Physical Therapy

Courses in Psychology

PSY 111. General Psychology I. This survey course examines the realtionship between research and theory in the field of psychology. A brief review of the history of psychology allows students to understand the evolution of the descipline. The remainder of the course provides an overview of the basic research areas of psychology, including physiological psychology, sensation and perception, learning and memory, language and cognition, and human development. 3 credits.

PSY 112. General Psychology II. This survey course examines the realtionship between research and theory in the field of psychology, with emphasis on the field of applied psychology. Individual and societal influences on physical and psychological health will be examined. Topics will include psychological testing, personality theory, intelligence, motivation and emotion, social behavior, and psychological disorders and treatment. 3 credits.

PSY 120. Introduction to Experimental Psychology. An introduction to psychology as a science, emphasizing laboratory research. Students complete literature reviews, design and conduct a psychological experiment, perform data analysis and interpretation, and review scientific ethics. In addition, subdisciplines of psychology, and methodology specific to each, are explored. Writing process. 4 credits.

PSY 130. Statistics & Data Analysis. This laboratory course explores the basic quantitative and qualitative statistics and data-based analytical methods used by scientists to interpret and understand behavior. Topics include the logic of the scientific method applied to data analysis, descriptive statistics, the foundations and utility of inferential statistics, and the statistical methodologies of simple and advanced hypothesis testing. Students will also design, analyze, and present the results of their own original data-collection project. 4 credits. {Cross-listed as PSC 142.}

PSY 180. Child Development & Education. A survey of major ideas in child development and educational psychology, with an emphasis on classroom applications. Topics include human development, intelligence, language, learning, memory, motivation, social and cultural contexts of development, and assessments. 3 credits.

PSY 199. Sophomore Seminar. This course is designed to help clarify students' interest and long-term plans for the field of psychology. Topics include identifying the academic and interpersonal abilities necessary to become a successful student at the undergraduate level and beyond, reviewing the broad skills and values related to different careers in psychology, preparing students for the different elements of job searching and applying to graduate school, exploring employment options in psychology available to individuals with bachelor's and graduate degrees, and reflecting on one's own skills/interests to develop a general career plan for their post-collegiate life. This will be a pass/fail course for all students. 1 credit.

PSY 230. Psychology of Adolescent Development. A study of the psychological characteristics and changes occurring during adolescence. Topics include psychological development, social influences, cognitive and intellectual development, identity and self-concept, sexual development, values and transition to adulthood. Prerequisite: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 235. Psychology of Adult Development and Aging. A study of research, literature, and theories concerned with psychological change in the adult, from early adulthood to death. Current research methods and findings are covered in the areas of physical, cognitive, personality, and social changes in the adult years. Prerequisite: PSY 111, 112, 120 or 130. 3 credits.

PSY 240. Organizational Psychology. Psychological principles applied to organizational behavior. Topics include individual factors (personality, attitudes, perceptions), group dynamics, personnel selection and training, communication, leadership, ergonomics and organizational change. Prerequisite: PSY 111, 112, 120 or 130. 3 credits.

PSY 245. Personality. A study of the major theories of personality, with emphasis on psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, behaviorism, social learning, and trait theory. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits. Writing process. 3 credits.

PSY 247. Psychological Perspectives on Gender. This course is designed to address a broad spectrum of issues related to the psychology of gender. Of central importance is the examination of empirical findings related to gender differences and similarities in biological, behavioral, cognitive, social, and emotional domains. The course will also involve a critical examination of the meaning of gender in the field of psychology and in the broader society. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 or 130. 3 credits

PSY 248. Health Psychology - Behavorial Medicine. This course is designed as an introduction to health psychology/behavorial medicine. It will consider the role of psychology in the health field, including medical settings. It covers the relationship between psychological factors and physical disease from predisposition through maintenance. The study of behavorial medicine will include treatment of stress and stress-related disorders, preventive health behaviors and factors related to adherence of treatment programs. It also explores the psychological connections of pain and pain management, and how personal control is related to both health and the disease process. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 250. Sensory & Perceptual Processes. Surveys structures and functions of, and research strategies to examine, the various sensory systems with particular emphasis on the visual system. Physiological and philosophical aspects of perception are discussed. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 252. The Science of Emotion. This course will study the philosophical, psychological, and scientific foundations and implications of the emotion process by examining several related psychological elements associated with emotions, including motivational, social, and cognitive processes. Objectives include a) identifying several key questions in the science of emotion, b) understanding scientific approaches to the study of emotion, c) examining several processes associated with emotion and how these processes influence (and/or are influenced by) the emotion process, and d) analyzing major theories of emotion. Course content will be explored using a lecture/discussion approach, but may include some lab-like experiences requiring students to engage in data collection projects that accompany and compliment the content covered in the class.

