1. College Success

• COLLG 110 College Success (3 credits)

• Course purpose: A foundational course to explore and affirm a career choice and build upon the skills, knowledge, and resources that will support you at Pierce College and beyond.

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• Note: The College Success course you select will depend on the Career Pathway Map you are following. Your advisor will assist you in selecting either the 3- or 5- credit version of the course. Should you choose to repeat a College Success course you must enroll in a College Success course with the same credit amount as the original course; a COLLG 110 course grade can only be replaced with a grade from another COLLG 110 course and a COLLG 115 course grade can only be replaced with a grade from another COLLG 115 course. 

2. Research Essentials

• INFO 101 Research Essentials (2 credits)

• Course purpose: It is helpful for psychologists to have strong research skills.

3. English Composition I

• ENGL& 101 English Composition I (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Career pathways in Psychology require you to develop skills in reading, writing, and communication. This course will provide the foundational skills in these areas.

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• Note: Your advisor will assist you in reviewing your Guided Self Placement and selecting either the 5-credit or the 7-credit co-requisite ENGL& 101 + ENGLC 101 course. 

Action Item: Meet with Advisor

Use your Success Network! In your first quarter, meet with your advisor to revisit your career and transfer path, make adjustments to your goals as needed, and plan for your next steps.

4. General Psychology

• PSYC& 100 General Psychology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course provides an introduction to the discipline and a broad overview of the study of human interaction. It is required for the major.

5. Math Course Recommendation

The math course you select will depend on the transfer institution you plan to attend and your math placement.  Your advisor will assist you in selecting the appropriate course(s).

Mathematics Course Distribution List   

6. English Composition Course Recommendation

Choose one

• ENGL& 102 Composition II: Argumentation and Research (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need to be able to research best practices and be able to write and communicate in argumentative discourse.  This course also reinforces APA and MLA style of documentation and provides you with research tools. This course is strongly recommended for those who pursue the basic research-focused path.

• ENGL 107 Composition III: Writing about Literature (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need to be able to understand the inner workings and motives of human beings.  This course also reinforces APA and MLA style of documentation and provides you with research tools.

7. Psychology Course Recommendation

Choose one

• PSYC 210 Social Psychology (5 credits)
• PSYC 230 Intro to Personality (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Social Psychology and Personality Psychology are courses where you are introduced to core areas of the major, and where the focus on psychology as a major is woven into the content and presentation of the course. PSYC& 200 and PSYC& 220 would work as well and are required or recommended for Allied Health and other pro-tech degrees.

8. English Course Recommendation

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• ENGL& 111 Introduction to Literature (5 credits)
• ENGL& 113 Introduction to Poetry (5 credits)
• ENGL& 114 Introduction to Drama (5 credits)
• ENGL 205 Introduction to Mythology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: These courses help you to develop empathy and also have the ability to understand the nuanced perspectives and experiences of others. Fiction and poetry give you a unique entry into the minds of others. You will also improve writing skills in these courses.

9. Natural Science Course Recommendation

Choose one

• CHEM& 100 Preparatory Chemistry (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need an understanding of physiological concepts and issues.  This course covers concepts in cellular function that are related to neuroscience research and understanding actions of psychotropic prescriptions. Neuroscience is the largest growing area of psychology.

• NUTR& 101 Nutrition (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need an understanding of epidemiology and the role of human health.  This course examines human health with respect to essential nutrients, factors that affect eating habits, food advertising, and disease.  The course may offer background to psychology of health and medicine.

• MATH& 146 Introduction to Stats (5 credits)

• Course purpose: If you chose MATH& 107 in step 4, you are encouraged to take MATH& 146 to prepare for entrance to Psychology major.

10. Sociology Course Recommendation

Choose one

• SOC& 101 Introduction to Sociology (5 credits)
• SOC& 201 Social Problems (5 credits)
• SOC 211 Family and Intimate Relationships (5 credits)
• SOC 220 Gender Roles in Society (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Sociology is the primary discipline related to psychology.  Exploring Sociology and Anthropology gives you a broader understanding of the person in context.

