Class Schedules

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Whether we’re reading the news, enjoying a work of fiction, or navigating everyday interactions, we are constantly evaluating the morality of human behavior. This course explores the psychological processes that shape our ideas of right and wrong, helping us to understand and improve our own moral decisions. What sort of acts do we see as immoral, and how do we hold people accountable for them? How do we interpret social inequality, and how do we make up for past moral failings? What role does empathy play in fostering more fair and equitable behavior? Through readings and class discussion, this course takes an interdisciplinary approach to these questions, drawing on research from multiple areas of psychology alongside insights from philosophy, sociology, and artificial intelligence.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q3

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q3

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Cognitive neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline that combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q2
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

Cognitive neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline that combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Neuroscience, the scientific study of the nervous system, is an inherently interdisciplinary field involving multiple levels of analysis. This course approaches the study of brain, mind, and behavior from systems-level and behavioral perspectives. Current issues are examined within an integrative framework that begins with a focus on neuroanatomy, functional neural circuits, and diffuse modulatory neurotransmitter systems. This lays the groundwork for later study of the neural substrates of motivated behaviors (e.g., eating, sex, sleep, drug use), learning, memory, emotion, as well as aspects of neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. Research methods and tools of behavioral neuroscience are featured throughout the course, through careful examination of primary journal articles and through hands-on experiences in weekly laboratory sessions. Science is a methodical process, and we will approach topics in this course through that lens. Fulfills Group A requirement for the Psychology major. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 200 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

Neuroscience, the scientific study of the nervous system, is an inherently interdisciplinary field involving multiple levels of analysis. This course approaches the study of brain, mind, and behavior from systems-level and behavioral perspectives. Current issues are examined within an integrative framework that begins with a focus on neuroanatomy, functional neural circuits, and diffuse modulatory neurotransmitter systems. This lays the groundwork for later study of the neural substrates of motivated behaviors (e.g., eating, sex, sleep, drug use), learning, memory, emotion, as well as aspects of neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. Research methods and tools of behavioral neuroscience are featured throughout the course, through careful examination of primary journal articles and through hands-on experiences in weekly laboratory sessions. Science is a methodical process, and we will approach topics in this course through that lens. Fulfills Group A requirement for the Psychology major. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 200 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Each of us is a unique individual with distinct interests, abilities, and appearances. At the same time, we all have much in common-each of us started as just a single cell at conception, our brains and bodies developed in essentially the same sequence, and someday, we will all die. What are the general paths and stages of development? How do our unique qualities emerge? What role does our genetic material play in development? What role does our environment play? Is there a point at which some of our traits are "set," or do we retain the capacity to change throughout development? In this course, we will work to answer these questions and more. With a life-span approach, we will examine the theories and research that describe and explain our physical, cognitive, and social development from conception to death. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course examines the experiences, causes, and treatments of the major forms of distress and disorder codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, stress disorders, and personality disorders. We critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. We examine the major theories, experiments, and issues in the field of social psychology. Sample topics include emotion, aggression, conformity, attitudes, altruism, prejudice, persuasion, and group dynamics. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology is the scientific study of people in organizations - and the application of that science to workplace issues facing individuals, teams, organizations and society. This course will introduce you to the science and practice of I/O Psychology, and what I/O Psychology has to offer anyone who plans to lead others or to help develop effective organizations. Topics will include how to determine what to look for in candidates for hire, how to evaluate candidates for hire or promotion, how best to manage performance in organizations, what's been shown to motivate people, employee retention, team effectiveness, and organizational culture. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course critically examines the psychology of women and gender from a feminist and social constructivist theoretical framework. Readings, assignments, and discussions foreground issues of identity, power, and inequality, as well as avenues for social change. We will explore how laws, institutional practices, gender norms, media representations, and commonly held attitudes and beliefs work together to reinforce women’s subordinate status and the psychological impacts of gender inequality on women, men, and gender nonconforming people. This course also utilizes an intersectional framework and interdisciplinary perspectives to highlight the ways that race, ethnicity, social class, sexuality, age, and other categories interact with gender at individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels. Counts as a UP3 course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course is built around the argument that "environmental problems" do not exist; they are in fact human behavior problems. Thus, if we want to craft effective solutions to issues such as ocean acidification, air pollution, or climate change, we must start with the human behaviors that lead to them. We will cover psychological principles, theories, and methods and explore the complex web of factors underlying environmentally sustainable and unsustainable actions. A strong theme throughout the semester is the intersection of identity - personal, social, and cultural - and environmentalism.  We will explore questions such as, "Why do some groups of people feel a part of the sustainability movement while others feel alienated from it or skeptical of it?"; "Who takes action on behalf of the natural environment, under what circumstances, and why?"; and "How can we create contexts that promote true sustainability?" Psychology of Sustainable Behavior is a project-based class with a strong civic engagement component. Students will participate in three class projects: a self-change project (2.5 weeks), a community-based collaborative project (5 weeks), and a communication/education project (3 weeks). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 for Psychology majors.

