PY111 General Psychology 3 credits
General Psychology provides an overview of the methods, fundamental principles, and major perspectives which define the discipline of psychology. Intrapersonal and/or interpersonal psychological processes involved in the biological basis of behavior, sleeping and dreaming, conditioning and learning, cognition, lifespan human development, abnormal psychology, and psychological treatment. Classical and contemporary research and perspectives including the biological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, sociocultural and evolutionary perspectives are explored. Students are actively involved through application, interactive exercises, simulations, and projects.
PY211 Developmental Psychology 3 credits
This course explores the study of growth and development across the life span. Students are introduced to the reciprocal nature of biological, cognitive, social and cultural factors on the developing person. This is a research-based introduction to understanding the expression of development in everyday life as it extends to family, campus life, friendship, school, neighborhood, sports, media communication, health, medicine, and social services. Empirical observations and case studies will highlight the interdependence of people of all ages and introduce students to applications of life span concepts from a multicultural perspective. This course is required for psychology and education majors and is also highly recommended for parallel majors pursuing course work in sociology, human services, criminal justice, biology, pre-med, and international business. Laboratory sessions are included to provide hands-on experience in applying life-span principles to real life situations across a variety of age populations. Prerequisite: PY111.
PY220 Abnormal Psychology 4 credits
This course investigates the dynamics of abnormal behavior. Disorders manifested in childhood and adolescence, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, somatoform disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse, sexual disorders, and dependence, violence and abuse, and personality disorders are studied. Etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, research, prevention and therapy are considered. The interactions among biological, psychological, social and cultural factors are emphasized. Prerequisite: PY111.
PY290 Experimental Psychology and Statistics 3 credits
This course is designed to give students an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills associated with research, including: reading research, collecting data, interpreting data analysis, and reporting results. Emphasis is placed on experimental design (e.g., comparisons among experimental and non-experimental approaches, threats to internal and external validity), interpretation of statistics (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, one and two-way ANOVA), reporting results, and research ethics. Prerequisites: PY111 and either ST132 or ST232.
PY291–309 Special Topics in Psychology 1 credit
These courses are designed to provide an opportunity to survey and discuss current trends and meet special needs of students. Often the course includes both a theoretical and experiential emphasis. Topics will vary from year to year depending on student and faculty interest. Prerequisites will vary, consult instructor; course requires consent of the instructor and chair.
PY298 Field Exploration 1–3 credits
Students participate in a professional experience related to their particular interests under faculty supervision. This hands on experience should average ten hours or more per week, dependent upon the number of credits. Prerequisites: PY111and consent of the instructor and chair.
PY305 Learning and Cognition 4 credits
Learning and cognition will engage students in learning principles and cognitive psychology. Using a historical perspective in psychology, students first examine classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning, including the ideas of Pavlov, Watson, Skinner, and Bandura. In the second half, the courses focuses on the roles of perception, attention, and memory in the process of cognition. Students participate in computer-based laboratory simulations and experiments outside of class. Emphasis is placed on the students’ abilities to critically analyze readings, research methodology, and research data, as well as to effectively communicate their ideas in writing. Prerequisites: PY111 and either PY211 or PY220, or consent of instructor.
PY310 Social Psychology 3 credits
Social psychology is the scientific study of how we perceive people and social events as well as how we influence and relate to one another. Areas covered include: social cognition, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping; the self; interpersonal attraction and close relationships; helping; aggression; attitudes and persuasion; conformity, compliance and obedience. Applications of social psychology to academics, the workplace, the media, and social relations are examined. Recommend: ST132 or ST232 or consent of instructor. Prerequisites: PY111, and either PY211 or PY220.
PY313 Advanced Experimental Psychology/Statistics 3 credits
This course is designed so that students understand statistics in the behavioral sciences at conceptual and practical levels using actual datasets and data from a group project. Students engage the assumptions behind statistical tests, the mechanics of SPSS to analyze data, interpret findings, and troubleshoot experimental and survey-based data. Students learn about setting up data, cleaning data, manipulating, and representing data. Students utilize correlations, regressions, t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, and logistic regression to analyze data. They also evaluate questionnaires using Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis. Prerequisites: PY290/311or PS242/S250.
PY314 Experimental Psychology Laboratory 1 credit
This course is designed to provide practical experience in research design, administration, analysis, interpretation, and combination of findings. Each student identifies a researchable problem and reviews the relevant research. Each student then designs a study, collects and analyzes data, and presents his/her findings in a written report following the APA format. Prerequisites: PY111, PY290/311, ST132 or ST232, and concurrent with PY313.
