| Psychology Undergraduate Course Descriptions |
 |
 |
|
If sections of PY 214, 217, or any PY course at the 300 or 400 level are full, enrollment may be restricted to Psychology majors, particularly those with a cumulative GPA above 3.0.
Application of scientific method to behavior. Areas of psychology including learning, motivation, perception, physiological, comparative, personality, abnormal, social, clinical, child development, and individual differences (Satisfies Core Area IV requirement).
PY 107 - Psychology of Adjustment - 3 Adaptive behavior; theories, research, and personal applications relevant to desirable behavior patterns; interpersonal skills and self-control techniques.
PY 108 - Human Sexuality - 3 Biological and psychological bases of human sexual behavior. Genetic, hormonal, and learning foundations for development of sexual and sex-related structures and of psychosexual identity and behavior. Adult sexual structures and behavior, conception control, pregnancy, lactation and parentalism, drugs and reproduction, and sexual pathology and variances.
PY 109 - Drugs and Human Behavior - 3 Historical and cultural perspectives on drug use by humans. Major classes of drugs; effects, side effects, and toxicity. Mechanisms of drug action, drug abuse, government regulations, and use of psychoactive drugs in treatment of mental disorders.
PY 125 - Intro to Forensic Psychology - 3 Overview of issues involving the intersection of law and psychology. Focus on role of clinical assessment of competency, scientific jury selection, expert witnesses in court, punishment and sentencing, and related issues.
Advanced seminar in scientific study of behavior and cognitive processes. Prerequisite: permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Satisfies Core Area IV Requirement)
PY 212 - Developmental Psychology - 3 Human development from prenatal period to old age. Genetic and environmental determinants of behavior. Language, cognition, personality, social and emotional behavior, intelligence, and physical and sexual development. Applied areas include child rearing, childhood psychoses, and child abuse. Ethics and Civic Responsibility are significant components of this course (QEP). Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201 (Satisfies Core Area IV Requirement)
PY 213 - Cross-Cult Persp on Child Dev - 3 Cultural differences in determinants of child development. Effects of culturally distinct approaches to child rearing and education on infant attachment, temperament, aggression, cognitive development, peer interaction, sex-role socialization, and moral reasoning. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 214 - Elem Stats Methods and Design - 3 Descriptive and inferential statistics with emphasis on behavioral science applications. Measures of central tendency and variability, frequency distributions, probability, t-test, correlation, analysis of variance, and regression. Quantitative Literacy is a significant component of this course (QEP). Prerequisite: MA 102 or MA 105 or MA 106 or MA 107 or MA 109 or MA 110 or MA 125 with a grade of C or better.
PY 217 - Elem Stats Methods/Design Lab - 1 Use of computers in statistical analysis of psychological research data. Laboratory component of PY 214. Required for all psychology majors. Quantitative Literacy is a significant component of this course (QEP). Prerequisites: CS 101 or IS103 and PY 214 may be taken concurrently
PY 218 - Abnormal Psychology - 3 Research-oriented study of different types of maladaptive behavior, including symptoms, development, classification, and treatment. Ethics and Civic Responsibility are significant components of this course (QEP). Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 220 - Contemporary Issues in Psych - 1 to 3 Issues of current interest in psychology.
PY 253 - Brain Mind and Behavior - 3 How brain functions during dreaming, visual perception, aggression, learning and memory, sex, and language. Left versus right hemisphere specializations, recovery after brain damage, and neurological basis of illnesses such as schizophrenia, autism, and Parkinson's disease. Quantitative Literacy is a significant component of this course (QEP). Prerequisite: PY 201 Interactions between theories and applications of psychology and practice of civil and criminal law. Insanity, malpractice, competency, civil commitment, violence, jury selection, and expert witness testimony. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 302 - History and Systems of Psych - 3 Historical origins and development of major approaches to psychology. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 303 - Intro to Cognitive Science - 3 Introduction to the exciting new discipline of cognitive science, the interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence. This course draws on a number of disciplines involved in unraveling the mysteries of the mind and intelligent life. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 305 - Medical Psychology - 3 Psychological methods applied to health problems. Development of medical problems, psychological/behavioral problems. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 312 - Adv Developmental Psychology - 3 Current research and theory in childhood and adolescence with focus on perceptual/cognitive and social/emotional issues. Relationship between spoken language development and learning to read, linguistic development in special populations (e.g., hearing-impaired children), applications of memory research to children's courtroom testimony, impact of preschool experience (e.g., Head Start) on academic achievement, and family and peer influence on cognitive and social development. Prerequisite: PY 212
