Psychology is one of the highest-paid medical professions, we have discussed the best colleges in California in this blog post for those who want to kick start a career in the field. Getting an education from one of the best schools will boost your career.
According to the American Psychological Association, Psychology, Psychology deals with the study of the mind and behavior, there are various areas of Psychology which include although not limited to the following:
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
- Developmental Psychology
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Quantitative Psychology
- Social Psychology
There are specific colleges across California that are known for Psychology and we understand the hassle that comes with choosing out of a myriad of options, which is why this article is here to guide you through a better idea of the different schools available and which one you should choose.
A number of the best colleges in California for Psychology are below. You can make your choice to starting your journey to achieve your educational and career goal in any of the universities you deem fit.
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What do colleges in California for Psychology do?
Well, as explained earlier, Psychology deals with the study of the human mind and behavior. Just in case you’re wondering what colleges in California for Psychology do. Here’s a tidbit:
They study the behavior of humans just as they study mental processes which include the brain, mind, and social interactions of humans. Studying Psychology in a college in California prepares you for work in Psychology to build dreams to reality. Colleges in California for Psychology teach valuable skills that will make the student employable across various fields of life.
Requirements to apply for colleges in California for Psychology
There are different requirements to get into college in California for Psychology for different schools. For an undergraduate degree, it’s quite different, the same way it’s different for a graduate degree.
To pursue an undergraduate degree in Psychology, there may not be specific subjects needed but Biology or Life Science will give an edge to the student because of the way Psychology focuses on the human brain and sensory organs. It is important you know also that having a high admission point score(APS) gives you an added advantage over other applicants who have scores below yours.
The requirements for Psychology for different schools are as follows:
- Preferred Cumulative Undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Lower priority is given to applicants with GPAs below 3.0.
- Undergraduate degree in Psychology
- Psychological statistics and methods coursework is also required.
- In some cases, General and written GRE scores are required.
10 Best Colleges in California for Psychology
- Stanford University
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Santa-Barbara
- University of Southern California
- Chapman University
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Pepperdine University
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California Santa Cruz
- University of California, Irvine
1. Stanford University
One of the best colleges in California for Psychology. The school offers a 3, General Degree psychology programs.
Stanford University was founded in 1885. It is a private research university in the San Francisco metro area, made up of three schools spanning over 40 undergraduate degree programs and popular graduate degree programs with the inclusion of medicine, law, and business.
It was originally known for its mission-style architecture but was rebuilt after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Also known for rivalry with UC Berkeley in addition to its strong scholastic traditions.
It is one of the most regarded research institutions and has produced so many Fulbright and Rhodes Scholars. It is on a quarter-based academic calendar.
Tuition at Stanford exceeds $50,000 annually. Stanford University has a student-teacher ratio of 11:1 and a general student body of 17,249 or more.
2. University of California, Davis
The University of California was founded in 1950, has been operating solely as the main agricultural school in the UC system, fifty years prior.
The school has more than 35,000 undergraduate enrollments as of 2021. It offers 3 psychology General degree programs.
The university is quite large, a public four-year university at the West of Sacramento, a suburb town of Davis.
The University of California, Davis offers more than 80 graduate programs through internationally recognized departments such as the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and the UC Davis School of Medicine.
Psychology history at the college is quite reputable. 32 students graduated in 2019, 19 earned Masters’ degrees, and 13 earned a doctoral degree
UC Davis is widely known as public Ivy, maybe as a result of comprehensive research that takes place on campus and local facilities like the California Raptor Center, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, Bodega Marine Reserve.
The University of California, Davis has a student-teacher ratio of 22:1 and a general student body of 36,634 or beyond. It is easily one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
3. University of California, Santa-Barbara
The University of California offers 3 California General Degree programs. It is a four-year public university in a midsize suburb.
The student-teacher relationship at the University is 24:1 and it has a general estimated student body of 26,314.
The university holds accreditation in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Professional Psychology, Professional/Scientific Psychology, School Psychology, and several other courses too from different accreditation bodies in America and even globally.
Admissions at the University of California, Santa- Barbara is relatively normal. The school offers globally recognized academic programs in a very collaborative and dynamic atmosphere.
Schooling at the University of California, Santa Barbara is quite interesting because it would mean that you get a quality education in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
It’s quite a good start to making one’s life dream come true and reflecting on how to move forward in a chosen career. It is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
4. University of Southern California
The university is a private research institute that was founded in1880 by Robert Widney.
The University is easily one of the best colleges in California for Psychology. It has a very selective admission process. It offers 2 psychology general degree programs. It is comprised of more than twenty undergraduate schools like the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.
The University of Southern California is situated in an urban area west of Downtown Los, Angeles. It has graduated so many students in psychology over the years.
In 2019, it graduated 170 psychology general students, 157 in Bachelor’s degree and 13 in Masters’ degree, and since then has been leading the trail in Psychology in California and far beyond.
The university has a student-teacher ratio of 22:1 and a general student body of 48,321 or even more. It is internationally recognized for learning and research. It is a good option for anyone looking to study Psychology in California because it is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
The University of Southern California has a large Alumni network in the film industry and so many key industries in America.
5. Chapman University
Chapman University does psychology very well and over the years has been consistent in graduating qualified students in psychology every year.
It is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology and offers one psychology General Degree program. It is a private not-for-profit university in a midsize city with the school itself being medium-sized as well.