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Climate change is no longer a distant, hypothetical threat.  Yet, though more than half of Americans are "concerned" or "alarmed" about global warming, few are taking significant personal action in response, and only a small minority are involved in civic action to address the issue. This course takes a broad psychological perspective on the questions, "Why are we not doing enough to address global climate change?"  and "What will catalyze the social movement necessary to address the issue?"  The class will explore psychological theories and studies that help explain why people respond to the climate crisis in the ways they do, and what psychological research tells us about how to shift that response.Yearly

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

How do we convert pressure waves in the air into speech and music? Why do the chemicals we inhale conjure such emotionally vivid memories? This lab course explores how we turn physical energy from the outside world—light, pressure, chemicals—into perceptual experiences. For each of the major human sensory systems, we’ll first learn how sensory organs like the eye convert physical stimuli into neural code. From there, we’ll map the successive stages of sensory coding and cortical processing, examine how the senses interact with one another, and dig into the higher-order processes that shape our perception of the world. Along the way, we'll answer questions like: Why does lemonade taste especially sour after eating a bite of cake? Why can some people handle spicy food better than others? Why does being distracted make painful experiences more tolerable? Why, when you stop spinning in one direction, do you feel like you're spinning the opposite way? What's up with #TheDress that broke the internet? By the end of this course, you’ll understand how our sensory and perceptual systems work together to generate a coherent picture of the outside world, and have gained an appreciation for the remarkable variability and richness of the perceptual worlds we each inhabit. Group A Course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

How do we convert pressure waves in the air into speech and music? Why do the chemicals we inhale conjure such emotionally vivid memories? This lab course explores how we turn physical energy from the outside world—light, pressure, chemicals—into perceptual experiences. For each of the major human sensory systems, we’ll first learn how sensory organs like the eye convert physical stimuli into neural code. From there, we’ll map the successive stages of sensory coding and cortical processing, examine how the senses interact with one another, and dig into the higher-order processes that shape our perception of the world. Along the way, we'll answer questions like: Why does lemonade taste especially sour after eating a bite of cake? Why can some people handle spicy food better than others? Why does being distracted make painful experiences more tolerable? Why, when you stop spinning in one direction, do you feel like you're spinning the opposite way? What's up with #TheDress that broke the internet? By the end of this course, you’ll understand how our sensory and perceptual systems work together to generate a coherent picture of the outside world, and have gained an appreciation for the remarkable variability and richness of the perceptual worlds we each inhabit. Group A Course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course continues instruction begun in PSYC 201. We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and must be a declared psychology major.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This is an advanced course on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexually and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) people. The course is designed to engage students in a critical examination of health and healthcare disparities among LGBTQ+ populations, and evidence-based health models that explain the root causes and drivers of disparities. Students will also learn about and gain experience in behavioral interventions: how these are researched, developed, and implemented to target disparities, and promote the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ populations. Class time will consist of didactic instruction, large and small group discussions, documentary film viewings, application activities, and student presentations. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; or permission of instructor

