Undergraduate Courses

Adding a Course that Requires Approval

Some of our courses require special approval due to enforced prerequisites, instructor approval, and/or department approval to enroll. To identify special approval courses, look for a "D" or "O" next to the course number on TritonLink.

• "D" =  Department Approval: Students must obtain clearance from the department using the EASy system.
• "O" = Major students only: The course is restricted to Major students only.

EASy System

Please allow 7 business days to process EASy requests. We do not rush EASy processing due to a student's enrollment appointment. Our office processes EASy requests as they are received in the system.

The following courses have additional steps to enroll in:

• PSYC 111A/B: These courses permit those students who have applied and been accepted into the Psychology Honors Program priority to enroll. Students who are accepted into the program will be given authorization to enroll in the course the first week of the WI23 quarter by the Psychology Honors Staff Advisor. EASy requests will not be approved. Students who are not part of the Psychology Honors Program but are interested in PSYC 111A will need to email the instructor (and Cc: ug-advisor-psyc-g@ucsd.edu) on the first day of WI23 classes detailing their Statistics background and reason for wanting to take the class. All individual EASy requests prior to the first day of WI23 classes will be denied.
• PSYC 116A/B/C: Students will need to obtain clearance from the instructor after an application and interview process.The 2024-2025 PSYC 116 Cohort Application is no longer accepting submissions as the deadline was April 21st. If you submitted an application and have any questions about your application and overall timeline, please reach out to Dr. Ariel Lang at ajlang@ucsd.edu.
• PSYC 117: Students will need to obtain clearance from the instructor after an application and interview process. Please visit the PSYC 117 course website for more information. Note: It is common for students not to get authorized for this class until the first week of classes.
• PSYC 118: Students will need to obtain clearance from the department using the EASy system. PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing, at least C in PSYC 60 (or equivalent).
• PSYC 175: This is a seminar course that requires a solid understanding of statistics and research methods. PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing, PSYC 60 (or equivalent) and PSYC 70 (or equivalent). Students who earned a B or greater in Stats and Research Methods will receive priority consideration for course approval. Experience reading and evaluating scientific papers and interest in self-exploration and well-being preferred. Students interested in this course must have completed the survey listed on the Schedule of Classes by the deadline (November 20th, 2024 by 5pm PST) in order to be considered for course enrollment.
• PSYC 193 (lecture-based): See "(Quarter) PSYC 193/193L and Other Prerequisites" drawer below. Will require an EASy request.
• PSYC 193L (research course): See "(Quarter) PSYC 193/193L and Other Prerequisites" drawer below. Will require an EASy request.
• PSYC 195, or AIP 197): Check the appropriate pages on our website before enrolling, and/or discuss their plans with the Advising Office first.
• PSYC 196: Students will need to obtain clearance from a faculty research mentor and the department using the EASy system before enrolling in the course.

For students who are interested in the above courses, our office encourages students to enroll in a full load of courses (12+ units) during their 1st and 2nd pass. IF the student is authorized for one of these courses, students can change their class schedule at that time.

Important Information About Research Labs: 

• PSYC 71 & PSYC 114 does not require an EASy request and students can enroll in the course as long as they meet the major code and pre-requisite. 
• Students interested in enrolling in PSYC 193L must submit an EASy Request to obtain department approval. You must meet the major code restriction and the pre-requisite. Department approval is not guaranteed. 
• Our office will be prioritizing graduating seniors who still need a research lab course to graduate.  
• If you only need one additional research lab course to graduate in WI25 our office will pre-authorize you for one research lab course and if you need two research lab courses to graduate our office will pre-authorize you for a second research lab course. 
• We will not consider requests to change your pre-authorization to a different PSYC 193L section. 
• In your PSYC 193L EASy request, you must specify which section of PSYC 193L you want to enroll in. If this information is not included, your request will be considered incomplete and will be returned to you.
• Your request will be denied if you are enrolled in a second research lab course or have already completed your research requirement. 

How Psych Research Lab EASy requests will be processed for WI25:

• November 8th: Graduating WI25 Seniors Psych majors' EASy requests for lab courses will be processed.
• November 18th: Non-graduating PSYC Seniors EASy requests for lab courses will be processed.
• November 25th: PSYC Juniors EASy requests for lab courses will be processed.

PSYC 193 Lecture-based Courses:
All PSYC 193 courses require department approval via an Enrollment Authorization (EASy) request. Please confirm that you meet all the listed prerequisites for the course (see below) and submit an EASy request if applicable. 

