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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
PSYCHOLOGY
(PSY)

1013 Introduction to Psychology [TCCN: PSYC 2301.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
Introduction to the study of the mind and behavior, with attention to awareness, discrimination, sensation, perception, emotion, motivation, learning, memory, problem solving, personality, mental and behavioral development, abnormal behavior, and behavior in group settings. Psychological, social, cultural, and biological determinants of behavior are considered, together with applications of basic principles. Scientific and nonscientific approaches to the explanation of psychological phenomena are examined critically. Participation in illustrative research required. (Formerly PSY 2013. Credit may be earned for only one of the following: PSY 1013, PSY 1203, or PSY 2013.)

2001 Careers and Training in Psychology
(1-0) 1 hour credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or equivalent.
Explores career opportunities in Psychology relative to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels of training. Students learn how best to plan their program of studies to achieve their educational and occupational goals. The different types of graduate programs in Psychology are described and the admissions process is considered in light of the most effective strategies for gaining entrance and assuring success. Must be taken on a credit/no-credit basis.

2073 Statistics for Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: MAT 1023, MAT 1033, or MAT 1073, and one psychology course.
The use of statistics in psychological research includes: elementary probability theory; descriptive statistics, including histograms, graphing, and measures of central tendency and dispersion; correlational techniques; binomial and normal distributions; and inferential statistics, including hypothesis testing, effect size estimates, and analysis of variance. (Formerly STA 2073. Credit cannot be earned for both PSY 2073 and STA 2073.)

2503 Developmental Psychology [TCCN: PSYC 2314.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013.
Problems, methods, major theories, and results in the study of the psychological development of the individual from the prenatal period to old age.

2513 Abnormal Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013.
Topics may include the dynamics of abnormal behavior with attention to description, causes, and treatment of major psychological disorders, including neuroses, psychoses, personality disorders, and psychosomatic disorders.

2523 Personality [TCCN: PSYC 2316.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013.
Problems, methods, major theories, and results in the study of development and maintenance of typical modes of behavior and dynamics of adjustment.

2533 Social Psychology [TCCN: PSYC 2319.]
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013.
Problems, methods, major theories, and results in the study of social interaction and interpersonal influence; self-identity, attitudes, role behavior, social perception, social influence, and behavior within groups.

2543 Theories of Learning
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 1013 or equivalent and MAT 1023 or equivalent.
An examination of major theories about the nature of the learning process. Discussion will focus on the construction and evaluation of models of learning. The practical and theoretical implications of research results for the acquisition, maintenance, modification, and elimination of behavior will be considered. Related memory phenomena and theories may be discussed.

2573 Psychology of Thought
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 1013 or equivalent and MAT 1023 or equivalent.
An introduction to the principles of human thought as they relate to memory, comprehension, and problem solving. These principles will be used to analyze the nature of the cognitive strategies and skills that individuals develop to cope with the adaptive challenges they face.

3013 Psychological Measurement
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 1013 and PSY 2073, or consent of instructor.
The application of quantitative and qualitative measures to psychological data.

3023 Social Psychology of Small Groups
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2533 and PSY 3403, or consent of instructor.
Theory and modern research in the social psychology of small groups. Particular attention will be given to group formation, the nature of small group processes, and the influence of groups on behavior.

3053 Cross-Cultural Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013, ANT 1013, or ANT 2053.
An examination of the role of culture in the development and validation of psychological theories. Critical discussion of the application of theories of human behavior developed in the United States and Western Europe to other cultural groups, including ethnic minority subgroups. Topics may include identity formation, cognitive and personality development, social and organizational behavior, intergroup relations, psychological assessment, and mental health.

3063 Psychological Testing
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 3403 or the equivalent.
An introduction to the development, interpretation, and administration of psychological tests.

3103 Cognition
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403 and one of the following: PSY 2543 or PSY 2573.
Examination of current information-processing models of human cognition. Emphasis will be placed on the processes by which stimuli are identified, by which past information is retrieved and used, and by which one’s knowledge is modified.

