Psychology

Psychology as a scientific discipline aims to describe, understand, and predict the behavior of living organisms. In doing so, psychology embraces the many factors that influence behavior — from sensory experience to complex cognition, from the role of genetics to that of social and cultural environments, from the processes that explain behavior in early childhood to those that operate in older ages, and from normal development to pathological conditions. The Psychology Department at UC Berkeley reflects the diversity of our discipline's mission covering six key areas of research: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Clinical Science; Cognition; Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. Despite the existence of these specialization areas, the program learning goals focus on fostering methodological, statistical, and critical thinking skills that are not tied to any one particular content area in psychology but are relevant for all of them.

The major serves three purposes:

1. For the liberal arts student, the study of psychology provides an avenue for increased self-understanding and insight into the behavior of others. The objective study of behavior is one of the major themes of intellectual history in the last hundred-plus years.

2. For students preparing for training in such professions as medicine, law, education and business, psychology provides important basic knowledge and principles.

3. For students who plan on pursuing graduate work in psychology, the undergraduate major seeks to establish a sound foundation of research principles and knowledge of a variety of content areas

Declaring the Major

Major declaration requirements may differ by cohort and are based on a student’s admission status.

Students Admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2024 and Onward

Effective Summer 2024, students must apply to the Psychology Major and be admitted through a holistic review process. In order to apply, students must:

1. Complete all prerequisite courses as outlined in Tier I Prerequisites with a letter grade.

2. Maintain a minimum 2.0 average GPA in the prerequisite courses.

3. Submit an application within their window of eligibility

4. Provide a satisfactory program plan documenting intended completion of the major within the standard upper division 2-year window.*

5. Provide a brief writing sample demonstrating persistence of goals towards major and future plans with Psychology.

Window of Eligibility

The window of eligibility differs for students who enter as First-Years and students who enter as Transfers.

• First-Year students: Apply as soon as eligible and no later than the close of the application window in the 5th semester, or prior to the accumulation of 59 units or less, whichever comes second.

• Transfer students : Apply as soon as eligible and no later than the close of the application window in the 2nd semester, or prior to the accumulation of 79 units or less, whichever comes second.

As of Fall 2025, students may still submit an application beyond the window of eligibility, as long as they have a feasible program plan that documents intended completion of the major by their Expected Graduation Term. This allowance from the policy may change contingent on space availability in the program.

Reduced Course Load

For students whose prerequisites completion exceed the semester range due to taking a Reduced Course Load, the window of eligibility is considered based on the accumulated unit count, including incomplete grades.

First-Year Students Admitted to UC Berkeley Prior to Fall 2023

Freshmen admitted in Fall 2022 may qualify for guaranteed admission to the major if they:

• Complete all prerequisite courses as outlined in Tier I Prerequisites with a letter grade; AND

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 average GPA in the prerequisite courses; AND

• Submit the major application by the first business day of February 2025

Freshmen admitted in Spring 2023 may qualify for guaranteed admission to the major if they:

• Complete all prerequisite courses as outlined in Tier I Prerequisites with a letter grade; AND

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 average GPA in the prerequisite courses; AND

• Submit the major application by the first business day of September 2025

Students must apply using the current application form. Eligibility for guaranteed admission is internally reviewed. Applications which do not meet these criteria will automatically be reconsidered under the current holistic review.

First-Year Students Admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 through Spring 2024

Students who selected Psychology as the primary major on their UC Berkeley admission application and were admitted to the College of Letters and Science with a guaranteed spot in the major, should follow the High Demand Major declaration guidelines:

• Complete all prerequisite courses with a letter grade as outlined in Tier I Prerequisites with a letter grade

• Maintain a minimum 2.0 average GPA in the prerequisite courses

Students must apply using the current application form. We strongly recommend that you apply for declaration prior to the start of 5th semester or the accumulation of 60 units.

Students who are admitted without the High Demand Major in Psychology designation will apply through holistic review (see the "Students Admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2024 and Onward" section.)

Honors Program

Declared Psychology major students may earn Honors or Highest Honors in the department for completion of the Psychology Honors program. This requires submission of a thesis of high quality, based upon independent study under the supervision of a member of the Psychology Department's faculty, satisfactory completion of the required courses, and attaining the requisite GPAs at the time of graduation (3.5 in the Psychology major and 3.3 overall).

Students are required to complete the following courses, none of which count toward major requirements:

• UGIS 192B  or PSYCH 199  Students applying to the honors program must have experience as a research apprentice in a Psychology lab or in a related field. To demonstrate this preparation, students must have a minimum of 2 units of UGIS 192 or Psych 199 on their transcript prior to applying for the honors program. It is recommended that students begin as a research assistant in their sophomore or junior year.

• PSYCH 102 Statistics for Psychological Research is a 3 unit upper division course that is designed to introduce students to the data analysis techniques researchers use in the field of psychology. This course is only offered in fall and may be taken as early as the junior year. A letter grade is required.

•  PSYCH H194A / PSYCH H194B Honors students are required to concurrently enroll in Psychology H194A-B (2 units per semester), the honors seminar, in their senior year. This course provides excellent supplemental background and support for preparing the thesis. A letter grade is required.

•  PSYCH H195A / PSYCH H195B Psychology H195A-B is offered for 1-3 units per semester and is mandatory in order to receive honors in the major. The course is sequential with a grade of In Progress or “IP” for the "A" portion and the final grade, a letter grade required, assigned for both semesters at the end of the "B" portion. 

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program

The UC Berkeley, Department of Psychology’s Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program is a comprehensive retraining and immersion program for students interested in applying to graduate school in psychology. The program features intensive coursework to complete a psychology undergraduate major in three or four semesters, research opportunities with our world-class faculty, in-depth advising and a supportive community. If you are inspired to enter the field of psychology, switching focus from a previous major, or changing careers, the UC Berkeley Post Bac program may be your path to success.

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