Find out about the new psychology major requirements. Please read:
Please plan on seeing an advisor in the Advisement Office (H-525B, 278-3102) to make sure all your questions have been answered.
April 2, 2001
Dear Psychology Major:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the requirements for the psychology major will change, effective in Fall 2001. Such revisions occur periodically and are necessary in order to ensure that we have the most up-to-date and highest quality major possible. The changes will have the most impact on students who enter CSUF next fall. If your graduation check form has already been signed by one of our faculty academic advisors, and you plan to graduate this June or August, the changes listed below do not affect you at all. For those of you who will be graduating after August 2001, some of the changes outlined below will more than likely impact you.
Here is a brief summary of the changes in the major requirements:
1) All the current upper-division lecture-laboratory combination classes (PSYC 302, 303, 304, 305, and 306) will be split into lecture-only classes (Psychology 302, 303, 304, 305, and 306) and laboratory-only classes (PSYC 302L, 303L, 304L, 305L, and 306L). The lecture sections will be 3 units and the labs will be 2 units.
2) Learning and Memory (PSYC 302) will no longer be required of all students. Instead, PSYC 302 will be grouped with the other experimental psychology courses (PSYC 303, 304, 305, and 306). Students will choose two of these five lecture classes and one of the five laboratory courses. In order to enroll in a laboratory course (e.g. Psych 302L) you must have either already taken, or be concurrently enrolled in the corresponding lecture course (e.g., Psych 302). You may not take the laboratory course prior to the lecture course.
For more information, go to the Experimental
Psychology page.
3) The current social/personality/developmental requirement, Social Psychology (PSYC 351), Psychology of Personality (PSYC 331), and Developmental Psychology (PSYC 361) has been expanded to include Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 341). Students must now take two courses from this group.
4) A 3-unit applied psychology requirement has been added. Students must now take one course from the following array: Educational Psychology (PSYC 311), Legal Psychology (PSYC 317), Psychology of Aging (PSYC 362), or Industrial/Organizational Psychology (PSYC 391).
5) The number of 300/400-level elective units required will drop from 12 units to 6 units.
6) History of Psychology (PSYC 408) will no longer be required of all students. It will continue to be offered, but it will have the status of an elective course just like all our other 300/400-level elective courses. If you plan to go to graduate school for a M.A. or Ph.D. in psychology, it will still be a good idea to take the course even though it is no longer required.
7) All students will be required to complete an undergraduate internship course, Field Placement in Psychology (Psych 495) before they graduate. This course will enrich your understanding of the way psychological techniques and theories can be used in a variety of settings (for example, in health, education, clinical, business and research contexts). You will be working at an approved site under the care of a qualified supervisor. Your placement may even lead to a good recommendation from your supervisor or a full-time job after graduation! For more details, visit our website at:
http://psych.fullerton.edu/internship, or see Dr. Joanne Hoven Stohs in
H-830K (phone 714-278-3105, email at jstohs@fullerton.edu.
8) The total number of units in the major will increase from 39 to 41 units.
Note that the following requirements have not changed: Introductory Psychology (PSYC 101), Elementary Statistics (PSYC 201), Research Methods (PSYC 202), Computer Applications (PSYC 300), and Psychological Testing (PSYC 461).
How will these changes affect you? The department is committed to insuring that the above changes cause as little disruption as possible in your graduation plans. As I noted above, if you plan to graduate this June or August, all you need to do is complete the requirements specified on your grad check form. The changes to the major will have no impact on you. If, however, your planned graduation date is next fall or later, you should make an appointment with one of our faculty academic advisors (Dr. Meg White or Dr. Jack Mearns) to ensure that you will meet all the department requirements for graduation. Students planning to graduate in January 2002 should meet with an advisor no later than May 4, 2001. Before you make your advisement appointment, you should take a look at our Web page where the new requirements are listed and where some of the most important questions for continuing students are addressed. The address of this page is
http://psych.fullerton.edu/newmajor.html. Most important, if you have any questions or concerns, please sign up for an appointment at the Psychology Department Advisement Office (714) 278-3102, H-525B. Sign-up sheets are found outside the door.
David Perkins
Professor and Chair
Effective Fall 2001
Lower Division Requirements (9 units)
PSYC 101 Introductory Psychology (3 units)
PSYC 201 Elementary Statistics (3 units)
PSYC 202 Research Methods in Psychology (3 units)
Upper Division Requirements (32 units)
PSYC 300 Computer Applications in Psychology (3 units)
Two of the following experimental psychology lecture courses (6 units):
PSYC 302 Learning and Memory
PSYC 303 Sensation and Perception
PSYC 304 Comparative Animal Behavior
PSYC 305 Cognitive Psychology (Information Processing)
PSYC 306 Biopsychology
One of the experimental psychology laboratory courses (you must be concurrently enrolled in corresponding lecture course or have taken the lecture course previously) (2 units)
PSYC 302L Lab in Learning and Memory
PSYC 303L Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 304L Lab in Comparative Animal Behavior
PSYC 305L Lab in Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 306L Lab in Biopsychology
Two of the following courses (6 units):
PSYC 331 Psychology of Personality
PSYC 341 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 351 Social Psychology
PSYC 361 Developmental Psychology
One of the following courses (3 units):
PSYC 311 Educational Psychology
PSYC 317 Legal Psychology
PSYC 362 Psychology of Aging
PSYC 391 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Both of the following senior-level courses (6 units):
PSYC 461 Psychological Testing (3 units)
PSYC 495 Field Placement in Psychology (3 units)
Electives (6 units):
Upper-division Psychology courses
TOTAL: 41 units
Questions? -- Check the Department web site at
http://psych.fullerton.edu or contact the Psychology Department Advisement Office H-525B, (714) 278-3102
Q: To whom do the new major requirements apply?
