Transfer Degree

Psychology Emphasis, Associate in Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA)

Program
Area of Study
Social Sciences and Education

Overview 

Complete your Associate in Arts Degree, Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) while exploring psychology, the science of human behavior. Psychology offers opportunities for students interested in counseling and clinical work as career paths, but also offers career pathways focused on studying the relationship between brain and behavior, how people make decisions and solve problems, and how people process information in their environments.

Sample Career Options  

  • Clinical psychologist 
  • Cognitive scientist
  • Counseling psychologist
  • Human factors specialist
  • School psychologist

Transfer and Degree Requirements  

Students working toward their transfer degree typically take a variety of courses designed to fulfill the general requirements of most four-year colleges and universities. Students intending to transfer to a four-year college for further study are encouraged to work closely with their advisor and transfer institution to explore the requirements of the college they wish to attend after Peninsula. Most institutions have separate admission criteria, which may be based on grades, prerequisite coursework, test scores, and other considerations. Our Sample Schedule is designed to provide you with faculty recommended courses to complete your Associate in Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) degree with an emphasis in psychology, but is not a major ready pathway.  

Transfer Institution Information 

Sample Schedule  

This Sample Schedule is provided as a guide for a full-time student starting in fall quarter whose goal is to earn the Associate in Arts Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA). The courses are designed with the appropriate number of credits to meet degree requirements and are organized in a recommended sequence. Please consult an advisor to schedule courses and develop a personalized educational plan.  

      Your personal Educational Plan will vary based on many factors including:

  • The quarter you begin
  • How many classes/credits you plan to take in each quarter 
  • Your Math and English placement 
  • If you have credits you have already taken and plan to transfer them 
  • The college you are interested in transferring to 
  • If you start in our Transitional Studies program  

First Quarter

Meet with your advisor to talk about your long-term schedule, taking into account your transfer plans. 

Catalog #
Title
Credits
5

In this course, you will get your college career off to a strong start by exploring how to turn your interests and talents into an exciting plan for your future career and academic success. Together we will look at the latest research on how learning works and on the habits and strategies of successful people. You will apply this knowledge toward developing your own personalized plan for success in college and in life. If you aren’t sure of the direction you want to take this course will help you explore and choose a path. Get ready for challenging readings, great discussions, and time to reflect on what you really want out of your college career. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

Credits: 5

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5

Active reading, effective writing, and critical thinking, using subjective and objective approaches. Introduction to research techniques. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Communication Skills)

Credits: 5

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5

Introduction to science of behavior. Emphasis on biological foundations of behavior, cognition, learning, intelligence, motivation, memory, personality, and psychological disorders. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Social Sciences, Elective)

Credits: 5

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Sub-Total Credits
15

Second Quarter

It’s not too soon to explore transfer options. Make a transfer appointment.

Catalog #
Title
Credits
BIOL& 100 or BIOL& 160  +

Survey of Biology or 

General Biology

5
ENGL& 102 or PSYC& 200  +

Composition II or

Lifespan Psychology

5
5

Introduction to methods and applications of elementary descriptive and inferential statistics; summarizing data graphically and numerically, probability, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation and linear regression. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Quantitative Skills, Natural Sciences, Elective)

Credits: 5

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Sub-Total Credits
15

Third Quarter

Check your educational plan to make sure you're on track to graduate.

Catalog #
Title
Credits
CHEM& 110 or CHEM& 121  +

Chemical Concepts or

Introduction to Chemistry

5
PSYC 210 or PSYC 250  +

Cognitive or

Social Psychology

5
5

Human social behavior, social institutions, and society from sociological perspective. Includes introduction to sociological theory and research and application to topics such as social structure, socialization, deviance, inequality, and stratification. Completion of ENGL& 101 or concurrent enrollment recommended. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Social Sciences, Elective)

Credits: 5

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Sub-Total Credits
15

Fourth Quarter

Meet with your educational and career planner to explore universities.

Catalog #
Title
Credits
5

Explores classic and modern elements of persuasion and applies that understanding to assemble, deliver, and evaluate extemporaneous speeches. Eligibility for or concurrent enrollment in ENGL& 101 is recommended. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Humanities, Elective)

Credits: 5

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Natural Sciences  +
5
5

Applies principles of science to study of abnormal behavior. Develop broad understanding of origin, characteristics, and classification of mental disorders from perspectives of psychological theory and research. Introduction to applied areas of diagnosis and assessment incorporated. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

Credits: 5

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Sub-Total Credits
15

Natural Sciences + Take a course in a third subject area.

Fifth Quarter

Apply to graduate. You're just two quarters away...keep it up!

Catalog #
Title
Credits
Elective  +

Take any course 100 level or above.

5
ENGL& 102 or PSYC& 200  +

Composition II or

Lifespan Psychology

5
5

Examination of central issues from each major branch of philosophy. Emphasis on understanding and evaluating diverse answers to philosophical questions about human knowledge, existence, and moral values. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Humanities, Elective)

Credits: 5

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Sub-Total Credits
15

Sixth Quarter

You're almost done! Good luck on your final quarter!

Catalog #
Title
Credits
Humanities  +
5
PSYC 210 or PSYC 250  +

Cognitive or

Social Psychology

5
Social Sciences  +
5
Sub-Total Credits
15

Humanities + Take a course in a third subject area.
Social Sciences + Choose a course in a third subject area.

Communication Competencies

  • Students in the Social Sciences will learn to use written, spoken, visual and symbolic methods of communication to explore and explain how social processes operate.
  • The Social Sciences emphasize listening to understand as it is an essential element of the communication process

Quantitative Reasoning

  • Use basic numeracy skills to manipulate both qualitative and quantitative data.
  • Employ the tools of mathematics to study social processes.
  • Recognize relationships—patterns, correlations and causal relationships—in social phenomena.
  • Use the scientific method to investigate social phenomena.

Information Competencies

  • Recognize and formulate an information need.
  • Find, access and retrieve qualitative and quantitative information to understand the nature and outcomes of social processes.
  • Evaluate the credibility of information and its source.
  • Synthesize and apply qualitative and quantitative information.

Critical Thinking

  • Use alternative perspectives—ideas, concepts, theories—to understand social processes.
  • Evaluate the scope and limitations of alternative perspectives.
  • Apply critical thinking to explore the limits and barriers to understanding.
  • Recognize how individual perspectives and values influence critical thinking and the self-reflective process.

Personal and Interpersonal Competencies

  • Recognize the importance of accepting ownership for one’s own learning.
  • Work cooperatively and collaboratively with others.
  • Function under conditions of ambiguity, uncertainty, and conflict.
  • Understand human interactions in the world using the concepts of inequality, diversity, culture, history, social cognition and political systems.
Total Credits
90