Psychology (PSYC)

PSYC 111. Introduction to Psychology. 3 Credits.

A survey of the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, with consideration of the nature and scope of psychology as a science and a profession. F,S,SS.

PSYC 210. Human Sexuality. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of human sexuality--covering anatomical and physiological aspects, psychological aspects, behavioral aspects, and social/cultural aspects. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. S.

PSYC 241. Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. 4 Credits.

An introduction to statistics commonly used in psychology and other behavioral sciences. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics, measures of central tendency and variability, z-scores and the normal distribution, probability and hypothesis testing, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and non-parametric tests. Students will apply these statistical concepts to research scenarios in the behavioral sciences. Students will also learn about software used to compute statistics. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and MATH 103 or higher. F,S,SS.

PSYC 250. Developmental Psychology. 4 Credits.

A survey of the psychology of human life span development including intellectual, social, and emotional aspects of the normal individual and emphasizing childhood and adolescent development. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F,S,SS.

PSYC 270. Abnormal Psychology. 3 Credits.

A survey of the classification, symptoms, and etiology of psychological disorders and behavior pathology. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F,S,SS.

PSYC 294. Individual Research. 1-4 Credits.

Introductory experience as a research assistant in a research laboratory. A total of 45 hours is typically required over the course of the semester per credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Repeatable to 4.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

PSYC 299. Special Topics in Psychology. 1-3 Credits.

Repeatable when topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Repeatable. On demand.

PSYC 301. Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 3 Credits.

Selection, training, motivation, leadership, job satisfaction, human engineering and working environments as applied to business and industry. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and any basic statistics course. On demand.

PSYC 303. Research Methods in Psychology. 4 Credits.

Survey of research methods; exposure to and evaluation of psychological research; includes an overview of APA format. Prerequisite: MATH 103 or higher and PSYC 111. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 241. F,S,SS.

PSYC 304. Advanced Research Methods. 3 Credits.

An advanced research methods course. Students will learn how to plan and execute basic psychological experiments, analyze data, and correctly report research findings using APA style. Prerequisite: PSYC 241 and PSYC 303. F,S.

PSYC 313. Educational Psychology. 3 Credits.

The study of educational psychology involves both theory and practice. Focusing upon applying the principles of psychology and research to the practice of teaching, the ultimate goal is the understanding and improvement of instruction. Prospective teachers and other professionals in training who will interact with students need to understand how students learn and how that learning varies and is affected by each student's context, culture, and development. This course focuses on the effective application of psychological concepts and principles in the learning and instructional processes. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 or permission of the instructor. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 250 or permission of the instructor. SS.

PSYC 320. Professional Development & Ethics. 2 Credits.

The purpose of this course is to introduce and to make students familiar with the types of career and advanced degree opportunities that are available upon earning their baccalaureate degree. The course will include exploration of professional undertakings commonly pursued by undergraduate students with a psychology major. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and sophomore status. F,S,SS.

PSYC 330. Biological Bases of Behavior. 4 Credits.

This course will cover the biological bases of psychology in areas of evolution, genetics, the nervous system, and methodology as they pertain to human behavior. Prerequisite: Psychology major and BIOL 111 or BIOL 150 or BIOL 151 or ANAT 204. S,SS.

PSYC 331. Behavior Modification and Therapy. 3 Credits.

Theory and practice in the application of operant and classical conditioning procedures to humans in applied settings. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F,S,SS.

PSYC 335. Health Psychology. 3 Credits.

A biopsychosocial approach is used to examine basic concepts, theories, and research in health psychology from the perspectives of the patient, caregiver, health care provider, and researcher. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F,SS.

PSYC 355. Adulthood and Aging. 3 Credits.

Basic findings and theoretical issues in the study of human aging from biopsychological and socio-psychological perspectives with an emphasis on the individual. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 plus 3 credits of psychology. F,SS.

PSYC 360. Introduction to Personality. 3 Credits.

Examination of basic concepts in the field of personality. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F,S.

PSYC 361. Social Psychology. 3 Credits.

Research on individual behavior in its social context: how the individual acts upon the social environment, and interacts with other individuals. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 111. F,S.

PSYC 362. Psychology and Law. 3 Credits.

Psychological examination of the legal system, including what psychologists have learned about the law, the many different legal topics psychologists study, and the great promise that psychology holds for improving the legal system. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. F.

PSYC 365. Psychology of Women and Gender. 3 Credits.

Examination of topics relevant to women and gender that are often ignored in traditional psychology courses, such as gender bias in research, gender identity and roles, sexuality and violence. Prerequisite: PSYC 111. SS.

PSYC 366. Conflict Management. 3 Credits.

This course provides students with an understanding of conflict, its dynamics, major theoretical explanations, and methods of resolution. Students will also learn some basic conflict resolution skills and processes. Prerequisite: PSYC 111.

PSYC 370. Cyber Security, Big Data, & Human Behavior. 3 Credits.

This course will discuss the connections between human behavior, cyber security and big data. Big data tools and techniques allow the integration of diverse data streams from multiple sources providing the potential for better understanding and prediction of human behavior. Improved predictive modeling emerging from big data has several implications including possibly strengthening the security of critical cyber systems. On demand.

PSYC 372. Behavioral Design & Digital Products. 3 Credits.

Understanding how people learn, think, feel, and behave can help you design technology/machines that are intuitive, appealing, and reduce human operating error! Digital technologies, including autonomous machines such as unmanned/autonomous aerial devices and driverless cars, are a fast developing area of technological design and manufacturing. Effective use of these ever-increasingly complex products demands that designers understand and design for how people interact with digital technology. On demand.

