# 2025-2026 General Catalog

**Source**: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/psychology/psychology-bs/
**Parent**: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/#programsanddegreestext

[Office & Contact Information](https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/psychology/)

## The Major Programs

The psychology program at UC Davis is broad and includes students and faculty with a variety of interests. The department has developed around five core areas of psychology:

- *Perception, Cognition, & Cognitive Neuroscience (PCCN)* involves the study of awareness and thought, and includes such topics as perception, learning, memory, language and cognition.
- *Biological Psychology* covers a broad spectrum of topics including evolutionary, neurobiological, and molecular mechanisms of behavior.
- *Social-Personality Psychology* involves the study of the individual in their social environment and includes such topics as personality & individual differences, emotions, stereotyping & prejudice, intergroup relations, the psychology of religion and psychological health & dysfunction.
- *Developmental Psychology* involves the study of changes in behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities that occur throughout the lifespan. Typical and atypical development is examined using a variety of methods including behavioral, neuroimaging, and physiological assessments.
- *Quantitative Psychology* involves the study of linear & nonlinear models, psychometrics, mixed-effects models, and dynamic models, including experimental design, analysis of variance, regression, multivariate analysis, latent growth models, time series models, and factor analytic models.

The department offers the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) program for students interested in the liberal arts and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program geared for students with an interest in either biology or mathematics. The main objective of both programs is a broad introduction to the scope of contemporary psychology. In addition to completing a number of common core courses for their degree, students may take approved elective courses from a wide range of topics including Educational Psychology, Interpersonal Communication, and Psychological Anthropology, to name a few. The department strongly encourages students to become involved in individual research projects under the direction of faculty members and to participate in our internship program to broaden experience and understanding of the field of psychology.

### Change of Major Process

Before declaring a major in Psychology, students must complete [PSC 001](https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/search/?P=PSC%20001 "PSC 001") and [PSC 041](https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/search/?P=PSC%20041 "PSC 041") with a combined grade point average of at least 2.500 in those two courses. Both courses must be taken for a letter grade. If a 2.500 GPA is not attained in these two courses, a 2.000 GPA in a minimum of three upper division Psychology courses is also acceptable for major declaration. Once students have completed these courses with the required GPA, they must save their progress toward the major on a [Degree Worksheet](https://students.ucdavis.edu/forms/worksheet/) in OASIS, and then submit a [Change of Major Form](https://students.ucdavis.edu/forms/changeofmajor/) in OASIS.

### Career Pathways

A degree in psychology provides broad intellectual foundations that are useful to the graduate for the development of careers in a variety of areas, including social work, teaching, business, management, and counseling. An undergraduate education in psychology also provides excellent preparation for graduate study. Individuals with degrees in psychology may enter graduate programs to prepare for teaching, research, or clinical/counseling careers in psychology, or may go on to professional schools for training in veterinary and human medicine, law, and many other professions.

### Honors & Honors Program

In order to be eligible for high or highest honors in Psychology, the student must both meet the college criteria for honors and complete a research project involving a minimum of 6 units of coursework over at least two quarters which represents an original analysis of data on psychological phenomena. Courses [PSC 194HA](https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/search/?P=PSC%20194HA "PSC 194HA")-[PSC 194HB](https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/search/?P=PSC%20194HB "PSC 194HB") or other approved courses can be used to satisfy the unit requirement. This project is to be written in thesis form and approved by the department. The quality of the thesis work will be the primary determinant for designating high or highest honors at graduation.

### Recommended for All Majors

Students who plan to do graduate work in any area of psychology are strongly encouraged to gain experience through research and internship activities.

### Major Advisor

Staff advisors are located in the Blue Ridge Office Building. For information about how to contact a major advisor, see [Major Advising](https://yellowcluster.ucdavis.edu/advising/undergraduate/major-advising).

## Graduate Study

The Department offers programs of study and research leading to the Ph.D. degree in psychology. For more detailed information regarding graduate study, see [Graduate Students](http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/graduate).

### Graduate Advisor

See [Graduate Students](http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/graduate).

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