32 courses with the subject PSY, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PSY 101Introductory Psychology3
An introduction to the various sub-areas that comprise psychology including the development of psychology as a science, learning and memory, biological foundations of behavior, sensation and perception, human development, social psychology, and psychological disorders. Emphasis placed on critical thinking and understanding the scientific methods used in the discipline. Fall, Spring.
This course will introduce students to the processes involved with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychologically based distress and dysfunction. Both historical and present views regarding mental health will be addressed and discussed. There will be a focus on understanding how science, theory, and cultural considerations impact the practice of clinical psychology. A critical lens will also be used to explore current controversial topics within the field.
A study of theories and principles of human development across the life span. Includes introduction to research methods and emphasis on understanding underlying mechanisms for developmental change. Covers the major areas of development, but most especially those of perception, cognition, social awareness, and personality. Fall, Spring.
This course provides an understanding of the major developmental theories associated with childhood through adolescence via application of the biopsychosocial method. The primary areas of exploration include physical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and emotional systems through examination of the contextual approaches involved in understanding these systems.
Describes the changes in behavior and mental processes that accompany aging. Included are biological, sociocultural, personality and developmental theories of the aging process as well as factors that contribute to individual differences in how people respond to aging. Emphasis is placed on reviewing recent research on aging and applying that research to the issue of how to make the aging process a positive experience. Spring.
This course introduces students to experimental design and the scientific method within the context of the science of psychology. Scales of measurement, validity, and reliability will be discussed with regard to choosing types of research designs (e.g., between-subjects., nonexperimental, etc.). Focus is primarily on quantitative designs and methods for studying human performance and behavior. The importance of ethical guidelines, the IRB process, peer-review, and avoiding bias will be explored. Fall.
This course builds upon knowledge from PSY 270 (Experimental Psychology), while introducing students to the basics of statistics and quantitative analysis within the context of the science of psychology. Topics include sampling methods, probability, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, basic regression, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square. Focus is placed on being able to apply knowledge from this course in two ways: 1. being able to choose which statistical procedures are appropriate for answering a specific type of research question, and 2. being able to run basic statistical software (e.g., SAS/JMP). Spring.
An overview of past and current views on the factors that contribute to the presence of abnormal behavior. Introduces the following: biological, cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural factors that influence behavior; patterns of behavior associated with different psychological disorders; current multiaxial systems of clinical diagnosis; research and methodological concerns associated with different approaches to treatment. Fall.
A study of the psychological development of the child and adolescent as influenced by heredity and the environment – the context of multiplicative interaction in which all human development occurs. Although importance is placed on the contemporary contextualist view of psychological development, classic perspectives are analyzed. The interrelatedness of theory, research, and applications is emphasized. Current social issues related to child and adolescent psychological health and welfare are addressed. Fall, Spring.
This course provides an opportunity for the in-depth study of research findings related to the different areas of sport psychology. Primary focus is on the application of these findings to various sport settings. Topics include research methods in sport psychology, sport socialization, motivation and performance, intervention and performance enhancement, self-efficacy and attribution, anxiety and skill performance, racial and gender discrimination in sport, violence in sport, the psychology of sport fans and spectators, and the psychology of coaching. Spring, odd years.
This course provides an introduction to professional counseling. It provides a broad overview of counseling’s historical and theoretical foundations, and includes introductory information about professional counseling organizations, standards, and ethics; the basic core body of knowledge; professional credentialing; and essential interviewing and counseling skills. This course stresses self- growth, awareness, and observational skills as related to becoming an agent of individual, group, family, and systems change. Spring.
Examines the major theories of personality, including the psychodynamic, humanistic, trait, and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Includes the significant research and methodological concerns associated with each personality theory and how the theories and research on personality are applied to understanding human behavior. Fall.
This course explores foundational concepts, theories, and research (both basic and applied) in cognitive psychology. Course content will examine the role of basic cognitive processes like perception, attention, memory, and language, as well as more complicated processes like reading, problem solving, judgement and decision making, and creativity. The material will be put in the context of both historical and contemporary views, and the relationship between cognitive psychology and related fields like artificial intelligence and neuroscience will be discussed. As the Gateway course for the major, gaining a working knowledge of APA format and writing for the discipline will be included. Fall.
Introduction to psychological and educational testing and assessment. Topics include the foundations of psychological measurement, test design and construction, test standardization and administration, applications of testing in various settings, criticisms and issues in testing. Emphasis placed on testing reliability, validity, and item analysis.
Understanding motivation is fundamental to understanding human behavior including emotion, which is in turn largely a function of a person’s motivational situation. The purpose of this course is to help you learn ways of thinking usefully and critically (i.e., carefully) about human behavior, through understanding motivation and emotion – something useful not only in psychology and human service professions, but in many areas of human life.
This course examines the uses of psychology in medicine and other aspects of health care. Topics include biofeedback and self-control, the placebo effect, the role of personality factors and stress in the etiology and prevention of disease, coping with disease and pain, psychoneuroimmunology, and the doctor- patient relationship.
