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Psychology

Overview Degrees/Certificates Courses Faculty

Associate Degrees for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Psychology

The Associate in Arts for Transfer degree in Psychology provides a clearly articulated curricular track for students who wish to transfer to a CSU campus, while also serving the diverse needs of students interested in the breadth and depth of the field of psychology.

Additionally, this program will expose students to the core principles and practices of the field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths. In addition to transfer, this foundation would be appropriate for entry into a variety of paraprofessional careers and careers in related fields.

The Associate in Arts degree in Psychology for Transfer provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system.

The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) student completion requirements (as stated in SB1440 law):

(1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following:
(A) The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements (CSU GE-Breadth).
(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district.

(2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

ADTs also require that students must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A “P” (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in the major if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
PSYC 310 Biological Psychology 3
PSYC 335 Research Methods in Psychology 3
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3) 3 - 41
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
   or STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 32
PSYC 316 Cognitive Psychology (3)
PSYC 320 Social Psychology (3)
PSYC 370 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
   or EDUC 300 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 33
PSYC 314 Animal Behavior and Cognition (3)
PSYC 315 Psychopharmacology (3)
PSYC 340 Abnormal Behavior (3)
PSYC 356 Human Sexuality (3)
PSYC 358 Principles of Interpersonal Relations (3)
PSYC 360 Psychology of Women (3)
PSYC 364 Psychology of Sexual Orientation (3)
PSYC 367 Psychology of Minorities (3)
PSYC 374 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
   or GERON 302 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
PSYC 390 Psychology of Death and Dying (3)
PSYC 405 Substance Abuse: Effects on Body and Behavior (3)
   or ADMJ 303 Substance Abuse: Effects on Body and Behavior (3)
Total Units: 18 - 19

1PSYC 330 is the recommended statistics course for students transferring to CSU Sacramento. All students (particularly those attending institutions other than CSU Sacramento) should consult with a counselor to determine the appropriate statistics course for their specific academic goals.

2PSYC 370 is recommended for students transferring to CSU Sacramento.

3Students can also select one of the following courses if not already used: PSYC 316, PSYC 320, PSYC 370, or EDUC 300.

The Associate in Arts in Psychology for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • differentiate between scientifically derived knowledge and myth, conjecture about the topics of psychology, and demonstrate understanding of the scientific method.
  • compare and contrast the major perspectives and theories in psychology.
  • demonstrate knowledge of basic psychological terminology regarding behavior, cognition, and emotion and be able to express this clearly when writing or speaking about psychology.
  • evaluate psychological data, interpret basic statistical measures, draw reasonable conclusions, recognize the ethical implications of these conclusions, and apply these conclusions to personal, community, and scientific problems.
  • apply psychological principles to the development of interpersonal, occupational, and social skills and life-long personal growth.
  • recognize the complexity of social, cultural, and international diversity and the principles of equity, justice, and inclusion in their lives.

Associate Degrees

A.A. in Cognitive Science

Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary study of cognition, including perception, attention, consciousness, memory, learning, language, decision making, and thinking. The primary aim of this program is to provide a clear curricular track for students interested in cognitive science. A secondary aim is to provide a broad understanding of cognition appropriate for students interested in a range of related fields, such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, computer science, or education.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
ANTH 341 Introduction to Linguistics (3) 3
PHIL 325 Symbolic Logic 3
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
PSYC 316 Cognitive Psychology 3
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3) 3 - 4
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
   or STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
   or ECON 310 Statistics for Business and Economics (3)
PSYC 335 Research Methods in Psychology 3
Total Units: 18 - 19

The Cognitive Science Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus the local SCC General Education Requirement, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See SCC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • differentiate between empirically derived theories and popular beliefs about cognition.
  • integrate cross-disciplinary perspectives to explain cognitive processes, such as the following: perception, attention, memory, learning, language processing, decision making, and reasoning.
  • examine the function and structure of different languages, and appreciate the diversity of roles that language plays in human communication and thought.
  • recognize and apply basic elements of formal logic and deductive reasoning, such as truth tables, argument validity, and inference rules.
  • evaluate datasets, calculate descriptive statistics, draw conclusions based on statistical inference, and explain those conclusions.
  • discuss research methods used in cognitive and behavioral sciences, including research designs, data collection, research ethics, and equitable research practices.

A.A. in Psychology

This degree program is designed to serve the needs of a wide variety of Sacramento City College students who are pursuing study in the field of psychology. The primary aim of this program is to provide a clearly articulated and comprehensive curricular track for students preparing to transfer to baccalaureate programs in psychology. An additional specific aim of this program is to expose students to the core principles and practices of the field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths. Among the many options, this foundation would be appropriate for entry into a variety of paraprofessional careers and careers in related fields.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
PSYC 300 General Principles (3) 3
   or PSYC 480 Honors General Principles (3)
PSYC 310 Biological Psychology 3
PSYC 335 Research Methods in Psychology 3
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3) 3 - 41
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
   or STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 32
PSYC 316 Cognitive Psychology (3)
PSYC 320 Social Psychology (3)
PSYC 370 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
   or EDUC 300 Human Development: A Life Span (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 33
PSYC 314 Animal Behavior and Cognition (3)
PSYC 315 Psychopharmacology (3)
PSYC 340 Abnormal Behavior (3)
PSYC 356 Human Sexuality (3)
PSYC 358 Principles of Interpersonal Relations (3)
PSYC 360 Psychology of Women (3)
PSYC 364 Psychology of Sexual Orientation (3)
PSYC 367 Psychology of Minorities (3)
PSYC 374 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
   or GERON 302 Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging (3)
PSYC 390 Psychology of Death and Dying (3)
PSYC 405 Substance Abuse: Effects on Body and Behavior (3)
   or ADMJ 303 Substance Abuse: Effects on Body and Behavior (3)
Total Units: 18 - 19

1PSYC 330 is the recommended statistics course for students transferring to CSU Sacramento. All students (particularly those attending institutions other than CSU Sacramento) should consult with a counselor to determine the appropriate statistics course for their specific academic goals.

2PSYC 370 is recommended for students transferring to CSU Sacramento.

3Students can also select one of the following courses if not already used: PSYC 316, PSYC 320, PSYC 370, or EDUC 300.

The Psychology Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus the local SCC General Education Requirement, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See SCC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • differentiate between scientifically derived knowledge and myth and conjecture about the topics of psychology and demonstrate understanding of the scientific method.
  • compare and contrast the major perspectives and theories in psychology.
  • demonstrate knowledge of basic psychological terminology regarding behavior, cognition, and emotion and be able to express this clearly when writing or speaking about psychology.
  • evaluate psychological data, interpret basic statistical measures,draw reasonable conclusions, recognize the ethical implications of these conclusions, and apply these conclusions to personal, community, and scientific problems.
  • apply psychological principles to the development of interpersonal, occupational, and social skills and life-long personal growth.
  • recognize the complexity of social, cultural, and international diversity and the principles of equity, justice, and inclusion in their life.