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:

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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
Social science

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.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An examination of the processes of sensation and perception. While the course features a strong emphasis on neurophysiology of sensation, classical approaches to the study of perception will also figure prominently. Lecture and weekly investigatory laboratory. Fulfills Group A requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180 and permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

An examination of the processes of sensation and perception. While the course features a strong emphasis on neurophysiology of sensation, classical approaches to the study of perception will also figure prominently. Lecture and weekly investigatory laboratory. Fulfills Group A requirement. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180 and permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

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

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:

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 or PSYC 180

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 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 and either PSYC 252 or PSYC 272 .

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

An examination of psychological factors that affect the comprehension of oral and written language. Topics include the origin of language, how language can control thought, the role of mutual knowledge in comprehension, and principles that underlie coherence in discourse. Includes readings from psycholinguistics, philosophy, sociolinguistics, social psychology, and especially from cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on current research methods so that students can design an original study. Student led component. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 (or PSYC 201) and PSYC 242 or two linguistics classes or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive technique used to provide indirect measures of neural activity in healthy (and unhealthy) humans. Although the technique has been readily available to researchers for only about 20 years, its popularity and use has grown tremendously in the last 10, and we now see it influencing aspects of culture and society not traditionally based in biomedical research (i.e., law, politics, economics). This course will cover the mechanics of fMRI, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and explore recent applications that have received wide and sometimes controversial media coverage. By the end of the course, students will understand essential components of the fMRI technique and be informed consumers of primary and secondary source reports involving brain imaging. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 201 or STAT 155  and PSYC 244 or PSYC 248.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

This course explores social, cultural, developmental, and cognitive psychology through the sense of hearing. The evolution of music and the rise of new neural prostheses, such as cochlear implants, will be used as tools for examining human connection and its importance in modern-day society. How is the development of our perception of sound tied to culture, identity, and musical preferences? How does our access to sound shape our personality and social relationships? Students will discuss primary research and first-hand accounts from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds related to music, hearing, neuroscience, culture, and society. The prerequisites are: PSYC 100 or PSYC 180; and PSYC 201 or STAT 155.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course provides an introduction to the subfield of cultural development and psychopathology, which seeks to understand the cultural risk, protective, and promotive factors that contribute to typical and atypical patterns of development. We will discuss the theoretical foundations of developmental psychopathology and review current research on how cultural experiences and processes influence the emergence of adaptation and maladaptation at different levels of human experience. Finally, we will consider the real-world implications and applications of this perspective on research in development and the broader discipline of psychology. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 and either PSYC 201 or STAT 155.

General Education Requirements:
U.S. Identities and Differences

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

Description: 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. In this section of Directed Research, students will complete a project examining some aspect of moral judgment, moral cognition, or moral behavior. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Quantitative Thinking Q2

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Although the right and left hemispheres of the brain are highly similar in terms of both structure and function, subtle and not-so-subtle differences between them exist. Exploration of these differences benefits our understanding of the mind and how it is implemented by the brain. Students in this course will identify a question about the right and left hemispheres, and design, conduct, analyze, write up, and present a research study investigating this question. The course fulfills the capstone requirement for the Neuroscience or the Psychology major. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 244, the statistics requirement for the student's major (STAT 155 for Neuroscience majors; PSYC 201 and PSYC 301 for Psychology majors) and permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials