Description

Psychology is a broad discipline that considers properties of the brain and seeks to understand humans as individuals and in groups. The Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) with a focus in psychology includes courses that are commonly required for this major and meets lower division general education requirements at all Oregon public universities.

Learning Outcomes

Arts & Letters

1. Interpret and engage in the Arts & Letters, making use of the creative process to enrich the quality of life; and

2. Critically analyze values and ethics within a range of human experience and expression to engage more fully in local and global issues. 

Cultural Literacy

1. Identify and analyze complex practices, values, and beliefs and the culturally and historically defined meanings of difference.  

Health

1. Explain the relationship between human behavior and health.

Mathematics

1. Use appropriate mathematics to solve problems; and

2. Recognize which mathematical concepts are applicable to a scenario, apply appropriate mathematics and technology in its analysis, and then accurately interpret, validate, and communicate the results.

Science or Computer Science

1. Gather, comprehend, and communicate scientific and technical information in order to explore ideas, models and solutions and generate further questions;

2. Apply scientific and technical modes of inquiry, individually, and collaboratively, to critically evaluate existing or alternative explanations, solve problems, and make evidence-based decisions in an ethical manner; and

3. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of scientific studies and critically examine the influence of scientific and technical knowledge on human society and the environment. 

Social Science

1. Apply analytical skills to social phenomena in order to understand human behavior; and

2. Apply knowledge and experience to foster personal growth and better appreciate the diverse social world in which we live.

Speech/Oral Communication

1. Engage in ethical communication processes that accomplish goals;

2. Respond to the needs of diverse audiences and contexts; and

3. Build and manage relationships.

Writing and Information Literacy

1. Read actively, think critically, and write purposefully and capably for academic and, in some cases, professional audiences;

2. Recognize and articulate the need for information, and then locate, evaluate, and ethically utilize that information to communicate effectively; and
3. Demonstrate appropriate reasoning in response to complex issues.

Entrance Requirements

While this program has no formal entrance requirements, individual courses may have prerequisites which must be met prior to enrollment.

Course Requirements

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
General Education/Foundational
Health:
Choose 3 credits 1		3
Mathematics:
Choose one course		4
Recommend: MTH 111
Oral Communication:
Choose one course		3-4
Writing:
WR 121	Academic Composition	4
WR 122	Argument, Research, and Multimodal Composition	4
or WR 227	Technical Writing
General Education/Discipline Studies
Cultural Literacy:
One course from the following categories must be designated as cultural literacy on the Discipline Studies list (credits count once).
Arts and Letters:
Choose three courses from at least two prefixes		9-12
Social Science:
Choose four courses from at least two prefixes		12-16
Recommend: PSY 201, PSY 202
Science/Math/Computer Science:
Choose four courses from at least two prefixes including at least three laboratory courses in biological and/or physical science		12-20
Electives
Choose any course numbered 100 or above that brings the total credits to 90 quarter hours. This may include up to 12 credits of Career and Technical Education courses designated by COCC as acceptable.		39
Total Credits		90-106

1	HHPA activity courses (1 credit each) are not to be duplicated.

Advising Notes

If a student has graduated high school or earned a GED after 1997, two years of the same world language earned at the high school level or two quarters of the same world language at the undergraduate level is required for admittance to most Oregon public universities. For specific details, speak with an advisor.

Students pursuing a BA after transfer should consider completing three terms of a 200-level language course. The 100-level language courses will count as electives. The 200-level language courses will partially fulfill the Arts and Letters requirement.

Students pursuing a BS after transfer should consider taking more math and science courses. In general, two 100-level or higher math courses beyond the foundational mathematics requirement fulfills the Bachelor of Science. These will also partially fulfill the Science/Math/Computer Science Discipline Studies requirement. Language beyond entrance requirements is not required.

Although students may take whichever science sequence they prefer, it is recommended to take BI 101 General Biology: Cells & Genes-BI 103 General Biology: Ecology or BI 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I-BI 233 Human Anatomy and Physiology III due to the relevance these courses have to upper-division psychology courses.

PSY 204 Research Methods: Design and Analysis, PSY 213 Introduction to Physiological Psychology and PSY 227 Animal Behavior fulfill the science lab requirement if a sequence is not essential.

