Undergraduate Psychology Course Descriptions

Psychological topics applied to personal, academic and career growth. Selected readings pertaining to issues of personal identity incorporated into a laboratory learning experience. (Does not fulfill major requirements.)

The scientific method, fundamental principles of sensory and thought processes, biological bases of behaviors, learning and language development, human development, mental health, exceptionality, emotion and motivation, personality and group processes. (Enrichment core course.) IAI: S6 900 SPE 912 NOTE: PSYC 1100//141 is a prerequisite for all undergraduate psychology courses.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

The study of physical, mental, psychosocial development and health considerations throughout the life span. Credit given for only one of the following: Psychology 2040/204, 2000/217, 3020/308. (Enrichment core course.) IAI: S6 902, SED 903.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

Nature and measurement of the learning process in elementary and high schools. Credit will not be given for more than one of the following: Psychology 2040/206, 210 and 218.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100//141.

Cognitive, affective, psychomotor and social development including the ages in preschool, middle school, and adolescence. Social and cultural influences on development. Identification of exceptional individuals, including the learning disabled. Credit will be given for only one of the following: Psychology 2040/204, 2000/217, 3020/308. IAI: S6 904 EED 902 PSY 904 SPE 913

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and consent of instructor. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Implementation of self-help techniques, prevention, and intervention programs with underserved populations. Requires journaling, observation and writing assignments in addition to field placement. May be taken for six hours in one semester and may be repeated for a total of nine hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and MATH 0990/099 Level 1 or consent of the department.

Descriptive statistics: central tendency and variability. Correlation and regression. Additional course fee.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

A survey of basic theories and research on how we think about, influence, and relate to others. Topics include: person perception, attitudes, interpersonal attraction, social influence, prejudice, aggression, and helping. Writing emphasis course. IAI: S8 900 PSY 908

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

A critical analysis of the psychological aspects of stress. Theory, diagnosis and management of stress related disturbances.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

Historical and modern perspectives on death, euthanasia and suicide, life after death, funereal options, dying, loss and the role of survivors and children’s grief.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Expertise in appropriate research methods courses and consent of the instructor.

Collection and analysis of data on media preferences and/or program content. Writing of results in publishable form. May be taken up to three times if different media or different aspects of same medium are examined. Field work required.

Prerequisite: PSYC 141.

Examination of gender stereotypes: social roles, development, sexuality, power, and achievement in males and females. Survey of current gender-based research and theory.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Physical, intellectual, emotional, and social factors in adolescent development. Credit will be given for only one of the following: Psychology 2040/204 or 308. IAI: PSY 902

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and 2040/204, 3020/308, or equivalent. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Physical, intellectual, emotional and social factors in adult development and aging. IAI: S6 905

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

This course will examine crisis theories and application in normal development crisis, situational crisis, and existential crisis. Skill building models of crisis counseling for all crisis categories will be developed and applied.

Prerequisites: PSYC 100/141.

Competencies for para-professionals in the helping professions. Interpersonal communication skills and problem solving. Group participation skills and helping processes. For entry level positions in psychology, social service, and other health related fields.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141

Current theoretical systems in psychology and their historical antecedents. Seminar.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141; Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Nine credit hours in psychology.

Reviews current thinking on topics such as conditioning, attention, learning, memory, thinking, language, and cognitive development. Surveys the work of African American and Latino psychologists. Also includes using APA style to write a literature review on relevant topics. Additional course fee.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Introduces the physical bases of mental functioning. Also includes using transparencies or Power Point to give oral presentations on relevant topics.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Follows the visual and auditory streams through the peripheral and central nervous systems. Examines cognitive models of perception. Also includes automated bibliographic searching and writing a reference list in APA style. Additional course fee.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Psychological methods in the analysis of human factors in business and industry. IAI: PSY 906

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141, 2040/204, 4150/318; 12 hours in psychology and senior status. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Seminar focusing on a specific topic in psychology. The exact topic will vary from semester to semester. Requirements will include a paper of publishable quality and use of primary sources. Enrollment limited to 20 students. May be repeated once with a different topic.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Identification of psychological problems of contemporary African Americans. Related social, economic, and historical factors will be emphasized. Psychological principles applied to understanding and treatment of problems. (This course satisfies the elective courserequirements for the African American Studies major or minor.)

Prerequisite: PSYC 3200/351. and successful completion of qualifying exam in English, Reading, and mathematics.

A continuation of PSYC 3200/351 with emphasis on the family and interpersonal relationships. Evaluated within an Afrocentric social context. (This course satisfies the elective course requirements for the African American Studies major or minor.)

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141.

