units of electives. You’ll take additional electives as needed to complete the 60 units required for the major. For degree requirement information, visit the SFSU Academic Bulletin.

Psychology B.A. (60 Units)

Core Curriculum

  • PSY 200: General Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 303: Psychology: The Major and the Profession (1 unit)
  • PSY 371: Psychological Statistics (3 units)
  • PSY 400: Introduction to Research in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 305GW: Writing in Psychology (GWAR) (3 units)
  • PSY 690: Future Directions for Psychology Majors (1 unit)

You must earn a C or better in the following courses, taken for a letter grade:

You must earn a CR (credit) in:

Expect two courses from each of the three areas below:

Area 1: Basic Psychological Processes (6 units)
Explore how people think, learn and behave.

Area 2: Psychological Development and Individual Differences (6 to 7 units)
Learn how people grow and how individuals differ across the lifespan.

Area 3: Social, Cultural, Organizational and Community Contexts (6 to 8 units)
Understand how people interact within groups, cultures and communities.

Electives (9 to 12 units)

Expect three elective courses.

Area 1 Courses

  • PSY 432: Cognitive Development: Language, Thinking and Perception (3 units)
  • PSY 491: Learning (3 units)
  • PSY 492: Perception (3 units)
  • PSY 493: Motivation (3 units)
  • PSY 494: Cognitive Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 495: The Psychology of Human Memory (3 units)
  • PSY 498: Cognitive Neuroscience: Psychological Models (3 units)
  • PSY 531: Psycholinguistics (3 units)
  • PSY 581: Physiological Psychology I (3 units)
  • PSY 582: Physiological Psychology II (3 units)

Area 2 Courses

  • PSY 430: Adolescent Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 431: Developmental Psychology 1 (3 units)
  • PSY 433: Social, Emotional and Personality Development (3 units)
  • PSY 434: The Psychology of Aging (3 units)
  • PSY 435: Developmental Psychopathology (3 units)
  • PSY/SXS 436: The Development of Gender Identities (4 units)
  • PSY 442: Health Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 451: Theories of Personality (3 units)
  • PSY 452: Clinical Psychopathology (3 units)
  • PSY 521: Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3 units)

Area 3 Courses

  • PSY 440: Social Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 441: The Psychology of the Family (3 units)
  • PSY 455: Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY/SXS 456: Psychology of Human Sexual Behavior (3 units)
  • PSY 461: Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 462: Personnel Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 463: Human Factors (3 units)
  • PSY 464: Psychology of Career Pursuit (3 units)
  • PSY 465: The Psychology of Work-Life Stress (3 units)
  • PSY 466: Training and Development in Organizations (3 units)
  • PSY 472: Introduction to Legal Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 474: Psychology of Social Justice (3 units)
  • PSY 475: Psychology of Policing (3 units)
  • PSY 525: Community Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 540: Decision Making: A Perspective from Social Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 547: Social Conflict and Conflict Resolution (3 units)
  • PSY 558 and PSY 559: Field Services Seminar and Psychological Field Service (3 to 5 units)
  • PSY 645: Group Processes (3 units)

Additional Electives Subject to Enrollment

  • PSY 300: Current Issues in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY/SXS 320: Sex and Relationships (3 units)
  • PSY 330: Child Development 1 (3 units)
  • PSY 443: The Science of Happiness (3 units)
  • PSY 450/SXS 400/SOC 400: Variations in Human Sexuality (3 units)
  • PSY 571: Intermediate Psychological Statistics (3 units)
  • PSY 601: Theoretical Backgrounds in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 668: The Psychology of Leadership (3 units)
  • PSY 680: Peer Advising in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 685: Projects in the Teaching of Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 693: Proseminar I (3 units)
  • PSY 694: Proseminar II (3 units)
  • PSY 697: Senior Project Preparation (3 units)
  • PSY 698: Senior Project in Psychology (3 units)
  • PSY 699: Independent Study in Psychology (1 to 4 units)

Online Learning

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