Students are advised to consider the following psychology courses as electives to gain further insight into the field and to help them determine what area of psychology they may be interested in pursuing: PSY 204 Research Methods: Design and Analysis, PSY 213 Introduction to Physiological Psychology, PSY 215 Developmental Psychology, PSY 216 Social Psychology, PSY 219 Abnormal Psychology, PSY 227 Animal Behavior, PSY 233 Psychology of Violence & Aggression. With the exception of PSY 204 Research Methods: Design and Analysis, PSY 213 Introduction to Physiological Psychology and PSY 227 Animal Behavior (see Science/Math/Computer Science lab course fulfillment), these courses will also partially satisfy the Social Science AAOT requirements. Any other potential special topics courses that are offered from time to time will be electives as well.

Students who are considering clinical or counseling psychology might consider the following electives: EMT 195 Crisis Intervention for the Emergency Medical Provider, ED 265 Children at Risk, HS 161 Ethics for Human Services, HS 162 Effective Helping Skills I, HS 201 Families and Addictions, HS 206 Group Counseling Skills for Human Services, HS 209 Introduction to Psychological Trauma: Theory and Practice, HS 224 Psychopharmacology, HS 260 Counseling Theories and HS 262 Effective Helping Skills II. HS 224 Psychopharmacology will meet a non-lab Science/Math/Computer Science requirement. HS 206 Group Counseling Skills for Human Services and HS 208 Multicultural Issues in Human Services will partially complete the Social Science requirement.

Psychology students will be required to take Statistics when they transfer. Although MTH 111 College Algebra is sufficient for the math requirement, advisors recommend taking one or both of MTH 243 Introduction to Probability and Statistics I and MTH 244 Introduction to Probability and Statistics 2 to finish the science requirement and to allow students to be exposed to statistics beforehand. However, for OSU, MTH 243 Introduction to Probability and Statistics I and MTH 244 Introduction to Probability and Statistics 2 currently do not fulfill the BS math requirements. PSY 204 Research Methods: Design and Analysis is also a good preparation for upper division statistics required for a PSY BA or BS.

Note that individual institutions may have additional requirements or will change the category that a course satisfies if the AAOT is not completed, or is transferred to an out-of-state college or university. For admission into a particular program, courses may be added. Students who plan to transfer should contact the institution they plan to attend to ensure they have fulfilled the specific requirements for their program.

Students have the option of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology through Oregon State University – Cascades (contact 541-322-3100) or through a distance program with Eastern Oregon University (contact EOU advisor, 541-385-1137); both programs are available in Central Oregon. Students planning to attend OSU should include in their AA degree the following OSU major requirements: BI 101 General Biology: Cells & Genes-BI 103 General Biology: Ecology, PSY 201 Mind and Brain, PSY 202 Mind and Society, WR 227 Technical Writing.

Performance Standards

• Academic Requirements:
  • Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA to earn a COCC certificate or degree.
  • Options for additional standards:
    • All courses in the program must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Sample Plan

Sample Plan Grid

First Term		Credits
Discipline Studies Arts & Letters		3-4
Mathematics (recommend MTH 111)		4
Oral Communication:		3-4
WR 121	Academic Composition	4
	Credits	14-16
Second Term
Discipline Studies Arts & Letters		3-4
Discipline Studies Social Science (recommend PSY 201)		4
Elective		1
Health (3 credits with HHP or HHPA prefix)		3
WR 122 or WR 227	Argument, Research, and Multimodal Composition Technical Writing	4
	Credits	15-16
Third Term
Discipline Studies Arts & Letters		3-4
Discipline Studies Science/Math/Computer Science		3-5
Discipline Studies Social Science (recommend PSY 202)		4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	18-21
Fourth Term
Discipline Studies Science/Math/Computer Science		3-5
Discipline Studies Social Science		3-4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	14-17
Fifth Term
Discipline Studies Science/Math/Computer Science		3-5
Discipline Studies Social Science		3-4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	14-17
Sixth Term
Discipline Studies Science/Math/Computer Science		3-5
Elective		4
Elective		4
Elective		4
	Credits	15-17
	Total Credits	90-104