BA and BS Curricula

There are two basic curricula of psychology, the BA and BS programs. Since its conception, both have undergone several revisions. There have been cases of students finding themselves following outdated versions of these curricula. The curriculum one ought to follow depends on one’s year of admission in the psychology program, either as an entering freshman, as a shiftee, or as a transferee.

There is no official Psychology Pre-Med or Industrial Psychology curricula. However, students may pursue their particular sub-area of interest by means of the electives. For example, more science electives for one preparing for medical school (required subjects depending on the medical school of his choice); political science electives for those with an interest in government; education courses for those interested in education, humanities subjects for those with an interest in the arts; and social science electives for those with general or specific interests in the social sciences. There may be prerequisites for these electives that students have to take. If these prerequisites (or any course for that matter) are not in the Psychology curricula and the allowed number of electives have been used up, students will not be allowed to take them unless they are in their last semester and they are under loaded. The allowable elective courses are stated in the BA and BS curricula given below.

BA Psychology Curriculum

BS Psychology Curriculum

What Every Psych Major Should Know

Sequence of Courses

Students should stick as closely as possible to the sequence of courses as recommended in the curriculum, most especially for the psychology courses. After taking Psych 101 followed by Psych 110, students should take the method courses as early as possible in close sequence to one another. It is not advisable to take two method courses in one semester because of the work demanded by these courses. Psych 162 should be taken soon after Psych 140. Psych 108 and 150 may be taken at the same time as Psych 115, 118 or 162. Psych 135, 140, 145, 150, 155 and 160 may be taken anytime during the third and fourth years of the students. Psych 171 and 180, however, require senior standing.

Taking Electives and Subjects not in the Curriculum

Electives are included in the curriculum, in addition to the psychology and General Education (GE) courses, in order to provide students with a well-rounded education. Language electives (6 units) may be taken from the course offering of the Department of European Languages and/or the Department of Linguistics (Asian Languages).

A total of 20 units of free electives are required in the BA curriculum and 12 electives (3 units of free electives and 9 units of science electives) in the BS curriculum. Free electives may be taken from the course offerings of any of the undergraduate departments of the University (except Math 1 from the College of Science). BA psychology students may concentrate their electives in one department of their choice or may take electives in various departments and/or colleges. On the other hand, BS Psychology students are required to take 9 units of Science electives from any of the following:

1. All course offerings of the College of Science except Math 1

2. Statistical Science from Stat Center except Stat 101

3. Health Science from Public Health

4. Nutritional Science or Computer Science from the College of Engineering

Students are not allowed to take any course which is not in their curriculum, or to arbitrarily take a subject presuming that it can be substituted for a required course. Taking Chemistry 10, for example, when the required course is Chemistry 16 is not allowed. Students who have strong grounds for taking a course which is not in their curriculum must obtain a written permission (in the form of an advising slip or separate letter) from their advisers. Such students will be required to present this written permission during evaluation of their records in preparation for graduation.