# Psychology (Associate in Arts Degree)

MiraCosta College · 2026-2027 Catalog · Department: Psychology

Source: https://catalog.miracosta.edu/disciplines/psychology/

The Psychology program offers lower-division preparation for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree. The primary focus of the program is to prepare students for transfer to four-year psychology programs. With a bachelor’s degree, career options include business, state and local government agencies, and health care. A graduate degree is required for counseling, marriage and family therapy, clinical social work, school psychology, clinical psychology.

**Note**: Many CSUs and UCs have unique admissions and preparation-for-the-major requirements that are specific to their institutions. Psychology transfer students should also consider the Liberal Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences degree. For further information and assistance, students should consult the ASSIST website, the individual university catalog, and a MiraCosta College counselor.

##### Program Student Learning Outcome

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to develop a study on a psychological topic, which includes a literature review, forming a hypothesis, creating a research design appropriate to the hypothesis, consideration of ethical issues, choosing appropriate statistics for data analysis, and summarizing research findings, using APA style.

**Course Requirements**

| Course | Title | Units |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Required courses:** | |  |
| PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYC C1000H | Introduction to Psychology (Honors) |  |
| PSYC 104 | Statistics for Behavioral Science | 4 |
| or PSYC 104H | Statistics for Behavioral Science (Honors) |  |
| PSYC 205 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| **List A (select two courses)** | | 6 |
| PSYC 100 | Psychology of Personal Growth |  |
| PSYC 103 | Social Psychology |  |
| or SOCI 103 | Social Psychology |  |
| PSYC 114 | Abnormal Psychology |  |
| PSYC 115 | Human Sexuality |  |
| PSYC 121 | Human Development |  |
| PSYC 145 | Psychology/Sociology of the Family |  |
| or SOCI 145 | Psychology/Sociology of the Family |  |
| PSYC 170 | Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging |  |
| PSYC 211 | Learning and Behavior Modification |  |
| PSYC 260 | Physiological Psychology |  |
| **List B (select one course)** | | 3-4 |
| **Any course in List A not already used.** | |  |
| BIO 110 | Introductory Biology: Preparation for Pre-Health Professions (Lecture/Lab) |  |
| BIO 111 | Introductory Biology: Preparation for Pre-Health Professions (Lecture) |  |
| BIO 220 | Human Physiology |  |
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing |  |
| ENGL C1001 | Critical Thinking and Writing |  |
| ENGL C1001H | Critical Thinking and Writing (Honors) |  |
| GERO 101 | Introduction to Aging |  |
| SOCI C1000 | Introduction to Sociology |  |
| SOCI C1000H | Introduction to Sociology - Honors |  |
| **Total Units** | | **19-20** |