As a student you will become familiar with the major theoretical approaches, findings,
and historical trends in psychology; understand and use major research methods in
psychology, including design, data analysis, and interpretation; and gain an understanding
of how to apply psychology to personal, social, and organizational issues.
In addition to gaining a core knowledge of psychology, you will develop essential
skills in effective oral and written communication, critical thinking and problem-solving,
techniques to ensure information literacy, and methods for quantitative fluency —
experiences that will put you on a path to lifelong learning.
TOTAL UNITS — 123
48 GENERAL EDUCATION UNITS
18 REQUIRED UNITS
21 LIBERAL STUDIES UNITS
9 FOUNDATION UNITS
33 MAJOR UNITS
42 ELECTIVE UNITS
Each course listed carries three semester units of credit, unless otherwise noted.
Fourteen 3-unit upper or lower-division courses from any subject.
Pathway Program
This program can serve as a pathway to GGU’s Master of Arts in Psychology programs.
Applicants to these programs who have previously earned bachelor’s degrees from GGU
may receive a waiver for certain required graduate-level courses with comparable undergraduate-level
coursework completed at GGU and used to satisfy the requirements of their GGU bachelor’s
degree program. See the Counseling Psychology, MA or Industrial-Organizational Psychology,
MA program for more information.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students who complete the BA in Psychology, including the general education curriculum,
will be able to:
Knowledge Base in Psychology
- Describe apply concepts, principles and overarching themes in psychology.
- Develop a working knowledge of the major theoretical approaches, findings, historical
trends and content domains in psychology.
- Apply psychological principles to explain and evaluate personal, social, and organizational
issues.
- Develop innovative approaches and solutions to an existing or emerging challenge in
psychology that also draw on disciplinary perspectives in ethics, other humanities
and/or social sciences.
Critical Thinking, Scientific Inquiry, Information Literacy, and Quantitive Fluency
- Apply scientific reasoning to interpret and explain phenomena.
- Locate, evaluate and apply information, using a variety of research tools and methods
from the field of psychology.
- Address complex problems in psychology using innovative and integrative strategies
and insights leading to actionable solutions.
- Demonstrate abilities to interpret, design, and conduct basic psychological research,
including qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- Identify and evaluate sociocultural factors in scientific inquiry.
- Analyze, interpret and explain quantitative data about topics and issues in psychology,
including complex statistical findings in graphs, studies and reports.
- Analyze and interpret quantitative data about a topic in psychology and apply results
in business/organizational or interpersonal settings, habits, and/or practices.
Ethics and Social Responsibility
- Apply ethically acceptable standards to evaluate psychological science and practice.
- Apply ethically sound principles and values to ameliorate and/or mitigate real-world
personal and/or professional challenges and to build and enhance personal relationships.
- Identify and express common values that build community at local, national, and global
levels.
- Explain how psychology can elaborate and deepen the understanding of cultural diversity,
and human biology, and lifespan development.
Communication
- Construct written communications that clearly articulate ideas and arguments appropriate
to various audiences.
- Demonstrate interpersonal communication and project management skills, either through
persuasive speech, and/or in providing clear oral directions, instructions, and/or
guidelines, that address a problem in psychology.
- Demonstrate effective presentation skills for various purposes.
Professional Development and Lifelong Learning
- Demonstrate the self-awareness and habits required to identify, integrate, and apply
new information and skills that increase personal and professional effectiveness,
including applying psychological insights and skills to career goals, exhibiting self-efficacy
and self-regulation, and developing meaningful professional direction for life after
graduation.
- Apply psychological principles to career goals.