PSYC 393. Psychology UGTA Seminar. 1 Credit.

This seminar is a pre-requisite or co-requisite to serving as an undergraduate Teaching Assistant with the Department of Psychology. Completion of the seminar is required for undergraduate students serving as teaching assistants. Prerequisite: Minimum overall GPA of 3.2, Junior status (60+ credits), earned an "A" in the course student will be serving as a teaching assistant for. F,S,SS.

PSYC 395. Practical Experiences in Psychology. 1-4 Credits.

A practical work or volunteer experience associated with the student's academic study of psychology. Arranged by mutual agreement among student, department, and placement site. Repeatable up to 8 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 111, junior or senior status, and a minimum overall or major GPA of 3.0. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 320. Repeatable to 8.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

PSYC 397. Cooperative Education. 1 Credit.

A practical work experience associated with the student's academic area of psychology. Arranged by mutual agreement among student, department and employer. Students need to contact the Cooperative Education office. Prerequisite: PSYC 111, junior or senior status, PSYC 303 with a grade of C or above, and a minimum GPA of 2.0. Repeatable to 8.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

PSYC 405. History and Systems of Psychology. 3 Credits.

A consideration of the historical background and development of problem areas in psychology and a survey of contemporary psychological theories. Prerequisite: PSYC 303 and senior status. F,S,SS.

PSYC 421. Diversity Psychology. 3 Credits.

Origins and consequences of psychological differences among individual and groups with special emphasis on sex differences and racial differences. Prerequisite: PSYC 111, PSYC 241, and PSYC 250 or consent of instructor. S, odd years.

PSYC 433. Psychology of Learning. 4 Credits.

Principles of animal and human learning, with special emphasis on the acquisition, extinction and retention of learned behavior patterns. Course includes recitation and laboratory. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and PSYC 303. F,S.

PSYC 436. Perception. 4 Credits.

Perceptual basis of behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 303 and BIOL 111 or BIOL 150 or BIOL 151 or ANAT 204 or PSYC 330. F.

PSYC 437. Physiology of Behavior and Psychophysiological Measurement. 4 Credits.

An advanced course covering major topics of physiological psychology while also introducing students to psychophysiological recording techniques used in research. While physiology and anatomy of the central and peripheral nervous systems will be briefly reviewed, students are expected to have basic knowledge of neuroscience, behavioral science, and research methodology. Laboratory time will focus on demonstration and practice of psychophysiological recording techniques and data analysis. Prerequisite: PSYC 303 and BIOL 111 or BIOL 150 or BIOL 151 or BIMD 220 or BIMD 221 or PSYC 330. F, odd years.

PSYC 439. Cognitive Psychology. 4 Credits.

An examination of theory and research on attention, memory, language, comprehension, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Course includes recitation and laboratory. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and PSYC 303. S, even years.

PSYC 441. Case-Based Applied Statistics. 3 Credits.

Emphasis on the hands-on application and interpretation of a variety of descriptive and inferential statistical procedures using a computer software package (SPSS). Prerequisite: PSYC 111, PSYC 241 and PSYC 303. On demand.

PSYC 460. Advanced Social Psychology. 3 Credits.

In depth examination of the theoretical and empirical literature in social psychology focusing on attitudes, stereotyping and prejudice, interpersonal relationships, social cognition, personality and the self, and group behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 111, PSYC 303, and PSYC 361 or SOC 361. F,S.

PSYC 470. Intro Clinical Psychology. 3 Credits.

A systematic survey of the field of clinical psychology; basic concepts in diagnosis, psychotherapy, research and professional problems. Prerequisite: PSYC 111, PSYC 241, and PSYC 270 or consent of instructor. On demand.

PSYC 475. Psychological Helping Skills. 2 Credits.

This course introduces students to basic helping skills used by mental health professionals and reviews empirically supported models of the helping and change process. Students are given frequent opportunities to apply the skills learned. Prerequisite: Senior status, PSYC 111, PSYC 270, and PSYC 303. Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 320. F.

PSYC 486. Conflict Symposium. 3 Credits.

In-depth study of a current topic in the conflict field in the format of a week-long symposium. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. On demand.

PSYC 489. Senior Thesis. 1-6 Credits.

Supervised independent study culminating in a thesis. Prerequisite: PSYC 304, PSYC 494 (2 credits), GPA of 3.21 or higher, Junior status, and department permission. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. F,S,SS.

PSYC 492. Individual Projects in Psychology. 1-4 Credits.

This course is intended to provide students with in-depth experiences not covered adequately in usual course offerings. These experiences may include independent research projects or extensive readings on topics of interest. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and consent of instructor. Repeatable to 8.00 credits. F,S,SS.

PSYC 493. Instructional Experiences in Psychology. 2 Credits.

Students will receive training and practical experiences in providing instruction in psychology at the collegiate level. Such experiences include serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant or tutor for psychology courses with a faculty mentor. Prerequisite: Junior or senior status, "A" in course they are serving, minimum overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, and permission of instructor. Corequisite: PSYC 320 and PSYC 393. Repeatable to 8.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

PSYC 494. Advanced Individual Research. 1-4 Credits.

Advanced experience as a research assistant in a research laboratory. A total of 45 hours is typically required over the course of the semester per credit. Prerequisite: PSYC 303 and consent of instructor. Repeatable to 8.00 credits. F,S,SS.

PSYC 499. Advanced Special Topics in Psychology. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable when topics vary. Prerequisite: PSYC 111 and consent of instructor. Repeatable. On demand.