Updated 2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog
Psychology Courses
PSY 1010 Stress and Coping (2 credits)
Focuses on the development of personal skills related to health and lifetime achievement. Topics include stress management, self-motivation, study skills, interpersonal relationships, and overcoming common anxieties. Liberal Education Goal Area 11.
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PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)
Introduction to the study of behavior, cognition, and emotion and general survey of psychological principles. Liberal Education Goal Area 5.
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PSY 2200 Human Sexuality (4 credits)
This course is a survey of issues and attitudes associated with human sexuality. Emphasis will be placed on the social, cultural, and individual differences in sexual and reproductive attitudes, values, and behavior. Students will be introduced to common sex-related issues and to the particular concerns of gender and sexual minorities. This course will also engage students in real world issues and provides opportunities to develop the expertise and practice the skills required to make informed choices about sexuality for themselves and their families. Liberal Education Goal Area 7.
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PSY 2217 Abnormal Psychology (4 credits)
Survey of the major forms of psychopathology in children, adolescents, and adults. Examines assessment, diagnosis, and current research into the causes and treatment of psychological disorders. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 2227 Learning and Cognition (4 credits)
An introduction to behavioral and cognitive theories of behavior change and associated applications in animal training, education, and applied psychology. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 2357 Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
Presentation and analysis of theoretical, technical, and applied aspects of psychology in work settings. Topics include: human resources activities (selection, training and evaluation of personnel), work motivation, job satisfaction, leadership, organizational structure, group/team communication, working conditions. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 2925 People of the Environment: Psychology Perspective (3 credits)
This class will provide an opportunity for students to reflect on concepts presented in the large class and apply them to their own lives. The emphasis will be on using social science approaches to design and implement effective, ethical, research-based programs that address environmental problems. Liberal Education Goal Area 10.
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PSY 3210 Death and Culture (3 credits)
Death is a universal human experience shaped by the attitudes of any given culture. Examines death and dying in various cultural contexts and the accompanying psychological research into death attitudes and processes. Liberal Education Goal Area 8.
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PSY 3237 Lifespan Development (4 credits)
A review of theories and research on the psychological, physical, and environmental factors influencing adjustment and development across the lifespan. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 3332 Counseling and Crisis Interventions (4 credits)
A practical, skills-based introduction to the development of interpersonal awareness, beginning counseling techniques, and crisis intervention techniques. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and PSY 2217.
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PSY 3337 Group Processes (3 credits)
The examination and practical application of principles and dynamics underlying group behavior from a psychological perspective. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and PSY 3401, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 3367 Social Psychology (3 credits)
Survey of contemporary research in interpersonal perception and attraction, aggression and altruism, group dynamics, conformity, compliance, and attitude formation and change. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 3387 Topics in Psychology (1-4 credits)
An in-depth study of topics of current interest in psychology. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 3388 Health Psychology (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of the major theoretical perspectives and constructs related to the field of health psychology. Students will review readings on theory, research, and practice in understanding and improving health behavior. Health, wellness, and illness are addressed from biological, psychological, social, and cultural viewpoints. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100.
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PSY 3401 Basic Statistics for Research (4 credits)
Measures of central tendency, variability, and shape; t-tests; correlation; linear regression; chi-square tests; and one-way analysis of variance. Emphasis is on the use of appropriate statistical procedures for research using SPSS statistical software. Prerequisite: Completion of Liberal Education mathematics requirement (Category 4).
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PSY 3402 Research Methods (4 credits)
Survey of research methods, concepts, issues, and strategies. Topics will include experimental and non-experimental methods; designing, conducting, and analyzing different types of studies; critiquing research; and writing research reports. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and PSY 3401.
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PSY 3437 Cognitive Psychology (3 credits)
Survey of models and research in cognition, including the topics of attention, memory, knowledge representation, language, problem solving, reasoning, and decision making. Prerequisite: PSY 1100.
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PSY 3490 Disability and Ableism (3 credits)
This course will examine disability and disability experiences from a combination of social psychological and disability studies disciplinary perspectives. The primary objective being to provide students an opportunity to think critically about disability from a variety of different perspectives and to develop self-reflexivity when it comes to their own feelings about disability and disabled people. This course encourages the consideration of disability as a social, historical, political, cultural, and environmental phenomenon and emphasizes the subjectivity of disabled people as a historically marginalized minority group. At the same time, this course is primarily grounded by social psychological theory and methodology will consider disability-related phenomena that fall under the auspices of social psychological theory and practice including: prejudice, stereotyping, stigma, attitudes, attributions, self and social identity, social representations, and collective action; will critically pull from the extant body of literature on the social psychology of disability. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100 or consent of instructor.
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PSY 3500 Psychology of Aging (4 credits)
This course examines adult development in the senior years from a biopsychosocial perspective. Aspects of normal and abnormal development are covered as well as the impact of aging on the individual and the family. Prerequisites: PSY 3237 or consent of instructor.
