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:
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:
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

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

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

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 180 or PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:
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 180 or PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:

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): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180

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): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180

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:

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

There are intricate connections between culture and psychology that influence each of us. In this course, we will examine how culture shapes the psychological processes of people. This includes answering questions like: What is the psychology of oppression, power, and privilege? What role does behavior and emotion play in maintaining social inequalities? How does culture affect how we adapt and develop? To answer these questions (and many others!), we will discuss definitions and perspectives of culture. We will also examine recent theories, research methods, and results in cultural psychology and related disciplines (e.g., anthropology, public health, sociology) about how culture influences various psychological phenomena (e.g., emotions, cognition).

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Mental health and wellbeing among school-aged youth in the US has been generally declining in recent decades, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and multiple social crises (eg, gun violence, hate crimes, political instability). How can teachers and school support services help prevent or reduce the negative effects on students’ mental health? How does the existing system of education contribute to emotional, behavioral, and mental problems among students and educators? How does this system add to disparities in educational outcomes among students who have been marginalized based on their identities? This course will examine both the educational systems and policies that affect preK-16 student mental health as well as individual-level practices that may intervene toward well-being. Throughout this course, students will engage with psychological theory, research, practical examples, and school-based mental health practitioners, including school psychologists, social workers, counselors, and special educators.

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

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:
Writing WA
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 and either PSYC 252 or PSYC 272 .

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

"Reward" is a concept with which most people are familiar: a hard-earned vacation at the end of a grueling work schedule, an A grade on a particularly challenging academic assignment, a good meal and a glass of wine after a long day’s work. However, this everyday usage of the term belies its complexity. In this course, we will explore “reward” from behavioral and neurobiological perspectives, often focusing on associative learning paradigms that allow for careful dissection of appetitive and consummatory behaviors. We will consider the underlying neural circuitry that enables individuals to learn about rewards and cues that signal these motivationally significant events. Our analysis will emphasize the similarities and distinctions between natural reward and drug reward. Prerequisites: PSYC 201 or STAT 155 and either PSYC 240 or PSYC 248.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This seminar will cover the acquisition of language in typically developing infants and toddlers using the tools of psychology. Major topics will include the differences between animal communication and human language, findings from learners of signed languages, and the acquisition of syntax. No background in linguistics is assumed. PSYC 250 is recommended. Prerequisites: PSYC 100, STAT 155 or PSYC 201, and an intermediate psychology course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This seminar will explore the dynamics between stress and resilience, and how these change throughout the course of development and within different contexts. This course will examine multiple frameworks of stress to understand how a broad array of stressful life experiences shape neural and behavioral development throughout different sensitive periods (including the prenatal, early childhood, and pubertal periods). We will apply resilience-science and insights from intervention- and prevention-research to understand how positive developmental outcomes can be promoted following experiences of early life stress. Specific topics will include stress neurobiology, environmental (re)calibration, attachment and social buffering, intergenerational mechanisms, and multi-system resilience. Class sessions will include a combination of student-led discussions and instruction in concepts from neuroendocrinology, developmental psychology, and developmental psychopathology. Prerequisites: PSYC 100; PSYC 201 or STAT 155; an intermediate course in Psychology.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This interdisciplinary course explores psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), investigating how mind-body interactions impact health through immune system modulation. It covers immunology basics, neuroendocrine-CNS interactions with the immune system, and psychosocial studies. Students engage through lectures, discussions, and student-led presentations, emphasizing recent peer-reviewed literature. Community outreach connects course content with practical contexts, deepening understanding of biological mechanisms. Prerequisite: BIOL-316: Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

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

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

This course surveys recent developments in behavioral economics and considers applications in labor economics, macroeconomics, finance, public finance, consumer choice, and other areas.  Our goal is to draw on recent work in cognitive and evolutionary psychology to better understand human behavior and incorporate these insights into neoclassical reasoning and modeling. Counts as a Group E elective for the Economics major. Prerequisite(s): ECON 361 and ECON 371. C- or higher required for all prerequisites.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

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:
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:

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:

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 180 or PSYC 100.

General Education Requirements:
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 180 or 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): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180

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): PSYC 100 or PSYC 180

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 or PSYC 180

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

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Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This class is an introduction to feminist psychological theory and research dedicated to understanding and critiquing biological, psychological, social, and cultural meanings and implications of gender and its intersections with race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc. Examples of research and theory will come from a wide variety of areas in psychology and related disciplines, and will address such issues as socialization and social development, stereotypes, bodies and body image, social relationships, identity, language, violence, sexuality and sexual behavior, well-being, work, etc. We will also learn about the historical, cultural, and epistemological underpinnings of psychological research on gender. Counts as a UP3 course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 100 or permission of the instructor.

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

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 .