PY 313 - Intro to Language Development - 3 Children's acquisition of the ability to speak and understand their native language. Learning to read and write. Language abilities in special populations (e.g., the hearing-impaired, mentally-retarded, elderly individuals). Communication abilities in nonhumans. Prerequisites: PY 212 or PY 213
PY 315 - Methods Psychological Research - 4 Fundamentals of experimentation with psychological phenomena. Conceptual and practical exploration of problem definition and hypothesis formation; observation, definition, and measurement; design and control of experiments for valid causal inference; quasi-experimental designs; generalization and ecological validity; explanation and interpretation of results; scientific communication. Ethics and Civic Responsibility, Writing and Quantitative Literacy are significant components of this course (QEP). Prerequisites: PY 214 and PY 217
PY 318 - Child and Adolescent Abnormal - 3 Manifestations, causes, and treatment of psychological disorders from infancy through adolescence. Developmental and research perspective on these disorders with clinical and social implications. Prerequisites: PY 212 or PY 218
PY 319 - Psychopathology and Culture - 3 Cultural differences with respect to types of behavior viewed as abnormal and how such behaviors are classified and treated. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 320 - Contemporary Issues in Psych - 1 to 3 Issues of current interest in psychology. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 325 - Clinical Child Psychology - 3 Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of psychological problems in children and adolescents. Interview techniques, behavioral and cognitive interventions, and community prevention programs. Developmental considerations emphasized. Prerequisites: PY 212 or PY 213
PY 326 - Industrial/Organizational Psy - 3 Psychological methods applied to people at work. Selection, placement, performance appraisal, training, attitude measurement, work motivation, leadership, industrial safety, and human performance. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 327 - Comparative Organizational Psych - 3 Responses of organization members to organizational structures and processes as function of cultural differences. Attitudes, production, decision making, and organizational commitment. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 330 - Sport Psychology - 3 Psychological factors in athletic performance. Psychological characteristics of successful athletes; anxiety, arousal, motivation, attention, concentration, attribution, cognition, and imagery. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 335 - Motivation and Emotion - 3 Psychobiological basis of eating, drinking, sleep, sex, and aggression, and the role of emotion and reinforcement in shaping these behaviors. Underlying mechanisms involved in these motivated behaviors from basic biological need (homeostasis) to abnormal conditions as occurs in eating and sleep disorders, genetic anomalies, drug addiction and violence. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 350 - Personality/Intellect Assess - 3 Measurement of personality and other psychological characteristics through psychological tests. Selection, administration, and interpretation of psychological tests. Prerequisite: (PY 101 or PY 201) and PY 214
PY 353 - Behavioral Neuroscience - 3 Neurobiological basis of behavior. Central nervous system mechanisms that mediate processes such as learning, motivation, sensation, speech, and emotional behavior. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 354 - Autism: Brain and Cognition - 3 Scientific research concerning the nature of autism, focusing on cognitive and biological aspects. Biological underpinnings of brain function, and biological and psychological characterization of autism. Structural and functional brain imaging of autism. Prerequisite: PY 253
PY 355 - Introduction to Neuroscience - 3 Introduction to the cellular and molecular biology of the mammalian nervous system. Emphasis is on the structure and function of neurons and glial cells, and the electrical and chemical signaling within and across neurons. These concepts will build the foundation for introducing sensory systems, learning and memory, and diseases of the brain. Prerequisites: PY 353 or (BY 123 and CH 115).
PY 361 - Psychology of Learning - 3 Issues of learning in terms of current theoretical positions. Classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, forgetting, role of motivation, and transfer of training. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 363 - Cognitive Psychology - 3 Human cognitive functioning. Selective attention, information processing, models of learning, memory, perception, and free and structured thought processes. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 370 - Personality - 3 Comparison of major theories of personality, including philosophy of human nature; structure; dynamics; and development of personality. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 372 - Social Psychology - 3 Major theories and research in social psychology. Social perception and attribution, behavior in interpersonal relationships, and group influences on individual behavior. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 375 - Philosophy of Mind - 3 Mind; its nature, forms, and functions. Consciousness, self-consciousness, action, belief, desire, rationality, personal identity; problems such as mind-body, psychological explanation, and freedom of will. Prerequisite: one previous PHL course or permission of instructor.
