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Noemi
Student
Anaheim, California
2
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What schools in California are known for their psychology program?
I want to attend undergraduate school in California and am considering majoring in psychology. What schools (private and/or public) have amazing psychology programs? #school #psychology #schools
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2 answers
Hadley Cole
Senior Associate - IFS
10
Answers
Tampa, Florida
Updated
Hadley’s Answer
Hi Noemi! In doing a quick Google search I found this website for state of CA:
https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/general-psychology/rankings/top-ranked/far-western-us/california/
Tanaz Arteaga
Faculty and Administrator
8
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Los Angeles, California
Updated
Tanaz’s Answer
Hi Hadley!
I work for a school of psychology in Los Angeles, so I'm admittedly biased that we have great programs- especially as I run the undergrad department, so of course it's amazing. ;-) I wanted to include that info upfront, BUT I'm not here to promote my school. So let me answer your question in general terms.
California is a great state for college education with so many fantastic options that span a variety of school types and offer a great diversity of options. And that is true for psychology as well. Most schools offer strong programs in this field that grew in the last few decades as it gained more academic legitimacy and we began to understand the important of mental health. You can never go wrong with UCs, Cal States, and even starting out at the CA community colleges and transferring later. But there are also a lot of great private options too.
Start by verifying that degree programs in psychology or psychology-related fields are at schools accredited by WASC/WSCUC (Western Association Senior College and University Commission) which is typically the highest level of approval. Some schools hold other accreditation which can be valid, but typically regional accreditation is better than national accreditation.
Next, for psychology, a school that has APA (American Psychological Association) accreditation for it's doctoral clinical psychology or school psychology programs demonstrates a gold star of quality. The APA doesn't give approval for undergraduate programs or other graduate programs, but if the school has an APA-accredited program it's a good sign that the school has met certain strict and specific standards and guidelines and related programs at the same school benefit too. Plus, if you want to pursue further schooling, you have an internal program that is high-quality to consider.
Next, you want to go onto the college's webpage and look into the degree requirements and programs related to psychology. What courses will you be required to take? What electives do they offer, and do they offer a wide variety of psychology-specific electives? Do they mention careers and preparation for jobs? Etc. Take a look at the faculty in the department. What are their credentials? Are they licensed, have they worked in the field, do they represent a diversity of psychology subfields? Since these are the people teaching the courses you'll take, see if their background and work sounds exciting to you too.
Honestly, there are dozens of great psychology programs in CA. Since there are so many great options, I suggest you think about the type of experience you want to help you decide. Do you want to go to a big school or smaller school? Do you want to attend a school where you can live in the dorms, or is that not as important? Are you interested in graduate school, and if so, does the school provide strong options related to psychology at higher levels too? And so on.
I can't recommend any specific review sites as they tend to be inaccurate and schools can pay to be included on these websites (which decreases their credibility, in my opinion). There are some more legitimate sources of info, but they are not as easy to find. Visiting the schools and talking to current students is the best way to understand things.
Choosing a college is an important decision and you are lucky to have so many good options. But sometimes it's not about what school has the best program, it's about what school has the best program for YOU.
Hope this helps!
Do a quick search to find colleges in your target areas of CA
Check that the school is fully accredited, such as by WASC/WSCUC
Visit their websites and find what they offer in psychology, degree names, courses and faculty
Schedule a visit and talk to current students
Think about what you want from a school- the process of finding a college is about the best fit for YOU! Good luck
I work for a school of psychology in Los Angeles, so I'm admittedly biased that we have great programs- especially as I run the undergrad department, so of course it's amazing. ;-) I wanted to include that info upfront, BUT I'm not here to promote my school. So let me answer your question in general terms.
California is a great state for college education with so many fantastic options that span a variety of school types and offer a great diversity of options. And that is true for psychology as well. Most schools offer strong programs in this field that grew in the last few decades as it gained more academic legitimacy and we began to understand the important of mental health. You can never go wrong with UCs, Cal States, and even starting out at the CA community colleges and transferring later. But there are also a lot of great private options too.
Start by verifying that degree programs in psychology or psychology-related fields are at schools accredited by WASC/WSCUC (Western Association Senior College and University Commission) which is typically the highest level of approval. Some schools hold other accreditation which can be valid, but typically regional accreditation is better than national accreditation.
Next, for psychology, a school that has APA (American Psychological Association) accreditation for it's doctoral clinical psychology or school psychology programs demonstrates a gold star of quality. The APA doesn't give approval for undergraduate programs or other graduate programs, but if the school has an APA-accredited program it's a good sign that the school has met certain strict and specific standards and guidelines and related programs at the same school benefit too. Plus, if you want to pursue further schooling, you have an internal program that is high-quality to consider.
Next, you want to go onto the college's webpage and look into the degree requirements and programs related to psychology. What courses will you be required to take? What electives do they offer, and do they offer a wide variety of psychology-specific electives? Do they mention careers and preparation for jobs? Etc. Take a look at the faculty in the department. What are their credentials? Are they licensed, have they worked in the field, do they represent a diversity of psychology subfields? Since these are the people teaching the courses you'll take, see if their background and work sounds exciting to you too.
Honestly, there are dozens of great psychology programs in CA. Since there are so many great options, I suggest you think about the type of experience you want to help you decide. Do you want to go to a big school or smaller school? Do you want to attend a school where you can live in the dorms, or is that not as important? Are you interested in graduate school, and if so, does the school provide strong options related to psychology at higher levels too? And so on.
I can't recommend any specific review sites as they tend to be inaccurate and schools can pay to be included on these websites (which decreases their credibility, in my opinion). There are some more legitimate sources of info, but they are not as easy to find. Visiting the schools and talking to current students is the best way to understand things.
Choosing a college is an important decision and you are lucky to have so many good options. But sometimes it's not about what school has the best program, it's about what school has the best program for YOU.
Hope this helps!
Tanaz recommends the following next steps: