Psychology AA & AS
Pyschology - AA
If you are fascinated by the human brain and how it processes thoughts and feelings, a degree program in psychology will align with your interests. It will also provide you with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career path that focuses on understanding how the mind functions and the effect that mental health can have on our individual behavior and group interactions. You will learn how personality, environment, and experiences shape the way we think, feel, and act in our lives and relationships.
An associate of arts program in Psychology could be a first step toward a variety of professional roles in this field, including substance abuse counselor, human resources director, or social worker. In this program, you will primarily explore the social aspects of human behavior. This degree is transferable to universities offering a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.
Students should work closely with their Otero advisor and contact their transfer institution choices for more specific transfer information.
The first year of a Psychology program will include math and English courses to meet general education requirements. The completion of introductory math and English courses in your first year is proven to greatly increase your likelihood of crossing the stage, boosting your momentum along the academic pathway you select. Other general education courses on your pathway will cover topics in Arts and Humanities, History, Social and Behavior Sciences, and Natural and Physical Sciences.
Program-specific courses may begin as soon as your first semester. These courses will become more advanced as you move along your degree pathway. Through this sequence of courses, your knowledge of social psychology, cognitive development, and mental health will grow and deepen. After completing a 60-credit associate degree, your degree pathway can continue with guaranteed transfer to a college that offers a bachelor’s degree.
| Required Courses that Fulfill General Education Requirements (34-36 Credit Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title | |
| (Written) Communication | 6 | ENG 121/1021 English Composition I and ENG 122/1022 English Composition II OR ENG 122/1022 English Composition II and a GT Pathways approved CO3 course |
| Mathematics | 4 | One GT Pathways course (GT-MA1), prefer MAT 135/1260 Introduction to Statistics, except: • Colorado Mesa University requires either MAT 120/1240 Mathematics for the Liberal Arts OR MAT 121/1340 College Algebra; • Colorado State University – Pueblo prefers MAT 121/1340 College Algebra; • Fort Lewis College requires MAT 135/1260 Intro to Statistics; • University of Colorado Boulder requires MAT 121/1340 College Algebra or higher; • University of Colorado Colorado Springs requires MAT 121/1340 College Algebra; • Western Colorado University requires MAT 121/1340 College Algebra |
| Arts & Humanities | 9 | Three GT Pathways Arts & Humanities courses (GT-AH1, GT- AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4). No more than two (2) from any one category. |
| History | 3 | One GT Pathways History course (GT-HI1) |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6 | Two GT Pathways Social & Behavioral Sciences courses (GT-SS1, GT-SS2, GT-SS3) |
| Natural & Physical Sciences | 7-8 | One GT Pathways BIOLOGY course, must be a GT-SC1 course with lab AND One GT Pathways course of the student’s choosing (GTSC1) |
| *Additional Required Courses (18 Credit Hours) | |
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title |
| 3 | PSY 101/1001 General Psychology I |
| 3 | PSY 102/1002 General Psychology II |
| 9 | Three GT Pathways Psychology courses (GT-SS3) |
| 3 | COM 115/1150 Public Speaking OR COM 125/1250 Interpersonal Communications |
| Electives: 6-8 credit hours | |
*Please note: if these credits are not required for the major at a receiving 4-year institution, they will be applied to the bachelor’s degree as elective credit toward graduation. Please check with the receiving institution to determine in which way these courses will be applied.
Otero College is a part of a Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreement between Colorado community colleges and universities. These agreements allow you to graduate from a community college with a 60-credit Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree with designation; enroll with junior status at a university; and complete your bachelor’s degree. If you attend full-time and follow the structured schedule, you can complete your bachelor’s degree in 4 years.
The following Colorado public four-year institutions will accept your completed Psychology AA degree from Otero College.
