72 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 101General Psychology
Instructor Bond, Boyd, Flaherty, Good, Reynolds, Smith, Sockol Survey of the current psychology of learning, perception, motivation, intelligence, thinking, and social and abnormal behaviors, with emphasis on the application of scientific methods to psychological investigation and on the biological bases of behavior and experience. Students may be required to participate in experiments or in alternative research experiences. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Instructor Staff Independent study in psychology under the direction of a faculty member who reviews and approves the topic and determines the means of evaluation. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101 and permission of supervising instructor. (Fall and Spring)
Instructor Berebisky, Flaherty, Good This course will introduce students to scientific thinking, with a specific focus on how scientific understanding manifests in psychology, neuroscience, and interdisciplinary research across the social sciences. In this foundational course, students will develop skills important for advanced PSY courses (e.g., consumption, evaluation, and communication of data in various forms). Course content will address the following questions in the context of psychological science: 1) What is scientific knowledge, 2) How do we design, test, and formalize research questions, and 3) Current issues (e.g., ethics, replicability, diversity/inclusion/belonging). Emphasis will be placed on interpreting and communicating psychological science (visual and oral presentation of data, APA style, etc.). Students will be introduced to quantitative analysis and statistical programming. In this course, students will develop knowledge of historical and current systems of bias that arise in psychological science, as well as develop skills to design and critique psychological research using a critical lens. Furthermore, students will learn how to reduce bias through methodology, design, and statistical thinking. Lastly, students will practice reimagining scientific inquiry from an inclusive framework, contextualizing the way that psychology asks questions in comparison to other science and social science disciplines. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Social Scientific Thought Ways if Knowing requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Stutts This course addresses behavioral health and illness from a biopsychosocial model. This model involves treating individuals from a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective that considers the medical, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence health. In addition, we will focus on diversity, inclusion, inequities, intersectionality, and ethical considerations in depth in health populations. Satisfies Public Health major and minor requirement. Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor Reynolds Despite death being a universal experience, it is often taboo to discuss. In this course, we will use a lifespan developmental perspective to highlight how death-related events shapes our lives. We will examine real-world issues (e.g., healthcare, hospice, bereavement support) and explore potential implications for improving the lives of all people. The main goals for this course are threefold: 1) normalize death-related conversations, 2) generate scientific curiosity within death-related topics, and 3) reflect on one’s own assumptions about death, dying, and bereavement. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies the Social and Scientific Thought requirement Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Sockol Characteristics, etiology, and treatment of major patterns of maladaptive behavior (anxiety disorders, depression, antisocial behavior, schizophrenia, etc.). Theoretical and empirical evidence for understanding causality and treatment. Satisfies Public Health major and minor requirement. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Good An overview of how thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are shaped by social and situational factors. Topics include: the social self, attitude formation and change, person perception, cultural influences, conformity, communication processes and persuasion, group processes, prejudice, aggression, cooperation-competition, and real-world applications of social psychology. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Educational Studies major requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Staff An overview of the field of Career Planning and Development, including major theories and research on career choice, self-assessment, career transition, and career management across the lifespan. Emphasis will be on critical evaluation and application to students’ own processes of career development. Fulfills a requirement in the Social/Industrial-Organizational area of the Psychology major. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Stutts An overview of the psychological disorders of childhood, including their description, classification, etiology, assessment and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical and empirical bases of these disorders, focusing on relevant research methods and findings as well as case history material. Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Educational Studies minor credit. Public Health interdisciplinary minor credit. Psychology Major credit (Clinical column) Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Foust What is culture and how does it relate to psychology? What, if anything, can psychological science contribute to the study of culture? This course is an introduction to the various issues surrounding an increasingly globalized world by critically examining the dynamic relationship between psychological processes (e.g., motivation, memory, self, prejudice) and diverse socio-cultural contexts. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY101 is a prerequisite.
