Psychology

Overview

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. Many psychologists work primarily with people to understand how they think, respond to stress, learn and forget, develop into unique personalities, and interact with one another. Others study the behavior and nervous systems of animals in order to find general principles that apply across species. Psychologists apply their knowledge to do therapy and counseling, to improve practices in schools, prisons, and rehabilitation centers, and to enhance performance in industrial and business settings.

The Psychology Department offers a major in both the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. These are basic programs; to become a “psychologist” requires graduate training.

The B.A. program is appropriate for most psychology students. It provides a basic understanding of human behavior and motivation that is valuable in many careers in business, government, and education. It also provides the background expected for entry into graduate programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, health psychology, social psychology, or experimental psychology.

The B.S. programs are designed for more specialized purposes. Students in the B.S. program must select one of the two concentrations in that program: Industrial/Organizational Psychology or Ergonomics and Human Factors. The concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology provides preparation for careers related to business, with an emphasis on personnel management. The concentration in Ergonomics and Human Factors provides preparation for careers in the design of work environments to take account of human limitations and strengths, for example, the design of equipment (computers, aircraft, automobiles) or the design of industrial procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating the Psychology program from California State University East Bay will be able to:

• Identify key concepts, principles, and applications of psychology’s content domains.

• Apply scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena and to design and conduct basic psychological research.

• Evaluate the ethics of psychological science and practice.

• Demonstrate effective communication skills.

• Describe career options within psychology.