Apply to the Major

Below are the steps that will be required to apply to the major:

Step 1: Complete your prerequisite coursework and have final grades posted in CalCentral.   

Step 2: Complete the Psychology Major Application online.

• These sections must be completed by all applicants:

• Prerequisite Completion

• Major Application

• Psychology Major Requirements, Policies, and Resources Acknowledgement

• This section is optional but encouraged for applicants who qualify for guaranteed admission; it is mandatory by applicants requiring an exception review:
  • Planning & Goals

Step 3: For students who apply to Psychology as a second major, seek a change of college into Letters & Science, or pursue a simultaneous degree, please plan on submitting the required petition by email to psychsso@berkeley.edu within two weeks of your admission notice to ensure a smooth declaration process. Instructions on filling out the packet can be found on the L&S Advising website

*Continuing students who complete a prerequisite course at a community college should initiate the credit transfer process as soon as possible given these can take up to 5 months to be reflected.

Guidelines on the Planning and Goals section

Program Planning

• Refer to our program planning webpage for sample course scheduling.

• Prioritize your prerequisite courses during the eligibility window.

• Include all 8 psychology upper division courses including the five Tier 2 courses and the three Tier 3 electives.

Major Prompt (250 words):

“What are your goals and future plans with the psychology major?”

• Include an overview on your academic achievements and persistence towards the major.

• Describe your relationship to the field of psychology and your future application in your career, tying in your experiences with your future goals beyond UC Berkeley.

• Highlight tools that will enable academic success within the major program.

Guaranteed Admission Applications

Students are guaranteed admission if they meet the major admission requirements with regard to grades/GPA, prerequisite courses completion, and window of eligibility, or if they were admitted to UC Berkeley with a High Demand Major in Psychology designation.

Non-Guaranteed Admission Applications

Students who do not qualify for guaranteed admission may still submit an application. These applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions may be granted contingent on space availability in the program and the holistic strength of the application by the following criteria:

• Academic achievement and potential, including grades, course load, consistent academic excellence, and high performance in prerequisite courses.

• Meeting the window of eligibility for students who enter as First-Years and Transfers. In addition, program planning congruent with the student’s expected graduation term (EGT).

• Demonstrated commitment to academic success and improvement, including persistence toward major and future career goals and aspirations.

We are unable to comment on the likelihood of approval for any given application. However, historically a substantial number of applications which required exception review was approved.

Students who intend to declare the Psychology major are encouraged to check in with the Student Services Office periodically.  You are welcome to drop-in for peer advising, schedule an appointment with a major advisor, and get involved in departmental student activities and events, such as:

• Attending workshops hosted by peer advisors.
• Joining the Psychology Majors bCourses to receive email notifications about psychology related events and opportunities.  Request access by emailing psychsso@berkeley.edu. 
• Enrolling in the Personal Development in Psychology DeCal course regularly offered by advanced Psychology majors. 
• Taking a freshman or sophomore seminar with a faculty member from the Psychology Department.
• Following us on social media!
  • Instagram:@ucbpsychadvising
  • Facebook: UCB Psych Peers 

Students who are in progress of finishing the prerequisites or are in the last prerequisite(s) course and plan to declare after the end of the semester, will need further guidance on how to plan for enrollment as an undeclared student.

For phase I, upper division Psychology courses are reserved only for officially declared majors and do not have a wait list. If a student is in the progress of completing Psych 101 (and/ or other prerequisites) and thus undeclared, they won't be able to sign up for these courses. At the start of Phase II, our enrollment manager will release additional seats and implement a small waitlist in Phase II, for all students on a first-come, first-enrolled basis.

For Phase I, we recommend that students prioritize upper division electives in other departments. These can be courses you will need for double majors, a minor, the American Cultures or other graduation requirements-- students can check their APR to see what still shows as "not satisfied--or just fun electives.

Having the right enrollment strategies is important. We recommend that students:

1. Have multiple schedule planning scenarios ready at your finger tip for your Phase II appointment, so that you can be prepared to sign up for the classes you need/ want as quickly as possible;
2. Avoid time conflict at all cost, as it prevents enrollment;
3. Pick the section that has open seats or at least the shortest waitlist (you can't get into the class if you can't get into the section!);
4. Sign up for the waitlist if one is available (our waitlists are really short and a short waitlist is the way to go).

Please review our enrollment policy webpage and follow the policies/ recommended practices closely.