Instructor Stutts This course evaluates a variety of psychological interventions from individual therapies to family interventions to community-based programs. Interventions will be evaluated from a scientific and public health perspective. It also will include a practical component where you will apply aspects of psychological interventions. In addition, we will focus on diversity, inclusion, inequities, intersectionality, and ethical considerations in depth related to psychological interventions. Case examples will be used to enrich your understanding of interventions. This course counts toward the Psychology major and the Public Health minor. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Public Health minor requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Flaherty (Cross-listed as Educational Studies 241.) Research and theory on the cognitive, socio-emotional and physical changes in development from prenatal through middle childhood. Emphasis on how culture shapes child development and applications to educational settings. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Staff (Cross-listed as Educational Studies 242.) This course focuses on issues in learning and development that have particular relevance to understanding students in classrooms, schools, and school communities. Topics include, but are not limited to: child and adolescent development, learning, motivation, information processing and evaluation, the exceptional child, and cultural differences. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Bagwell An in-depth examination of specific theories, concepts, and methods related to the period of adolescence. Students will explore a wide range of topics including: cognitive development, moral development, identity formation, gender role, social relationships, and the effects of culture on adolescent development. Satisifies Educational Studies major and minor requirement Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Multhaup Introduction to human aging from a psychological perspective. Adult age-related changes in memory, intelligence, wisdom, personality, etc. Attitudes toward aging and adjustment to aging. Emphasis on the application of scientific methods to the study of aging. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructors Boyd Current theory, research, and practice in the selection, training, and evaluation of employees; management and development of employees as resources for the organization; design and development of the organization as a whole. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Staff This course offers a comprehensive exploration of sport and performance psychology, covering topics such as motivation, personality, group dynamics, and leadership across sport, exercise, and other high-pressure domains. Students will analyze how personal, social, biological, and systemic factors interact with environmental influences, and explore how theories of behavior, cognition, action, perception, and emotion are used to explain findings in sports science and its subdisciplines (e.g., athlete psychology, human performance & physiology, group and team dynamics). Learning outcomes emphasize scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and research skills essential for understanding human behavior through a social scientific lens. Assessments include low stakes, weekly activities that address topical content, longer-term projects such as application of mental skills training, case study reports, or observational research, combined with summative or reflective activities such as ethical reasoning or career exploration applied to the field. Throughout the semester, students will build a final portfolio that showcases their learning and application of course concepts across diverse performance settings. By completing assignments, students will earn experience points (XP) to level up a course avatar through a gamified grading system that links activities to learning outcomes. Learning outcomes emphasize scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and research skills essential for understanding human behavior through a social scientific lens. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement.
Instructor Staff Organization Development (OD) is a multi-disciplinary area of research and practice that deals with the understanding and application of the principles of behavioral science to planned organizational change. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101 required; Psychology 254 recommended but not required.
Instructor Gadaire Community psychology investigates how social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors influence mental and physical health, development, and well-being. With a focus on promoting more equitable systems, community psychology emphasizes empowerment, citizen participation, respect for diversity, sense of community, strengths-based approaches, and a grounding in research and evaluation. In this course, we will utilize empirical articles, case studies, current events, and community-based learning to explore how research, evaluation, policy, programs, and interventions can incorporate these principles to improve systems, address disparities affecting diverse populations, and promote equity. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Staff The purpose of this course is to critically examine psychological concepts, theories, and methods from perspectives grounded in the “Black experience.” We will examine psychological phenomena and issues that emerge in the social and historical context of African-descended peoples living in the African Diaspora (primarily, the United States) and we will reflect on a variety of psychological phenomena (e.g., self & identity, motivation, language, relationships, racism) through African and Black-centered lenses. Throughout the course, we will deconstruct, challenge, and revisit various assumptions about the psychologies of people racialized as Black. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Africana Studies major requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes AFR 101 or PSY 101
Instructors Bond, Multhaup Introduction to cognitive psychology. Structure and processes underlying cognition including perception, memory, attention, language, problem solving, imagery, etc. Emphasis on theories and empirical evidence for understanding cognition. Satisfies the Social- Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Icard Human Neuropsychology, provides a foundational understanding of human neuropsychology, including the most commonly studied neurobehavioral relationships and conditions. Students review neuropsychological test data, relate patterns in data to brain structure and function, and estimate recovery and rehabilitation patterns. This course does “develop, test, and explain concepts and theories about human behavior.” Satisfies a major requirement in Psychology. Satisfies an interdisciplinary minor requirement in Neuroscience. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructors Ramirez, Smith Overview of major topics in learning: elicitation, classical conditioning, reinforcement, punishment, problem solving, behavioral economics, and verbal behavior. Focus on empirical data, research methodology, and technologies generated from learning research. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101.
