B. Fourteen additional credits in psychology selected in consultation
with the student’s psychology advisor.
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.
PY220 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
manifest 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. Prerequisites:
PY111.
PY290–309 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.
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. Prerequisite: PY111 and consent of
the instructor and chair.
PY305 Learning and Cognition 3 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 course 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 c 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. Prerequisites: PY111. Recommend: ST132 or ST232 or consent
of instructor.
PY311 Experimental Psychology and Statistics 3 credits
This course is designed to give students an opportunity to develop
knowledge and skills to design, evaluate and execute research,
and to provide experiences with statistical techniques frequently
used in psychology. Emphasis is placed on measurement, experimental
design, comparisons among various types of experimental and non-experimental
approaches, interpretation of analysis of variance, threats to
internal and external validity, and research ethics. Prerequisites:
PY111, ST132 or ST232, PY310, or consent of instructor.
PY312 Experimental Psychology and Statistics Laboratory
3 credits
This course is designed to provide practical experience in research
design, administration, analysis, interpretation, and communication
of findings. Each student identifies a researchable problem and
reviews the relevant research. Then each student designs a study,
collects and analyzes data, and presents his or her findings in
a written report following the APA format. Prerequisites: PY111,
PY311 or consent of instructor, and either ST132 or ST232. Recommend:
PY310.
PY340 Biopsychology 3 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. Prerequisites: PY111; recommend PY220 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, PY310, PY315 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 will be examined.
The aim is to provide students with knowledge about the counseling
profession and supervised experience conducting mock counseling
sessions. An important component of the course is participation
in a brief experimental group as a way to apply group theory.
Prerequisites: PY220, PY370 or consent of instructor.PY426 Clinical
and Counseling 4 credits
PY426 Clinical and Counseling Psychology 4 credits
This course is designed to cover the issues relevant to clinical
psychology with an emphasis on clinical assessment. The course
focuses on several primary areas such as diagnosis, conducting
intake interviews, conducting mental status exams, and writing
intake reports. In addition, the course examines psychotropic
instruments used by psychologists in clinical settings. Ability,
personality, and projective tests are investigated. Students learn
how to critiques and administer a test, as well as interpret and
write up test results. Prerequisites: required: PY111, PY220,
PY311, PY370; recommended: PY410.
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 0–2 credits
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, PY220, PY310, PY311, PY315, PY325
and/or consent of the instructor. Graded pass/no credit.
PY489 Thesis Planning 0–2 credits
This course will be taken before the student does a thesis. Students
will be required to identify an area for research, conduct a literature
review, identify or construct appropriate instrument/apparatus,
design and write a formal proposal. Pilot work is encouraged.
The course is conducted primarily on an independent basis in consultation
with the instructor. Prerequisite: PY311, PY312 and Junior standing.
Graded pass/no credit.
PY490 Research and Thesis 1–2 credits
In this course, students conduct an experiment or study, analyze,
interpret and integrate their findings; and complete a written
report following APA guidelines. Independent research is emphasized
in consultation with the instructor and an advisor. Prerequisites:
PY311, PY312 and Junior status 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