PSYC 193 (A00): Couples (Chapman) *This section is mistakenly labeled as "Clinic. Concept. Personality" on WebReg and the Schedule of Classes. Please note that it is actually Dr. Chapman's PSYC 193 Couples course. Below are the correct course description and prerequisites: This course examines theoretical and empirical aspects of couples counseling amid specific challenges such as trauma, attachment injuries and infidelity. There is an emphasis on relational development and how it is impacted by the family and community from a bio-psycho-social perspective. Strategies for intervention with couples, and selected issues in relationship functioning in the family and community are explored.  The course will also enhance students' learning about the therapeutic alliance with the couple’s therapist using concepts from Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy and other integrative models.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing, and PSYC 100 or PSYC 124.

PSYC 193 (B00): Educational Psychology (Pilegard): What do we know about how students learn, and what does that tell us about how to design effective instruction? Topics will include principles of learning in subject matter areas, motivation, development of learning and thinking strategies, individual differences, and classroom processes.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing.

PSYC 193 (C00): Sleep and Learning (Rickard): This course explores the role of sleep in memory, inference, creativity, and problems solving.  Students will learn about the basic properties of sleep and human memory, then read and discuss primary papers in the literature. Each student will present a summary and critique of at least one paper. The final exam will involve a written paper, under Dr. Rickard’s guidance, in which the student will describe a new experiment that addresses some remaining issues in the literature. This course will hone critical thinking and writing skills and will allow the student to achieve expertise in scientific literature.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing and PSYC 60 or equivalent.

PSYC 193 (D00) Molecular Basis of Social Behavior (Bambah-Mukku): Social behaviors are key to organismal and societal well-being, especially in mammals. This course will explore mechanistic insights into the neurobiology of social behavior that modern molecular genetic methods have provided. We will rely on the primary literature to discuss key experimental approaches in molecular neuroscience that have provided ways to uncover how sex, hormones and development control specific neural circuits underlying social behaviors in animal models.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing. Previous completion of one of the following is highly recommended but not required: PSYC 102 or PSYC 106 or PSYC 171. 

PSYC 193 (E00): Intro to R for Social Sciences (STAFF): In this introductory course to the R programming language you will learn foundational R skills, including how to import data, develop cleaning and manipulation pipelines, create publication-ready visualizations, and do so in literate programming documents.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing. Please note, students need reliable access to a computer for this course, as tablets may not appropriately support certain tasks. If needed, please consider UCSD's Basic Needs Laptop Lending Program for additional support.

Research Lab-based Courses:

PSYC 71 (A00 Pilegard & B00 Lowe): Laboratory in Psychological Research Methods: This course provides hands-on research experience. Lecture topics will include experimental and nonexperimental designs, research ethics, data analysis, and causal inference. Students will design original research projects, collect and analyze data, and write a full APA-style report, including a brief literature review relevant to their design. This course builds on PSYC 70 by applying design principles to students’ own research questions and ideas.
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing, COGS 14B or PSYC 60, and PSYC 70 or COGS 14A. Open to the following Psychology majors only: PC26*, PC28, PC29, PC30, PC31, PC32.

PSYC 193L (A01): Methods of Infant Cognition (Smith): What do infants perceive and understand about the world around them—are they aware of shapes and colors, people and objects, or even mental and physical states? These fundamental questions have driven research in psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence for decades. But how do we systematically investigate them? In this class, we will explore key research in infant cognitive development by engaging with primary articles from the field. We will analyze the hypotheses, methodologies, and conclusions of this work, assessing the strengths and limitations of the methods employed. Additionally, we will explore open science tools designed to enhance the robustness and reproducibility of research findings. For the final project, students will select a research question related to infant cognition, review potential methodologies to address it, and compose an APA-style paper outlining a research proposal. This course is designed for upper-level undergraduate students with an interest in cognitive development and research methods. 
PREREQUISITES: upper-division standing, PSYC 60 or equivalent and PSYC 70 or equivalent. Previous completion of PSYC 71 and/or PSYC 101 is highly recommended but not required. Open to the following Department of Psychology majors only: PC26*, PC28, PC29, PC30, PC31, PC32, PC33, PC34, CG32. An EASy request is required. 

