Psychology

Learn all the major perspectives for understanding human behavior.

If You Want To Train Your Forebrain

With a degree in psychology, your communication and interpersonal skills will be in high demand in a wide range of jobs. You could work as a substance abuse counselor, psychiatric technician, or human resource personnel and more. Common careers for graduates with a bachelors degree in Psychology include the following: child care worker, case manager, probation and parole officer, market researcher, career counselor, and advertising agent, to name a few.

The American Psychological Association's website contains a wealth of information about careers in psychology. In particular, visit:

• Careers in Psychology
• Divisions of the American Psychologyical Association (APA)
• PsycCAREERS

Available Programs

DEDICATED FACULTY

DEDICATED FACULTY

DEDICATED FACULTY

Erin Johnson is Chairperson of Coastline's Psychology Department.

“I also always tell students- don't pick your major, let your major pick you. What are you actually good at? Look at your transcripts and see the grades that you've received because every class can't be, 'Oh it was just easy, that's why I got an A.' No, you did well in that class, that's why you got an A or B."

Read Erin Johnson's Teacher Feature on the Coastline Blog.

• What is a psychology major?

  Psychology is the study of human behavior at both the individual and group level. As a psychology major, you’ll learn about the various factors that affect mental health (such as cultural and environmental factors), and about the different dynamics that can impact the psychology of a particular group.

  In psychology classes, you’ll learn the basics of cognitive function and then go on to study advanced theories about what drives particular types of behaviors. Covering physiology, statistics and experimental psychology, this major will give some solid insights into the inner workings of the human brain.

• Is it right for me?

  Psychology is an exciting field with plenty of career opportunities for those interested in helping people and learning more about the nuances of human interaction.

  Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether a psychology major is right for you:

  • Am I excited to do in-depth research on mental health and human relationships?
  • Am I open-minded? Am I able to be objective about the things I’m learning and able to adjust my views accordingly?
  • Do I handle feedback well? Will I be able to deal with constructive feedback from my professors and classmates?
• After Graduation

  What can you do with a psychology degree? A psychology major can be applied to a broad range of fields including social work and teaching. Popular career paths for psychology majors include: Psychologist, Social worker, Professor, Career Counselor, Caseworker, Teacher and host of other careers.

  Careers in Psychology

  Career Options for Psychology Majors

• Earning Potential

  What do people who major in psychology earn?

  The earning potential for psychology majors depends a lot on the types of career paths they choose. For example, entry-level social workers earn approximately $40,000 per year while clinical psychologists with advanced degrees can earn as much as $110,000. No matter what career path you choose, a psychology major will help you develop a broad range of skills that can help you be successful in any role.

• More Resources
  • Marky Lloyd's Careers in Psychology Page

  This site by Marky Lloyd (a retired psychology professor) discusses, among many other things, entry-level jobs available for psychology majors.

  • Psychology Matters (American Psychological Association)

  A solid research resource, "gradPSYCH" is a free digital APA journal for psychology students. You can search the current or previous issues, review their top 10 list of current topics, and view web-only features.

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook

  This site from the Occupational Outlook Handbook provides current information about education, training, hiring projections, salaries, specific job duties, and interesting information about jobs available to people with degrees in Psychology.

Intelligent: Best Associate Degree in Psychology

University HQ: #26 Nationwide Best Online Associate Degree in Psychology

TheBestSchools: Online Psychology Program voted one of the best.

Department Faculty

• Amy Escobar aescobar@cccd.edu
• Micheal Huff mhuff7@coastline.edu
• Erin Johnson ejohnson121@coastline.edu *Dept. Chair
• Phyllis Lembke plembke@coastline.edu
• Jamie McDonough jmcdonough2@coastline.edu
• Karen McLucas kmclucas@coastline.edu
• Heather Moeck hpifer@cccd.edu
• Matt Quinlan mquinlan3@coastline.edu
• Evette Reagan ereagan@coastline.edu
• Carol Schachat cschachat@occ.cccd.edu
• Darlene Wooten dwooten@cccd.edu
• Michelle Worley mworley3@coastline.edu