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PSY 3636 Positive Psychology (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the rapidly growing field of positive psychology. Positive Psychology encompasses the study of positive experiences, positive character traits, positive relationships, and the institutions (education, work, family, leadership) and practices that facilitate their development. This course reviews the history of positive psychology, empirical support for the field, measurement, and implications of deliberately attempting to increase happiness and well-being. Throughout the course students will engage in experiential learning and practical exercises to increase well-being, which will inform their theoretical and empirical understanding of important questions in positive psychology. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100.
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PSY 4242 Psychology of Women and Gender (3 credits)
This course is designed to explore the psychology of women and gender using from a feminist social psychological perspective. Students will use intersectional theory to investigate how women's experiences differ based on other privileged and/or marginalized identities (like race, class, sexual identity, and disability). Topics in the course will include the ways gender is constructed and socialized; the female-deficit model perspective in psychological research; mental and physical health issues unique to gender minorities; and, how sexism and misogyny shapes the lived experiences of cisgender women, transgender women, and non-binary people. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100, PSY 2200, PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4328 Behavioral and Cognitive Intervention (4 credits)
Behavioral theory and the method of applied behavior analysis are explored. Therapeutic application of behavioral and cognitive/behavioral principles to human problems in various settings is practiced. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and PSY 2227.
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PSY 4347 Psychological Measurement (3 credits)
This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of psychometric theory and methods of psychological test construction, and to effect familiarity with established measures of personality, interests, intelligence, and academic achievement. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and PSY 3401.
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PSY 4403 Advanced Statistics and Research Design (4 credits)
Advanced statistics, focusing on factorial analysis of variance and multiple regression using SPSS, as well as associated research designs. Emphasis on logic, applications, and communication. Prerequisites: PSY 3401 and PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4408 Human Services Program Management (3 credits)
Theories and techniques of managing human service agencies including planning, administration, evaluation and grant writing. Prerequisites: PSY 1100, PSY 3401, PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4447 Research Laboratory (1-4 credits)
Supervised, original research in selected areas. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: PSY 1100, PSY 3401, and PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4450 Behavioral Neuroscience (4 credits)
A neurological study of behavior focusing on the neurons, neurotransmitters, neuronal circuits, and basic biology of the nervous system. The beginning of the course will focus on building an understanding of the structure and function of nerve cells, and neuro and hormonal chemical transmission within the nervous system. The rest of the course will focus on how these biological processes lead to normal and pathological behavior. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100.
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PSY 4459 Sensation and Perception (4 credits)
An in-depth introduction, including the topics of the nervous system, electrochemical and neurochemical bases of behavior, vision, audition, somatic and chemical senses, movement, emotion, and cognition. Prerequisites: PSY 1100, PSY 3401, and PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4467 Personality Theories (3 credits)
Introduction to major theories of personality and related research. Prerequisites: PSY 1100, PSY 2217, PSY 3401, and PSY 3402, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4487 History and Systems of Psychology (3 credits)
Contemporary issues and theories in psychology and their historical developments. Prerequisite: Senior standing in the major.
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PSY 4490 Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination (3 credits)
This course considers the social psychological phenomena associated with social oppression. Social oppression refers to a relationship between two social categories in which one benefits from the abuse and exploitation of the other. Starting with racism as a foundation, we address historical and structural factors that constitute racism and move to connect to other intersecting identity experiences throughout the course. This course primarily uses social psychological perspectives and research methods to identify specific intergroup phenomena under consideration are stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination (SPD). Within SPD phenomena, we consider the causes, consequences, and factors for increasing/decreasing the expression of each SPD phenomena; we focus on both perpetrators' and targets' experiences within SPD phenomena; and we pay special attention to the psychology of privilege as a critical factor in the perpetuation of SPD phenomena. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1100, PSY 3367, or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4587 Advanced Topics in Psychology (2-4 credits)
In-depth study of topics of current interest in psychology. Prerequisites: PSY 3401 and senior standing in the major.
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PSY 4588 Multicultural Psychology (4 credits)
The purpose of this course is to examine cultural processes as a defining characteristic of what it is to be human, and as a central, or proximal variable in psychology. This course is intended to provide students with a better appreciation of the myriad of ways in which culture determines psyche and behavior, and to enhance their awareness of the countless variations in human behavior across cultures. In this course, we will examine the goals and nature of multicultural and cross-cultural psychology. In this course, we will consider current theories and research on culture, race, and ethnicity. Topics covered in the class range from culturally relevant styles of communication, values from different cultures, racial identity, power and privilege, and issues around health. This course will help prepare students to grapple with issues of multiculturalism in the modern diverse society. Prerequisite(s): PSY 3401 and senior standing in the major or consent of instructor.
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PSY 4870 Pre-Internship Seminar (1 credits)
Selection of internship site and preparation for the internship experience. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing in the psychology major.
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PSY 4917 DIS Tchg Assoc | (1-2 credits)
Directed Independent Study | Teaching Associate
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PSY 4970 Psychology Senior Internship (6-12 credits)
Supervised community and campus internships in human service and research settings. Two hundred hours of internship work experience are required for 6 credits, four hundred hours for 12 credits. Prerequisites: PSY 4870, senior status, and completion of core courses for the psychology major and any elective courses related to the internship.
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