Catalog

Psychology (PSYC)

PSYC 101  Intro to Psychological Science  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

A general introduction to the systematic study of behavior and mental processes in humans and animals.

PSYC 107  Positive Psychology  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

An overview of Positive Psychology - a field of psychology that applies behavioral science methods to improving mental health, life satisfaction and biopsychosocial well-being.

Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honors Program and Permission of the Director of the Honors Program  
PSYC 155  Lifespan Development  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Human psychological development from birth to death. This course covers social, emotional and intellectual development across the lifespan.

PSYC 199  Fr Seminar Behavioral Science  2 Credit Hours  (2,0)  

An introduction to the university including academic policies and procedures, campus resources, and requirements for the major. Instruction in time management, study skills, and test-taking skills will be provided. Careers and specialty areas within behavioral science will be explored. An introduction to behavioral science epistemology including the process of knowledge generation and comparison of behavioral science with other core disciplines such as the physical sciences and humanities with respect to foundations, scope and validity of knowledge. An examination of ethical theories and professional codes relevant to the behavioral sciences.

PSYC 201  Comm Skills in Counseling  3 Credit Hours  (2,1)  

This course covers the essential elements of establishing a therapeutic relationship, including active listening skills, empathy and confrontation. Students both explore their potential to be congruent and authentic as counselors and demonstrate counseling skills with voluntary, involuntary and crisis counselors.

Prerequisite(s): None  
PSYC 210  Statistics  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Introduction to basic statistical methods of analyzing psychological data. Emphasis is placed on statistical inference, e.g., t-tests, F-tests and selected non-parametric tests. This course provides students with basic statistical concepts and skills necessary for laboratory and survey work, and for understanding psychological literature, and introduces them to statistical analysis on the computer.

Prerequisite(s): MATH088 or equivalent/satisfactory score on ACT or Placement Exam  
PSYC 212  Experimental Psychology  4 Credit Hours  (3,2)  

An examination of the basic research methods employed in the social sciences with emphasis on the experiment. Topics: Epistemology, laboratory experiments, field experiments, survey construction, correlational research. Students will each participate as a subject and an experimenter, collect data, analyze data, and write a laboratory report according to the editorial style of the American Psychological Association. Laboratory assignments require use of computer applications for experimental purposes, including running experiments and collecting data, analyzing results, creation of appropriate figures, and communication of results in text and oral presentations with slides.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC101 and PSYC210  
PSYC 217  Social Psychology  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Topics include attitude formation and change, interpersonal attraction, aggression, altruism, conformity and environmental psychology.

PSYC 240  Behavior Management  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Systematic introduction to behavioral concepts and techniques. Self-management applications and behavioral assessments in applied settings serve as practical lab experiences.

PSYC 259  Abnormal Psychology  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course is a systematic investigation of the identification, dynamics and treatment of deviant and maladaptive behavior.

PSYC 265  Child/Adolescent Development  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Psychological development of the child through adolescence. Social, emotional and intellectual development are covered, with consideration of genetic, prenatal and postnatal influences.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC101 or PSYC155 or EDUC150  
PSYC 291  Group Counseling  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course examines the theory, techniques and practice of group counseling. Students will become familiar with basic group process, theoretical perspectives and their application to group counseling.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC201  
PSYC 301  Exceptional Child/Adolescent  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

The study of physically, intellectually and socially exceptional children and adolescents, inlcuding their characteristics and unique educational needs.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC155 or PSYC265  
PSYC 305  Psychology Research Practicum  3 Credit Hours  (0,3)  

Research in psychology under the direct supervision of individual faculty members. Recommended for students considering graduate school. May be repeated once for a max of 6 credits.

Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of C in PSYC210 and PSYC212, AND permission of instructor  
PSYC 306  Applied Psychology Practicum  3 Credit Hours  (0,3)  

Students are provided practical experience in the use of psychological theory and research in an applied setting. May be repeated for a max of 6 credits.

Prerequisite(s): SOWK250 (minimun 3 credits), a minimum grade of B in PSYC201 AND permission of instructor  
PSYC 310  Emotion and the Brain  3 Credit Hours  (2,2)  

This course will introduce students to a diverse array of theoretical and empirical issues related to the study of human emotion and brain function. It is specifically designed to enable students to develop the ideas and skills necessary to generate, adapt, and implement affective psychology and neuroscience research. Students will learn now to design, program, and conduct basic computer-based experiments in the field, and how those methods can be applied to studying mental illness.

