Undergraduate Course Descriptions

200 Level Courses

PSY 201G or consent of instructor is a prerequisite for all 300-level courses and above.

PSY 201G. Introduction to Psychology 3 cr.
Methods and principles of behavior. Topics include human evolution and development, biopsychology, perception,learning,thinking, motivation, social interaction, and the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal behavior.

PSY 211. Introduction to Research 1 cr.
Introductory skills in library and on-line research. Emphasizes the scientific method including oral and written presentation of research according to the APA Style Handbook. Does not replace PSY 310 as requirement in B.A. degree. Community Colleges only.

PSY 266. Applied Psychology 3 cr.
Explanation of the psychological principles of everyday living. Emphasizes motivation, learning of intelligent behavior, and applications of psychology to social issues. Community Colleges only.

PSY 270. Special Topics 1-3 cr.
Specific subjects to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Community College campus only.

PSY 274. A Study of Substance Abuse through Service Learning 3 cr.
Physiological and psychological impact of drug use on human behavior. Emphasizes practical applications of intervention and prevention in the community. Community Colleges only.

PSY 290. Psychology of Adjustment 3 cr.
Analyzes the responses people have to conflict, emotional stress, and frustration. It focuses on adapting to these problems and examines both normal and neurotic responses. Community College campus only.

300 Level Courses

PSY 301. Introduction to Psycholinguistics 3 cr.
Psychological aspects of language, including linguistic theories of grammar, psychological factors influencing languageperformance, primary language acquisition and the relationship of language to thought processes. Prerequisite: PSY201G. Same as LING 301.

PSY 302. Abnormal Psychology 3 cr.
Introduces the types, causes, and treatment of mental disorders. Descriptions and explanations of the neuroses, affectivedisorders and the psychoses. Case histories are also analyzed. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 303. Community Psychology 3 cr.
Emphasizes prevention (not treatment) of mental health problems through early intervention programs. The role ofparaprofessionals, and nontraditional interventions in such fields as education and criminal justice arereviewed. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 310. Experimental Methods 4 cr. (2+2P)
The basic skills of literature search, experimental design, research methodology, and research reporting areemphasized; includes laboratory. Prerequisite: STAT 251 or A ST 311G.

PSY 311. Advanced Research Seminar 4 cr. (2+4P)

Psychological research in conjunction with designing, conducting, writing, and presenting an independent research project. May also include various computer applications. Will discuss issues regarding application to graduate programs. Course should be taken no later than the first semester of senior year. Prerequisite: PSY 310.

PSY 315. Emotion and Motivation 3 cr.
Theory and application of motivational concepts. Topics include instinct, need, drive, incentive, expectancy, achievement,work and social motivation. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 317. Social Psychology 3 cr.
Ways in which people are influenced by the behavior of others are analyzed. Topics include aggression, altruism, conformity,attraction, sexual behavior, prejudice, and nonverbal behavior. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 320. Learning 3 cr.
Habituation, Pavlovian conditioning, Thorndikian learning, stimulus generalization, transfer of training, and the learningand forgetting of related and unrelated material are considered. Prerequisite: PSY 201G for nonmajors; PSY 310 for majors.

PSY 320L. Learning Laboratory 1 cr. (2P)
Demonstration of basic learning phenomena and experiments investigating current theoretical issues. Corequisite: PSY 320.

PSY 321. Psychology of Personality 3 cr.
Introduces personality theories and supporting research. Psychoanalytic, physiological, and behavioral theories as theyapply to personality are examined. Focuses on normal personality functioning. Prerequisites: PSY 201G and one 300-level 3credit PSY course.

PSY 324. Sexual Behavior 3 cr.
Examines several viewpoints of the evolution, control and function of human sexual behavior. Topics includehumansexuality, reproduction, male-female conflicts and the social implications of sex. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 325. Health Psychology 3 cr.
Life stress, surgical stress, coronary-prone behavior, biofeedback, pain control, psychosocial approaches to geriatrics andcancer, behavioral treatments for addictions, obesity, and interpersonal issues in health care. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 330. Psychology and the Law 3 cr.
Discretionary practices in the judicial system including pretrial procedures, jury selection, jury decision making,eyewitness testimony, insanity, expert witnesses, and probation judgments. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 340. Cognitive Psychology 3 cr.
Review of research and theory in the study of human cognitive processes. Topics include information processing, patternrecognition, memory, attention, language, problem solving, decision making, and reasoning. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 342. Cognitive Neuroscience 3 cr.

Introduction to the study of the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes. Topics include relations between neural processes and attention, perception, memory, thinking and language; measuring changes in electrical activity, blood flow , and metabolism in the brain during cognition; the problem of consciousness; and evolutionary perspectives. Prerequisites: PSY 201G and PSY 310.

PSY 345. Human Factors Psychology 3 cr.
Concepts, methods and findings in the study and prediction of human performance. Emphasizes the human operator as a unified system which receives, stores, and processes information, enumerates and selects alternatives, and acts. Prerequisites: PSY 201G, and one of: STAT 251G, STAT 271G, or A ST 311, and PSY 310 or consent of instructor.