PY340 Biopsychology 4 credits
Biopsychology provides an overview of physiological, genetic and evolutionary explanations of behavior. Areas covered include neurophysiology, psychopharmacology, brain imaging techniques, addiction, learning and memory, body weight regulation, circadian rhythms, stress and health, psychological disorders and biological therapies. The interrelationships among social, genetic and neurologic processes are examined. Recommend PY211 and PY220. Prerequisites: PY111 or consent of instructor.
PY370 Personality Psychology 4 credits
Personality psychology examines the question, “What does it mean to be a person?” This course includes historical ways in which we have tried to understand human persons. Classical personality theories including psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, trait and humanistic/existential are studied and evaluated. Contemporary research in personality areas such as attachment, temperament, the big five traits, and psychological well-being is studied and integrated with historical and classical approaches. Prerequisites: PY111, PY220, and PY310; PY305 also required or consent of instructor..
PY410 Individual and Group Counseling 3 credits
This course offers an introduction to basic and advanced interviewing skills in counseling psychology. Individual counseling, group counseling, and ethical and professional issues are examined. Students consider research and theory, and apply these to speciality groups. Some hands-on experience with basic skills in individual and group formats are supervised and required. Prerequisites: PY220, PY370 or consent of instructor.
PY426 Clinical and Counseling Psychology 4 credits
This course is designed to cover the issues relevant to clinical psychology, tests, and measurement. The course considers the broad field of clinical psychology, including diagnosis, interviews, mental status exams, intervention, prevention, ethics, and contemporary research. Additionally, assumptions underlying psychological testing and test development is explored. Approaches to assessment of personality, behavior, ability, achievement, and neuropsychological functioning is explored. Students conduct mock clinical interviews in addition to creating and administering testing. Recommended: PY410. Prerequisites: PY111, PY220, PY290/311, PY370;
PY470–479 Seminars in Psychology 1–3 credits
These are courses of particular areas of psychology determined by faculty and student interest. Seminars offerings are predicated upon faculty availability. Prerequisite: PY111 and consent of faculty.
PY488 Internship Planning 1 credit
This course will be taken the semester before a student does an internship. Students will be required to acquire relevant information about possible internship sites; contact prospective supervisors; discern whether one has sufficient interest, motivation and training for said internship. Student will meet with department faculty for an interview, will prepare self goals and objectives and will create a bibliography representative of the partitive experience. Students will meet individually and in groups with the instructor. Prerequisite: junior standing, PY211, PY220, PY305, PY310, PY290/311or consent of the instructor. Graded pass/no credit.
PY489 Thesis Planning 1 credit
This course will be taken before the student conducts a thesis study. Students are required to identify an area for research, conduct a literature review, select or construct appropriate instrument/apparatus, design, write, and present a research proposal. Pilot work is expected. The course is conducted primarily on an independent basis in consultation with the instructor. Recommend PY313 and PY314. Prerequisite: PY290/311 and junior standing. Graded pass/no credit.
PY490 Research: Data Collection 1 credit
In this course, students conduct collect data for their experiment or study, enter the data, and start to analyze the data. Independent research is emphasized in consultation with the instructor and an advisor. Recommend: PY313 and PY314. Prerequisite: PY290/311, PY312, and PY489. Graded pass/no credit.
PY491 Thesis 1 credit
In this course students analyze, interpret, and integrate their findings for their experiment or study; complete a written report following APA guidelines, and make a formal presentation. Independent research is emphasized in consultation with the instructor and an advisor. Prerequisites: PY290/311, PY489, and PY490. Graded pass/no credit.
PY495 Comprehensive Final Examination 0 credits
The comprehensive examination is one of three methods by which a student majoring in psychology may complete the requirements for a psychology major. Prerequisites: Completion of psychology curriculum and consent of the department chair. Graded pass/no credit.
PY496/497 Internship in Psychology 1–17 credits
Students participate in supervised field work. Placements include group homes, residential treatment centers, day treatment centers, nursing homes, hospitals, psychological clinics, personnel offices, chemical dependency centers. Prerequisites: completion of the Psychology core, course work appropriate to the internship, approval from the internship director and chair. Three credits may be letter graded and the remaining credits are graded pass/no credit.
PY498 Internship Integration 1 credit
Students research and write an integrative in-depth paper based upon the student’s internship experience. The course is taken subsequent to or concurrent with the internship. Papers include theoretical and empirical studies contained in the bibliography developed in PY488 and relevant to the internship experience. Students make presentations to faculty and peers based on their paper and internship. Prerequisites: PY488, PY496/497. Graded pass/no credit. |
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