3113 Motivation and Emotion
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2533, PSY 2543, or consent of instructor.
Topics may include examination of biological, physiological, learning, psychodynamic, cognitive, and purposive factors in the motivation of human behavior. Includes examination of nature and roles of emotion in explaining motivational processes.

3123 Attitudes
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2533 or consent of instructor.
Examination of current theory and research on the nature of attitudes, their acquisition, and processes of attitude change. Topics may include psychological foundations of attitudes, structure and function of attitudes, attitude measurement, attitude-behavior consistency, theories of attitude change, and the role of attitudes in social behavior.

3153 Sensation and Perception
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403, and either PSY 2543 or PSY 2573.
Survey of the processes by which the information available in the physical world is encoded and transformed to produce our perception of the world. Emphasis on the interaction between data-driven and conceptually-driven processes. Topics may include elementary sensory physiology, pattern recognition, illusions, physiological bases of perceptual dysfunction, and perceptual development. (Formerly PSY 2553. Credit cannot be earned for both PSY 3153 and PSY 2553.)

3203 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2073 or the equivalent; one additional psychology class; and upper-class standing or consent of instructor.
The role of psychology in industry. Applications of psychological knowledge to industrial problems such as personnel selection, employee motivation and satisfaction, and the influence of organizations on behavior.

3303 Psychological Perspectives on Gender
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2503, PSY 2513, PSY 2523, or PSY 2533.
Consideration of physiological and social-learning origins of sex differences and psychological theories of sex-stereotyped and sexual behavior. Topics may include androgyny versus sex-typed behavior, gender dysfunction, origins of sex stereotypes, sexual preferences, and sex differences in reasoning ability, aggression, sexual behavior, personality, and psychopathology.

3403 Experimental Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: One course from PSY 2503, PSY 2513, PSY 2523, or PSY 2533; PSY 2543 or PSY 2573; a minimum grade of “C” in PSY 2073 or consent of instructor; and concurrent enrollment in PSY 3413.
This course is designed to offer students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with representative experimental designs employed in psychological research, to provide instruction in the choice of appropriate designs, to provide the opportunity to develop skills in the analysis of published research, and to offer an introduction to techniques for collecting and analyzing data.

3413 Experimental Psychology Laboratory
(2-2) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in PSY 3403.
Application of observational and experimental procedures to selected problems in the collection of psychological data and the evaluation of psychological theories.

3513 Psychopathology and Childhood
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2513.
Clinical findings and experimental research regarding childhood behavior problems, including hyperactivity, autism, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. Additional topics include family influences on development of abnormal behavior and various psychotherapeutic techniques.

3523 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2503 or consent of instructor.
Descriptive and theoretical accounts of psychological developments from early adulthood to old age. Relevant data are reviewed in the areas of memory, intellect, mental and physical health, social development, personality, grief, and dying.

3543 Introduction to Clinical Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2513 and PSY 3403, or consent of instructor.
An introduction to the concepts, methods, and profession of clinical psychology. Topics will include historical background, theoretical and research perspectives on psychopathology and psychotherapy, clinical assessment, and professional issues concerning clinical training, regulation, and ethics.

4003 History of Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403 and PSY 3413, or consent of instructor.
The development of major theoretical positions and research strategies in psychology from the ancient Greeks to the present, with emphasis on the development of scientific psychology since the late 19th century.

4013 Social Psychology of the Self
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2523 or PSY 2533, and PSY 3403 or consent of instructor.
A social psychological examination of current research on the self in social interaction. Topics may include the structure of the self-concept and strategies for the preservation of self-esteem; the evaluation of the self through social comparison; the search for meaning and processes involved in understanding the self; and individual differences in self-knowledge and self-presentational styles. (Formerly PSY 3143. Credit cannot be earned for both PSY 4013 and PSY 3143.)

4103 Social Psychology of Prejudice
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2533 and PSY 3403.
Consideration of social, psychological, and personality factors in prejudice and stereotyping, and their interaction with cultural factors in producing racism and other prejudices.

