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Courses & Requirements

Requirements for the Psychology Major

The minimum number of credits required is 44.

Required Courses

At least three courses must be taken at the 300 level.

Foundation Courses

PSY-101: Intro Psy: Biologicl & Cognitv (4.00)

This is one-half of a two-semester introduction to psychology. The course is about the nervous system as it pertains to behavior and cognition. Students may take 101 or 102 first and each course is independent of the other.

PSY-102: Intro Psy: Dev, Social Behav (4.00)

This is one-half of a two-semester introduction to psychology. The course will cover topics such as: social psychology, development, personality, and psychopathology. Students may take 101 or 102 first and each course is independent of the other.

PSY-206: Research Statistics (4.00)

Basic theory, principles and applications of statistics in behavioral science research. Cross-listed with SOC-206.

Course requisites: One 100-level course from ANT,PH,POL,PSY, or SOC

PSY-207: Research Design and Methods (4.00)

Fundamentals of research design and methods, including scientific writing and presentation. Laboratories involve applications to major areas of psychology such as perception, learning, memory, and social psychology. Small group or individual experiments are designed and conducted. 3 LEC, 1 LAB.

Course requisites: PSY-206 or permission of Psych/Neuro Dept.

PSY-208: Applied Research Skills (2.00)

In PSY-208, students will complete three modules of learning based on the three core areas of our major: Social/Cultural, Applied/Health, and Cognitive/Neuroscience. For each module, students will collect data, analyze the data and present in a variety of formats such as a written paper, oral presentation, and graphical depiction of findings.

Course requisites: PSY-206 (& desired co-req PSY-207) or permission

Social & Cultural Core

At least 2 courses from:

PSY-205: Introduction to Industrial/ Organizational Psychology (4.00)

Explores how people think and behave at work from industrial/organizational perspectives. The industrial perspective examines the theory and practice of selection, training and evaluation of workers; organizational perspective investigates employee satisfaction, motivation, leadership, and cooperative processes. Cross-listed with BUS-205.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-230: Psychology of Women: Critical Perspectives on Race, Class & Gender (4.00)

The purpose of this class is to provide students with an introduction to the psychology of women through an intersectional theoretical framework. Throughout the course, students will learn how the field of psychology and related social sciences have studied the effects of social, cultural, and political influences on the socialization of girls and women. Students will explore how such paradigms, specifically the intersections of race, class, and gender, affect psychological, social, and environmental outcomes for girls and women, nationally and internationally. Cross-listed with WS-230.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-305: Social Psychology: Global Perspectives (4.00)

Explore key applied, research, and theoretical models of behavior of the individual as influenced by the behavior and characteristics of other individuals with a broad global cultural perspective.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

Neuroscience Core

At least 2 courses from:

PSY-285: Animal Behavior (4.00)

Development, ecology and causation of animal behavior. Emphasis on comparative analysis of mechanisms underlying the production of species-specific behavior. 3 LEC, 1 LAB. Cross-listed with BIO-285.

Course requisites: PSY-101

PSY-311: Animal and Human Learning (4.00)

Principles of learning, behavioral change, and motivation in humans and other animals. Emphasis on conceptual, methodological, and theoretical findings in classical, operant, and observational learning, with a focus on application in a variety of settings.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-315: Cognitive Neuroscience (4.00)

Human cognition and perception and their neurophysiological correlates as revealed by functional imaging techniques and clinical populations. Selected topics include basic neuroanatomy and brain imaging techniques and their application to the study of attention, memory imagery, concept formation, language, problem solving, creative thinking, and intelligence.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-323: Sensation and Perception (4.00)

The study of how our sensory systems detect the physical world around us and how we understand what these sensations mean. Emphasis on current research.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-351: Foundations of Neuroscience II (3.00)

This course requires students to understand the basics of the nervous system at the systems level and equips students with scientific tools such as critical analysis of primary literature, development of an inquiry based project, and presentation of scientific research. In the 1-credit inquiry-based laboratory co-requisite course PSY-351L, students are given background material and generate their own line of scientific inquiry with tools and specific techniques explained and taught. Based on their questions and the techniques available, they will design experiments and analyze the results. Cross-listed with BIO-351/BIO-351L.

