Psychology Undergraduate Course Descriptions

PSYC:100 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY (OSS 015) 3 credits
Introduction to scientific study of behavior, survey of physiological basis of behavior, sensation and perception, development, learning and cognition, personality, social interaction and other selected topics.

PSYC:105 PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY 1 credit
Corequisite: 100. An overview of the field of psychology including educational requirements, career opportunities and professional issues for students considering a psychology major.

PSYC:110 QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisite or corequisite: 100. Presentation of data, descriptive statistics, correlation, hypothesis testing and introduction to statistical methodologies in psychology, including computer applications.

PSYC:220 INTRODUCTION TO EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 110. Lectures and laboratory experience in the scientific bases of psychology such as experimental design, methods and apparatus, collection and analysis of data and interpretation of results.

PSYC:230 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (OSS 048) 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Determinants and nature of behavioral change from conception to death.

PSYC:250 PSYCHOLOG OF DIVERSITY (4 Credits)
Prerequisite: 100. Psychology of Diversity encompasses macro-level issues and micro-level experiences. To live effectively in the emerging global community, one must be able to understand the diversity among human beings and relate effectively to non-majority group members. Issues of diversity are not only individual and personal, but also collective and social.
Gen Ed: Domestic Diversity

PSYC:320 BIOPSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Relationship between behavior and its biological/physiological foundations including brain structure and function, sensation, behavior genetics, learning and memory, and other topics.

PSYC:330 EMOTION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 230. We read and discuss primary writings on theoretical and empirical research in emotional development in adulthood. Topics include emotion perception and emotion regulation. 

PSYC:335 DYNAMICS OF PERSONALITY (OSS 018) 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. An overview of theory and research involving the development, maintenance and assessment of personality and individual differences.

PSYC:340 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (OSS 016) 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. The examination of an individual’s response to social environment and social interaction processes. Social perception, attitude formation and change, affiliation and attraction, altruism, group processes and nonverbal behavior.

PSYC:345 COGNITIVE PROCESSES 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Survey of the basic phenomena, concepts and theories in the areas of human perception, learning, memory and cognition.

PSYC:380 INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Survey of the applications of psychology to the workplace including an emphasis on organizational (e.g., motivation) and personnel issues (e.g., selection).

PSYC:400 PERSONALITY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 335. Consideration of current conceptualizations of the normal personality with emphasis on methods of measurement, experimental findings and research techniques.

PSYC:405 SENSATION & PERCEPTION 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Reviews the basic psychological and neural components of sensation and perception involving visual, auditory, cutaneous, and chemical sensory systems.

PSYC:410 PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100, 110. Consideration of the nature, construction and use of tests and measurements in industry, government and education. Includes aptitude and achievement tests, rating scales, attitude and opinion analysis.

PSYC:415 COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. A review of neuroimaging studies addressing contemporary themes in human behavior, including consciousness, learning and memory, neuropathology, and emotion.

PSYC:420 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (OSS 017) 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100. Survey of syndromes, etiology, diagnoses and treatments of major psychological conditions ranging from transient maladjustments to psychoses.

PSYC:424 MYTHS OF SEXUALITY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 45 credit hours, PSYC 100, and PSYC 250. The Myths of Sexuality is a brief introduction into the psychology of human sexuality, as well as a more critical exploration of the contemporary issues in sexuality today, including but not limited to gender identity, queer studies, and the psychology behind the sex industry. 

PSYC:425 PSYCHOLOGY OF HATE 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. The primary objective of this course is to understand the psychology behind hate. Topics include racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious intolerance, classism and ageism.

PSYC:430 PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF CHILDREN 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 230. Survey of syndromes, etiologies and treatments of behavioral disorders in children from the standpoint of developmental psychology. Behavioral data and treatment approaches emphasized.

PSYC:435 CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100. Influence of culture and ethnicity upon development of individual psychological processes including functioning, identity, social motives, sex roles and values.

PSYC:440 PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LAW 4 credits
Prerequisites: 380 or MGMT:301. The implications of equal employment law on the practice of personnel psychology.

PSYC:441 CLINICAL AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 335. Overview of the fields of clinical and counseling psychology with a major focus on psychotherapeutic approaches, including cultural considerations, legal/ethical issues and outcome research.

PSYC:442 CLINICAL AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisite: 441. Overview of individual counseling and psychotherapy, group counseling, personality and ability testing, marriage and family counseling, hypnosis, sex therapy, psychopharmacology and related specialties. Specific topics in clinical and counseling practice including professional trends, ethics, various therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, and specialty areas.

PSYC:443 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 380. The application of psychological theory to the effective management of human resources in an organization, including recruitment, selection, training and retention of personnel.

PSYC:444 ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 380. The application of psychological theory to macro-level processes in organizations including leadership, motivation, task performance, organizational theories and development.

PSYC:445 PSYCHOLOGY OF SMALL GROUP BEHAVIOR 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Intensive investigation of factors affecting behavior and performance in small groups including effects of personality, social structures, task, situational and social cognitive variables.

PSYC:450 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 4 credits
Prerequisite: 100 and 345. Theory and research on life-span changes in cognitive processes including concept formation/categorization, information processing and Piagetian assessment tasks.

PSYC:460 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY 3 credits
Prerequisite: 100. Psychology in pre-scientific period and details of developmental or systematic viewpoints in 19th and 20th centuries.

PSYC:474 PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN 4 credits
Prerequisites: PSYC:100 or WMST:300. Reviews theory and research in the psychology of women and gender and encourages students to use these in their everyday lives.

PSYC:475 PSYCHOLOGY OF ADULTHOOD AND AGING (OSS 047) 4 credits
Prerequisites: 100 and 230. Psychological aspects of human development from adolescence to older adulthood including age-related changes in socialization, personality, intelligence, sensation, perception, learning, memory and clinical applications.

PSYC:480 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY 1-4 credits
(May be repeated to a maximum of 8 credits) Prerequisite: 100 and 64 credits completed. Comprehensive survey of contemporary status of specialized topics and issues in psychology. Emphasis on original source materials, critical analysis and synthesis of empirical and theoretical aspects.

PSYC:488 HONORS PROJECT IN PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisites: Psychology major and departmental permission, and 100 and 105 and 110 and 220, and 320 or 335 or 340 or 345. Selection of research topic, review of relevant literature, research design, and proposal.

PSYC:489 HONORS PROJECT IN PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Prerequisites: Psychology major and departmental permission, and 100 and 105 and 110 and 220, and 320 or 335 or 340 or 345. Data collection, analysis, and preparation of the final research report in journal style.

PSYC:495 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY 1-4 credits
(May be repeated to a maximum of 6 credits). Prerequisites: 100, 105 and 110 and eight additional credits in psychology. On-site supervised individual placements in appropriate settings. The academic component of the experience will be under the supervision of a selected faculty member.

PSYC:497 INDEPENDENT READING, AND/OR RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY 1-3 credits
(May be repeated to a maximum of 6 credits). Prerequisites: 100 and 105 and 110 and 220 and four additional credits in psychology. Independent reading and/or research in an area of psychology under the supervision and evaluation of a selected faculty member.