A: All freshman psychology majors entering CSUF Fall 2001 or later will be evaluated based on the new major requirements.
Q: If I started here before fall 2001, does that mean the new major requirements do not apply to me?
A: Possibly. It depends how close you are to completing the major. For some continuing students, it will make the most sense to be evaluated under the old system. For others, it will be to their advantage to be evaluated under the new.
Q: How will I know whether I should be evaluated under the old or new requirements?
A: You should meet with one of the department's faculty academic advisors. He or she will work with you to figure out which system works better for you. The Psychology department and the Advisement Office are committed to working with you to find the solution that best fits your needs.
Q: What are the most important changes in the major?
A: There are several changes, including changes to the laboratory classes, to the overall number of units in the major, and the addition and deletion of specific courses.
Q: I have completed both of the lab courses required under the old system (PSYC 302 plus one other). Do I need any more lab courses under the new system?
A: No, you have completed the experimental psychology, and upper-division lab and writing requirements. You do not need another lab.
Q: I have completed PSYC 302 but have not taken any of the other lab courses. What should I do?
A: You should take one of the 3-unit experimental lecture classes (PSYC 303, 304, 305, or 306). This is true for both old and new requirements.
Q: I have taken one of the other lab courses, but not PSYC 302. What should I do?
A: Up until Fall 2001 PSYC 302 served as the department's upper division writing class. Thus, you have not yet completed this university requirement. Whether you are graduating under the old or the new system, you can do one of two things: (a) you can take one 5-unit lecture-lab combination to satisfy the writing requirement (PSYC 302 & 302L, or 303 & 303L, or 304 & 304L, or 305 & 305L, or 306 & 306L), or (b) you can take one 3-unit experimental lecture class (PSYC 303, 304, 305, or 306) plus English 301.
Q: I have not yet taken any lab classes. What should I do?
A: You should take two 3-unit experimental lecture classes (PSYC 302, 303, 304, 305, 306) and one 2-unit experimental lab (PSYC 302L, 303L, 304L, 305L, 306L). To take the lab, you must either have already completed or else be currently enrolled in the corresponding lecture class. You may not complete the lab class before completing the lecture (e.g., you can't take PSYC 302L before you have had 302). This is true for both old and new requirements.
Q: How many units will there be in the major?
A. With the change in the lab classes, the new major unit requirement has been increased from 39 to 41 units. If you are under the old system, the requirement remains 39 units.
Q: I have not yet taken History of Psychology. Does this mean I don't have to take it?
A. Not necessarily. If you are being evaluated under the old system, you are still required to take History of Psychology. If you are being evaluated under the new system, you are no longer required to take it. However, students planning to go to on for graduate study should strongly consider taking History as one of their 300/400 level Psychology elective courses.
Q: I took History of Psychology, and I am planning to graduate under the new requirements. Does this mean that taking History was a waste?
A: Not at all. Under the new system, History counts as an upper division elective course, toward the 41 units of Psychology courses needed to graduate.
Q: I heard that, as of Fall 2001, all students will be required to complete a Field Placement course (PSYC 495). Is this true?
A: All students graduating under the new requirements will need to complete Field Placement. Those graduating under the old requirements may complete Field Placement and count it as an upper division elective class; but, they are not required to take PSYC 495.
Q: Under the new system, does this requirement remain the same?
A: No, Abnormal Psych. (PSYC 341) has been added to the requirement. Under the new major, students must now take two out of the following four classes: Personality Psych. (PSYC 331), Abnormal Psych. (PSYC 341), Social Psych. (PSYC 351), Developmental Psych. (PSYC 361). This change will not affect students under the old system.
Q: Any other required classes?
A: Under the new major requirements, students must take one of the following applied courses: Educational Psych. (PSYC 311), Legal Psych. (PSYC 317), Psych. of Aging (PSYC 362), or Industrial/Organizational Psych. (PSYC 391). This change will not affect students graduating under the old system.
Q: How many upper division elective units will I need to take?
A: Under the new system, students must take 6 units of 300/400 level Psychology coursework. This is reduced from 12 units under the old system.
Q: Why is the department changing the requirements for the major?
A: Periodically the department assesses its major requirements to make sure they provide the best preparation possible for our students. We made the current changes to improve the education our students receive at CSUF and to prepare them better for their careers.
Q: How was the process carried out?
A: The department's curriculum committee reviewed major requirements from universities across the country. They made recommendations to the department that were approved by the entire faculty. The new major represents an up-to-date model of undergraduate education in psychology.