|
Undergraduate Course Catalog in Psychology
PSY-100 Orientation to Psychology
Students are acquainted with career options, departmental resources, requirements in the major, research style, professional practice, and ethical principles in psychology. They also are introduced to principles of scientific writing, methods of inquiry, and other conventions in the field. Students should complete this course in their freshman or sophomore year, immediately after they declare a psychology major. PSY-120 Introduction to Psychology
Introduction to the scientific study of human behavior. Topics include research methods in psychology; biological bases of behavior; sensation and perception; memory; human development; personality; social psychology, and psychological disorders. Historical background, major theoretical approaches, and research findings are highlighted in each area. PSY-205 The Psychology of Personal Adjustment
This course investigates how normal functional behavior develops and is sustained. Topics include intimacy and relationships, self-esteem, self-deception, motivation, altruism, tolerance of diversity, and pro-social behavior. The course is not merely a personal growth class but uses critical thinking skills and empirical research, as well as the student's personal experience, as tools for understanding healthy behavior. PSY-215 Social Psychology
Scientific study of how social situations influence the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals. Topics covered include attitude formation and change, conformity, aggression, pro-social behavior, interpersonal attraction, the formation and maintenance of relationships, group structure and dynamics, and social perception. PSY-220 Child and Adolescent Development
Survey of the major theoretical perspectives and research findings in the study of prenatal development, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Covers the description and explanation of cognitive, language, personality, social, emotional, and physical development during these age periods. This course also acquaints students with current controversies, research methods, and applied issues in developmental psychology. PSY-230 Brain and Behavior
Survey of the biological bases of behavior. Topics include structure of the nervous system; neural function; neurotransmitters; brain structures underlying behaviors such as sensation, sleep, memory, and language. PSY-240 Abnormal Psychology
Survey of the major forms of abnormal behavior. Topics include the symptoms and diagnostic criteria for various types of mental illness, theories about how different types of abnormal behavior develop and are maintained, and various therapeutic approaches used in treatment of mental disorders. Current research and empirical findings related to abnormal behavior are presented. PSY-250 Psychology of Personality
Survey of various theoretical conceptions of personality and the different types of data upon which they are based. Each approach is evaluated critically in light of its ability to explain scientifically both the uniqueness of individual patterns of behavior and the personality characteristics common to all humans. PSY-260 Cognitive Psychology
Survey of the major aspects of human cognition, including attention, perception, memory, language, reasoning, and problem-solving. Theories focus on mental processes and representations and are based on data from both normal and neuropsychological populations. PSY-310 Research Methods
Introduction to research methods in psychology, including experimental and correlational techniques. Topics include design of experiments; surveys; observational research; single-case studies; writing research reports; ethics in research. Emphasis on conceptual understanding of research issues and application of the principles of experimental design. PSY-320 Learning and Memory
Examination of data and theories of learning and memory in both animals and humans. Topics include classical and operant conditioning; spatial cognition; encoding and retrieval; memory for prose; memory systems; and amnesia. PSY-330 Psychology of Gender
Gender and gender-related behaviors are studied from social and psychological perspectives. Major topics include the creation and development of gendered identities, gender in close relationships, social and cultural influences on the formation and maintenance of gender identity, gender issues in mental health, the influence of gender on work and achievement, and gender issues in aging. PSY-350 Research Experience I
Students and instructor work together, mastering current knowledge on a cutting-edge topic in psychology. This course culminates in a creative effort to contribute to the focus area by conducting a jointly designed original research project and presenting the results in a public forum. PSY-351 Research Experience I Lab
This lab is required as part of PSY-350. Lab activities include running laboratory experiments, coding data, doing field work, and transcribing data, depending on the nature of the research project.
PSY-360 Adult Development and Aging
Introduces students interested in gerontology to individual and interpersonal aspects of development in adulthood and old age. Using an interdisciplinary orientation, this course covers topics involving biological, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social aspects of development during this period of the life course. PSY-370 Advanced Topics in Psychology
Rotates offerings of standard topics in psychology at an advanced undergraduate level. These topics include memory, cognition, learning, sensation and perception, tests and measurements, and clinical psychology. PSY-425 Theories and Techniques of Counseling
Survey of the major theories of counseling and psychotherapy, such as humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, and psychodynamic. The course reviews various perspectives on how problems develop, how theories guide interventions, and ethical issues. In addition, students begin to learn about how these ideas are applied in therapeutic relationships. For instance, students learn the fundamentals of therapeutic relationships, basic listening skills, and defining and focusing of therapeutic goals. PSY-455 Guided Research
This course allows students to pursue research activities under faculty direction. The course involves completing research activities (e.g., conducting literature reviews, project designing, data collection and analysis, composing results) as established through agreement with the instructor. PSY-460 Practicum in Psychology
The practicum involves the student being placed at a field site. There the student observes and assists in the provision of psychological services such as testing, teaching, counseling, and advising. Working under the supervision of a qualified professional, the student is given tasks that are within the scope of the student's abilities and training. The course exposes students to professional issues and problems in the delivery of psychological services. A classroom component also is involved. Research practica also are available through this course. PSY-470 Special Topics in Psychology
Study of a particular area of psychology not covered comprehensively in one of the other advanced courses. The topic for a given semester is announced prior to registration for the semester, having been selected in response to student needs and interests. Examples of special topics include psychology and the law, human sexuality, clinical psychology, industrial psychology, and child psychopathology. A student may receive credit more than once for PSY-470 if a different topic is covered each time.
| 