PSY 255. Evolutionary Psychology. This course is an approach to psychology in which knowledge and principles from evolutionary biology are used to research the structure of the human mind. Topics will include the adaptive problems of survival, mating, parenting, kinship, cooperation, warfare, and conflict between the sexes. Prerequisite: PSY 111, 112, 120 or 130. 3 credits.

PSY 260. Learning and Memory. This course explores various processes involved in knowledge acquisition, storage, and retrieval. Specific topics include associative learning mechanisms, the impact of reinforcement and punishment on behavior, generalization and discrimination, memory encoding, long-term memory storage and retrieval, memory distortions, and the sources of individual differences in learning and memory. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 265. Abnormal Behavior and Experience. A study of mental, emotional and behavioral problems, including alcohol and drug abuse, brain disorders, criminal and psycopathic behavior, neuroses, psychophysiological reactions, psychoses, sexual deviations, subnormal intelligence and suicide. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 268. Introduction to Clinical Psychology. A study of the ways psychologists assist persons and groups. Particular attention is given to assessment, individual and group therapy, marriage and family counseling, and community psychology. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 270. Forensic Psychology. This course will focus on three critical areas that fall under the umbrella of forensic psychology. First, students will be introduced to the area of legal psychology, including applied empirical research on issues important to the legal system such as eyewitness accuracy, police selection, jury decision making, and legal assumptions about human behavior relevant to the rights of defendents, victims, children, and consumers of mental health services. Second, the area of psychological jurisprudence will be explored by studying efforts to develop a philosophy of law and justice based on psychological values. Third, students will be introduced to the concepts generally thought of as forensic psychology, such as criminal profiling, insanity defense, competence to stand trial and child custody decisions. 3 credits.

PSY 280. Introduction to Neuropsychology. This course serves as an introduction to the content areas and methodology of neuropsychology, the study of the relationships between brain function and behavior. Topics include basic communication in the nervous system, organization and function of sensory and motor systems, hemispheric specialization, localization of function, brain injury and plasticity, and issues associated with neuropsychological assessment. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 285. Introduction to Psychopharmacology. This course surveys the most commonly used substances to treat mental disorders, such as antianxiety, antidepressant, antipsychotic, mood- stabilizer, psychostimulant, and cognitive enhancer medications. The course also discusses the brain and its most common neurotransmitters, how transmitting neurons send and receive electrochemical information, the pharmokinetics (metabolism and elimination) and pharmacodynamics (absorption, distribution, and effects) of each drug as well as the action sites, side effects, and mechanisms of each drug. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120 or PSY 130. 3 credits.

PSY 324. Psychology of Child Development. This course provides a broad foundation for understanding child development through an integration of practical, theoretical, and research orientations. Attention is given to both cultural and biological determinants of social, cognitive, physical, and emotional development, focusing on individual differences as well as group similarities. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; or permission of instructor. 3 credits.

PSY 325. Child Development Laboratory. The course will provide students with experience planning (including IRB approval), observing, measuring, and analyzing child behavior using the methods employed by developmental researchers. This is intended to supplement the theory and research background they receive in PSY 324. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; students must also have completed or be currently enrolled in PSY 324. 1 credit.

PSY 332. Psychological Testing and Assessment. An introduction to the principles of psychological measurement, methods of test design and construction, and applications and interpretations of existing psychological tests. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; or permission of instructor. 3 credits.

PSY 333. Psychological Testing & Assessment Laboratory. Students will be given the opportunity to experience how psychological tests are designed and evaluated. Each student will conduct a literature review on their selected topics, and then design, construct, distribute, and evaluate the validity/reliability of a psychological test instrument consistent with a research theme that will change every year. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, and 130; students must also have completed or be currently enrolled in PSY 332. 1 credit.

PSY 346. Social Psychology. A study of the inter- and intra-personal relationships between individuals and groups, with emphasis on theories and research studies. The topics covered may include attitude development and change, conformity, persuasion, person perception, attribution, attraction and group processes. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; or permission of instructor. 3 credits.

