Students can participate in research with psychology faculty in a variety of settings within the department. Off-campus facilities used by the department include the University of California San Diego Medical Center, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, Children's Hospital, and the San Diego Zoo. While a Ph.D. in psychology is required for teaching at the university level and for licensing as a psychologist, a variety of opportunities are open to students who hold the Bachelor's or Master's degrees in psychology. To further explore career options in this field, visit the Career Services Website. An understanding of math, particularly algebra, is good preparation for statistics, which is important for the study of human behavior.
Courses helping students improve writing abilities through continued practice are also important.
Students should take advantage of available computer facilities and learn to enjoy working with computers. All students planning to major in psychology are required to gain competency in a foreign language. Those psychology majors who have completed four years are not required to take a foreign language in college. Academic Advising Academic advising should begin at the new student Academic Orientation programs, when students meet with trained faculty advisors from the College of Sciences. Psychology majors are strongly advised to meet with an advisor in the major as early as possible in their academic careers.