PY 376 - Psychology and Law - 3 Interaction between theories and applications of psychology and practice of civil and criminal law. Insanity, malpractice, competency, civil commitment, violence, jury selection, and expert-witness testimony. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 380 - Perception - 3 Contemporary theory and empirical research in sensory coding of perceptual information. Sensory transduction, physiology and anatomy of sensory systems, and psychophysical measurement techniques. Visual perception, hearing and speech, smell, and taste. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 390 - Animal Behavior - 3 Theoretical and applied aspects of animal behavior. Learning and natural selection, evolutionary stable strategies, reasoning, mimicry, perception and intelligence. Prerequisite: PY 101 or PY 201
PY 396 - Teaching Practicum in Psych - 1 to 3 Teaching experience in psychology courses, supervised by a faculty member. Student must have previously taken the course for which the student will work within. Prerequisite: Permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies or Psychology Advisor. (Pass/Fail)
PY 397 SL - Community-Based Practicum in Psychology - 1 to 6 Community work in various supervised settings such as Crisis Center, Department of Human Resources, etc. Prerequisite: Permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Psychology Advisor. This is a designated service-learning course integrating academic learning, civic learning, and meaningful service to the community. Ethics and Civic Responsibility are significant components of this course (QEP). (Pass/Fail)
PY 398 - Research Practicum in Psychology - 1 to 6 Project or research activity supervised by faculty. Cannot be taken Pass/Fail. Prerequisite: Permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies or Psychology Advisor
PY 399 - Psychology Honors Seminar - 1 Presentation of psychological research and discussion of relevant issues in statistical analysis and research ethics. Prerequisites: Admission into the Psychology Honors Program and PY 214 (may be concurrent enrollment) and junior or senior standing. Historical origins and development of major approaches to psychology. Prerequisite: PY 315
PY 405 - Biofeedback/Meditat/Self-Reg - 3 History and current applications of biofeedback, meditation, and relaxation techniques. Prerequisite: PY 315
PY 407 - Pathology of Memory - 3 Memory disorders from standpoint of experimental psychology and neuropsychology. Amnesic syndrome, dementia, transient memory disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and epidemiology and public health issues. Prerequisite: PY 315
PY 411 - Cognitive Development - 3 Development of memory, perception, learning, and thinking in children. Prerequisites: PY 212 and PY 315
PY 412 - Social Development - 3 Contemporary theoretical models and empirical research in social development. Attachment formation in infancy, parent-child and family interactions, peer relationships, moral and pro-social development, aggression, and sex role development. Prerequisites: PY 212 and PY 315
PY 413 - Psych of the African-American Child - 3 Psychological development of African American children from birth through adolescence. Prenatal influences on growth and development, cognitive development, practices of African American families, Black English and language development, psychological testing, self-concept, racial identification, and motivation and academic achievement. Prerequisites: (AAS 320 or PY 212) and PY 315
PY 414 - Perceptual Development - 3 Changes in sensory capacities from birth to old age, including all sensory modalities. Life-span development of higher-level perceptual processes, including development of perceptual constancies and intermodal perception. Prerequisites: PY 212 and PY 315
PY 415 - Mental Retard/Dev Disabilities - 3 History, causes, treatment/education, behavioral interventions, and family issues related to mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Psychologist as member of interdisciplinary treatment team. Prerequisites: PY 212 and PY 315
PY 416 - Adv Methods in Psych Research - 3 Method for understanding psychological research; its strengths, weaknesses, and conclusions. How best psychological studies are designed and how one experiment leads to another. Prerequisite: PY 315
PY 418 - Psychotherapy/Behavior Change - 3 Different therapeutic approaches and issues relating to their effectiveness. Principles of behavior modification. Prerequisites: (PY 218 or PY 319) and PY 315
PY 420 - Contemporary Issues in Psychology –1 to 3 Issues of current interest in psychology. Prerequisites: PY 315
PY 423 - Abnormal Child Development - 3 Current research and theories related to aberrations of normal development processes, including autism, childhood schizophrenia, and other disorders of childhood. Prerequisites: (PY 212 or PY 218) and PY 315
PY 425 - Psychology of Aging - 3 Age changes in human cognition and behavior. Sensory processes, memory, intelligence, physiology and health, psychopathology, and life-span development and adjustment. Prerequisites: PY 315 and PY 212
PY 430 - Psychology of Chronic Pain - 3 Major empirical and theoretical contributions to causes, evaluation, and treatment of chronic pain. Prerequisites: PY 315
PY 431 - The Dynamics of Pain - 3 Physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy of acute and chronic pain. How medical treatments relieve pain. Stress-induced analgesia, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, acupuncture, inflammation, and psychological approaches to treatment of pain. Prerequisites: PY 353 and PY 315
PY 441 - Princ Cell Neurosci Mod I - 2 Module I: Molecules, genes and cell biology of the nervous system. The first module will cover the biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology of neurons and glial cells. Topics on biochemistry and molecular biology will include protein, lipid, carbohydrate and nucleic acid biosynthesis and structure. Next, the cell biology of neurons and glial cells will be introduced, including protein and membrane transport pathways, energy metabolism, protein turnover and gene regulation. Introductory basic concepts of nervous system development will be covered, including the differentiation of neurons and glial cells and the anatomical plan of the brain and spinal cord. This developmental neurobiology concepts are intended to be an introduction to a later graduate-level course taught in the second year (Developmental Neurobiology, Keyser). |