Bachelor of Arts in Community Psychology

Return to: Academic Programs Offered at Pacific Oaks College

Total Credit Hours Required: 120

Maximum Allowable Transfer Credits: 87 

Program Admission Requirements: Program-specific admission requirements can be found here: Admissions Policies  

Tuition and Fees: Tuition and Fees for the College and individual programs can be found here: Tuition and Fees

Number of Admit Terms per Year

Pasadena: 3

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer

Online: 3

• Fall Session 1
• Spring Session 1
• Summer Session 1

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Community Psychology (BA CP) seeks to promote well-being, empower and invigorate communities and support a sense of community and family centric models of service and learning.  Our strength-based programs aim to enhance protective factors and prevent the development of problems in communities, groups, and families.  Grounded in social justice and equity frameworks, individuals will learn how to advocate for change in traditionally underserved communities.  Our curriculum is designed to go beyond an individual focus by integrating sociological, economic, cultural, environmental, political, and global influences to promote positive change, health, and empowerment at multiple levels.

Field Experiences at an approved site are part of the BA CP program.

Students may also choose from concentrations that allow them to deepen their knowledge and skills in a specialized area of community psychology practice.  

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

PLO 1:  Gain knowledge and comprehension of the human life cycle within an eco-systemic framework. Students will be able to look at individuals throughout their lifespan using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory of Development as a foundational framework as the lens for understanding how people interact within their communities over time.  Students will use case studies to facilitate their understanding of these concepts.  Additional theories to be explored will be Barker’s Social-Ecological Approach; and Kelly’s Ecological Approach to Community Psychology.  Some of the skills and abilities students will learn from learning this ecological approach are:  Mindfulness, Systemic Thinking; Listening Skills, Cross-cultural Competence, Facilitating Communication.

PLO 2:  Be able to identify resources from multicultural stakeholders to address social issues. Students will develop skills such as ‘Community Mapping’ and action/field research in their fieldwork sites, to identify needed resources relevant to a particular population.  Students will create resource guides, complete needs assessments, and community mapping projects to demonstrate knowledge of these skills.

PLO 3:  Learn and implement interdisciplinary approaches and strategies for community program assessment and research. Students will learn Community Psychology values and principles for conducting assessments, such as participatory evaluation and action-oriented assessment.  Students will demonstrate knowledge competencies in these areas in their Fieldwork Needs Assessment assignment and Capstone project.

PLO 4:  Be able to discuss and analyze effective prevention, intervention, and health promotion strategies for individuals, groups, and communities. Students will learn foundational prevention and promotion theories and concepts, such as Caplan: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention; The IOM Report: Universal, Selective, and Indicated Measures; Prevention of Disorder and Promotion of Wellness and Competence.  Students will research examples of successful prevention and promotion programs.  Students will demonstrate knowledge by completing a literature review on the prevention and promotion topic of their choice.

PLO 5:  Develop multicultural competency through community-based training and experience. Students will understand human diversity in its context by participating in a Fieldwork placement experience.  Students are required to spend 80 hours at a community organization of their choice.  These experiences will build upon cross-cultural theories learned in coursework to provide competence needed for effective intervention with culturally diverse clients in local and global communities. Their fieldwork experiences will span over two terms/semesters.

Each BA in Community Psychology PLO is aligned with WSCUC Core Competencies. 

Program Specific Requirements

The BA CP program is a 120-credit undergraduate program, comprised of 40 credits in General Education, 15 credits of lower division Psychology prerequisites, 32 credits of lower division General Electives, 21 credits of Community Psychology Core Curriculum courses, and 12 credits of Concentration Courses.

The program is a year-round program, including enrollment in the summer.  On-ground attendance includes fall and spring 16-week semesters and a 12-week summer semester.  Online attendance includes two 8-week terms in fall, spring, and summer.

A full-time student entering with 0 credits and successfully completing 12 credits per semester will have time to complete the program in ten semesters, which is equivalent to 3 1/3 years, or 40 months.

