BA in Psychology

The Psychology BA degree requirements and the course catalog can be found at the links provided.  A good visual summary is available here [pdf].  The MySJSU MyAcademics “progress to degree” (or “what if”) report will show your outstanding requirements.

Students have “catalog rights” to any program that existed since they started continuous attendance in California public higher education. Catalog rights exist when (i) Students have taken one or more courses every year to maintain catalog rights, and (ii) the courses in the program are still taught. Switching Degree programs (BA, BS) and catalog rights (“degree plan year”) is a formal process (see advisor).  Program descriptions for other than the current year can be found here.

You are strongly advised to visit with an academic advisor as soon and as frequently as possible. Doing so will both ensure an appropriate sequencing of courses and will likely yield a more efficient path to graduation.

The biology preparation requirement (BIOL 21: Human Biology (with lab); or BIOL 65: Human Anatomy (with lab)) can be met with a year of biology for biologists but cannot be met with a General Biology course (we do not care about plants). We will also accept BIOL 66, Human Physiology (with lab) or a joint Human Anatomy and Physiology course (with lab).

The Psychology Electives (8 units) are typically any three psychology courses not used elsewhere in the major (if you use PSYC 139 for the 139/154 bin you can use 154 as an elective), five units of which must be upper division (the ADT pattern in MySJSU MyAcademics automatically ‘counts’ the lower division elective already so students who transferred in as Psychology Majors with an ADT in Psychology only need the additional two upper division Psychology Electives; native freshmen and other students will need to ensure all three electives are met).

  • Typically any three Psychology courses (PSYC or STAT prefix).  The MySJSU MyAcademics “degree progress” lists other SJSU courses that also count as Psychology Electives (some are cross-listed and others are of high relevance to psychology majors).
  • Only one of the three electives can be lower-division (SJSU PSYC/STAT below 100 or from a community college)
  • PYSC 191 may be used both as a Upper Division Psychology Elective (3 units) and for the SJSU Studies Area S (Self & Society) requirement.
  • “University Electives” (any course offered by the university, possibly including additional psychology coursework) may be required to meet the 120 unit (or other) unit-based requirements.  

Relevant Major Forms

Planners and Organizers

B.A. Program Learning Outcomes

Psychology Careers

Psychology Honors Program

Students requesting departmental honors in psychology will be evaluated against the following criteria at graduation: (1) a minimum aggregate GPA of 3.5 across all psychology course work; (2) evidence of distinguished scholarly work, as indicated by the completion of a BA thesis (PSYC 199), the honors seminar (PSYC 195), or work leading to a published paper or presentation at a professional meeting; (3) both PSYC 117 and STAT 115; (4) completion of a section of PSYC 121A, B, C, E. Contact a psychology advisor for details.