Department of Psychology (PSYCH)

Vision Statement

We work collaboratively to inspire and prepare equity-minded critical thinkers to enact positive change in our diverse community through research and service.

Mission Statement

The vision of the Department of Psychology is summed up in one word: “Relevance.” The Department of Psychology, housed in a University serving one of the world’s most diverse urban regions, is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service to the community. Our mission is to provide students with a strong academic background in psychology, as well as to help them develop professional competence.We encourage students to develop critical-thinking skills, creative abilities, interpersonal skills, ethical values and integrity in an inclusive community in which teaching and mentoring of students is valued. Our courses encourage scholarship, intellectual inquiry, professional achievement and service to the community. Students acquire many skills through field work and service learning as well as involvement in research projects guided by our faculty. We encourage students to gain knowledge and comprehension of the theories, concepts and empirical approaches used in psychology and their application to the human condition. Our Program offers a broad spectrum of theoretical approaches, including biological, developmental, behavioral, individual and social systems, as well as learning and cognitive processes. As part of their academic training, students gain knowledge and understanding of research methodology and the statistical analysis of empirical data. Through the Department’s commitment to applied social science research, students obtain the critical core skills necessary to meet the needs of the region, as well as to be competitive in the multicultural marketplace as either members of the workforce or as graduate students.

About the Department of Psychology

The Psychology Department at California State University, Northridge has long been considered to be outstanding. In fact, a recent report from the National Science Foundation confirmed that more graduates of our department completed Ph.D. programs than graduates from any other non-Ph.D. granting university in the country.   

Our success is due in part to the Department's emphasis on research at both the undergraduate and graduate level. However, the relationships that form between our students and faculty also play an important role. California State University, Northridge is a teaching institution. Therefore, class sizes are generally small and individual attention is common. Our faculty work hard to meet the challenges of conducting and publishing research, while continuously honing their teaching skills.

We offer an undergraduate major leading to the B.A. in Psychology, an undergraduate minor, three graduate options leading to the M.A. in psychology and one M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis. The Clinical Psychology graduate program prepares students wishing to proceed to doctoral programs with a clinical emphasis. The General Experimental Psychology graduate program prepares students wishing to enter doctoral programs in psychology with a research emphasis. The M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis graduate program is offered in collaboration with Tseng College and prepares students to work as scientist-practitioners at the MS-level and to sit for the board certification in behavior analysis (BCBA) or those desiring to proceed to doctoral programs with emphasis in applied behavior analysis.

We are proud of our department and invite you to learn more about it through this site! Read our department Mission Statement and Student Learning Outcomes. Read the commendations we received from our last independent review.

Undergraduate Programs