Psychology

An overview of the scientific study of behavior, and its causes, prediction, and control.

Examination of a selected area of psychological research or applied psychology.

This course seeks to help students develop an understanding and valuing of diversity, based on the principles of awareness, knowledge and skills as they relate to the areas of worldview, identity, and acculturation. Student will be able to articulate differences among cultural communities, whether of ethnicity, race, religion, gender or socioeconomic status, is critical to understanding attitudes, beliefs, and behavior.

Survey of theory and research on the meaning of gender and its impact on women’s development.

A holistic approach to the study of individuals interacting with other individuals and groups within social, psychological, and cultural environments.

An introduction to descriptive and inferential techniques for analyzing research data. Topics covered include central tendency, variability, distributions, Z-scores, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and nonparametric tests of significance.

Study of research methods in the behavioral sciences. Students are introduced to basic design and practical procedures in carrying out research, as well as ethical considerations in gathering data.

Examination of a selected area of psychological research or applied psychology.

Study of the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of the individual from birth through adulthood. (Same as EDU 290)

Examination of the development processes from conception through adolescence. Topics include physical, cognitive, social, and personality development from the perspective of the major theories of the field. In addition, students will focus on cultural and educational issues that arise from the study of the development of children and adolescents.

A biopsychological analysis of sensory systems and the organization of sensory input into perception. This course covers the five primary sensory / perceptual systems: vision, audition, body sensation, olfaction, and gustation. It is strongly encouraged that students have completed a lab science before attempting this course.

Examination of the underlying brain mechanisms responsible for behavior. Topics include research methods used to study the brain, functional organization of the nervous system, properties of neurons, sensory and motor systems, and neural mechanisms related to memory, language, emotion, and intelligence.

Study of the evolution of modern psychology from its origins in philosophy and natural science to contemporary thought in psychology.

Examination of the definition and etiology of major types of psychological disorders from the perspective of several psychological theories. Attention is given to their diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and related ethical concerns.

Study of contemporary theory, research, and assessment in personality.

Examination of the major theories of learning and cognition and identification of a variety of research tools useful in understanding thinking, learning, and teaching.

Continuation of the statistical concepts acquired in PSY 235 and experimental methods acquired in PSY 240. Students will learn the advanced tools needed to engage in and evaluate research specific to the social sciences. Specifically, they will design and collect data using a variety of research methods and analyze data employing advanced statistical analysis.

This course focuses on planning for a future with an undergraduate degree in psychology and encourages students to research personal career development and the contemporary workforce. Students will be exposed to information designed to assist in the clarification, selection, and pursuit of a career in psychology or a related field.

The intent of this course is to introduce the basic concepts and findings of cognitive psychology, including, but not limited to, the topics of perception, attention, motor control, learning, memory, language, categorization, imagery, judgment and decision-making, and problem-solving. Cognition will be discussed from the perspectives of information processing and cognitive neuroscience.

Examination of human sexuality from psychological, biological, behavioral, social, and historical perspectives.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the phylogenetic origins of human nature, specifically addressing the presence and nature of evolved psychological mechanisms that solve challenges relevant to survival and reproduction in ancestral environments. Topics covered will include competition, cooperation, natural and sexual selection, inclusive fitness, status, intersexual conflict, kinship, mating strategies, disease and predator avoidance, food acquisition and selection, and more. Throughout coverage of these topics, the role of theoretical perspectives and experimental evidence will be particularly emphasized.

Examination of a selected area of psychological research or applied psychology.

Study of varying topics in psychology. Includes a 2-week Nichols trip. Prerequisites will vary.

A study of the nature and theory of individual and group tests of intelligence, personality, interests and attitudes.

A capstone course for psychology majors. Students will gain field experience through direct, supervised contact with professionals in psychology and related fields. In addition to on-site responsibilities, students will write a comprehensive paper integrating the field experience and psychological theory and formally present the paper in an open forum. Prerequisites/corequisites: PSY 235, 240, 332, 340, and permission of instructor.

Study of selected topics in psychology.

A seminar-based capstone course for psychology majors. Students will design and conduct individual research projects that may be suitable for submission to journals or presentations at conferences. Students are guided through the research process on a topic of their choice, designing a study, gathering and analyzing data, and writing the results in an APA-formatted research report. Prerequisites/corequisites: PSY 235, PSY 240, PSY 340, and permission of instructor.

A continuation of PSY 485. Students can continue to work on research they began in PSY 485.

This course will provide graduating seniors the opportunity to provide valuable feedback about their experiences in the psychology program. This course does not meet throughout the semester, and instead only requires students to – before finals week – take a senior exit survey online which will assess knowledge of concepts, theories, and principles of psychology, relevant to the primary disciplines within psychology (such as social psychology, biological psychology, developmental psychology, and abnormal psychology) as well as research methods and statistics. Also, the senior exit survey will provide students with the opportunity to provide feedback regarding their own learning, engagement, challenges, and successes during their time in the program. This survey provides the faculty in the psychology program with invaluable data as to the strengths and areas for development and growth within the psychology program and curriculum. Must be taken pass/fail.