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.
Academic Advisement
Seeking academic advisement is essential to your academic success and timely graduation. Academic advisement is available to students through both our department advisor and staff advisors in the College’s Student Services Center/Educational Opportunity Program Satellite. Please call (818) 677-2658 to schedule an appointment. Within the Psychology Department, contact undergraduate advising at (818) 677-2952 and for graduate program advisement, call (818) 677-2827.
Careers
Most careers in psychology require graduate study at the Master’s or Doctoral level. However, there are increasing opportunities in business, education and healthcare for Bachelor’s-level psychologists. Appropriate Master’s Degree Programs can lead to a wide range of careers, including school psychology, behavior analysis, business applications (human factors psychology and industrial-organizational psychology), clinical psychology (if one receives appropriate education and obtains a license), and a variety of other careers found in school settings (counseling, testing, research and administration), as well as community mental health clinics, prevention and/or high-risk programs for health/lifestyle issues, programs using applied behavior analysis, rehabilitation centers and other health facilities. Psychologists also are employed by nearly all levels of governmental agencies, such as the Department of Education, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as state, county and local mental health services. Psychologists who receive their Doctorate may become professors, researchers, consultants, public policy analysts and licensed clinical psychologists.
Accreditation
The Psychology Department’s BCBA Program has been approved by the BACB® to meet the coursework requirements for eligibility for the Board Certification Exam. Candidates who do not yet have a Master’s Degree may apply to the Psychology Department’s Master’s Program in Clinical Psychology. The BCBA Program is comprised of five 3-unit graduate-level courses and two 1-unit preparatory courses within a 17-unit program (255 classroom hours) formulated to address the Content Areas detailed by the Board. Consult the Program website for details about the Program, answers to frequently asked questions, application procedures and requirements for admission (http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/bcba/bcba.html).
Contact
Chair: Jill Razani
Sierra Hall (SH) 376
(818) 677-2827
www.csun.edu/psychology