Undergraduate Psychology Courses

201S. Introduction to Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Introduction to the scientific study of psychology. The student is introducted to fundamental terms, facts, and concepts dealing with motivation, learning, perception, intelligence, measurement, personality structure, behavior disorders, psychological development, and social processes.

203S. Developmental Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. A broad contemporary view of the processes of development. The influences of biological and environmental factors in the development of personality and cognitive functioning are explored.

204. Adolescent Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credit. A survey of the processes of devlopment during adolescence. Covers topics such as the influences of biological, emotional, social, and cognitive factors on personality development and adjustment of the adolescent.

226S. Honors: Introduction to Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Open only to students in the Academic Honors Program. A special honors section of PSYC 201S

227S. Honors: Developmental Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Open only to students in the Academic Honors Program. A special honors section of PSYC 203S

295, 296. Topics in Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. A study of selected topics designed for non-majors or for elective credit within a major

303U. Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An application of psychological principles and research to a variety of human problems in industry. Among the topics covered are personnel selection, training, and evaluation; huma factors and engineering psychology; and the organizational and social context of human work.

304U. Social Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. The behavior of the individual as affected by other people and groups. Interpersonal attraction, attitude change, group dynamics, and the application of psychology to social problems are among the problems covered.

305U. Motivation. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. The psychological and biological mechanisms of motivated behavior are discussed. Topics of discussion include the mechanisms of hunger, thirst, sex, aggression, competence, and the stress reaction.

310. Human Cognition. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An investigation of the ways in which people lean and think. Current models of human memory and cognition are considered in relation to the evidence on human thinking capabilities. The role of language in thought and knowledge acquisition is also explored.

312. Psychological Tests. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An examination of the history and theory of psychological testing.

313. Perception. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An analysis of the processes by which humans obtain information about the environment through the eyes, ears, and other sensory systems.

314. Principles of Learning. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. Course focuses on basic learning principles and processes; classical condition, instrumental conditioning, discrimination, attention, appetitive and aversive conditioning.

317. Quantitative Methods. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. The application of statistical principles to psychological research problems, including an introduction to the principles of experimental design.

318. Experimental Methods. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An examination of the principles of psychological research. Experimental design and interpretation are stressed. The student learns to locate and read technical articles and to report his or her own research in the style of the American Psychological Association.

321. Psychology of the Exceptional Child. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S or 203S. A study of the psychological development of the child with physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and educational disabilities.

323U. Psychology of Women. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An examination of the major determinants of the psychology of females from a theoretical, biological, interpersonal, and sociocultural perspective.

324. Physiological Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An investigation of the biological bases of behavior including mental illness, motivation, learning, memory and language.

325. Drugs and Behavior. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. An examination of the effects of psychactive drugs on behavior and the factors involved in drug usage. Current research literature is discussed.

330. Animal Behavior. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. This course explores the environmental and social factors that affect the behavior of animals. Special attention is given to the mechanisms of behavior and the evolutionary context of behavior.

334. Social Development. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 203S. This course provides students with theories and research on the development of social processes from birth to adolescence. Major theories of social development and research are examined.

343. Personnel Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 303U. The application of psychological principles and research to the development and improvement of personnel subsystems in business and industry. Emphasis is placed on the assessment, selection and training of workers and manager. While not required, 317 is recommended.

344. Human Factors. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 303U. The application and evaluation of psychological principles and research relating human behavior to the characteristics, design, and use of the environments and systems within which humans work and live.

345. Organizational Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 303U. This course emphasizes the study of human behavior in organizations. Topics include leadership, motivation, group behavior, communications, power and politics, and organization change.

352U. Cognitive Development During Childhood. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 203S. The course will acquaint the student with theories and research on the development of cognitive processes from birth to adolescence. Major theories of cognitive development and research on the various cognitive processes will be reviewed.