Psychological testing of African Americans; history and past implications; present status; implications for test construction and teaching at the elementary and secondary levels.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 or consent of the department.

Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. History and legal aspects of child abuse and corporal punishment in the United States. Effects of physical abuse on children’s development. Psychosocial characteristics of child abusers. Organizations in the United States that deal with child abuse.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

A study of the psychosexual development of individuals living in a modern technological society. Topics include the biological-sociological- psychological aspects of learning, masculinity, femininity, sexual counseling, love, intimacy, marriage, divorce, roles, and gender.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

An examination of current theories of childbearing, and implications for parent behavior. Methods of facilitating good parenting. A critical examination of current “how to parent” child care manuals. Role of the one-parent family in the development of the child’s personality.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

The course examines violence in the family and community with an emphasis on racial and ethnic differences. The course provides an overview of the incidence and prevalence, theories of causation, risk factors, long term effects, prevention/treatment for child abuse/ neglect, spousal abuse and youth violence.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and consent of the department. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Independent and/or group studies relating to students’ special interests or programs. Hours are to be arranged, with a maximum of six credit hours.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141, 2080/231, and 4185/331.

Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

The design, conduct, and interpretation of experiments in psychology. Experience in laboratory procedures and statistical analysis. Writing emphasis course.

Prerequisite: PSYC 2080/231 and PSYC 4185/331 or consent of the department. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Survey of non-experimental behavioral research methodology. Students will design research, and collect and analyze data in various areas of psychology.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and 2080/231 or equivalent.

Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Theories of measurement. Validity, reliability, item construction and item validation in intelligence, personality, interest, attitude, and aptitude tests.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Course examines the major theories of personality and provides an integrative framework for understanding the dynamics of personality. IAI: PSY 907

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

The course examines a scientific theories, concepts, definitions, research and applications in psycho pathology. Includes the identification, classification, diagnosis and therapeutic models of major psychological disorders. The course introduces the underlying diagnostic and treatment methodologies in the DSM-IV. IAI: PSY 905

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141, completion of 9 credit hours in psychology, declaration of major in psychology, second semester junior standing (minimum of 75 credit hours), consent of instructor, and successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Supervised undergraduate internship with opportunities for participation in a cognitive, physiological, forensic, or social service setting. Includes writing a final paper in APA format. (May be taken in a two semester sequence for a maximum of 6 credit hours).

Prerequisite: PSYC 2080/231 or PSYC 4190/357 or MATH

PSYC 4185/331 or consent of the department. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Design computer spreadsheets and data base files for statistical analysis in research. Become proficient in SPSS, EXEL, Internet, and other applications used in the behavioral sciences.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and 2080/231 or equivalent. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Inferential statistics: point estimates, confidence intervals, one sample z and t tests, two-sample z and t tests, analysis of variance. Additional course fee.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141 and MATH 099 Level 1 or consent of the department. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations.

Descriptive statistics through correlation and regression. Inferential statistics: point estimates, confidence intervals, one-sample z and t tests of significance, two-sample z and t tests of significance.

Prerequisites: PSYC 1100/141, 4155/336

Classification of alcohol and other drug’s physical and psychological effects, medical complications, assessment and diagnostic techniques, treatment settings, and modalities.

Prerequisites: PSYC 1100/141, 2040/204 or 2000/217,

4155/336. Successful completion of English, reading, math and reading qualifying examinations.

Prepares students to develop ethical standards and apply them in alcohol and drug dependency counseling.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141, 4155/336, 4205/363.

Theory and practice of counseling addictions. Individual, family, group approaches. Screening, intake, treatment delivery models.

Prerequisites: PSYC 1100/141, 2040/204, 2000/217

Influence of drugs and alcohol on family, community violence. Incidence, prevalence, theories, causation, risk factors, long term effects. Prevention strategies.

Prerequisites: PSYC 1100/141, 4202/313, 4206/370.

Focuses on demonstrating competency in the 12 core functions and 8 practice dimensions of substance use disorder counseling. Supervised field experience using knowledge and practicing skills learned in the classroom.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141. Successful completion of the English, reading, and mathematics qualifying examinations. Introductory course in the chemical, psychological, social and treatment aspects of drug use, abuse, and dependency. Drug abuse Drug abuse prevention will be introduced through elementary theories of open communication.

Prerequisites: PSYC 1100/141, 4155/336, 4205/363.

Introduction to and training in basic intake, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, referral, insurance, and other aspects of effective case management.

Prerequisite: PSYC 1100/141

Explores the development issues of early adolescence as they pertain to middle school education. Explores the advisory role of middle school teachers in assessing, coordinating, and referring students to health and social service agencies.