Adams State University
[B.A. Psychology; Developmental, Clinical, Sport Psychology, or
Psychology emphases]
Colorado Mesa University
[B.A. Psychology; Psychology or Counseling Psychology
concentrations]
Colorado State University-Pueblo
[B.A. Psychology]
Fort Lewis College
[B.A. Psychology]
Metropolitan State University of Denver
[B.A. Psychology]
University of Colorado Boulder
[B.A. Psychology]
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
[B.A. Psychology]
University of Colorado Denver
[B.A. Psychology]
University of Northern Colorado
[B.A. Psychology]
Western Colorado University
[B.A. Psychology]
Psychology - AS
If you are fascinated by the science of the human brain, a degree program in psychology will align with your interests. It will also provide you with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career path focused on understanding how the mind functions and how different neurological conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder, can affect individual behavior and group interactions. You will learn about child development, while also examining different learning theories and behavior principles.
An associate of science program in Psychology can be a first step toward a variety of professional roles in this field, including psychiatric technician, laboratory assistant, or rehabilitation case worker. In this program, you will primarily explore the neuroscience behind human behavior. This degree is transferable to universities offering a bachelor of science degree in psychology.
Students should work closely with their advisor and contact their transfer institution choices for more specific transfer information.
The first year of a Psychology program will include math and English courses to meet general education requirements. The completion of introductory math and English courses in your first year is proven to greatly increase your likelihood of crossing the stage, boosting your momentum along the academic pathway you select. Other general education courses on your pathway will cover topics in Arts and Humanities, History, Social and Behavior Sciences, and Natural and Physical Sciences.
Program-specific courses may begin as soon as your first semester. These courses will become more advanced as you move along your degree pathway. Through this sequence of courses, your knowledge of social psychology, cognitive development, and mental health will grow and deepen. Coursework will include General Psychology, General College Biology, and General College Chemistry. After completing a 60-credit associate degree, your degree pathway can continue with guaranteed transfer to a college that offers bachelor’s degrees.
| Required Courses that Fulfill General Education Requirements (38 Credit Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title | |
| (Written) Communication | 6 | ENG 121/1021 English Composition I and ENG 122/1022 English Composition II OR ENG 122/1022 English Composition II and a GT Pathways approved CO3 course |
| Mathematics | 4 | MAT 121/1340 College Algebra |
| Arts & Humanities |
3 | PHI 111/1011 Introduction to Philosophy OR PHI 112/1012 Ethics |
| 6 | Six (6) additional credits from at least two different categories of GT Pathways Arts
& Humanities courses (GT-AH1, GT- AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4) |
|
| History | 3 | One GT Pathways History course (GT-HI1) |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6 | Two GT Pathways Social & Behavioral Sciences courses (GT-SS1, GT-SS2, GT-SS3) |
| Natural & Physical Sciences |
5 | BIO 111/1111 General College Biology I w/Lab |
| 5 | CHE 111/1111 General College Chemistry I w/Lab | |
| *Additional Required Courses (9 Credit Hours) | |
|---|---|
| Credit Hours | Course Number and Title |
| 3 | PSY 101/1001 General Psychology I |
| 3 | PSY 102/1002 General Psychology II |
| 3 | COM 115/1150 Public Speaking OR COM 125/1250 Interpersonal Communications |
| **Electives: 13 credit hours | |
*Please note: if these credits are not required for the major at a receiving 4-year
institution, they will be applied to the bachelor’s degree as elective credit toward graduation. Please check with the receiving institution to determine in which
way these courses will be applied.
**Students planning to transfer to the University of Colorado Denver should complete
both two-semester sequences of BIO 111/1111 & 112/1112 and CHE 111/1111 & 112/1112 at the community college; in addition, electives are restricted
to non-Psychology courses.
Otero College is a part of a Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreement between Colorado community colleges and universities. These agreements allow you to graduate from a community college with a 60-credit Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree with designation; enroll with junior status at a university; and complete your bachelor’s degree. If you attend full-time and follow the structured schedule, you can complete your bachelor’s degree in 4 years.
The following Colorado public four-year institutions will accept your completed Psychology AS degree from Otero College.
Colorado State University-Ft Collins
[B.S. Psychology; General Psychology concentration]
Colorado State University-Pueblo
[B.S. Psychology]
University of Colorado Denver
[B.S. Psychology]