Psychology

This course is an introduction to the general field of psychology, including learning, motivation, sensation, perception, cognition, personality, abnormal behavior, testing, physiological psychology, and social psychology.

This course provides exposure to experimentation and data analysis in the field of psychology. (This course must be taken for a letter grade.) Open only to transfer students who have completed an introductory psychology course not including a laboratory component.

This course is an introduction to the general field of psychology, including brain and sensory development, learning, cognitive processes, human development, personality, communication and human interaction, abnormality and theories of psychotherapy, testing, research methodology, and statistics. The course includes practical applications of psychological theories.

This course is an examination of various topics in the area of death and dying, including attitudes towards death, stages of dying, grief and mourning, children and death, funeral practices, the hospice movement, euthanasia, suicide, and immortality. The emphasis is on learning to live a deeper, more meaningful life through exploring the importance of death. An additional course fee is required.

Under the supervision of departmental faculty, students complete service to others on campus through the application of psychological principles from the fields of learning, motivation, communication, persuasion, and developmental. Students can enrolled in two sections of the course during a semester and earn up to a total of four credits. Permission of the instructor is required for enrolling in the course.

Social Work Advanced Track Requirement

This course is an introduction to basic statistical techniques used in psychological research. This course covers descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics through one-way ANOVA. Attention is given to ethical issues involved in statistical interpretation of data.

A continuation of PSYC 205, this course covers advanced ANOVA models, nonparametric statistical techniques, and data analysis using SPSS.

This course is a critical survey of empirical and theoretical treatments of the female experience. The intellectual, motivational, biological, and cultural factors which influence women throughout the life cycle are discussed.

This course has two main aims: to help students learn systematically to analyze behavior in terms of reinforcement principles and to help students develop skills in the application of these principles to the modification of behavior in practical situations. Behavior modification is examined in the areas of behavior disorder, child-rearing, the work situation, and habit change.

This course provides students with a basic understanding of theories, research, and concepts related to several physiological psychology topics that can be applied to their lives. The understanding of health psychology informs students about many of the biological and psychological processes experienced throughout their lives.

This course covers major theories of personality and principles of personal adjustment and growth, including the following: development; motivation; dynamics; problems in group living; and intellectual, emotional, and social adjustment. The course should be valuable to the potential doctor, nurse, social worker, child-care worker, teacher, or parent.

Aspects of social behavior are examined in the context of theory and experimental research. Topics include social factors in development, cooperation and competition, aggression, issues of gender and race, motivation, attitudes and attitude change, social influence, and interpersonal and group processes.

This course is a study of human development from conception through old age. Topics include the influence of genetics, socialization, cognitive growth, and physiological changes on all stages of life. Students learn about current literature and applications in the field.

This course is a study of gerontology. Topics include the biological, cognitive, and psychosocial influences on aging. The interactions of the again individual, younger generations, and society is examined. Students learn about current literature and social policy.

In this cross-listed, interdisciplinary course, religious studies and psychological lenses are employed to examine issues of social justice, including factors which either promote or interfere with the creation of communities that value inclusion, diversity, and peace. Aiming to foster a concern for social justice, the course provides theoretical and practical tools to challenge injustice, including opportunities to think and work alongside local advocacy organizations. (This course may be taken for credit as RELS 241.)

In this cross-listed, interdisciplinary course, religious studies and psychological lenses are employed to examine issues of social justice, including factors which either promote or interfere with the creation of communities that value inclusion, diversity, and peace. Aiming to foster a concern for social justice, the course provides theoretical and practical tools to challenge injustice, including opportunities to think and work alongside local advocacy organizations. (This course may be taken for credit as RELS 241.)

This course emphasizes discussions and writings about small sports groups as micro-social systems. The application of group dynamics theory and small group research to the study of sports groups is presented. The influence of group members’ characteristics, environmental factors, interpersonal relations, and group structural characteristics on an individual member’s adjustment and the effectiveness of the group are investigated. The course is intended to investigate those aspects of psychology which influence performance and the participant in sports. Motives, arousal, aggression, and other socio-psychological variables are discussed. (This course may be taken for credit as PHED 243.)

This course is an examination of historical and contemporary factors which differentiate the experiences of African, Asian, Latino, and Native Americans from the experiences of other Americans. Students examine mainstream psychological treatment of these ethnic minority experiences and pose alternative approaches.