BA in Community Psychology Credit Requirements

40 General Education Credits

15 Lower Division Psychology Prerequisite Credits

32 General Elective Credits

21 Upper Division Community Psychology Core Curriculum Program Credits

12 Concentration Credits

120 Credits Total

Fieldwork Requirements

The Community Psychology Fieldwork program provides experience in various settings such as human service, mental health, community-based agency, government, and education.  This opportunity is for students to practice the skills and knowledge they have gained throughout the Community Psychology degree program in a professional setting.  Fieldwork can be central to developing clarity about a student’s career goals and sense of calling to specific work.  Students will work collaboratively with community partners, develop consultation and group skills, and learn what it means to be a community practitioner.

Fieldwork placement will occur over two terms/semesters.  There is a minimum of 40 hours per class (CP 470 & CP 480) required by each student at their site in each term/semester. 

Prerequisites for fieldwork: 1) Students have successfully completed CP 301, CP 310, CP 320, CP 410, & CP430; and 2) Students have secured a Fieldwork Site before starting their fieldwork courses. Students must secure a fieldwork site 2 months prior to completing CP430.

Fieldwork will be managed by the department’s Fieldwork Coordinator.  Each student will be required to attend a mandatory Fieldwork Orientation, where students will receive a Fieldwork Manual, which will include the following information:  Code of Ethics and Professional Behavior Form, Fieldwork/Internship Contract Form, Fieldwork/Internship Deadlines and Preparation Checklist, Timesheet Form, Evaluation of Student/Intern Form, Evaluation of Site Form, Evaluation of Supervisor Form, and Fieldwork/Internship Site list.  Fieldwork Supervision will be provided jointly between the POC Instructor and the supervisor at the field site. The Fieldwork Coordinator will be a liaison between all entities to ensure quality.  The Fieldwork Coordinator will review all Site forms.

The Fieldwork Site List (pre-approved list of agencies) is not meant to be inclusive; rather, it gives students ideas of the types and variety of fieldwork experiences students have developed. Students are encouraged to meet with the Faculty Advisor and the Fieldwork Coordinator to discuss possible fieldwork sites that would best meet their interests.  Typical Settings & Categories of Fieldwork:  Child/Youth; Elderly Services; Tutoring Services; Persons with Disabilities; Unhoused; Substance Abuse; Recreation Programs; Health/Prevention/Education; Domestic Violence; Autism Spectrum Disorders Services, After-school Programs; Hospice; Psychiatric facilities; Hotlines, clinics, shelters, hospitals, educational settings, non-profit agencies.  The type of fieldwork experience will depend on the student’s career goals, type of agency, and personalized learning plan created by the field supervisor and student.

There are two Fieldwork courses that will accompany a student’s placement in the field. 

The first course is CP 470 Fieldwork in Community Psychology.  This course is designed to provide an opportunity to integrate classroom knowledge with real-world experiences.  This course focuses on applications of basic psychological knowledge and methods to community problems.  Students develop consultation and group skills, work with community partners, and learn about community psychology.

The second course is CP 480 Community Psychology Capstone and Fieldwork. This course is designed to be a ‘culminating’ experience in the undergraduate Community Psychology degree.  Students will create a Portfolio which will include artifacts documenting academic and professional growth and personal reflections.  Students will incorporate their Signature Assignment from the first Fieldwork course into their final capstone project.  Each course is 3 credits.  Capstone projects and Fieldwork Signature Assignments must be submitted to the designated Portfolio. 

Residency requirement

All credits earned in courses offered by Pacific Oaks College are considered PO residence hours, regardless of if the courses are taken online, on-ground, at instructional sites or at Off-campus cohort locations. Credits earned from institutions other than Pacific Oaks College are considered non-resident credits. All students must complete 30 residence hours to complete the BA in Community Psychology.

Course length

Please refer to the program course and delivery section found here: Academic Calendar

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Community Psychology degree, a student must successfully complete the following:

• The approved program consists of at least 30 credits completed in residency at Pacific Oaks; and
• Community Psychology (CP) students maintain a grade of “C” or 2.00 or above in community psychology core, concentration, and prerequisite coursework. Students are required to submit the Petition for Degree Completion and fee to the Registrar’s Office the semester before they anticipate completing their degree requirements. Students must submit the application, settle all outstanding debts with the Student Accounts Office, satisfy any deficiencies, and be in good standing in their program for the bachelor’s degree to be awarded.