Instructor Smith M The course examines the effects of drugs on human and animal behavior. Consideration is also given to the physiological effects of drugs on the central nervous system. Methods for preventing and treating drug abuse are also addressed. Students with credit in Psychology 302 may not enroll in Psychology 284. Satisfies the Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101. Students with prior credit for PSY 302 are not eligible
PSY 291Practicum in Applied Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Instructor Brigham PSY 291 will provide a small team of students (N=4) with an opportunity to participate in organizational consulting first- hand. Students will help host organizations address issues which the host organization has identified in order to improve organizational effectiveness. All work will be done under the supervision of Liz Brigham, Director of the Jay Hurt Hub and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology. As this practicum experience will be individually arranged with principals of the host organization, there will be no assigned text. Based on the nature of the consulting projects, relevant background readings and related activities will be assigned weekly by the instructor and researched by the student as well. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor is required. PSY 101 is a prerequisite. Relevant background includes PSY 254 (Industrial-Organizational Psychology) and a strong interest in applied organizational science. Course is pass/fail.
Instructor Bond, Flaherty, Good, Ng This course will further develop students’ quantitative skills, with a specific focus on formalism (i.e., the explicit link between measurement, mathematics, and real-world phenomena) in the behavioral sciences, particularly psychology and neuroscience, as well as interdisciplinary research across the social sciences. This course will prepare students to consume, create, and critique quantitative knowledge. Course content will address: 1) theoretical & conceptual mathematics necessary for research in behavioral sciences, 2) analysis and interpretation of data in behavioral sciences, and 3) computer-aided computation. Descriptive, correlational, and experimental methods of research will be examined. Primary focus will be on data analysis (including descriptive and inferential statistics, and basic modeling), interpretation, and communication of quantitative analysis (in written and visual form). Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Data Science minor requirement. Satisfies Mathematical and Quantitative Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200
PSY 301Psychological Research-Perception and Attention
Instructor Bond Research methods, concepts, and empirical findings in perception and attention are examined in lecture and extensive laboratory experience. Course explores how a physical stimulus impinges on sense organs and is subsequently processed and understood by perceptual systems (e.g., how do we “see” things?). Participation in research as subjects and experimenters is required. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor
PSY 303Psychological Research-Behavioral Neuroscience (= BIO 331)
Instructor Ramirez (Cross-listed as Biology 331.) Role of the nervous system; sensory and motor mechanism; physiological bases of motivation and emotion; sleep and arousal; and physiological bases of learning, memory, and language. Extensive laboratory training. Work with animals is required. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Satisfies Public Health major and minor requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or BIO 111/113 and BIO 112/114, and permission of instructor
Instructor Multhaup Research methods, concepts, and empirical findings in the field of memory are explored in lecture and extensive laboratory experience. Emphasis is on human memory. Participation in research as subjects and experimenters is required. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor
Instructors Ramirez, Smith The major learning theories of the 20th century will be explored. Particular attention will be paid to the theories of Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner, Tolman, Hull, Hebb, and Bolles. The empirical data supporting these theoretical frameworks will be assessed. This is a laboratory intensive course involving animals. Students with credit in Psychology 282 may not enroll in Psychology 305. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor
Instructor M. Smith This research methods courses focuses on the visual analysis of quantitative information, particularly regarding the interpretation and evaluation of scatterplots, histograms, line graphs, boxplots, heatmaps, et cetera . Considerable emphasis is placed on the creation of new data visualizations via the use of the ggplot2 and Shiny packages in R . Coding and data exploration will be central components of this course, and prior experience with R and elementary statistics is necessary; however, proficiency in these areas is neither required nor expected . Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200