Course requisites: PSY-351 & PSY-351L must be taken concurrently.

PSY-351L: Inquiry Based Research Neuroscience Lab (1.00)

INQUIRY BASED RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE LAB--In this laboratory co-requisite course to PSY-351, students are given background material and generate their own line of scientific inquiry with tools and specific techniques explained and taught. Based on their questions and the techniques available, they will design experiments and analyze the results.

Course requisites: PSY-351 & 351L must be taken concurrently.

BIO-330: Diseases of the Nervous System (4.00)

This course examines the cell types that make up the human brain and how the cells function properly to make us who we are. We will examine the sub-cellular nature of different diseases to understand how brain cells function.

Course requisites: BIO-110, 111 & one 200-lev BIO crs (216 or 220 recommended)

Clinical & Health Core

At least 2 courses from:

PSY-200: Developmental Psychology (4.00)

Development of the individual throughout the lifespan.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-202: Psychology of Sexual Behavior (4.00)

Study of psychological determinants and consequences of human sexual behavior. Attitudinal and emotional factors will be emphasized. Cross-listed with WS-202.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-214: Introduction to Counseling (4.00)

This course will provide an introduction to counseling principles, research, and skills. Role-play practice sessions will be included.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-312: Psychopathology & Problems in Living (4.00)

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND PROBLEMS IN LIVING. Coverage of the diagnostic characteristics, theoretical perspectives, and treatments of the major psychological disorders.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

Capstone Courses

PSY-400: Capstone: Applied Research in Psychology (4.00)

CAPSTONE: APPLIED RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY--Seminars focusing on research in the area of psychology. The specific research topic in each section of the class will be determined by the individual class instructor. Students will conduct collaborative research projects in the designated research area. Prerequisite: PSY-101, PSY-207, the instructor's permission, and an application.

Course requisites: PSY-101 & 207, permission of instructor, & an application required

Requirements for the Psychology Minor

The minimum number of credits required is 28.

Required Courses

Foundation Courses

PSY-101: Intro Psy: Biologicl & Cognitv (4.00)

This is one-half of a two-semester introduction to psychology. The course is about the nervous system as it pertains to behavior and cognition. Students may take 101 or 102 first and each course is independent of the other.

PSY-102: Intro Psy: Dev, Social Behav (4.00)

This is one-half of a two-semester introduction to psychology. The course will cover topics such as: social psychology, development, personality, and psychopathology. Students may take 101 or 102 first and each course is independent of the other.

PSY-206: Research Statistics (4.00)

Basic theory, principles and applications of statistics in behavioral science research. Cross-listed with SOC-206.

Course requisites: One 100-level course from ANT,PH,POL,PSY, or SOC

PSY-207: Research Design and Methods (4.00)

Fundamentals of research design and methods, including scientific writing and presentation. Laboratories involve applications to major areas of psychology such as perception, learning, memory, and social psychology. Small group or individual experiments are designed and conducted. 3 LEC, 1 LAB.

Course requisites: PSY-206 or permission of Psych/Neuro Dept.

PSY-208: Applied Research Skills (2.00)

In PSY-208, students will complete three modules of learning based on the three core areas of our major: Social/Cultural, Applied/Health, and Cognitive/Neuroscience. For each module, students will collect data, analyze the data and present in a variety of formats such as a written paper, oral presentation, and graphical depiction of findings.

