Department of Psychology
Course Descriptions
2007-2008 Undergraduate Bulletin
Courses in Psychology: Unless otherwise indicated, courses are 3 semester credit hours, 3 hours lecture per week.
133. General Psychology - Survey of fundamental principles of behavior, including physiological, perceptual, developmental, learning, motivational, cognitive, social, historical, and methodological perspectives.
143. Psychology of Adjustment - Applications of basic psychological principles to human adjustment and growth, including development, self-concept, coping with stress, abnormal behavior, social influence, and interpersonal relationships, including love and intimacy.
153. Human Sexuality - Psychology of sexual behavior as related to social conduct.
210. Developmental Psychology - Survey of theories of, and current research into, the psychological development of children. Focus on perceptual, cognitive, language, and social/emotional development. Prerequisite: PSY 133 or consent of instructor.
240. Human Consciousness - Examination of a variety of models of the mind (e.g., neurophysiological, cognitive, phenomenological) that purport to explain the nature of conscious experience. Comparison of scientific and intuitive perspectives. Prerequisite: Three hours of psychology.
250. Computer Applications in Psychology - Application of computing to psychology, including appropriate programming languages, accessing the Internet, and applying statistical as well as other software packages designed for the behavioral sciences. Prerequisites: PSY 133 and three hours of computer science or equivalent computing skills.
290. Experimental Social Psychology - Psychology of why some social relationships succeed where others fail. A look at the problems of communicating with one another in terms of obedience, assertiveness, conceit, prejudice, physical attraction, intimacy, anger, and the camaraderie enjoyed by groups of males and females. Prerequisite: Three hours of psychology.
300. Experimental Methods in Psychology - Survey of experimental methods in behavioral sciences. Emphasis on helping students become informed consumers of psychological research. Prerequisite: PSY 133.
310. Industrial Psychology - Comprehensive study of the use of applied psychology in the areas of business and industry. Prerequisite: Advanced standing.
320. Survey of Psychology - Survey of fundamental principles of behavior, including physiological, perceptual, developmental, learning, motivational, cognitive, social, historical, and methodological perspectives.
330. Psychological Statistics - 4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory per week. Application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques in processing behavioral data. Includes normative techniques, parametric and nonparametric applications. PSY 330L is a corequisite for this course. Lecture and lab grades are combined into a single grade for the course. Prerequisites: PSY 133 and three hours of math; MTH 220 and PSY 250, or their equivalents recommended. Lab fee: $20.
341. Experimental Psychology - 4 semester hours, 3 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory per week. Research methods, emphasizing use of experimental control, and analysis of data for reporting experimental results in the psychological study of human and non-human behavior. Prerequisites: PSY 133; PSY 330, or the equivalent, with a grade of C or better; and three additional hours of psychology. Lab fee: $20.
350. Biopsychology - Examination of relationships between behavior and underlying physiological mechanisms. Aspects covered include neural conduction, sensory receptor mechanisms, learning and memory, and other aspects of higher cortical functioning in both humans and animals. Prerequisite: Nine hours of psychology or biology.
361. Principles of Behavior Modification - Principles and research on, and use of, behavioral techniques in clinical, academic, correctional, and industrial settings. Areas covered include behavioral management of children's disorders, self-management skills enhancement, productivity enhancement, and other interventions. Prerequisites: PSY 133 or 143 and three hours of related course work.
375. Abnormal Psychology - Theories and research on the incidence, classification, etiology, and treatment of abnormal behaviors. Prerequisite: PSY 133 or 143.
385. Psychology of Aggression - Perspectives on the development of human violence. Prerequisite: Six hours of psychology.
390. Psychology of Aging - Psychology of adult development from a life-span perspective, emphasizing the later periods of life. Prerequisite: Three hours of psychology.
398H. Honors Reading and Research - 3-6 semester hours. Reading and research for individual honors students in psychology. Amount of credit to be determined by the scope of the project. Prerequisites: 12 semester hours of psychology; consent of faculty supervisor, Department Chair, and Dean of Liberal Arts.
400. Positive Psychology: Science and Application - Introduction to psychology paradigms for the millennium focusing on strengthening and optimizing positive dimensions of personal life, particularly in the realms of work, personal relationships, and leisure. Focus on enhancing behaviors designed to improve quality of life. Prerequisites: Advanced standing and consent of instructor.
420. History and Systems of Psychology - Survey of the historical background of psychology, emphasizing its philosophical origins and evolution of the psychological point of view. Contributions of major schools of psychology to modern psychology also emphasized. Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor.
475. Special Problems - 1-4 semester hours. Individual research on a topic agreed upon before registration by a student and supervising faculty member. Prerequisites: Advanced standing and consent of instructor.
476. Special Problems - Individual research on a topic agreed upon before registration by a student and supervising faculty member. Prerequisites: PSY 475, advanced standing, and consent of instructor.
490. Human Assessment - Survey of psychometric theory, principles and applications. Focus on test development and application, including methods of assessing test consistency and validity. Techniques for assessing intelligence, aptitudes, achievement, interest, attitude, personality and other constructs, as well as cultural and legal/ethical issues in testing. Prerequisites: MTH 220 or PSY 330 or equivalent statistics courses, plus 9 advanced hours in psychology, management, counseling, education, social work, or their equivalent.
495. Psychopathology - Review of Axis I and II disorders from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Theory, etiology, description, and treatment issues are addressed. Prerequisites: PSY 275 and nine additional hours of psychology or related courses.
497. Research Seminar - Students design, conduct, analyze, and write up research for publication/presentation. Prerequisite: grade of C or better in PSY 341 or the equivalent.
498. Topics in Psychology - In-depth study of a topic, such as Sports Psychology, Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Human Factors, Ecological Psychology, or Existential Psychology. Topics announced prior to registration. Prerequisites: Advanced standing and consent of instructor. May be repeated once under a different topic.
499. Undergraduate Practicum in Community Psychology - Pass-Fail. Individual field placements involving a minimum of 100 hours of participation and supervision in student volunteer programs sponsored by cooperating campus and community mental health agencies. Under the supervision of a member of the clinical faculty. Prerequisites: Advanced standing and consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit once.