Instructor Beribisky This course provides an overview of the wide variety of quantitative methods used within psychological research. Topics may include survey design and psychometrics, multilevel modeling, and other advanced quantitative techniques. Rather than examining a single methodology in depth, the course introduces a selection of advanced techniques by exploring the research problems they were developed to address, why they are needed, and how they are implemented using R software. Students will gain experience applying these methods to psychological datasets in R , culminating in an independent analysis of an open-source dataset using an appropriate method covered in the course. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Data Science minor requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor Sockol Overview of the research methods and statistical techniques used in research in clinical and positive psychology through lecture, laboratory, and independent research projects. Students gain knowledge and experience evaluating psychological research and applying these techniques and methods to complete individual research projects. Ethical and practical considerations in research in clinical and positive psychology discussed. Course requirements include participation in research as investigators. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Satisfies Public Health major and minor requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 required. PSY 231 and/or PSY 234 recommended but not required
Instructor Flaherty Overview of the scientific methods, procedures, and techniques used to collect and analyze child development data. Focus on Developing students’ data-analytic, observational, and scientific writing skills. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor Ng Research methods and statistical techniques used in industrial/organizational psychology examined through lectures, laboratories, and field studies. Students gain knowledge and experience in research methods used in these fields. Students will be expected to apply these techniques and methods to complete individual research projects. Ethical and practical issues in organizational research discussed. Course requirements include participation in research as investigators. Counts as an elective in the Data Science interdisciplinary minor. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor
Instructor Good Research methods and statistical techniques used in social psychology are examined through lecture, laboratory, and field research. Students will gain knowledge in designing multiple types of research studies, as well as implementing a variety of data collection strategies. Scientific writing and ability to understand and critique empirical articles will be emphasized. Course requirements include participation in research as investigators. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Satisfies East Asian Studies major requirement; methods. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 required. PSY 232 recommended but not required.
Instructor Multhaup Research methods, concepts, empirical findings, and ethics for studying adult development (focus on younger and older adulthood) are explored. Course requirements include participation in research as investigators. Recommended completion by Fall of senior year for majors. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor
Instructor Gadaire Community psychology investigates how social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors influence mental and physical health, development, and well-being. Research methods in community psychology emphasize citizen participation, empowerment, respect for diversity, sense of community, and strengths-based approaches to produce actionable results that promote more equitable systems. In this course, we will 1) examine community-based research approaches, 2) utilize these approaches to design program evaluations in partnership with local organizations, and 3) analyze data to answer research questions related to community and equity. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor Foust Students will learn methods of data collection and analysis used for qualitative inquiry in psychological research (focus on human sexuality). Approaches may include thematic analysis, phenomenology, and narrative analysis. Ethical and practical issues in conducting research on personal and socially sensitive subjects discussed. Course requirements include participation in research as investigators. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 200 or permission of instructor. PSY 235 recommended but not required.
Instructor Villa One can explore animal behavior on multiple levels of analysis: ontogenetic (the developmental origins of behavior), phylogenetic (the evolutionary origins of behavior), proximate (the physiology and neurophysiology of behavior), and functional (the fitness consequences of behavior). In Biology 223, we will touch on all of these facets of behavior, but we will focus on functionality - the adaptive significance of behaviors. Prerequisites & Notes BIO 112/114. One laboratory meeting per week. Counts towards the Psychology major as a Research Methods course in the Cognitive/Neuroscience column.
PSY 324Advanced Seminar: Functional Neuroanatomy (= BIO 332)
Instructor Ramirez (Cross-listed as Biology 332.) Intensive readings in molecular neurobiology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and/or behavior. Students: 1) make classroom presentations of critical analyses of the course readings; 2) conduct laboratory research or hospital rounds; and 3) submit an annotated bibliography and a write-up of the laboratory project or term paper. For Psychology majors this meets the major’s seminar requirement. For Interdisciplinary Minors in Neuroscience, this course satisfies the interdisciplinary minor requirement as stated in Interdisciplinary Minor in Neuroscience (Requirements, section 1b). Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 303 (=Biology 331) or Psychology 280 and permission of the instructor.
Instructor Staff Advanced independent study in psychology under the direction of a faculty member who reviews and approves the topic and determines the means of evaluation. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor. (Fall and Spring)
Instructor Staff Intensive readings in a specific area of study under the direction and supervision of a faculty member who reviews and approves the topic of research. Students submit a written plan of study to the supervising faculty member prior to the close of Drop/Add in the semester of registration. Open ordinarily only to advanced majors in psychology. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor. (Fall and Spring)
Instructor Staff Intensive readings in a specific area of study under the direction and supervision of a faculty member who reviews and approves the topic of research. Students submit a written plan of study to the supervising faculty member prior to the close of Drop/Add in the semester of registration. Open ordinarily only to advanced majors in psychology. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor. (Fall and Spring)
Instructor Flaherty Spring 2022 Section A &B Adv Sem: Lang Learning and Dev Language is central to the human experience. All human communities have rich linguistic culture and children around the world learn language without explicit teaching. In fact, if children don’t find an accessible language in their environment, they will invent their own. Strikingly, however, children become less skilled at language learning over development, even as they become more skilled in most other areas. In this seminar we will explore how children learn the forms, meaning, and structure of their language, as well as explore the ways language structure reflects the way human children learn, think, and communicate. We will consider a variety of language environments and situations and a range of potential theoretical accounts of child language learning. Fulfills the seminar requirement in Psychology. Satisfies Educational Studies minor requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Prereq: PSY 101 or permission of the instructor. PSY 241 is recommended but not required.
PSY 351Advanced Seminar in Clinical Psychology: Gender & Psychopathology
Instructor Sockol This course will address a range of topics related to the intersection of gender and psychopathology. We will begin the class by discussing the meaning of “gender” and the various mechanisms by which biological sex, gender identity, gender roles and sexual orientation may relate to the development, presentation and treatment of psychological disorders. We will also discuss historical and current controversies regarding the classification of psychological disorders related to gender identity. The rest of the course will address gender differences in specific psychological disorders and the biological, psychological and social mechanisms contributing to these differences. Satisfies a requirement of the Psychology major. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor is required to register for this course. PSY 231 or PSY 234 are recommended but not required.
PSY 352Advanced Seminar: Counseling Psychology, Facilitating Personal Well-Being
Instructor White This course delves into the field of Counseling Psychology, which seeks to empower all individuals to overcome challenges and achieve optimal functioning. Reading and discussions will center on the history, ethics, outcomes research, and prominent theories of counseling, as well as issues typically addressed by counseling psychologists such as stress, loss, self-esteem, contextual identity, motivation, personal growth, and social justice. Prerequisites & Notes Psychology 101 Spring 2021 - This course is most suitable for students who are able to attend synchronously
Instructor Good This course explores current psychological theory and research regarding stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. We will discuss stereotype formation and activation, current and past conceptualizations of prejudice, interpersonal and institutional discrimination, as well as strategies for reducing the expression of prejudice. Throughout the course, we will consider the experiences of several marginalized groups including, but not limited to, prejudice based on gender, race, sexual orientation, age, disability, and socio-economic status. The general framework for the class will be social psychological, given that many of the central topics in social psychology are applicable to the study of prejudice; however, other psychological perspectives will also be touched upon (cognition, development, health, etc.) and interdisciplinary discussions are encouraged. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies the Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor.
Instructor Stutts This seminar addresses the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of chronic health conditions, traumatic injuries, and disabilities. The sources include peer-reviewed articles, videos, and memoirs from the vantage point of the patient, caregiver, and healthcare provider. In addition, we will focus on diversity, inclusion, inequities, intersectionality, and ethical considerations in depth in this population. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Public Health interdisciplinary minor requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
PSY 355Advanced Seminar: Parent, Child, Lit Development
Instructor Leyva This course introduces participants to major issues related to culture and parenting in children’s language and literacy development. Throughout the semester participants examine different sources of evidence on the relation between cultural beliefs, parents’ practices and children’s language and literacy abilities. In addition, participants review evidence on the impact of several family programs serving communities with different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds on children’s development. Participants will lead class discussion, make observations of story time sessions at the local library, and complete individual and group assignments. Class sessions involve primarily group discussion (led by students) based on journal articles, press articles, videos and TED talks. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor is required.
Instructor Humphrey This seminar provides an in-depth exploration of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with a focus on understanding how trauma can affect thoughts, emotions, behavior, and overall functioning. Students will explore the diagnostic criteria and core symptoms of PTSD, risk and protective factors, and the ways PTSD may present across different populations. The seminar will also examine evidence-based treatments, including trauma-focused psychotherapies and pharmacological approaches, as well as emerging and alternative treatment options. Students will consider the research supporting various interventions, current challenges in PTSD treatment, and the importance of culturally responsive and individualized approaches to trauma care.
Instructor Foust Attraction! Desire! Arousal! Identity! This course will explore that and more. We will look at human sexuality and how it develops across the lifespan (from childhood to adulthood). Our primary focus will be on how individuals conceptualize and experience their own sexuality, taking into account the ways that gender, race, ability, religion/spirituality (along with other factors) inform sexuality. We will also consider the role of culture and socialization (from parents, peers, media, schools) in human sexuality.
Instructor Staff This seminar will examine in depth the psychology of teamwork both in the context of business organizations and in the context of team sports. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor is required.
PSY 359Advanced Seminar: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations
Instructor Ng This course will address a range of topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in organizations. We will discuss the meaning of DEI both past and present, biases, discrimination, and strategies (individual and organizational) for enhancing inclusion. We will learn about these topics though the lens of industrial-organizational psychology which is rooted in understanding workplace phenomena through psychological theory and empirical study. We will learn about relevant theories, methods of research, and empirical evidence to understand and evaluate claims. This course will focus on the consumption, evaluation, and production of empirical psychological research; however, we will at times incorporate other sources such as news articles, book chapters, interdisciplinary work, and perspectives pieces. Interdisciplinary thinking is encouraged. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes One of the following: PSY 254, PSY 232, PSY 235, SOC 205, SOC 217 OR Permission of Instructor
PSY 360Advanced Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience: “Neurophilosophy: The Mind-Body Probem as a Neuroscientist Sees It”
Instructor Ramirez This seminar will explore several of the current accounts attempting to elucidate the relation between mind and brain. The emphasis of the course will be on the approaches that are being proposed by philosophers and scientists who take a deliberate neuroscientific approach to the problem. Although previous course work in neuroscience would be helpful, this seminar does not assume a strong background in neuroscience. Fulfills the seminar requirement in Psychology. Satisfies Neuroscience minor requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Permission required.
Instructor M. Smith This course focuses on the clinical application of psychotherapeutic drugs (i.e., drugs designed to treat mental illness). Intensive readings will be made in the use of these drugs to treat a variety of psychological disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, ADHD, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, eating disorders, sexual disorders, and substance use disorders. Over the course of the semester, students will (1) make weekly classroom presentations on empirical research derived from the literature, (2) compose a review paper discussing pharmacological treatment options for a disorder of their choosing, and (3) submit a 10-12 page research proposal outlining a novel set of experiments examining the effects of a psychotherapeutic drug of their choosing. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor S. Kumar Why is the sky blue? Are we there yet? How do children learn and how do they decide whom to ask their many and varied questions about the world around them? One key way in which children learn about their natural and social worlds is through conversation and interaction with social others, including more knowledgeable peers and adults like parents and teachers. Importantly, in today’s world, children are also spending time with and learning from AI, technology, and social media. We will consider foundational theories in developmental psychology and education in dialogue with contemporary research on these topics. Additionally, a critical component of the course invites students to grapple with the practical implications of this body of research for applied settings. Satisfies Educational Studies major requirement. Satisfies Psychology major requirement.
Instructor Flaherty The question of nature vs. nurture is everywhere in developmental psychology. Do children come into the world with certain knowledge and expectations? Or does the world around them shape what they know and how they learn? While some of the content children need to learn is relevant to many species, some is actually the product of human culture. In this seminar we will focus on six topics in development: objects vs. agents, faces, number, minds, language, and gender. We will consider each with respect to the nature vs. nurture debate. This course will seek to move beyond the traditional solution of accepting that every developmental process is about nature and nurture working in concert. Instead we will think more deeply about when the question is a helpful framework and when it is not. During the course of the semester, students will serve as discussion leaders to facilitate our consideration of research papers from a range of psychology journals. Each student will also complete a final paper and presentation on a topic of their choice that we have not otherwise covered in the seminar.
PSY 364Advanced Seminar: The Science of Interpersonal Relationships
Instructor Bagwell This course will address specific theories and methods related to the scientific study of interpersonal relationships. Using a lifespan perspective, the course will examine three primary groups of relationships - family relationships in infancy and childhood, peer relationships in childhood and adolescence, and pair bonds in adolescence and adulthood. Students will investigate how relationships develop, why they are important, how they affect us, and how and why they vary from person to person. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101 & PSY 200
Instructor Icard This is an advanced seminar course that will address common neuropsychological findings in organic brain syndromes and neurodevelopmental conditions. Students will be expected to critically review neuropsychological research and link neuropathology to observed data patterns. Classes will involve pre-assigned, student-led discussions of neuropsychological conditions. A major emphasis of this class will be the ability to interpret neuropsychological research and synthesize and present material for class discussion. Major assignments include student-led discussions, term paper, and class participation. Prerequisites & Notes At least one from the following list : Abnormal Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Behavioral Pharmacology. OR Permission of the Instructor
PSY 366Advanced Seminar: Psychology of Women: Critical Perspectives on Race, Class, and Gender
Instructor Bond This class will address the psychology of women through an intersectional theoretical framework. Throughout the course, students will learn how the field of psychology and related social sciences have studied the effects of social, cultural, and political influences on the socialization of girls and women. Students will explore how such paradigms, specifically the intersections of race, class, and gender, affect psychological, social, and environmental outcomes for girls and women, nationally and internationally. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Gender and Sexuality Studies major and minor requirement. Satisfies Social-Scientific Thought requirement. Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement. Prerequisites & Notes PSY 101
Instructor Staff In this seminar we will explore modeling techniques used in psychological science. Example analytic techniques that may be covered include: linear and non-linear models, agent-based modeling, network analysis, natural language processing, machine learning, systems modeling, dynamical/complex systems, or other computational/representative models. We will focus broadly on psychological science, meaning models will be applied to diverse areas (e.g., clinical, personality, social, health, I/O, behavioral neuroscience) but may have arisen in other fields (e.g., economics, mathematics, physics, computer science). Major assignments will include written papers, mathematical modeling, and a group based digital learning project. This course will use a variety of coding environments (e.g., NetLogo, R) so a willingness to learn how to program is expected but experience with coding is not required. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Satisfies Data Science minor requirement. Satisfies Mathematical and Quantitative Thought requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Students should have previously completed PSY 101. A statistics course in any department is also recommended. Instructor permission may override the requirements.