PSYC 311  Learning and Motivation  4 Credit Hours  (3,3)  

An introduction to the theory and research of learning. Factors are examined that influence the acquisition and performance of behaviors in classical and instrumental learning paradigms. The laboratory will provide undergraduate research experiences that are closely related to the lecture content using live animal behavioral experiments and/or computer simulations, data collections, analysis, and reporting of results in APA style.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC212  
PSYC 357  Personality Theory  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course surveys the major psychological theories used to conceptualize, treat and research personality issues.

Prerequisite(s): 12 hours of psychology  
PSYC 385  Health Psychology  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course covers psychoneuroimmunology and stress as they impact on human health and disease as well as psychological interventions which promote physical well being and healing.

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing  
PSYC 391  Family Therapy  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course applies a systems framework to the understanding of family dynamics and introduces structural perspectives and modalities for family intervention.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC101 and junior standing  
PSYC 396  Tests and Measurements  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

This course has two parts. Part one covers measurement theory, the properties of the normal curve, reliability, validity and measurement statistics. Part two reviews major tests used by researchers, educators, clinicians, counselors, addictions counselors and industrial psychologists.

Prerequisite(s): SOCY302, PSYC210, MATH207 or equivalent  
PSYC 399  Jr Seminar Psychological Sci  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

Students develop a senior research topic through the review of scholarly literature and weekly meetings with psychology faculty and students engaged in senior research under the supervision of that faculty member. Key elements of the research process will be strengthened including experimental design, statistical analysis, and scientific communications. Different career paths in psychology will be explored along with guidance in pursuing graduate school. At the conclusion of this course, students will obtain approval from the faculty member who will serve as their senior research project advisor and declare which psychology track they will complete for their degree.

Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of C in PSYC210 and PSYC212  
PSYC 456  History and Systems Psychology  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

An examination of persons, events, theories, schools and systems that influenced and define contemporary psychology.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC212 and Junior Standing  
PSYC 457  Cognition  4 Credit Hours  (3,3)  

A survey of recent findings on cognition in humans. Topics include learning, memory, problem solving, language and complex perceptual processes. The laboratory will provide undergraduate research experiences that are closely related to the lecture content consisting of experiments and/or computer simulations, data collection, analysis, and reporting of results in APA style.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC212 and Junior Standing  
PSYC 459  Behavioral Neuroscience  4 Credit Hours  (3,3)  

This course is an introduction to the neurophysiological structures of the brain and their functions as regulators of animal and human behavior. Experiential learning activities related to the lecture content consisting of experimental techniques, computer simulations, data collection, analysis, and reporting of results in APA style are included.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC212 and Junior Standing  
PSYC 490  Research Topics in Psychology  1-4 Credit Hours  

This may take the form of either a research project or a program of directed reading on a specific topic. One to four credits over a period of one or two semesters may be granted according to the nature of the student's project. May be repeated up to a total of six credits. (1-4) 1-4

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor  
PSYC 494  Senior Research Practicum I  2 Credit Hours  (0,2)  

A practicum under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The student will complete the senior research project proposal and secure approval from the appropriate ethics board/committee.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC399 with a B- or better grade  
Corequisite(s): PSYC499 AND permission of instructor  
PSYC 495  Senior Research Practicum II  3 Credit Hours  (0,3)  

A practicum under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The student will conduct an empirical research project based on the proposal submitted by the student in PSYC494.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC494, PSYC499 and permission of instructor  
PSYC 498  Senior Research I  3 Credit Hours  (3,0)  

The study of methods employed in gathering data for research purposes including direct observational techniques and self-report measures. Students will also learn to use the computer to gather data, analyze data and present data graphically; and will develop a research prospectus.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC212, PSYC311 and either PSYC210 or MATH207  
PSYC 499  Sr Seminar Psychological Sci  1 Credit Hour  (1,0)  

Issues in the development and implementation of an empirical research project, including design, statistical analyses, ethical review, and modes of presentation.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC399 with a B- or better grade  
Corequisite(s): PSYC494 AND Permission of Instructor