Action Item: Apply for Graduation

Way to go! It is time to apply for graduation. Visit the Pierce College Graduation website for details. https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/graduation

11. Social Science Course Recommendation

Choose one

• ANTH& 216 Northwest Coast Indians (5 credits)
• ANTH& 106 American Mosaic (5 credits)
• ANTH 240 Women in Cross-Cultural Perspectives (5 credits)
• SOC 235 Race and Ethnicity (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Choose one of these courses to expand your multicultural competency, and to apply critical, creative and reflective thinking to the experiences of different genders and ethnicities in the US. Psychologists need an understanding of the complex interaction of biology, physiology, environment and culture.

Action Item: Pathway Discussion

Recommitment/Reaffirmation to pathway. Want to be a Social Science major? Want to be Psychology major more than another Social Science major? Talk about majors and minors. Talk about distinguishing one’s self as a Psychology or Social Science major from others with high impact practices like research or internship.

12. Psychology Course Recommendation

Choose one

• PSYC 230 Intro to Personality (5 credits)
• PSYC 210 Social Psychology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Social Psychology and Personality Psychology are courses where you are introduced to core areas of the major, and where the focus on psychology as a major is woven into the content and presentation of the course. PSYC& 200 and PSYC& 220 would work as well and are required or recommended for Allied Health and other pro-tech degrees.

Action Item: Disciplines

Take at least three classes in your discipline in the first year.

13. Humanities Course Recommendation

Choose one

• HUM 105 Black Thought and Culture (5 credits)
• HUM 106 Ethnic Thought and Culture (5 credits)
• HUM 107 Latin American Thought and Culture (5 credits)
• HUM 109 American Thought and Culture: The Harlem Renaissance (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Choose any of these Humanities courses as a way to develop your multicultural skills. Exploring rich cultures outside of their own or deepening their knowledge of their own culture allows the psychology student to become more self-aware and aware of other experiences. Exploring race, privilege and oppression are also included in these courses, and are essential for the psychology major.

14. Biology Course Recommendation

Choose one

• BIOL& 100 Survey of Biology (5 credits)
• BIOL& 160 General Biology w/Lab (5 credits)

• Course purpose: If you have a specific interest in Neuropsych, you will need separate advising and should consider being a biochemistry major with a minor in psychology. Both courses provide the kind of background that will help you understand neuroscience that is presented in psychology courses that are not neuroscience, and meet the lab requirement.

15. Psychology/World Language Course Recommendation

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• PSYC 201 Psychology of Personal Growth (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course provides you an introduction to the discipline and a broad overview of the study of human interaction. 

• PSYC& 220 Abnormal Psychology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This is a common prerequisite for upper division courses in psychology.

16. Biology Course Recommendation

Choose one

• BIOL& 100 Survey of Biology (5 credits)
• BIOL& 160 General Biology w/Lab (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need an understanding of physiological concepts and issues.  This course covers concepts in cellular function that are related to neuroscience research and understanding actions of psychotropic prescriptions. Neuroscience is the largest growing area of psychology.

17. Psychology Course Recommendation

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• PSYC 201 Psychology of Personal Growth (5 credits)
• PSYC& 220 Abnormal Psychology (5 credits)

• Course purpose: These courses are common prerequisites for upper division courses in psychology.

18. Humanities Course Recommendation

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• JOURN 125 The Documentary: A Social Force (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course offers the psychology student different ways of looking at the world from the eye of the camera and narrator. It also offers you a way to develop empathy along with critical thinking since typically the documentary presents a unique perspective.

• ENGL 214 Screenwriting 1 (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course offers the psychology student the opportunity to develop empathy by creating nuanced experiences of others. It also helps them develop writing skills that are needed in the field of psychology for research and report writing.

• HUM 204 American Popular Culture (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course provides the psychology student a way to apply critical thinking to the world they occupy. It allows them to understand ways of being in the world – growth-oriented and psychopathology - from the perspective of cultural impact on the individual and group psyche.

19. Humanities Course Recommendation

Choose one

• CMST& 101 Introduction to Communications (5 credits)

• Course purpose: Psychologists need to be effective communicators. This course provides a broad overview of communication while also teaching you to read and understand body language and the impact of culture on communication.

• ENGL 214 Screenwriting 1 (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course provides another perspective into the human psyche in situated context – creating characters and scenes.

• HUM 204 American Popular Culture (5 credits)

• Course purpose: This course provides another perspective into the human psyche in situated context.

Total Credits: 90