This course is a study of specific aspects oforganization culture, such as motivation, conflict, power, and leadership. F ocus is on improving the effectiveness of organizations by strengthening human processes. (This course may be taken for credit as ECON/BUSI 287.)

This course is an overview of test and survey construction, intended to help students conducting original research to design their own psychological measurement instruments. Topics to be discussed include bias in testing and survey wording, assessment of reliability and validity, and various item formats used in psychological testing. Students will construct and test their own psychological instrument.

This course is an examination of various types of research design and important issues in design and statistical analysis. Students propose research projects as an application of principles covered in the course.

This course covers advanced topics in statistics such as forms of covariate analysis, regression modeling, and estimating effect sizes using SPSS. Additional emphasis is on the best ways to present inferential statistical analyses in presentations and publications. The course includes a service learning component.

This course prepares students to write a major research paper, adhering to APA guidelines. Students will learn to use appropriate references by writing an annotated bibliography. Using this as a starting point, students will then write an APA style research paper, including (at a minimum) an introductory literature review, a method section detailing the proposed design and procedures for gathering empirical data, and a reference list.

This course gives students experience, at the intermediate level, with the research process in psychology. Students will engage in experimental work in the areas of perception, cognition, and social processes. Some familiarity with computers is desirable.

This course is similar in objective to PSYC 311, but covers the areas of learning and motivation. PSYC 312 may be taken before PSYC 311.

This course is an exploration of the biological basis of behavior through experimental work. Focus is on the nervous and endocrine systems and on their respective roles in the production of normal and abnormal behaviors. This course includes a laboratory component.

This course explores the development, dynamics, social significance, and theoretical implications and treatment of deviant behavior. The concepts of normality and abnormality in relation to cultural norms and stereotypes are examined. The course should prove particularly useful to students planning a career in the helping professions.

This course explores various theoretical perspectives of relationships with a primary focus on romantic relationships. Additionally, research on romantic partnerships will be explored. This course involves a number of primary source readings and is intended for advanced students.

This course is a study of the interpersonal characteristics and personality traits that are essential for successful counselors and psychotherapists. Communication skills are emphasized and practiced throughout the course. This course would be important for anyone who will be working in the helping professions, but would also be useful for anyone who is interested in improving interpersonal communication skills. Enrollment is limited to 12 students.

This course provides students with a basic knowledge of the varied theories and techniques used in professional psychotherapy and counseling. Both academic and experiential learning are included. This course should be particularly useful to students interested in careers in one of the helping professions. Enrollment is limited to 12 students.

This course reviews the applications of empirically-supported psychological theories to the criminal justice system. Theories in perception, personality, memory, problem-solving, and psycho-physiology are extended to explain validity of eyewitness testimony, lie detection devices, jury selection, jury decision-making, problems in interrogations, criminal profiling, and criminal trials of the mentally ill. Students discuss these areas while upholding the ethical principles of objectivity. We recommend this course for students interested in a criminal justice.

This seminar prepares students for graduate school and employment opportunities after graduation as well as preparing for the senior year. Topics include preparing for aptitude tests, researching graduate schools, and beginning the application process. Students also gain more experience with reading research articles and begin preparation for the senior project.

This course is an examination of the systematic positions and theories that have been important in the history of psychology. Major figures holding each position are also discussed.

Special Topics courses provide students with the opportunity for in-depth study of new areas of research within psychology. Each course focuses on a different theme or topic. Courses may include psychology and social issues, psychology and public health, psychology and spirituality, positive psychology, and the psychology of addiction. The specific topic and any additional prerequisites are listed in each semester’s schedule. May be repeated for credit when the content varies.

Internships provide students with off-campus exposure to the life and work of professional psychologists. All internships must have the approval of the Psychology Department faculty and are supervised and evaluated by the departmental internship coordinator and by a psychologist in the field. A journal and a written summary of the student’s experiences and their relationship to pertinent theories and practices of psychology is required.

This course is an introduction to professional opportunities in psychology and related fields and an exploration of value and ethical consideration. Continued guidance on senior project and senior comprehensive examinations also is provided during this course.

This course is a study of materials and methods used in teaching psychology at the secondary school level. The course focuses on contemporary theories and practices and examines the nature, objectives, and curricula of psychology Teaching aids, resource units, lesson plans, evaluation, and teaching reading and study skills are considered. (This course may be taken for credit as EDUC 480.)

This course is an administrative placeholder used to record a student’s score on Comprehensive Exams (CR/NCR).