PSYC 193L (B01): Health Sciences Research (Brown): The goal of this course is to give you a useful, structured research experience in a field of health sciences research of your choice. You will develop an understanding of major models of study common in mental health research and have direct experience in research laboratories. In small group discussions with classmates, you will learn how team science produces new knowledge and has impact. As part of your research experience, you will learn how to review relevant scientific literature, and the design and methods within a specific research setting. Students with satisfactory performance will have the opportunity to continue their research with health sciences faculty for additional terms and are prioritized if they are able to do so.
PREREQUISITES: This course requires an application to be submitted under a health sciences lab through the Winter 2025 Psychology Common Application. The Winter 2025 PSYC 99/199 Common Application is accepting submissions by no later than Friday, November 8th at 11:59PM PDT. Note: All placements in Health Sciences will have a minimum commitment of two quarters. Students who are invited to work with a researcher in Health Sciences will need to enroll in Dr. Brown's PSYC 193L: Health Sciences Research for Winter 2025 (which will meet on Mondays from 3:00 pm to 5:50 pm). Upon successful completion of PSYC 193L with Dr. Brown, you will become eligible for PSYC 99 or PSYC 199 in Spring 2025. Please plan accordingly for PSYC 193L in Winter 2025 and PSYC 99/199 in Spring 2025. They will each be 4-unit courses. Open to the following Department of Psychology majors only: PC26*, PC28, PC29, PC30, PC31, PC32, PC33, PC34, CG32. An EASy request is required only if you are approved for the course via the Winter 2025 Common Application.

* The Psychology minor also uses the PC26 code, but it is to signify the student’s minor code. Psych minor students are not eligible for Psychology research lab courses as they are for Psych majors only.

Adding a Course without Listed Prerequisites

• If you are a PSYC student and have 0-84.9 units (completed^ + work-in-progress*):
  • The department cannot clear you to enroll in ANY upper-division (UD) PSYC courses.
  • You should be enrolling in lower-division major requirements, college requirements, and university electives.

• If you are a PSYC student, have 85-89.9 units (completed^ + work-in-progress*) and in good academic standing:
  • Please submit an EASy request after second pass (Nov. 24) for our office to review up to two EASy requests for PSYC Core courses (PSYC 100-108). 
  • EASy requests will be automatically denied for the following reasons:
    • If you submit a request prior to second pass.
    • If you have below 84.9 completed + work-in-progress units.
    • If you are not in good academic standing (cumulative 2.0 GPA).
    • If have already been authorized for two psychology cores. 
    • If you are requesting authorization for psychology elective courses. 

• If you are a PSYC student who will reach upper-division standing (90 units) with your completed units^ and work-in-progress* courses:
  • You should be able to enroll in upper-division psychology courses on your own as long as you meet the course pre-requisite. Do not submit an EASy request or it will be denied.

• If you are a PSYC Transfer student and are not able to enroll on your own due to transfer transcript delays:
  • If you are not able to enroll in a PSYC course on your own through WebReg, and you meet all the course prerequisites, submit an EASy request. Be sure to include why you are having trouble enrolling in the course and upload your unofficial transfer institution transcript.

• If you are an Upper-Division student, but are not a Psychology/CBN Major and would like to add a course without a required major code:
  • The department cannot clear you for the course as it is closed to major students only.

• If you are an Upper-Division student who is a Psych Minor (PC26), and would like to add a class without a required Major code (e.g., PC25, PC28, PC32, etc.):
  • The department cannot clear you for the course as it is closed to major students only. The PC26 code is for both the Psych Major and Psych Minor. If you see a notation that a PSYC course is only open to the following major codes and it lists PC26, it refers to the PC26 Psych BS major only. PC26 Psych minors are not included.

• If you are a PSYC student and would like to add a class without a required prerequisite course (e.g., PSYC 60, etc.):
  • If you completed the prerequisite at a california community college and have not sent your official transcripts to Admissions then you will need to submit an EASy request and upload an unofficial transcript which shows you completed the course. 
  • If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite course (i.e. PSYC 60) and wish to enroll in PSYC 70 the following quarter then you may submit an EASy request. 

• If you are a Graduate Student, requesting to enroll in undergraduate level psychology courses: 
  • Please submit an EASy request after second pass (Nov. 24). 
  • Any requests submitted prior to second pass will automatically be denied. 

EASy System - please allow 7 business days to process EASy requests. We do not rush EASy processing due to a student's enrollment appointment. Our office processes EASy requests as they are received in the system.

^Completed units: a student's unit count from courses they have already completed (AP, transfer, UCSD) and received a final grade. 

