Curriculum for Psychology Degree

Students will explore systems in the public, social, and economic realms with application to fields related to social sciences and human services. In this interdisciplinary class, we will examine how systems define, create, and share knowledge. We will explore the commonalities across systems as well as unique viewpoints. We will consider the impacts of implicit and explicit aspects of systems on people and institutions within society through artifacts, practices, policies, and social structures.

There is a difference between what science is, its history and meaning, and what science does through experimental and applied practices. This interdisciplinary course invites students to examine how scientific knowledge is defined, constructed, and communicated. Students will critically analyze different examples of science in society to understand how science shapes and is shaped by culture, power, and people. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to evaluate the ways in which science reflects and transforms the world around us.

This course introduces students to the notion of creative work as knowledge work-unique ways of understanding the world through the arts, design, humanities, and media. Drawing on diverse creative work, including their own, students will explore the potential for varied creative practices and tools to make meaning and how systems-political, economic, cultural-influence what people can make and whether it holds value. Students will also learn to apply critical frameworks in examining the world of creative expression and cultural production.

Students will explore intersecting policies that form and impact the global contexts from which knowledge and culture emerge in fields related to social sciences and human services. They will examine the complex relationships between power structures while applying analytical methods from these fields. Students will analyze the progression of policy development with current practices in fields related to social sciences and human services.

In this course, students will examine how historical forces have influenced the emergence of creative technologies and cultural production. They will learn to apply critical frameworks, including theories, to explore how power structures have intersected with popular appeal to alternately foster and limit creative innovation and expression. Students will also explore the dynamic nature of global culture, investigating how aesthetic ideas and creative practices have developed, spread, and influenced artists and creative production over time.

Students will explore contemporary questions and challenges that practitioners face in fields related to social sciences and human services. Students will examine their positionality in relationship to contemporary and emerging challenges in their respective fields. Students will generate innovative possibilities by connecting frameworks, theories, and interdisciplinary methods.

This course equips students with interdisciplinary tools and methods to analyze and respond to complex, real-world problems. Drawing on diverse frameworks and theories, students will explore how their own identities and experiences shape their understanding of contemporary issues. Emphasis is placed on synthesizing knowledge across fields to develop innovative, contextually relevant solutions. Students will communicate their insights effectively through a range of expressive modes tailored to varied audiences and purposes.

The course provides students with opportunities to develop specialized projects in art, humanities, and media production. Students will apply critical frameworks, including theories, and use interdisciplinary methods to explore how culture is shaped by popular appeal, innovation, and mechanisms of power. Students will work individually and collaboratively to bring creative work-narratives, images, multimedia forms-and rigorous scholarship to complex challenges in varied contexts.

A survey of the science of psychology, including an overview of human behavior in various areas such as physiopsychology, development, learning social psychology, personality and abnormal behavior.

A study of the physiological, cognitive, social and emotional development of individuals from infancy through old age. Important milestones during the years of infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and aging are explored. (Spring only)

Students will explore human behavior in the social context. They will consider such topics as the way people influence the behavior, thoughts, and attitudes of others and the way individuals process information about themselves and other people.

Students will learn to understand the structural and functional organization of the nervous system in health and disease, and will gain awareness of the research and technological advances in the field of neuroscience. Students will gain knowledge they can apply to other areas of psychology.

This course explores the nature of human cognitive processing by examining cognition (perception, learning, memory) and metacognition (knowledge thinking, problem solving). A combination of current research in the area, classic demonstrations, and related materials will be used to promote self-awareness of students as thinkers and learners.

An examination of theory and research in the field of personality. The course covers major theoretical perspectives (psychoanalytic, behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, biological, and trait), as well as contextual and developmental influences on personality and behavior.

The course is a study of successful human functioning, examining the nature of human strength and life satisfaction. At the core is an examination of factors contributing to happiness, optimism, and resilience. The goal is to foster an appreciative approach to human behavior, emphasizing what contributes to effective adjustment to typical life. Students will explore the research and findings that seek to explain greater levels of happiness experienced by some individuals and to identify the building blocks of an individual's physical, intellectual, social, and psychological resources. Course will include the application of research findings to daily life.

The course examines the prevalence of mental and emotional problems and provides an overview of the many forms that psychological disorders can take. There will also be some discussion of assessment and therapy. The course will cover assessment and treatment of psychological problems from psychodynamic, behavioral and humanistic perspectives.

Students will examine major theoretical perspectives in the field of counseling psychology (e.g., psychoanalytic, person-centered, cognitive/behavioral). Students will have the opportunity to practice clinical assessment, listening skills, try out various counseling skills, as well as reflect on ethical issues involved with counseling. Discussion and written work will emphasize the importance of being able to apply a wide repertoire of counseling skills. A final self-reflective project will ask the students to critically evaluate their own counseling ability and learned skills.

Students will evaluate a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods through examination, study, and use of scholarly research. In small groups, students will practice applying basic research techniques. Students will explore how statistical procedures and software aid in organizing, analyzing and describing data.

Students will expand their knowledge and skills by conducting individual quantitative research projects using the scientific method and appropriate statistical procedures and software. Students will report their findings in a formal written report and presentation to an audience of faculty members and peers.

Students will explore psychological theories and concepts by applying parametric and nonparametric approaches. A thorough examination of these approaches and how they relate to the field of psychology will be discussed. Students will learn how to use a statistical software program for answering psychology-related research questions. This course will be taught in conjunction with PSY-202 (Research Methods II).