Catalog

Psychology

Dr. Gretchen Wehrle
Chair
(650) 508-3659
gwehrle@ndnu.edu

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology is offered by the Department of Psychology and Sociology. The degree is offered as both a traditional day and a part-time evening major. The evening psychology major does not differ from the day curriculum in any way although some evening courses are offered in accelerated format for qualified students.

Psychology is the branch of science that studies human behavior and mental processes. The
department offers a strong general psychology curriculum as recommended by the American Psychological Association. The core curriculum consists of basic course work spanning the different subfields of psychology from the clinical to the social and the experimental.

Special emphasis is placed on helping the psychology student develop analytic skills and interdisciplinary perspectives through lively classroom work, individual research, and study in the major areas of psychology. Community-based learning has become a focus of the program, giving students an opportunity to immerse themselves in diverse communities and participate in multiple community organizations. Students are encouraged to develop their own personalized curriculum after fulfilling the core courses to equip them to bring innovation and interpersonal knowledge to their initial employment or to go on to graduate work.

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Learning Outcomes

Students completing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology will be able to:

  • Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in the areas of psychology
  • Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, review of professional literature, data analysis, and interpretation
  • Demonstrate and/or apply critical thinking and, when possible, the scientific approach to solve psychological problems while understanding the limitations of the scientific approach
  • Understand the role and value of community engagement and demonstrate the skills of assessing community need, working with diverse communities, and becoming a change agent
  • Demonstrate empathy, tolerance of ambiguity, and ethical behavior, and apply effective strategies for psychological growth

Psychology Articulated Programs

Undergraduate Psychology offers special articulated programs with NDNU's graduate programs in Art Therapy and Clinical Psychology and with NDNU's Special Education degree programs. Articulated programs allow qualified students in their last year of undergraduate work to begin study for the master's degree while completing the bachelor's degree. They are allowed to enroll in up to 6 units of selected graduate course work that fulfill the undergraduate psychology elective requirements while also counting those graduate units toward the master's degree.

Undergraduate Psychology majors who are interested in NDNU’s Art Therapy graduate program are encouraged to also minor in Art.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

In addition to major requirements, students must meet Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements.

Prerequisites              Units
     
MTH2502 Statistics (or other approved course)        3
PSY1001 Introduction to Psychology    3
     
Total Prerequisites             6
     
Major Requirements       Units
     
PSY2101 Personality Theory      3
PSY2109W Research Methods (Writing Intensive)    4
PSY2117 Psychobiology          3
PSY2125 Cognitive Psychology                3
PSY2133 Social Psychology   3
   
One of the following courses: 3-4
PSY2141 Developmental Psychology      
PSY2149 Developmental Psychology in the Classroom and Community (4)  
PSY2150 Lifespan Development  
               
One of the following courses:               3-4
PSY2157 Abnormal Psychology     
PSY2157W Abnormal Psychology (Writing Intensive) (4)  
     
One of the following courses: 3-4
PSY2180 History and Systems of Psychology (Capstone) 3
PSY2180W  History and Systems of Psychology (Capstone class/Writing Intensive) 4
Upper-division Psychology (or other approved) elective courses     9
     
Total Major Requirements      34-37
Other Degree Requirements* and General Electives           80-83
*Other degree requirements include Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements (e.g. U.S. History).
   
Total Unit Requirement   124

Minor in Psychology

Required Courses       Units
     
PSY1001 Introduction to Psychology        3
Upper-division units in Psychology          12
(PSY2101 Personality Theory is recommended)   
     
Total Unit Requirement      15

 Psychology Elective Courses

  • PSY2201 Counseling and Psychotherapy
  • PSY2209 Psychological Assessment
  • PSY2217 Conflict Resolution
  • PSY2233 Jungian Psychology
  • PSY2309 Community Psychology (CE) (4)
  • PSY2409 Building Community through Diversity (CDiv) (1)
  • PSY2701 Human Sexuality
  • PSY2717 Women, Shakespeare, and Psychoanalysis (CDiv)
  • PSY2725 Death and Dying
  • PSY2778 Introduction to Clinical Art Therapy I (1)
  • PSY2779 Introduction to Clinical Art Therapy II (2)

Courses listed below can also be used as electives for the Psychology major:

  • BIO2124 Forensic Science (4)
  • PHL2405 Philosophy of Mind
  • PSC2410 Political Psychology
  • SOC2201 Social Change through Social Service I
  • SOC2205 Social Change through Social Service II
  • SOC2301 The Family (CDiv)
  • SOC2309 Criminology
  • SOC2317 Deviant Behavior
  • SOC2333 Social Issues in the Community
  • SOC2341 Crime in American Society
  • SOC2349 Youth, Crime, and Society
  • SOC2401/W Race and Ethnicity in Cross-Cultural Perspective (CDiv) (3-4)
  • SOC2417 Interpersonal/Intercultural Communication (CDiv)
  • SOC2425 Cultures, Communities, and Criminality (CDiv)
  • SOC2502 Exploring the Inner World of the Inner City (CDiv) (CE) (4)
  • SOC2504 The Promise of the Inner City (CDiv) (CE) (4)
  • SOC2512 Sports, Service, and Society (1)
  • SOC2601 Animals in Society (1)
  • SOC2609 The Animal-Human Bond
  • SOC2617 Teaching, Learning, and Healing through Animals