Chapman University has graduated students in psychology continually from history since the inception of Psychology as a course in the university.
In 2019, 99 psychology general students graduated from their Bachelor’s degree program.
The student-teacher ratio is 18:1 and the university has a general student body of about 9,850. The university has specialized institution accreditations from different accreditation bodies.
Financial aid for different categories of students is available. Chapman University has made it a norm to make it possible for students from all walks of life to enjoy the benefits of university education at Chapman since 1861 through their various financial aid programs.
Chapman offers more than 110 areas of study, options available for a variety of interests and passions but these admissions are available to highly qualified students. It is one of the best colleges for Psychology in California, hence a good fit for anyone looking to study Psychology in California.
6. University of California, Los Angeles
This is easily one of the biggest universities in California and across America. Popularly known as UCLA, it is a large, public, four-year university that was founded in 1919 in a large city.
The University of California, Los Angeles offers 4 psychology general degree programs. The University of California Los Angeles has a large student body of about 44,371 generally and in Psychology, the school graduated 697 Psychology students in 2019, 635 earning their Bachelors’ degree in Psychology, and 19 bagging their Doctoral Degrees in Psychology. It is located in Los Angeles, California.
The student-to-teacher ratio is about 21:1. It has six undergraduate schools, seven professional schools, and four health science programs with the inclusion of an Arts and Architecture department that is ranked nationally, school of medicine, and school of public health.
Admissions into the University of California, Los Angeles is quite competitive because the university receives nearly the highest college applications more than any other university in the world.
It also has the reputation of the leading research institution that was established in the 20th century. It is located in the heart of Los Angeles where the bustling takes place.
7. Pepperdine University
It is located in a large suburb area of Malibu, California. Pepperdine University is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
The school offers 3 Psychology, General Degree programs. Although a medium-sized private not-for-profit school, it runs on a four-year academic calendar.
Pepperdine has a record of graduating 115 Psychology General students in 2019, 65 students earning their Bachelors’ degree and 50 earning their Masters’ degree. Class size at Pepperdine University I a total of 22:1 on a student-teacher ratio, the general student body is estimated size of 8,824.
Pepperdine University has a recorded history of excellent preparation of students for their careers. They hold accreditation from different University commissioning bodies and acceptance into Pepperdine is quite competitive, tuition is relatively affordable too.
As of 2019, in-state tuition at the university was $55,640, out-of-state tuition was $55,640, same as in-state tuition, books cost an estimated amount of $1250 and on-campus room and board cost about $15,670.
8. University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego is a very large public university located in the La Jolla area of San Diego, California.
It was founded in 1960, it is easily the only campus in the United States that is located on the beach giving the environment a unique look from all angles.
It is a four-year University that has consistently graduated a lot of renowned Psychologists in practice today.
In 2019, the University graduated a total of 243 students in Psychology, 242 students earning their Bachelor’s Degree and one student earning his Doctoral Degree.
Class size at the University of California, San Diego is 28:1 on a student-teacher relationship and the general student body is an estimated number of undergraduate size for 2021 at 35,000.
The university is split into seven different undergraduate colleges and departments are organized into four distinct academic divisions.
Tuition at the university is relatively good, in-state students pay roughly a quarter of what out-of-state students pay. There are activities of interest for students as they are free to join any of the various student organizations that suit them. The University of California, San Diego is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
9. University of California, Santa Cruz
The efficient and effective teaching and practice of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz is well recognized in California and far beyond and gives it recognition as one of the Best Colleges in California for Psychology.
The school offers three psychology General degree programs. It is a large, public, four-year university in a small city that has graduated several psychology students consistently over the years.
The record shows that the school graduated 464 psychology general students in 2019, while a total of 443 graduated in psychology for their Bachelor’s degree, eight students graduated in Psychology for their masters, 13 graduated in psychology for their Doctoral degree.
It holds accreditation from the American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation.
There are a lot of internship opportunities open to undergraduates at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Professors give great attention to undergraduates and even in cases of extreme excellence connect them with real-world contacts that’ll boost their careers.
The student-teacher ratio at the University of California, San Diego is 28:1 and the school has an estimated student body of 19,494.
10. University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine is one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.
It was founded in 1964 immediately after Los Angeles offers 3 Psychology, general degree programs.
It is a very large, public, four-year university located in downtown Irvine, California that has consistently done well in Psychology and other courses offered at the prestigious university.
In 2019, the university graduated 273 Psychology students with a total of earning their Bachelor’s degree, 2 students earning their Master’s degree, and then 1 earning a Doctoral degree. Class size at the University of California, Irvine has a medium-size class of 26:1 student-teacher ratio, the general student body is estimated size of 33,000 for undergraduates currently.
The University of Irvine has 13 colleges including the popularly competitive Claire Trevor School of Arts and the Donald Bren school of information & computer sciences.
There are many research organizations available, which include the Fleishman lab, the Beckham Laser institute, and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience where students and faculty work together to foster research and development at the university. The university holds accreditation in different accreditation bodies.
FAQs
What will you need to become a licensed Psychologist in California?
Well, to achieve this, you must pass through series of examinations and tests by the regulatory board of Psychology in California or across America.
You may need to have had a Doctoral degree in Psychology plus up to 3,000 hours of supervised experience of which 1,500 may be pre-doctoral.
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