This course introduces students to experimental design and the scientific method within the context of the science of psychology. Scales of measurement, validity, and reliability will be discussed with regard to choosing types of research designs (e.g., between-subjects., nonexperimental, etc.). Focus is primarily on quantitative designs and methods for studying human performance and behavior. The importance of ethical guidelines, the IRB process, peer-review, and avoiding bias will be explored. Fall.
This course builds upon knowledge from PSY 371 (Experimental Psychology), while introducing students to the basics of statistics and quantitative analysis within the context of the science of psychology. Topics include sampling methods, probability, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, basic regression, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square. Focus is placed on
A study of how human behaviors are affected by different social settings. Topics include altruistic behavior, the relationship between attitudes and behavior, attraction, persuasion, eyewitness testimony, aggression, prejudice, and group decision making. Emphasis placed on methods used by social psychologists.
This course will address concepts, theories, research, and applications of cognitive psychology. Content areas of this course include the history of cognitive psychology, current issues in cognitive psychology, and the relationship between cognitive psychology and such fields as artificial intelligence and neuroscience. Furthermore, the course material will focus on perceptual processes, the study of memory, acquisition and use of language, reading, problem solving, creativity, reasoning, decision making, and cognitive development. Fall, even years.
An overview of past and current views on the factors that contribute to the presence of abnormal behavior. Introduces the following: biological, cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural factors that influence behavior; patterns of behavior associated with different psychological disorders; current
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the primary empirical research areas in learning and motivation: classical conditioning, operant conditioning, verbal learning, drive theory, and the role of motives. Emphasis is on the research on conditioning and its motivational processes as the foundations for techniques in behavior modification. The course examines both the uses and limitations of current information on learning and motivation. Spring, even years.
The history of psychology and how it has progressed from its ancient roots as a branch of philosophy to psychology as a separate scientific discipline. Topics include the founders of psychology and their contributions to the development of the discipline of psychology, the history of the mind-body problem, and the basis of human knowledge.
Study of the structure and function of the nervous system and how it contributes to language, sleep, learning and memory, and abnormal behavior (such as schizophrenia and substance abuse). Spring.
This course will explore the roots of learning theory beginning with Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning and will move to more integrative contemporary theories of learning like Social Learning Theory. We will compare the foundational research from Behaviorist animal
This course will provide a semester long, in-depth analysis of key areas in psychology in which students can explore current research practices, application, and knowledge. The topic explored will be guided by student need and professor expertise and can include Psychology of Human Mating, Animal Cognition, Judgment and Decision Making, Positive Psychology, Counseling Psychology, etc. Spring. Note: This course may be taken twice for credit under different topics.
Experience of working under supervision in an agency related to the student’s career goals. The student is individually assigned according to the specific interest of the student. The student is evaluated by the supervisor and the course instructor and must write and present a description and analysis of the agency and of the work experience. Emphasis placed on a continuing refinement of written and oral communication skills. Fall. of at least 2.00, and a minimum of 80% attendance in psychology courses attempted in the junior year.
Senior status in the Psychology major, an overall grade point average in the major
PSY 479Applied Senior Seminar3
This capstone course provides an opportunity for synthesis and integration of knowledge and skills developed through the psychology curriculum. Students completing this course will investigate career opportunities in the field and professional organizations supporting
Individual research chosen by the student, subject to the approval of the instructor. The student must petition the School of Sciences for permission to register for this course prior to registration for the following semester. The petition must include an outline or summary of the proposed problem, stating the subject, purpose, and suggested methods and techniques and it must include the number of semester hours to be completed in course. Note: Also offered as PSY 481 for one semester hour, as PSY 482 for two semester hours, and as PSY 484 for four semester hours.
This course offers students the opportunity to engage in individual research within the scaffolding of a traditional course. Lectures will focus on the importance and development of both research-related and professional development skills. The student must apply knowledge from this course, as well as experimental design and statistics, to synthesize a body of knowledge on a topic of her/his choosing in psychology, and develop a detailed proposal for a research study. Students will propose their studies to a panel of faculty members for feedback, as well as submit their studies for approval through the IRB. Fall. psychology major.
Majors only. PSY 371 and an overall grade point average of at least 2.00 in the
PSY 499Senior Thesis II3
Continuation of PSY 490 with students focusing on data collection, analysis, and presentation. Statistical analyses will be reviewed and discussed in the context of the group’s projects. Students will generate three field-appropriate products for disseminating their research findings: a conference poster, a 10-minute conference presentation, and a formal thesis consistent with APA guidelines for format and content. Students are expected to submit their projects to local research conferences and typically have the opportunity to present the poster and/or the presentation. Spring. point average of 2.00 in the psychology major. Note: This course serves as the Summit course for the Psychology major. A grade of “C-” or higher is required for graduation.
