The Child Development and Psychology minor applications are frozen for the 26-27 academic year (for Gerontology minor, see below). This was a very difficult decision for the faculty to make, but ultimately one that is necessary due to capacity limits and a commitment to ensuring our majors have a viable pathway to on-time graduation.  Psychology and child development courses are highly impacted, therefore we have to maintain cohort sizes of psychology and child development majors at a level where we can provide the necessary resources. We just do not have capacity for minors with our current staffing levels.

Please see below if you will have already completed all minor requirements by December 2026. We will not take applications from students who have not completed all the required minor classes by December 2026. If you have not completed the minor by December 2026, we recommend that you read the advice below and check back in Fall 2027.   

If you already applied for one of our minors and can see the minor on your DPR, that means you already have a minor in progress and do not need to worry about the freeze on new applications.

 

Instead of a Psychology Minor...

The faculty in PSYCD highly recommend that students shift to thinking of interdisciplinary, self-designed, informal minors! 

• For most psychology graduate programs and employers, the specific coursework you completed is more informative than a minor label on a transcript. Minor requirements vary from campus to campus and we encourage students to curate the set of classes that are the best match for their learning and career goals.
• Highlighting the knowledge and skills you've gained in PSY courses and relevant experiences will be more effective than simply having a minor listed on your official documents. We are reaching out to career services to develop a guidance document for students who could not take a psych minor and will post it here.
• For students who would like to add a minor to their academic record, we urge you to explore the wealth of other minor offerings at Cal Poly. See a complete list here.

General Info

Please select the minor form link below that matches your catalog year. Catalog year is found on both Degree Progress and Poly Profile. Scroll down to bottom of page for information on the Psychology minor.

Semester Conversion

You will need to choose one catalog and so you can only add a 26-28 Psychology minor if you're changing to the 26-28 catalog for your major as well. You can view the course requirements here, and the course equivalency sheet here. 

In Fall of 2026, when the 26-28 catalog change form becomes available, students can elect to change to the 26-28 catalog which will apply to both the major and any minors (students cannot use a quarters catalog like 22-26 for a major and a semesters catalog like 26-28 for a minor, nor vice versa).

If you have already completed all the classes necessary for a CD or PSY minor according to the 22-26 catalog and are planning to stay on that catalog, you can use the 22-26 minor form to apply.

If you are a minor as of Fall 2026 and switch to the 26-28 catalog, you will still be listed as a minor when you change catalogs but the requirements will be slightly different. Please review the minor requirements on the new catalog in order to decide whether to switch catalogs: https://catalog.calpoly.edu/liberal-arts/psychology-child-development/#academicprogramstext 

https://cla.calpoly.edu/minor-semester-conversion-guides

 

Minor in Child Development - Suspended until possible reopening in Fall 2027

***Unless you have already completed all the required minor courses by December 2026, you will need to wait until Fall 2027 for information on applying for a CD minor.***

Students who have already completed all of the child development minor requirements  by December 2026 can fill out a form: please watch this spot for the updated form (we will post it here when it becomes available to us).

Our Child Development minor can complement many majors, help students reach career goals, and promote personal and intellectual growth. Many employers such as social service agencies, schools or professional graduate programs such as social work, law, nursing, and medical school view a Child Development minor as an asset. They seek applicants with knowledge and skills relevant to human service, understanding cultural differences, and experience in designing educational and technological systems based on the science of human growth and development.

Child Development Minor Requirements:

• Complete at least one quarter at Cal Poly
• CPSLO GPA of 3.0 at time of applying for the minor
• If you entered Cal Poly as a first-time freshman, you must apply for the minor no later than the end of Fall quarter in the third year. 
• If you entered Cal Poly as a transfer student, you must apply for the minor no later than the end of Fall quarter in the second year.

You can also find a description of the Child Development Minor in the Cal Poly Course Catalog.

Course Equivalency Sheet for CD Minor on the 26-28 catalog

Please also read the CD Minor FAQ's linked here: CD Minor FAQ. 

If you have questions, contact the department office at psycd@calpoly.edu.  

 

Minor in Gerontology - OPEN

Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological, and biological aspects of aging. Expertise in gerontology is valued as the number of older adults in our communities is growing. The minor prepares students to work with older adults. Those currently working in the field of gerontology may upgrade their skills and enhance their careers by receiving the gerontology minor and certificate.

You can also find a description of the Gerontology Minor in the Cal Poly Course Catalog.

The advisor for the Gerontology Minor is Dr. Carrie Langner. You can find her contact information on our Faculty page.

Note that the KINE 408 class has several prerequisites that GERO minors do not need.  To enroll in this class, contact the professor for a permission code that overrides prerequisites.

The prerequisites for FSN courses are required.

Use the appropriate link below to begin the Gerontology Minor process:

Gerontology 17-19 Minor Form

Gerontology 19-21 Minor Form

Gerontology 21-26 Minor Form

Gerontology 26-28 Minor

 

Suspension of Psychology Minor Applications 

***Unless you have already completed all of the required psychology minor courses by the end of Fall 2026/December 2026, you will need to wait to see IF we are accepting psychology minor applications in Fall 2027 which is unlikely***

Students who have already completed all of the psychology minor requirements  by December 2026 can fill out a form: please watch this spot for the updated form (we will post it here when it becomes available to us). Students who already applied and see the minor on their DPR are in progress and do not need to worry about the suspension on applications.

• Due to the highly impacted nature of psychology courses and child development, and the admission of several large cohorts of psychology and child development majors, we do not have capacity for minors at the moment.   
• We understand that the suspension of the psychology minor program may be disappointing and we urge students with concerns to talk with their faculty advisors. Office Hours and Advising Opportunities
  • Please note that having a minor on your transcript is very unlikely to influence your career trajectory; rather, we can support you in highlighting the knowledge and skills you've gained in PSY courses and relevant experiences in a way that's far stronger than simply having a minor listed on your official documents. We are reaching out to career services to develop a guidance document for students who could not take a psych minor and will post it here.
  • For students who would like to add a minor to their academic record, we urge you to explore the wealth of other minor offerings at Cal Poly. See a complete list here.
• Psychology classes remain open to all students with the necessary prerequisites who can register - we invite you to take the courses that interest you even though you are not taking them "for" a minor. 
• Students who have already declared a PSY minor can proceed with their minor, but keep in mind that minors do not have priority enrollment in courses and there is no guarantee that you will be able to complete the minor. 
• If you have already declared a minor in any field of study, but no longer plan to complete it, please fill out the "Drop Minor Request" form.