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

What initiates movement, sustains goal-directed behavior, and shapes our actions? How do these processes break down in the brain and in society? This advanced seminar examines the neural circuits that support movement and motivated behavior, including the basal ganglia, dopaminergic pathways, and cortical-striatal loops. We’ll explore how these systems give rise to flexible behavior and how their dysfunction contributes to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome. Alongside neurobiological mechanisms, we’ll also consider psychological frameworks and the ways in which these behaviors are shaped by, and interpreted within, broader social contexts. Course work will center on primary literature, student-led discussion, and a multi-stage research proposal project. Students will engage deeply with experimental design, develop skills in scientific communication, and reflect on the societal relevance of neuroscience research. This is a discussion-based course that emphasizes critical thinking, collaborative learning, and interdisciplinary analysis. Prerequisite(s): PSYC248 or BIOL316; permission of instructor

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

With the ever-rising popularity of new technology and social media, information is more readily available than ever before. However, not all information consumed through secondary sources is backed by valid evidence, and people can easily be led astray by deceptive or inaccurate information. How do we become vigilant consumers of information? What cognitive processes make us more or less vulnerable to misleading sources? In this course, we will investigate the cognitive skills required to properly assess, verify, and learn from different sources of information. We will explore how these skills develop across the lifespan, with a particular focus on early childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, we will integrate primary material from other disciplines, such as philosophy, behavioral economics, political science, and machine learning. This class will be primarily discussion-based and will require active student participation through discussions, hands-on activities, writing assignments, and an oral presentation. Pre-requisites: PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and an intermediate Psychology course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

In this course, we will dive into the empirical study of close relationships (romantic relationships, friends, and family). We will review and discuss core theories within relationship science such as attachment theory and interdependence theory, how relationships progress from relationship initiation to committed partnerships, and new areas of research within the domain of close relationships (e.g. singlehood, adult friendships). Pre-requisites: PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and an intermediate Psychology course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

With a focus on the United States, students in this community-engaged course will name and interrogate the causes and consequences of racism and white supremacy, and explore stress and policy as mechanisms of racial disparities in health and well-being. We will also identify sources of resilience and resistance against the negative consequences of racism and white supremacy. In partnering with a community organization, we will contribute to and learn from an organization that is actively building resilience and resistance against systemic racism, experience the realities of policy-making, and learn skills for community engaged work. Counts as a UP3 course. Pre-requisites: PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and an intermediate Psychology course.

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

How can a professional baseball player’s brain process a 100 mph fastball in time to swing? Why do neuroscientists increasingly view regular movement as one of the most accessible and well-evidenced tools for improving and sustaining mental health? This seminar examines athletics and exercise through the lens of psychology and neuroscience, from elite performance to the psychological benefits of everyday movement. Three questions drive this course: HOW DO ELITE ATHLETES DO IT? We’ll explore perceptual and cognitive expertise in athletics, including how experts anticipate, attend to, and interpret information differently from novices, and how the brain and behavior change as skills become automatic. HOW DO THEY KEEP DOING IT? We’ll examine the social and motivational forces that sustain athletic effort—how teams, coaching, and social identity shape performance; how habits form; and what neuroscience reveals about effort and fatigue. WHY SHOULD WE ALL DO IT? We’ll conclude by examining the psychological and neurological benefits of exercise, from its effects on stress and mood to evidence that exercise reshapes the very brain systems that mental health depends on. Pre-requisites: PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and an intermediate Psychology course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Students will apply contemporary psychological science to the practice of clinical and counseling psychology, and public health. During class time, we will explore the connections between science and practice; discuss evidence-based interventions and clinical ethics; practice and discuss skill development specific to the application of clinical science; and discuss current considerations, controversies, and emerging science specific to clinical care delivery. As in Directed Research (PSYC 401), Clinical Science Capstone students will conduct a substantial research project. They will undertake a comprehensive review of past scholarship related to key aspects of the fields of clinical science and public health, and they will prepare a capstone paper that uses past scholarship to ask and answer a novel question. Unlike Directed Research, however, students in the Clinical Science Capstone will not be expected to collect data. Pre-requisites: PSYC 301; one advanced psychology course; instructor permission is required to enroll.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