353. The Psychology of Adulthood and Aging. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S, 203S, or 204. The study of adults with emphasis on aging. Current theories and research as well as the characteristics, life styles, and activities of adulthood and aging will be discussed.

360. Psychology of African Americans. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. This course introduces students to the issues and perspectives related to the psychological evolution of African Americans in the United States. Particular emphasis is placed on exploring psychology from an Afrocentric perspective.

363. Psychology of Sex. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. A study of critical issues in human sexuality; gender and sexual identity, sexual arousal and erotic behavior, relationship development, and sexual dysfunction and deviation disorders.

367. Cooperative Education. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: Approval of the department and Cooperative Education/Career Services in accordance with the policy for granting credit for Cooperative Education Programs. Available for Pass/Fail grading only. Student participation for credit based on the academic relevance of the work experience, criteria, and evaluation procedures as formally determined by the department and the Cooperative Education program prior to the semester in which the work experience is to take place.

395, 396. Topics in Psychology. 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. The department offers selected topics that may not be offered on a regular basis.

400. Senior Seminar. Discussion 2 hours; 1 credit. Prerequisite: senior standing and minimum GPA of 3.25. Discussion of current research, theoretical, and professional topics in psychology.

403. History of Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. A survey of the historical development of modern psychology. The major systems and their influences on contemporary American psychology are studied.

405U/505. Abnormal Psychology. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. A study of psychopathology, covering various behavior disorders, their descriptions, characteristics, and causation. Methods of therapeutic technique are reviewed.

408U/508. Theories of Personality. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 201S. A study of the structure of personality and the dimensions along which individuals differ. The contributions of major personality theorists and the implications of current research are considered.

410. Advanced Human Learning and Cognition. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 317, 318, 310, or permission of instructor. An aspect of human learning and cognition will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

413. Advanced Perception. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 317, 318, 313, or permission of instructor. An aspect of perception will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

415. Methods of Reearch in Social Psychology. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 317, 318, and 304U, or permission of instructor. An aspect of research in social psychology will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

416. Research in Child and Adult Development. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 203S, 317, 318, or permission of instructor. An aspect of child and adult development will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

417. Advanced Statistics and Computer Applications. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequistes: PSYC 317 and 318, or permission of instructor. The course covers advanced statistical methods and computer applications that build on knowledge and skills acquired in PSYC 317 and 318.

424. Advanced Physiological Psychology. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 317, 318, 324, or permission of instructor. An aspect of physiological psychology will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

444. Advanced Human Factors. Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits. Prerequistes: PSYC 317, 318, 313, or permission of instructor. An aspect of human factors will be covered in depth with lecture and research activities. Topics will vary with different offerings of the course.

461/561. Drug Abuse and Dependence. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. This course offers an intensive review and clincial analysis of the issues and problems associated with addictive behavior with an emphasis on alcohol abuse and dependency.

487, 488. Honors Program in Psychology. Independent study and scheduled meetings with the instructor; 3 credits each semester. Prerequisite: one semester of independent study, formal admission, and approval by the Honors Committee, and senior standing. Supervised individual study of a psychological topic selected by the student and the instructor.

489, 490. Readings in Psychology. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: approval by supervisory faculty member and department. The course may be taken only once. An individualized course in which the student does library research and writes a paper.

491, 492. Supervised Research. 3 credits each semester. Prerequisites: 318 and permission of the undergraduate department advisor. Independent study and scheduled meetings with the instructor. The student designs and carries out an individual research project under faculty supervision.

493, 494. Community Psychology Practicum. 3 credits each semester. Prerequistes: senior standing; PSYC 405U; minimum GPA 2.50 overall; 3.00 psychology; permission of the instructor prior to registration. The student is placed in a community agency for supervised experience.

495/595. Topics in Psychology. 1-3 credits each semester. Prerequiste: PSYC 201S or permission of instructor. The department offers selected topics that may not be offered regularly. These special topics will appear in the Schedule of Classes booklet each semester.