General Education Requirements:

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 or collective action to address the issue. This course will take 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.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

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

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

In this seminar-based class, we will consider various aspects of family relationships by exploring empirical research on parent-child, inter-parental, sibling, and extended or blended families. We will consider how our own family experiences are reflected in (and distinct from) what we read in this research, and we will consider the merits (and limitations of) the most significant classic and emerging theoretical frameworks concerning family relationships. This class will require active student participation through large-group discussion, regular thought papers, and an oral presentation.Prerequisites: PSYC 100, PSYC 201 OR STAT 155, and one intermediate psychology course

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This seminar will cover the basics of traumatic injury to the central nervous system (CNS) as well as the short and long term biological and psychological effects of recovery. Topics will explore traumatic brain and spinal cord injury and their complex relationship with age, how barriers to access affect treatment, and societal perceptions of injury in the context of sports and public health. Student-led discussions of primary sources will address questions such as: What happens to the CNS when it is injured? How does the biological response to injury help and/or hinder recovery? What factors influence a person’s ability to fully “recover”? What does it mean to find a cure? The course draws from clinical, psychological, and research-based perspectives to examine the multifaceted fields of pain, injury, and recovery. Prerequisites: PSYC 201 or STAT 155, and one intermediate-level psychology course.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Natural science and mathematics

Course Materials

This course is designed to introduce students to the impact of psychological trauma at both the individual and societal level. We will draw on research and applications from the growing field of traumatic stress with an emphasis on interpersonal trauma. Students will become familiar with the impact and nature of a wide variety of traumas including: childhood abuse, racial trauma, violent crimes, life threatening illnesses such as COVID-19, domestic violence, and war and genocide. Students will also develop a greater understanding of the experiences and needs of those recovering from trauma. Prerequisites: PSYC 100, STAT 155 or PSYC 201, and one intermediate-level psychology course

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) people experience higher rates of many types of medical conditions and mental health disorders; substance use disorders and suicide; and report worse health care access and experiences when compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Why? The importance of this simple yet complicated question is highlighted by the fact that younger generations are increasingly identifying as LGBTQ+, e.g., one in ten Millennials (ages 25-40) and one in five Gen Z (ages 9-24). Students will learn and apply the latest in psychological and public health theory, research, and practice to critically examine the drivers of LGBTQ+ health disparities, i.e., to answer the question of “Why?” Additionally, students will learn about, critically examine, and have the opportunity to design evidence-based behavioral interventions meant to target and improve LGBTQ+ health outcomes, i.e., to answer the follow-up question of “How?” This course will fulfill the UP3 requirement for the Psychology major.Prerequisites: PSYC 100, PSYC 201 OR STAT 155, and one intermediate psychology course

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

This course will examine how systemic racism shapes human development across multiple levels (from the cultural to the biological) and ways that youth resist these influences. With a focus on the U.S., we will name and interrogate the causes and consequences of racism and white supremacy and explore stress biology as a mechanism of racial disparities in health and well-being. We will also identify sources of cultural assets and resilience against the negative consequences of racism and identify pathways of resistance against systemic oppression. Topics will include: how the social construct of race is reinscribed by individuals and embedded in systems, how biological stress responses play a role in the consequences (and maybe also causes) of racism, and what stress buffers and resistance processes exist to combat systemic inequities. We will think about these topics in the context of and in application to social policy.A large portion of this class will be discussion-based. Final grades will be based on participation in class, reflections on assigned materials, a final policy memo assignment, and smaller writing and creative assignments related to the final memo. This course will fulfill the UP3 requirement for the Psychology major.Prereqs: PSYC 100; STAT 155 or PSYC 201; and one intermediate PSYC class.

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

Students in the Clinical Science Capstone will apply contemporary psychological science to their experiences working in social service settings. During the semester, students will spend a minimum of five hours a week in partnership with an organization serving people living with, or at high risk for living with, mental health challenges. During class time, we will explore the connections between science and practice, discussing evidence-based interventions, ethical dimensions of social service work, specific skill development related to students' internship responsibilities, controversies about caregiving, stress and burnout among care providers, and other topics related to students' specific community placements. Through varied activities (e.g., shared readings, discussion, reflective writing, and guest speakers), the course seeks to deepen students' appreciation for applications of psychological science beyond the lab and classroom. 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 a key aspect of their internship experience, and they will prepare a capstone paper that uses past scholarship to ask and answer a vital question in the field. Unlike Directed Research, however, students in the Clinical Science Capstone will not be expected to gather data. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301 and an advanced psychology course

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

Course Materials

Students in the Clinical Science Capstone will apply contemporary psychological science to their experiences working in social service settings. During the semester, students will spend a minimum of five hours a week in partnership with an organization serving people living with, or at high risk for living with, mental health challenges. During class time, we will explore the connections between science and practice, discussing evidence-based interventions, ethical dimensions of social service work, specific skill development related to students' internship responsibilities, controversies about caregiving, stress and burnout among care providers, and other topics related to students' specific community placements. Through varied activities (e.g., shared readings, discussion, reflective writing, and guest speakers), the course seeks to deepen students' appreciation for applications of psychological science beyond the lab and classroom. 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 a key aspect of their internship experience, and they will prepare a capstone paper that uses past scholarship to ask and answer a vital question in the field. Unlike Directed Research, however, students in the Clinical Science Capstone will not be expected to gather data. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 301 and an advanced psychology course

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Social science

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. Prerequisites: 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