Research in Behavioral Neuroscience is a hands-on, lab-based experience that entails research with rodent (rat) subjects in a faculty member’s lab. Students in this course will learn how to handle and care for rats, how to perform systemic injections in rats, and how to collect behavioral data within the context of an experiment designed to assess Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior. Students will also gain ample experience in reading and analyzing the literature of the field, experimental design, data analysis, and effective communication of their findings. Class meeting times will be for training, progress reports, and journal club purposes; students will need to dedicate time outside of class hours for data collection. Students must be willing to work independently with rats and engage in mildly invasive procedures. Responsibility and attention to detail are critical characteristics for successful completion of this work. This course fulfills the research experience requirement of the Neuroscience major. Pre-requisites: PSYC 248; STAT 155 or PSYC 201 and PSYC 301; and permission of the instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q3

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

An introduction to theory and research in educational psychology. Topics include learning theory, learner characteristics, intelligence, creativity, motivation, measurement and evaluation, and models of teaching appropriate for diverse learners from early childhood through young adulthood. Students are required to complete observations in classroom settings.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

How do people learn, remember, and think?  How much of our cognitive life are we even consciously aware of?  This course addresses these questions and others from the perspective of experimental cognitive psychology.  Topics include perception, attention, memory, the organization of knowledge, language, and decision making. Weekly laboratory sessions afford students the opportunity to interact more directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods.  Readings are mainly from primary sources.  Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

How do people learn, remember, and think?  How much of our cognitive life are we even consciously aware of?  This course addresses these questions and others from the perspective of experimental cognitive psychology.  Topics include perception, attention, memory, the organization of knowledge, language, and decision making. Weekly laboratory sessions afford students the opportunity to interact more directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods.  Readings are mainly from primary sources.  Group A course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

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Course Materials

Cognitive neuroscience combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

Cognitive neuroscience combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

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Course Materials

Each of us is a unique individual with distinct interests, abilities, and appearances. At the same time, we all have much in common-each of us started as just a single cell at conception, our brains and bodies developed in essentially the same sequence, and someday, we will all die. What are the general paths and stages of development? How do our unique qualities emerge? What role does our genetic material play in development? What role does our environment play? Is there a point at which some of our traits are "set," or do we retain the capacity to change throughout development? In this course, we will work to answer these questions and more. With a life-span approach, we will examine the theories and research that describe and explain our physical, cognitive, and social development from conception to death. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course examines the experiences, causes, and treatments of the major forms of distress and disorder codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, stress disorders, and personality disorders. We critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100

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Social science

Course Materials

This course survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. We examine the major theories, experiments, and issues in the field of social psychology. Sample topics include emotion, aggression, conformity, attitudes, altruism, prejudice, persuasion, and group dynamics. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100.

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Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course examines multiple, interactive factors that contribute to human health; we take a biopsychsocial approach to understanding how best to promote and maintain health, prevent and treat illness, and adapt and thrive in the context of chronic illness. We discuss the roles of stress, coping, immune response, social relationships, personality, and structural inequalities in the progression and prevention of disease. We also address some ways in which behaviors (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, substance use, sleep) can contribute to wellbeing or sickness, and we examine behavior change strategies that can help improve our own and our community's health habits. Group B course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 .

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Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course continues instruction begun in PSYC 201. We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and must be a declared psychology major.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course continues instruction begun in PSYC 201. We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and must be a declared psychology major.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

For children to thrive in our increasingly diverse world, they must be prepared to engage with issues of race and racism. Children need to develop positive racial identities and learn how to navigate the racial privilege or discrimination that they will face in our society. Two of the best places for children to learn about race is from their parents and teachers, yet adults often struggle with this topic. Should we teach our children to be "colorblind," or should we teach them to notice race? When is the right age to start these conversations? For families and schools that are committed to equity and justice, how can we ensure that these values are passed on to our kids? In this class, we will draw from developmental, educational, social psychological, and social justice perspectives to generate answers to these questions and more. Counts toward the UP3 requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and any other intermediate-level course.

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

What is "disability" and what does an understanding of disability tell us about human experience more generally? What is a "disability identity" and what implications might claiming that identity have for psychological well-being and social change? How do stereotypes of disabled people and expectations of "normality" affect everyone's lives (not just those with disabilities)? Why don't many Deaf people consider themselves "disabled?" What might we learn from shifting the "problem" of disability from the individual person to the social environment? How do sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of oppression influence how different bodies are viewed, treated, educated, and experienced? This course will explore questions that emerge from thinking about the experience of disability (and its intersection with identities based on gender, race, class, and sexuality). Our work together will be grounded in critical disability and Deaf studies frameworks that are themselves informed by and in conversation with feminist, queer, and critical race theories and perspectives. Through a consideration of the socially, culturally, linguistically, and historically constructed meanings of physical, sensory, and cognitive "impairments," the course will rely on theoretical and empirical readings from psychology and related disciplines, personal essays, film/video, and guest visitors as we explore the social and psychological meanings of disability. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; and one intermediate Psychology course.

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course examines specific applications of psychological principles to the mental health field by exploring strategies for therapeutic intervention. We discuss a wide range of approaches (e.g., psychoanalysis; humanistic therapy; cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy; mindfulness based stress reduction; family therapy; art therapy) and we consider issues raised by traditional clinical practice, such as ethics, the politics and economics of mental health, and cultural biases. NOTE: Students who have taken European Clinical Psychology through the DIS study away program must have instructor permission to enroll. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100; (PSYC 201 or STAT 155); and (PSYC 252 or PSYC 272).

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course explores how and why we make moral judgments about people and their behavior. How are our moral judgments shaped by intuition, emotion, and reasoning? What are the moral implications of climate change? Do we ever put the interests of our broader group or community above our own self-interest? How do we balance punishment motives of retribution and deterrence, and how do these relate to policy decisions about capital punishment? Could a robot have moral rights and responsibilities? We will examine these questions by considering theories and findings from social, developmental, evolutionary, and political psychology, as well as from related fields like philosophy and artificial intelligence. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 and one intermediate psychology course, or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

What does neuroscience reveal about free will, responsibility, and identity – and how do those insights challenge the ways we think about law, medicine, and society? This discussion-based seminar examines the ethical, legal, and societal questions raised by contemporary neuroscience. Topics include moral decision-making, brain-based lie detection, cognitive enhancement, psychiatric neurotechnologies, and the use of neural data in courts, clinics, and consumer settings. The course also considers how neuroethics intersects with broader questions of equity, disability, identity, and systemic bias. Course work involves reading and analyzing work from neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and law. It also includes leading and contributing to inclusive discussions and applying ethical reasoning to real-world scenarios. A final project provides the opportunity to investigate a neuroethical issue in a format that fits individual interests, such as a research proposal, policy brief, public-facing resource, or legal case analysis.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Once considered marginal or devalued, qualitative methods have become increasingly common in psychological research. This course offers a broad survey in approaches to qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis. During the semester, you will examine how your beliefs shape your understanding of the research process and explore the deeper philosophical assumptions that justify our claims to knowledge. We then review qualitative methodologies and methods that have become common in psychology, including ethnographic observations, interviewing and focus groups, participatory action research, content analysis, thematic analysis, grounded theory, narrative analysis, phenomenology, and discourse analysis. We conclude with a discussion of the future of qualitative inquiry, ethical concerns, and disciplinary guidelines for the reporting and reviewing of qualitative research. The course culminates in a qualitative research proposal on a topic of your choosing.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

We tend to think of pain as an alarm that sounds when the body is hurt, but the relationship between tissue damage and our perception of pain is far less direct than it may seem. Soldiers and athletes may not notice serious injuries in the heat of the moment, while some people live with intense pain that has no visible cause, and a rare few are born unable to feel pain at all. In this course, we’ll explore pain as an experience the nervous system constructs from biological, psychological, and social influences. We’ll start with how specialized nerve endings detect potential harm and how that signal travels to the brain. Then we’ll look at the many points along the way where the “Pain Gain” knob can be turned up or down: why rubbing a stubbed toe helps, why being distracted dulls pain, how pain medications work (and why they may not work for everyone), and how placebos turn that same knob. Finally, we’ll examine why the sting of rejection or heartbreak can feel physically painful, how social support can ease pain, and how social factors like gender and race shape whose pain gets recognized and treated.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301, at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials