Psychology Department Courses Offered
Below is a list of the courses offered within the department. Also listed with each course are any prerequisites and the semester hours.
101. Introduction to Psychology 3-0-3
The fundamental principles of psychology including heredity, environment, motivation, the nervous system and the emotional adjustment of the individual and the group. General knowledge of psychological terms and concepts emphasized. Open to all students regardless of their field of specialization and designed for a well-rounded liberal education. Required for the psychology major and minor.
205. Orientation to Psychology 1-0-1
Orientation to the field of psychology familiarizing students with the practices of psychologists. Students will be presented with information about the psychology major, the course offerings in psychology, career opportunities in psychology and graduate study. Differing orientations toward the field of psychology will be explored. This course is directed toward freshman and sophomore declared majors. PR: PSY 101
207. Psychology of Personality 3-0-3
Theories of personality structure and dynamics used in analysis of personal development. PR: Psy 101 or CI
211WI. Human Sexuality 3-0-3
Study of the biological basis of the human sexual response system, sexual individuality and values, reproduction and health, and legal and social issues related to human sexuality. Classic studies in human sexuality as well as new research generated in the field will be examined.
221WI. Life-Span Development Psychology 3-0-3
Overview of human development across the life span from prenatal to late adulthood. Critical examination of current research within the context of various theories of development will be emphasized. Readings, observations and reports required.
225. Child Development 3-0-3
Theories, patterns, interrelationships, differences and continuities in the development of the child, prenatal through middle childhood. Contexts for development, such as family, peer groups, communities and cultures, will be examined.
240. Educational Psychology 2-2-3
Application of psychological theories to intelligence, learning, development, individual differences, motivation, behavior management and discipline. Applied settings include coaching and sports psychology, camp counseling, schools and mentor settings, business and industry and recreational settings. Field experience required. PR: PSY 101.
298. Research Practicum 1 to 3 hours
Students will be involved in designing experiments, collecting data, scoring data, entering and analyzing the data, formulating future studies and writing reports. Students will learn about the development and execution of research projects. May be repeated for up to six credits. A one-hour research seminar is required. PR: PSY 101 and consent of faculty supervisor during semester preceding enrollment.
303WI. Health Psychology 3-0-3
Analysis of the interaction between the biological, psychological and social factors involved in health and illness. Review of research and theories on health behaviors, stressors, coping, chronic illness, and the relationship between stress and disease. PR: PSY 101.
304. Social Psychology 3-0-3
The influence of social forces on one's everyday thoughts and behaviors. Survey of theory and research on social perception, self-perception, conformity, group behavior, altruism, aggression and close relationships. PR: PSY 101.
315. Counseling Theory 3-0-3
Various counseling theories, techniques and approaches including affective, cognitive, systems and behavioral interventions. PR: PSY 101.
316. Counseling Practice 1-6-3
Development of counseling skills. Practicum experience with a human-service agency based on each student's area of interest in counseling. PR: PSY 101 and 315.
318. Abnormal Psychology 3-0-3
Survey of the psychological disorders classified in current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Diagnostic criteria will be the primary focus of the course. PR: PSY 101.
323. Experimental Education Leadership Development 2-2-3
(See HPE 323.)
Learning theory, group dynamics, team building and leadership techniques for experiential-education challenge-course adventure activities, initiatives and games. Exploration of the use of experiential-education activities in organizations, therapeutic settings and the classroom. Fee. PR: PSY 101.
342. Child and Adolescent Psychology 3-0-3
Examination of theories and current research in cognitive, emotional, social and physical development in infancy through adolescence. Familial, peer group, educational, and cultural context will be emphasized. Observations and participation in research are required. PR: PSY 101 and 221WI .
350. Industrial and Organizational Psychology 3-0-3
Application of psychological principles to the organizational/industrial setting.
355. Psychology of Interpersonal Relations 3-0-3
Current theories and practices in group process designed to increase intra- and inter-personal awareness and sensitivity. PR: PSY 101 or CI.
360WI. Research Methods and Statistics I 3-0-3
An introduction to different methodological approaches to the field of psychology with emphasis on non-experimental approaches. Development of professional writing skills and ethical standards in research and increasing understanding of basic descriptive statistics and correlational analyses using computer programs. Ethical issues in psychology and the importance of publication will be reviewed. PR: PSY 101 and MAT 111 or CI.
361WI. Research Methods and Statistics II 3-0-3
Application of the scientific method and statistical procedures to the field of psychology with special emphasis on the experimental method through two group and factorial designs, within subjects with repeated measures and mixed-model designs. Use of statistical analysis including t-tests, analysis of variance and post-hoc measures using computer programs is stressed. Group and independent research projects required. PR: PSY 360WI and MAT 111 or CI.
370. History and Systems of Psychology 3-0-3
The emergence of psychology as a science. Examination of the antecedent of scientific psychology, the establishment of psychological science, and the contributions of various traditions of psychological theory and application.. PR PSY 101 or CI.
385WI. Psychology of Women 3-0-3
Interdisciplinary investigation of the psychological, social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of women in society. Investigation of research, theory and real-world application of a variety of issues related to women.
390. Adulthood and Aging 3-0-3
In-depth survey of adult development focusing on current research in social, cognitive, biological and psychological developmental issues. Hands-on research experience is a component of this course. PR: PSY 101 and 221WI.
401. Psychological Testing 3-0-3
Tests used in assessment of general and special abilities: intelligence, personality, achievement, vocational and neuropsychological inventories. History of psychological testing, review of intelligence and other psychological constructs, ethical considerations and factors involved in test development and selection. Introduction to the statistical methods used in evaluation and measurement. PR: PSY 101 required: MAT 111 recommended.
405WI. Learning 3-0-3
Focuses on basic principles of classical and instrumental/operant conditioning and factors that govern the acquisition or elimination of learned responses. Theories and applications of learning principles to modify human behavior as well as for behavioral treatments of mood, anxiety and substance-abuse disorders will be discussed. PR: 361WI.
406WI. Cognitive Psychology 3-0-3
Study of the cognitive bases of attention, perception, memory, language, and problem solving. Current theories and research are emphasized. PR: PSY 361WI.
423. Introduction to Exceptional Children and Youth 1-0-1
Introduction to the characteristics and classroom modifications for learning-disabled, mildly intellectually disabled and emotionally/behaviorally disturbed youngsters. PR: EDU 205 or 206 and admission to the teacher-education program.
424. Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children and Youth 2-0-2
Examination of the causes, characteristics and educational strategies for exceptional students. PR: PSY 101. CR: EDU 499 and admission to the teacher-education program.
426. Biological Psychology 3-0-3
The biological bases of behavior. Structure and function of the nervous system from the neuron to the brain as well as the interrelationships between the brain and such behaviors as language, memory, emotion, and mental disorders; examples from the behavior of both humans and lower organisms. PR: PSY 360WI.
427WI. Neuropsychology 3-0-3
Exposure to a general understanding of principles in neuroscience and organization of the central nervous system (i.e. spinal cord and brain). Students will learn the association between certain cognitive functions in relations to the organization of the brain, including processes associated with higher, complex visual and auditory processing, thinking and language. Clinical perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with focal brain lesions or neurodegenerative disorders are emphasized throughout the course. PR: PSY 101 and 360WI.
434. Psychology and Education of Exceptional Children and Youth 3-0-3
This course examines the causes, characteristics and interventions and strategies for exceptional students. Field-based practicum occurs during student teaching.
435. Seminar in Psychology 1 to 3 hours
Advanced study of current special-interest topics in psychology. May be repeated for credit. PR: PSY major or minor. JS or SS.
440WI. Advanced Abnormal Psychology 3-0-3
Seminar on the major psychological disorders. Readings on etiological factors, treatment approaches and efficacy, and first-person accounts will be discussed. Role of culture in psychopathology will be analyzed. PR: PSY 101 and 318.
461. Advanced Statistics 3-0-3
Data analytic techniques used in experimental and non experimental research (e.g., non-parametric statistics, analysis of variance and multiple regression). Use of computers to analyze data will be stressed. PR: MAT 111 and PSY 360WI.
496. Academic Internship 3 to 6 hours
Problem-oriented experiences on specific academic projects relating to the individual student's program of study, planned in consultation with the student's advisor at least one full semester prior to the internship. A weekly one-hour internship seminar is required. PR: See general provisions for academic internships in the Berry Course Catalog.
498. Directed Study 1 to 3 hours
(May be repeated up to six hours of credit.) Self-directed study, employing research techniques, critical reviews, observations and bibliographical aids used to guide the student in developing a research paper. PR: PSY 101, 360 WI and 361WI: JS or SS and approval of school dean and directed study advisor during the semester preceding the independent study.
499. Integrative Seminar - 1-1-1
Synthesis of guiding themes, basic concepts, and knowledge foundations in psychology; steps in the graduate school path and preparation for careers in psychology. PR: SS.
Note: This course is taught by the Department of Mathematical Sciences, but is a requirement for the Psychology Major.
MAT 111. Elementary Statistics 3-0-3
Descriptive statistics, probability, random variables, probability distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, correlation and simple linear regression. Intended to be a first course in statistics for a variety of disciplines other than mathematics.