PSY 347. Social Psychology Laboratory. This course is intended to provide students with hands-on experience in the types of survey design, observational research, and lab-based experimentation consistent with group behavior, interpersonal relationships, and the interaction between social issues and popular culture. The course culminates in the presentation of data from students' original research within social psychology. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, and 130; students must also have completed or be currently enrolled in PSY 346. 1 credit.

PSY 360. Teaching Social Science in Secondary Sch. This course is designed for students seeking certification to teach social science courses (psychology, sociology and anthropology) at the secondary school level. Under the supervision of College faculty, students will be responsible for preparing lecture and lab materials, teaching selected topics, and preparing, administering, and evaluating course assignments and exams. 1 credit.

PSY 363. Cognitive Science. This course explores the human mind by integrating philosophical, psychological, and biological perspectives on the nature of thought processses. Specific topics discussed in this framework include attention, perception, consciousness, memory, language, reasoning, intelligence, and thought-related dysfunctions. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; or permission of instructor. 3 credits.

PSY 364. Cognitive Science Laboratory. This is an advanced, hands-on seminar in cognitive science, which will allow students to explore a preferred interest in human thinking via laboratory research. Students will review the literature on their chosen topic, design an experiment addressing this issue, and then collect and analyze the data from their experiment. The course culminates with an oral and written presentation of their research. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, and 130; students must also have completed or be currently enrolled in PSY 363. 1 credit.

PSY 378. Behavioral Neuroscience. A study of the biological basis (substrates) of behavioral processes. The course focuses on the physiology of reflexes, sensation and perception, learning and memory, sleep, ingestive behaviors, emotion and psychopathology. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120 and 130; or permission of instructor. 3 credits. {Cross-listed as Psychobiology 378}

PSY 379. Behavioral Neuroscience Lab. Students will be introduced to methods used in the study of the nervous system and its influence on behavior. Lab work will include collecting, analyzing, and reporting data from physiological studies, as well as sheep brain dissection and stereotaxic neurosurgery. In addition, students must complete an APA style proposal for an individual research project. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, and 130; students must also have completed or be currently enrolled in PSY 378. 1 credit.

PSY 400. Internship. This course focuses on practical and professional work experience related to the student's work or research interests or graduate school plans. Internships are limited to off-campus sites only. Students should not take more than six credits per semester. This will be a pass/fail course for all students. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, 130, and at least 6 completed credits at the 200 level or higher; overall GPA of at least 2.5; completion of departmental form; approval of internship site by student's adviser prior to registration. 1-12 credits.

PSY 410. Independent Laboratory Research. This advanced seminar allows students to explore their own research-based interests in psychology via the completion of a laboratory experiment on a psychological topic of their choosing. Students will review the literature on their topic in an integrative manner, formulate a novel experiment that addresses some aspect(s) of their chosen discipline, collect and analyze data for their experiment, and then present their findings in the form of a conference-style oral presentation and a complete APA-style research manuscript. Prerequisites: PSY 111, 112, 120, 130, at least 6 completed credits at the 200 level or higher, and a meeting with the course instructor prior to the start of the semester to begin discussing possible research topics. Students may enroll in a maximum of 3 credit hours per independent laboratory research in any one semester. A maximum of 6 credit hours in independent laboratory research may be used toward the graduation requirements. 3 credits.

PSY 420. Independent Reading. This is an advanced seminar in psychological science, where all students will research topics on the same specified theme, selected by the instructor (this theme will be different with each offering of the course). Students will produce an integrative literature review of their issue and develop some conclusions about their topic, then present their insights in both oral and written forms. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120, PSY 130, at least 6 completed credits at the 200 level or higher, and a meeting with the course instructor prior to the start of the semester to begin discussing possible research topics. 2 credits.

PSY 443. History and Theory. A study of the history of psychology, including philosophical precursors to psychology, early and modern schools of thought within psychology, important trends, and famous psychologists. Prerequisites: PSY 111, PSY 112, PSY 120, PSY 130, and at least 6 completed credits at the 200 level or higher. Writing process. 3 credits.

PSY 810. Organizational Behavior. Systematic presentation of theory and research in areas of organizational behavior; including motivation, group dynamics, leadership, decision-making, organization change, career planning and communication. 3 credits.