PSY 350. Developmental Psychology: Conception through Childhood 3 cr.
Covers a wide range of topics concerning human psychological development from conception through childhood with specialemphasis on current research and theory. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 351. Developmental Psychology: Adolescence through Old Age 3 cr.
Covers a wide range of topics concerning human psychological development from adolescence through old age with specialemphasis on current research and theory. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 358. Individual and Group Differences 3 cr.
The influence of biological and social factors (heredity, race, sex, age, environment, social class) upon psychologicalvariables (intelligence, aptitude, ability, achievement, personality, interests, values). Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 359. Psychology of Women.
Topics include women's development across the lifespan, women and work, women'sphysical and mental health and sexuality, the victimization of women, gender stereotypes, biological, social, andcultural influences on women's behavior. Students work in permanent teams of 4-6. Writing assignments and in-classdiscussions require students to integrate and critically examine the arguments made in a series of supplementreadings. Students also participate in several student-led poster sessions on relevant topics.

PSY 370. Special Topics 1-3 cr.
May be taken under different subtitles announced in the Schedule of Classes for unlimited credit. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 372. Aviation Psychology 3 cr.
Human performance in aviation systems: cockpit (displays, controls), National Airspace System, Air Traffic Control, crewcoordination, selection, training, simulation, reliability, and analytic strategies. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 374. Psychopharmacology and Toxicology 3 cr.
How and why drugs and environmental chemicals affect behavior. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 375. Introduction to Biopsychology 3 cr.
Neuroanatomy of brain and spinal cord. Neurophysiological processes concerned with learning, memory, and emotionalbehavior. Prerequisites: PSY 201G, BIOL 254.

PSY 376. Evolutionary Psychology 3 cr.
Behavior from a phylogenetic viewpoint. Compares theories and methods of European ethologists to American psychologists. Thegenetic determination of behavior and its importance for survival. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 380. Perception 4 cr. (3+2P)
Primary emphasis on vision. Topics include measurement of sensations, development of visual-motor coordination, reading,speech perception, picture perception, illusions, 3-dimensional space, and causes and consequences of visualabnormalities. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 383. Memory 3 cr.
Examines several facets of human memory from the information processing viewpoint, including encoding, storage, andretrieval and memory-aiding techniques. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 384. Perceptual and Cognitive Development 3 cr.
Development across the lifespan in perception, memory, attention, reasoning, language and academic skills. Prerequisites: PSY 201G, and one of: STAT 251G, STAT 271G, or A ST 311, and PSY 310 or consent of instructor.

400 Level Courses

PSY 400. Research 1-3 cr.
Individual research projects supervised by a department faculty member. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: PSY 310and consent of supervising faculty.

PSY 401. Directed Readings 1-3 cr.
Prerequisites: PSY 201G and consent of instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.

PSY 402. Field Experience 1-3 cr.
Working with preschool, juvenile delinquent, handicapped, aged, convict, or mentally ill. Approximately five hoursscheduled work per week per credit. May be repeated to 6 credits. Prerequisites: 6 psychology credits and consent ofinstructor.

PSY 417G. Intercultural Relations 3 cr.
Exploration of cultural and subcultural differences from a psychological perspective. Emphasis on modern culturalsettings. Issues may include: ethnocentrism, stereotyping, intercultural communication, culture shock, cultural differences,nonverbal behavior, conflict management, and developing intercultural interaction skills. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 430. Human-Computer Psychology 3 cr.
Theories, methodologies, and data from psychology applicable to interface design, with an emphasis on construction andapplication of conceptual psychological models. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 440. History and Systems of Psychology 3 cr.
History of scientific method emphasizing outstanding methodological problems of contemporary science, especiallypsychology. Also covers recent history of psychology and development of schools of psychology. Prerequisites: PSY 201G andconsent of instructor.

PSY 442. Thinking 3 cr.
A review of research and theory pertaining to human thinking and problem solving. Effective problem-solving methods andcommon obstacles to problem solving are analyzed. Prerequisite: PSY 201G and PSY 340.

PSY 445. Clinical Psychology 3 cr.
Basic theories in clinical psychology and techniques of psychotherapy. Prerequisite: PSY 302.

PSY 450. Senior Thesis 3 cr.
A laboratory or field research project conducted under faculty super vision. Requires written research proposal, conduct ofresearch, data analysis, and final written report. Prerequisites: PSY 310, 6 additional psychology credits, consent ofsupervising faculty member, and junior or above standing.

PSY 455. Perceptual and Cognitive Development 3 cr.
Development across the lifespan in perception, memory, attention, reasoning, language and academic skills. Prerequisite: PSY201G.

PSY 460. Testing and Measurement 3 cr.
Investigates theories and methods of measurement, scaling, and test construction. Topics may include reliabilityandvalidity of tests, and the use of tests for various purposes, including measurement of ability, personality assessment, andpersonnel selection. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 470. Special Topics 1-3 cr.
Specific subjects to be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

PSY 471. Industrial and Organizational Psychology 3 cr.
Psychological issues and research in industrial job design and satisfaction, testing and performanceassessment, training,workplace and equipment and environmental design, organizationalbehavior, industrial safety, and performancemonitoring. Prerequisite: PSY 201G.

PSY 472. Aviation Psychology 3 cr.
Human performance in aviation systems: cockpit (displays, controls), National Airspace System, Air Traffic Control, crewcoordination, selection, training, simulation, reliability, and analytic strategies.

PSY 474. History and Systems of Psychology 3 cr.
History of scientific method emphasizing outstanding methodological problems of contemporary science, especiallypsychology. Also covers recent history of psychology and development of psychology. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

PSY 480. Human-Computer Psychology 3 cr.
Theories, methodologies, and data from psychology applicable to interface design, with an emphasis on construction andapplication of conceptual psychological models.