4113 Cognitive Development
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2503, PSY 2573, and PSY 3403; or consent of instructor.
The development of perception, memory, and thinking in children, with attention to the roles of experience and maturation in development of thought, and the validity of the concept of cognitive stages, particularly Piagetian models.

4133 Social and Personality Development
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 2503, PSY 2523, or PSY 2533.
Social and personality development across the life span. Topics may include sex-role development, child rearing, achievement, and the influence of peers. Socialization into different social roles may also be considered.

4143 Memory
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403 or an equivalent and one of the following: PSY 2543 or PSY 2573, or consent of instructor.
Models for the coding, storage, and retrieval of information in memory. Organization and structure of short-term, long-term, and semantic memory, and the role of verbalization and images in memory.

4163 Sensory Processes
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 3153 or consent of instructor.
Study of sensory physiology and the four psychophysical questions: detection, discrimination, magnitude estimation, and recognition.

4183 Physiological Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 1013 or consent of instructor.
Topics may include the biological and particularly neurophysiological bases of human behavior and cognition, the structure and organization of the nervous system, and the effect of the latter on perception, memory, learning, motivation, and emotion.

4193 Relationships
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 2533 and PSY 3403.
A consideration of the psychological processes that underlie the development and maintenance of social relationships. Emphasis on motivational and cognitive factors that mediate social interaction and communication. Special attention may be given to friendships, romantic relationships, successful marriages, and distressed relationships.

4213 Social Cognition
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403 or the equivalent, PSY 2533 or PSY 2573, or consent of instructor.
The study of how people perceive and construe social events, social situations, and the behavior of other people. Some emphasis is also placed on how social and cultural forces affect personal perception processes.

4253 Psychology and Health
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Upper-class standing.
Exploration of the role of psychological factors in physical health. Topics may include the relationship between mind and body, psychological factors in pain, the effects of stress on health, psychological aspects of chronic illness, psychological processes involved in perceiving and responding to physical symptoms, interpersonal relationships in health care, personality factors in illness, and issues concerning death and dying.

4293 Visual Information Processing
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 3153 or consent of instructor.
Focus on the acquisition, storage, and use of visual information. Topics will include visual pattern recognition, models of visual attention, analog representations in memory, and spatial cognition.

4323 Psychology of Language
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 3403, and either PSY 2543 or PSY 2573.
Investigates how humans represent, produce, understand, and acquire language. Topics may include language processing, neurolinguistics, language acquisition, conversational interaction, language disorders, and reading development. (Formerly PSY 2583. Credit cannot be earned for both PSY 4323 and PSY 2583.)

4333 The Perception of Sound
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PSY 3153.
An examination of how we experience sound. Topics may include auditory psychophysics, auditory speech pattern perception, and the perception of complex sequences including music and speech.

4911,3 Independent Study
1 or 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Permission in writing (form available) of the instructor, the student’s advisor, the Department Chair, and Dean of the College in which the course is offered.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours of independent study, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree. No more than 3 semester credit hours of independent study will apply toward psychology major or minor requirements.

4923 Current Topics in Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PSY 1013 and PSY 3403.
Coverage of topics of current interest in the field of psychology. May be repeated once for credit when topics vary, but no more than 3 semester credit hours will apply toward the major in psychology.

4933,6 Internship in Psychology
3 or 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: Consent of internship coordinator before registration.
Supervised experience relevant to psychology within selected community organizations. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours may be earned through Internship in Psychology. No more than 3 semester credit hours will apply toward psychology major or minor requirements. Must be taken on a credit/no-credit basis.

4953 Special Studies in Psychology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Studies may be repeated for credit when the topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor’s degree.

4993 Honors Thesis
3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Enrollment limited to candidates for Honors in Psychology. Requirements for candidacy include the sponsorship of a faculty member and Psychology faculty approval of the student’s project proposal.
Supervised research and preparation of an honors thesis. May be repeated once for credit with advisor’s approval. No more than 3 semester credit hours will apply toward Psychology major requirements.

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