College of Letters and Science
1285 Franz Hall
Box 951563
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
Psychology
310-825-2961
Annette L. Stanton, PhD, Chair
Thomas N. Bradbury, PhD, Vice Chair, Academic Personnel
Barbara Knowlton, PhD, Vice Chair, Undergraduate Programs
Anna S. Lau, PhD, Vice Chair, Graduate Programs
Psychology is a subject of considerable interest to most people—we all tend to practice some form of intuitive psychology in an attempt to understand ourselves and the people and groups with whom we interact. The curriculum offered by the Department of Psychology presents psychology as a scientific discipline that employs systematic methods of inquiry to study and explain human and animal behavior—both normal and abnormal—in terms of a variety of underlying variables, including neural, physiological, and cognitive processes; developmental factors and individual differences; and social and interpersonal influences and contexts. According to recent surveys, the Psychology Department is ranked as one of the top departments in the country.
The undergraduate curriculum has been designed to reflect the extensive breadth of psychology—both the range of behavioral phenomena studied and the variety of methods and theoretical approaches employed—while allowing students to pursue in greater depth those areas in which they become most interested. Beyond basic core courses, students can take many specialized courses in areas such as behavioral neuroscience, animal behavior, learning and memory, motivation, perception, cognition, measurement, personality, and clinical, social, developmental, community, and health psychology. The curriculum also provides excellent opportunities for research experience—either in the form of laboratory courses or by participation with faculty members and graduate students in a wide variety of research projects.
Three undergraduate majors are offered: a bachelor of arts (BA) in Psychology, a bachelor of science (BS) in Cognitive Science, and a BS in Psychobiology. While the majors overlap in certain fundamental and basic knowledge bases, they differ considerably in their focus (i.e., the extent to which certain areas of psychology and related disciplines are studied) and in terms of the different student interests and needs they satisfy. For nonmajors, the department offers many courses that provide students with new and valuable insights into the understanding of human behavior, including their own.
Each year the department offers a selection of honors courses, designated with an H suffix. The courses provide close contact with faculty members, emphasize readings in the original literature, student reports, and small group discussions, and may include field or research experience. Contact the College of Letters and Science for information on requirements for College Honors.
At the graduate level, the department offers training leading to the PhD degree with emphases in the areas of behavioral neuroscience, clinical, cognitive, cognitive neuroscience, computational cognition, developmental, health, learning and behavior, social, and quantitative psychology. The graduate program is designed to prepare future psychologists for careers as scientific investigators, college and university teachers, and clinical scientists.
Many research and fieldwork opportunities are open to students who wish to expand their knowledge and broaden their background in the field of psychology. These experiences can be enriching and help bring undergraduate students closer to understanding the importance of research and internships, including their applications in the everyday world. At least one of the following courses is recommended for students planning postgraduate study: Psychology 99, 185, 192, 194A through C194D, 195A, 195B, 196A, 196B, 199A, or 199B. Only 12 units from any combination of courses 185, 192, 194, 195, and 196 may be applied toward the undergraduate degree. Information about these courses and programs is available from the Undergraduate Advising Office.
Only one 4-unit 199 course may be taken per term, and only 16 units of course 199 may be applied toward the degree. Only one 199 course may be taken for a letter grade (additional 199 courses may be taken on a P/NP basis). If approved in advance by the Undergraduate Advising Office, 8 units of course 199 may be applied toward the Psychology 195B/196B requirement for the Cognitive Science major and 4 units of course 199B may be applied toward the elective course requirements for the Psychology major.
The Psychology Research Opportunity Programs (PROPS) represent a vital effort to identify and mentor underrepresented minority and/or low-income students. The purpose of PROPS is to encourage such students to participate in research and pursue graduate studies leading to careers in academia. The recruitment and application process for PROPS takes place each fall quarter. Students selected to participate are awarded stipends for winter and spring quarters, during which time they do research under the mentorship of a psychology faculty member. In addition, students are required to attend weekly seminars covering such topics as graduate school, careers in academia, and research opportunities in various fields of psychology. Prior research experience is not required. This is an excellent opportunity for students to begin their research careers and acquire the needed experience to pursue advanced studies.
The Megan E. Daly Infant Development Program (IDP), established in May 1983, is located at the Fernald Center at 320 N. Charles E. Young Drive and has two primary functions: (1) to offer quality group care for infants and toddlers of the students, staff, and faculty of the Psychology Department and other UCLA departments, and (2) to serve as a teaching and research facility for the Psychology Department and the UCLA community. The program’s two classrooms each serve children from three months to three years old and accommodate both cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of infants, toddlers, their families, and caregivers. In addition, the program serves as a primary internship site for students in the Applied Developmental Psychology (ADP) minor, enabling ADP students to acquire firsthand experience observing and caring for infants and toddlers in a professional group setting.
The UCLA Psychology Clinic in the Department of Psychology is a major training center for students in the clinical psychology PhD program, one of the top-ranked programs in the country. It provides a broad range of psychological services to children and adults, including assessment and individual, couples, family, and group therapy. Clients cover the entire age range and represent diverse populations in the community.
Student therapists receive very close supervision and utilize research-based cutting-edge psychological interventions. Students and faculty members are also involved in a variety of research projects through the clinic.
