PSYCH-BA - Psychology (BA)

The mission of the undergraduate program in Psychology is to introduce students to the theories and empirical studies of human behavior. This includes the study of aging, achievement, child development, cognitive processes, conflict, culture, decision making, emotion, group behavior, health, identity, infancy, language, learning and memory, morality, motivation, personality, psychopathology, race, self, social perception, visual perception, and other related topics. The major provides students with knowledge and skills relevant to professional careers in technology, business, counseling, education, public policy, law, and medicine, as well as graduate studies in Psychology.

Advising

Psychology supports a multiple mentorship model for advising majors. Within the department, students have the following advisers:

• Faculty major adviser

• Student services officer

• Peer advisers

Psychology Department advising is supplemented by support from Undergraduate Advising and Research Academic Advising Directors, the Residential Education dormitory staff, and many other potential advisers. We encourage our students to reach out to advisers from across the University to develop a robust support network.

Answers to questions about major requirements can be found in Frequently Asked Questions.

Psychology majors must complete at least 60 units of course work toward their major at Stanford within the Psychology department. Psychology majors may count no more than a total of 10 units credit from outside the department toward the major. Both majors and minors, under extenuating circumstances, may use one course from outside the department to fulfill core course requirements. Additional courses may be used to fulfill the 70-unit major requirement, but may not be counted as core courses. Advanced placement (AP) credit may not be used toward the Psychology major requirements. Please see the student services office for further clarification.

Petition for transfer of credit is rarely granted. In cases where petitioning is necessary, there are two types of credit from outside the department: external transfer credit for courses taken at institutions other than Stanford and credit for courses in other Stanford departments. A student must have already declared Psychology as a major or minor in order to submit a petition for transfer credit. Stanford credit for courses completed at other institutions must have been granted by the External Credit Evaluation section of the Registrar's Office; those units may be applied toward the 180 units required for graduation. To have credit from outside the department evaluated to fulfill requirements toward the Psychology major or minor, students must complete an Undergraduate Petition form, available from the student services office, and submit it with a course syllabus. Students requesting external transfer credit must also submit a copy of the signed transcript from the External Credit Evaluation section of the Registrar's Office showing the number of Stanford units granted for the course. The Psychology department then evaluates external credit courses and courses from other Stanford departments to determine if they can be applied toward Psychology major or minor requirements.

The department expects undergraduate majors in the program to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are used in evaluating students and the department's undergraduate program. Students are expected to demonstrate:

1. an understanding of core knowledge within the discipline of psychology including relevant theory and research.

2. the ability to analyze a problem correctly using discipline specific methodology. 

3. the ability to draw sound inferences and conclusions from data.

4. the ability to write and communicate ideas clearly.