*Work-In-Progress: a student's unit count from courses they are enrolled in from the current term at UCSD (note: Summer courses are not included in the work in-progress unit count for Fall enrollment).

• Enrollment Appointment Times
• 1st and 2nd Pass and unit enrollment limitations per pass
• Removing a "Hold" on your account
  • The Psychology Department will not provide a seat or "jump" the waitlist for a student due to a "Hold" on their account or its late removal.
• Enrollment and Registration Calendars
• Enrollment Help

Our office does not hold or guarantee seats to students nor do we "jump" students higher on a course waitlist. The seat/waitlist # students obtain during their registration appointment is what they have, regardless of class standing or graduation term. This also includes if a student accidentally drops themselves from a Psych course/waitlist or is dropped by the University for non-payment (or other reasons). Students will need to re-add themselves to the bottom of the Psych course waitlist (our office will not place you in the course or further up on the waitlist). 

There is no need to send a VAC message or come to drop-in Psychology Advising to ask if we will let you into a course or move you up the waitlist, as we will not.

If you need a specific PSYC course and/or a Psych Research lab, our office highly recommends using your 1st pass to enroll in the course. If there is not an open seat, you should consider adding yourself to the waitlist (TritonLink waitlist information).

• Students are not able to add themselves to a course waitlist until 2nd pass.
• Waitlists are automatically managed by the Registrar's office, and the department does not have the ability to override the list for any reason.
• As of the second pass you can be enrolled in and waitlisted for a total of 19.5 units.
• If adding a student to a class would increase the student's number of units to 22 or more, the automatic waitlist will bypass the student.
• Students may only waitlist for a single section of any course at one time.
• Students who drop or are administratively dropped from full classes must add themselves to the end of the waitlist. 
• Students who are on the waitlist for a course are encouraged to attend the course from the first day in case a spot in the course becomes available. In this case, the student should be as prepared as the students who are enrolled in the course.
• If you've been added to a course from the waitlist, allow 24 hours to be added to the course's Canvas page. If, after 24 hours you still do not have access, let the instructor know to ask ACMS to give you access to the course.

After the waitlists have stopped running automatically, students may be added to the class as space becomes available on a first come-first served basis using the EASy system Late Add request. TritonLink will not continue to update after Thursday night of the second week, so course waitlists may be inaccurate. 

To add a course after Friday of week 2, the course needs to have an open seat and you must have the instructor's permission. Students will use the EASy system to request a Late Add, instructor permission must be uploaded to the justification section. If a seat becomes available, our office approves enrollment on a first come-first served basis.

Prior to enrolling in a course late, please speak with the course instructor about whether you have missed too much course work. It is the student's responsibility to catch up on missed course material on their own; instructors are under no obligation to help students learn what they have missed. In addition, instructors are not obligated to allow students to submit homework nor take quizzes/exams that have already been due.

Please note, many instructors do not allow students to audit their courses.

The instructor must give permission for a student to audit a course. If permission is given, there must be an open seat in the course (course may not be full or have a waitlist). The instructor is not obligated or expected to provide any assistance, resources, or time outside the classroom to a student auditing a course. This includes but not limited to office hours (both instructor and TA), grading, or providing feedback on assignments. Students auditing a course are not allowed to be present on quiz or exam days to ensure the security and academic integrity of the quiz or exam. University policy on auditing a course.

Students may be able to petition courses taken elsewhere for Psychology major/minor credit. Please see our Petitions webpage for more information. This includes courses from other 4-year American and Study Abroad institutions. 

If this is in regard to a California Community College course, please review Assist.org first, as you may not need to submit a petition if the course has already been evaluated for transfer articulation.

If you were accused of academic misconduct, please visit the Academic Integrity website for detailed information on the process and support you can receive as a student.

• Report suspected academic misconduct
• If I'm accused of Academic Misconduct, what happens next?
• If I cheat what happens to my course grade and GPA?
• If I am caught cheating, will other people find out?
• Academic Senate Policy on Integrity of Scholarship

A student acting in the capacity of an instructional assistant (IA), including but not limited to teaching assistants (UGIA/TA), readers, and tutors, has a special responsibility to safeguard the integrity of scholarship. In these roles, the student functions as an apprentice instructor, under the tutelage of the responsible instructor. An IA shall equitably grade student work in the manner agreed upon with the course instructor. An IA shall not make any unauthorized material related to tests, exams, homework, etc. available to any student.