Course requisites: PSY-206 (& desired co-req PSY-207) or permission

Social & Cultural Core

One course from:

PSY-205: Introduction to Industrial/ Organizational Psychology (4.00)

Explores how people think and behave at work from industrial/organizational perspectives. The industrial perspective examines the theory and practice of selection, training and evaluation of workers; organizational perspective investigates employee satisfaction, motivation, leadership, and cooperative processes. Cross-listed with BUS-205.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-230: Psychology of Women: Critical Perspectives on Race, Class & Gender (4.00)

The purpose of this class is to provide students with an introduction to the psychology of women through an intersectional theoretical framework. Throughout the course, students will learn how the field of psychology and related social sciences have studied the effects of social, cultural, and political influences on the socialization of girls and women. Students will explore how such paradigms, specifically the intersections of race, class, and gender, affect psychological, social, and environmental outcomes for girls and women, nationally and internationally. Cross-listed with WS-230.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-305: Social Psychology: Global Perspectives (4.00)

Explore key applied, research, and theoretical models of behavior of the individual as influenced by the behavior and characteristics of other individuals with a broad global cultural perspective.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

Neuroscience Core

One course from:

PSY-285: Animal Behavior (4.00)

Development, ecology and causation of animal behavior. Emphasis on comparative analysis of mechanisms underlying the production of species-specific behavior. 3 LEC, 1 LAB. Cross-listed with BIO-285.

Course requisites: PSY-101

PSY-311: Animal and Human Learning (4.00)

Principles of learning, behavioral change, and motivation in humans and other animals. Emphasis on conceptual, methodological, and theoretical findings in classical, operant, and observational learning, with a focus on application in a variety of settings.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-315: Cognitive Neuroscience (4.00)

Human cognition and perception and their neurophysiological correlates as revealed by functional imaging techniques and clinical populations. Selected topics include basic neuroanatomy and brain imaging techniques and their application to the study of attention, memory imagery, concept formation, language, problem solving, creative thinking, and intelligence.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-323: Sensation and Perception (4.00)

The study of how our sensory systems detect the physical world around us and how we understand what these sensations mean. Emphasis on current research.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

PSY-351: Foundations of Neuroscience II (3.00)

This course requires students to understand the basics of the nervous system at the systems level and equips students with scientific tools such as critical analysis of primary literature, development of an inquiry based project, and presentation of scientific research. In the 1-credit inquiry-based laboratory co-requisite course PSY-351L, students are given background material and generate their own line of scientific inquiry with tools and specific techniques explained and taught. Based on their questions and the techniques available, they will design experiments and analyze the results. Cross-listed with BIO-351/BIO-351L.

Course requisites: PSY-351 & PSY-351L must be taken concurrently.

PSY-351L: Inquiry Based Research Neuroscience Lab (1.00)

INQUIRY BASED RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE LAB--In this laboratory co-requisite course to PSY-351, students are given background material and generate their own line of scientific inquiry with tools and specific techniques explained and taught. Based on their questions and the techniques available, they will design experiments and analyze the results.

Course requisites: PSY-351 & 351L must be taken concurrently.

BIO-330: Diseases of the Nervous System (4.00)

This course examines the cell types that make up the human brain and how the cells function properly to make us who we are. We will examine the sub-cellular nature of different diseases to understand how brain cells function.

Course requisites: BIO-110, 111 & one 200-lev BIO crs (216 or 220 recommended)

Clinical & Health Core

One course from:

PSY-200: Developmental Psychology (4.00)

Development of the individual throughout the lifespan.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-202: Psychology of Sexual Behavior (4.00)

Study of psychological determinants and consequences of human sexual behavior. Attitudinal and emotional factors will be emphasized. Cross-listed with WS-202.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-214: Introduction to Counseling (4.00)

This course will provide an introduction to counseling principles, research, and skills. Role-play practice sessions will be included.

Course requisites: PSY-101 or PSY-102

PSY-312: Psychopathology & Problems in Living (4.00)

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND PROBLEMS IN LIVING. Coverage of the diagnostic characteristics, theoretical perspectives, and treatments of the major psychological disorders.

Course requisites: PSY-101 and PSY-207

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