Instructor Gadaire In this seminar, students will explore how experiences of mental health, development, and wellness are influenced by broader social systems, including educational, legal, healthcare, and economic opportunity systems. Through interactions with scholarly research, media, and guest speakers, students will investigate and discuss how these broader systems can promote and/or inhibit positive outcomes related to mental health, development, and wellness. Students will also consider how broader systems may contribute to differential outcomes for diverse individuals and communities, which can facilitate equity or inequity. Finally, students will explore how these broader systems have been changed in the past and how community psychology values, practices, and research can support efforts to make systems function more equitably in the future.
Instructor Staff In this course, we will examine psychological phenomena and issues that emerge in the context of African-descent peoples living in the African Diaspora. Keep in mind, this is not a “how-to” course (for laughs, see “How to Be Black” by Baratunde Thurston instead). Rather, we will examine and reflect on a variety of psychological issues through “non-Western” lenses. The purpose of this course is to critically examine psychological experience, theories, and methods from perspectives grounded in the “Black experience.” Major assignments include written reflections, student-led discussions, final project, and class participation. Satisifes Psychology major requirement Satisfies Justice, Equality, and Community requirement Prerequisites & Notes Completion of PSY 101 or instructor permission required
PSY 371Advanced Seminar: Data Visualization in Psychology
Instructor M. Smith This seminar comprehensively explores data visualization in psychology. Attention is devoted to the visual analysis of quantitative information, particularly in regard to the interpretation and evaluation of scatterplots, histograms, line graphs, boxplots, heatmaps, et cetera. Considerable emphasis is placed on the creation of new data visualizations via the use of the ggplot2 package in R. Coding and data exploration will be central components of this course, and prior experience with R and elementary statistics is necessary, such as that received in PSY 200: Research Design and Statistics. Satisfies Psychology major requirement.
Instructor Staff Research designed and conducted by the student, supervised by a faculty member, and reported in writing according to the form approved in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Work completed in this course must also be presented in a poster format at the May celebration of science students’ research. Prerequisites & Notes Permission of the instructor and consent of an additional faculty member who serves on the student’s thesis committee. For further details, see the department web page.
Instructors Boyd, Multhaup, Sockol Central issues in psychology that cut across previous course boundaries. Specific topics vary year by year. The course begins with a review of major approaches to psychology (e.g., Behaviorist, Biological, Cognitive, Evolutionary, Humanist, Psychoanalytic) and ethical principles that apply to a variety of situations that psychologists face. Prerequisites & Notes Limited to Psychology seniors except by permission of the department.
Instructor Staff This course is designed to facilitate an understanding of changes in the field of psychology over time. Students will consider the social, historical, and cultural contexts in which psychology developed and continues to evolve. This course will also highlight the contributions of women and people of color, often overlooked in psychology’s origin stories, and facilitate discussions of critical social issues in the history of the field (e.g., eugenics, racism, and sexism). Prerequisites & Notes Limited to Psychology seniors except by permission of the department.
Instructor Multhaup People experience endings in multiple contexts, including personal relationships, social roles, decisions, conversations, psychotherapy, graduation, and life (others’ and our own). We will read and discuss research from across the field of psychology, some theoretical and some applied. Questions to explore include: What makes a good ending or a poor one? How does anticipating an ending affect behavior and experience prior to the ending? What does an ending teach us about the relationship or experienced that ended? We will also read outside of psychology and connect what other scholars are discussing with the psychology literature. Satisfies Psychology major requirement. Prerequisites & Notes Limited to Psychology seniors except by permission of the department.
