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

Declaration of the Psychology major is admission-based, and students must meet specific eligibility in order to be admitted.

Guaranteed Admission
Effective Spring 2026, students must apply to the Psychology Major and meet the following requirements:

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

• Maintain a minimum 2.0 average GPA in the prerequisite courses; AND

• Submit a complete and accurate application within their window of eligibility

Students who meet the admission requirements as listed above are guaranteed admission into the major.

Non-Guaranteed Admission
Students who do not meet the minimum prerequisite GPA and/ or window of eligibility are additionally required to submit the following:

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

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

Students who have not satisfactorily completed all of the prerequisites are not eligible to apply to the major.

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 by the first day of instruction of the 5th semester, or prior to the accumulation of 59 units or less, whichever comes second. Summer Sessions do not apply.

• Transfer students: Apply as soon as eligible and by the first day of instruction of the 2nd semester, or prior to the accumulation of 79 units or less, whichever comes second. Summer Sessions do not apply.

As of Spring 2026, 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. However, admission is not guaranteed, and application is subject to an exception review. This allowance from the policy may change contingent on space availability in the program.

Reduced Course Load
For students whose prerequisite completion exceeds 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.

Admission Criteria Specific to 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

• Window of Eligibility does NOT apply

Students who are admitted without the High Demand Major in Psychology designation (i.e. with a “HD Psych” notation on CalCentral) must apply for declaration using the current application form. We strongly recommend that you apply for declaration as soon as possible and prior to the start of 5th semester or the accumulation of 60 units.

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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