Psychology, Professional Counseling, and Neuroscience
Student Organizations/Clubs:
Psi Chi, Psychology Club
Up-to-date information can be found on the Psychology Department website.
Career Possibilities:
Typical bachelor’s level careers in mental health and criminal justice settings include hospitals, half-way houses/group homes, parole and probation, and hospice programs. Some public sector and business-related careers involve personnel testing, advertising, and human resources. For those who obtain a master’s or Ph.D. degree, career opportunities and pay expand significantly; jobs are available in mental health as well as research, teaching, and business. Some of the mental health careers for individuals with graduate degrees are clinical psychologist, social worker, professional counselor, marriage and family counselor, and school psychologist.
Department Overview
The psychology major provides a broadly based education in the content, methods, principles, and theories of the science of psychology. The required courses in the major expose students to the traditional important subject areas of psychology. The elective courses in the major allow students the flexibility to pursue their own interests and goals.
Students who are considering psychology as a major should speak with a psychology advisor early in their education. This will allow them to develop a long-range plan that best meets their educational and career goals. Students whose interests are in the social service and mental health areas should consider the Certificate in Mental Health Skills. Students whose interests are in research should consider the Certificate in Psychological Research. Students with interests in graduate school in psychological neuroscience should consider the Concentration in Neuroscience and/or the Certificate in Neuroscience.
Students who intend to pursue graduate study in psychology or a related field should discuss this with their advisor as early as possible to develop a plan of study that will prepare them for graduate school. These students should plan to take more than the minimum 39 credits in psychology required for the major. They are also encouraged to complete at least one of the three certificates and to participate in PSYC 494 Psychology Internship or PSYC 499 Independent Study under the guidance of a member of the department.
Students majoring in psychology may be eligible for membership in Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology. Psychology Club is a student organization that sponsors activities of broad interest to psychology students (e.g., workshops on graduate school and discussions of employment opportunities). Contact Dr. Hillard for information about how to join Psi Chi and/or the Psychology Club.
Program Level Outcomes
The Psychology Department has five major learning goals we expect our students to attain. They are:
- Content Knowledge and Applications: Students demonstrate comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, integrative themes, and empirical or evidence-based findings to discuss how psychological principles apply to behavior and mental processes.
- Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate scientific reasoning and investigation, including developing proficiencies in research methods and statistics.
- Values in Psychological Science: Students demonstrate ethical and socially responsible values and behaviors in personal, professional, organizational, and institutional settings. This includes ethical reasoning and practices, interpersonal and intercultural responsiveness, and strategies that promote and sustain strong communities and equitable opportunities.
- Communication, Psychological Literacy, and Technology Skills: Students demonstrate effective communication skills in processing and expressing information, psychological literacy (including applying knowledge of research skills necessary to be an informed consumer of research or a critic regarding unsupported claims about behavior), and the ability to use appropriate technology to improve communication.
- Personal and Professional Development: Students demonstrate self-regulation, project management skills, professional judgment, collaboration skills, and proficiency in workplace technology and career planning.
Courses in Psychology
PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 cr
Introduces the scientific study of mind and behavior, providing coverage of the major areas of research in psychology, including thinking, social interaction, human development, the nervous systems, abnormal psychology, personality, learning, the history and applications of psychological science, and others.
Prerequisites: ENGL 100 or concurrent registration.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: PSYC, SBS Social & Behavioral Science
PSYC 150 | Careers in Psychology | 1 cr
Provides opportunities to explore career pathways in psychology at different levels of education, reflect on alignment of interests, skills, and goals with psychology careers, and develop professional development skills, including conducting a job search, writing a resume or curriculum vitae, preparing a cover letter or personal statement, developing a professional online presence, and cultivating relevant work experience.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or equivalent.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 200 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 cr
Explores the structure and function of the nervous system from the molecular and cellular levels to the systems level. Includes signaling mechanisms, sensory systems, motor systems, language, emotion, neurodegeneration and psychopathology.
Prerequisites: ENGL 100 or concurrent enrollment.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
Meets: NSW Natural Science & Wellness
PSYC 205 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 cr
Covers theory and research of human cognitive processes including perception, attention, visual cognition, learning, memory, language, decision making, problem solving, intelligence, and social cognition.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 210 | Introduction to Human Development | 3 cr
Covers theories, concepts, and research pertaining to human development throughout the lifespan including biological, cognitive, emotional and social development..
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 220 | Social Psychology | 3 cr
Studies the individual in social contexts including person perception, attribution processes, the self, interpersonal attraction, attitude formation, aggression, prosocial behavior and social influence.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 241 | Psychology of Aging | 3 cr
Survey of research and theory on the human aging process including physical, cognitive, and social sciences.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 250 | Psychological Statistics | 4 cr
Provides opportunities to apply descriptive and inferential statistics to the research problems of psychology. Includes projects with computer analysis of data.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, completion of computational skills requirement.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
Meets: MQR Math & Quantitative Reasoning
PSYC 260 | Psychology of Personality | 3 cr
Theories, models, and conceptions of personality, methods of studying personality, and research findings.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 275 | Job Search and Work-Life Transitions | 3 cr
Explores and applies job search, career self-management, and career-life preparedness strategies. Includes developing purposeful goals and plans, identifying job opportunities, professional communication and relationships, and navigating work-life transitions. Requires fees.
Prerequisites: At least Junior standing.
Offered: Spring.
Meets: Social & Behavioral Science: PSYC, SBS Social & Behavioral Science
PSYC 280 | Psychology of Gender | 3 cr
Research on the effects of gender on cognition, personality, emotions, interpersonal relations, labor-force participation and behavior. Theories of gender role development and gender typing are examined. Not open to those with credit in PSYC 380.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 290 | Special Topics in Psychology | 1-4 cr
Selected topics in psychology.
Prerequisites: PSYC 101.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 300 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 cr
Analyzes scientific methods in psychology. Includes research design, data collection and interpretation, computer-based statistical analysis, and writing research reports.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 301 | Learning and Memory | 3 cr
Examine theory and research of human learning and memory. Explores learning through classical and operant conditioning, observational learning, and classroom learning. Covers procedural memory, semantic memory, and episodic memory.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 304 | Language Development | 3 cr
The child's development of the sounds, grammar, meanings, and social knowledge that underlie the ability to use language; theories of language acquisition; and the relation of oral language to the acquisition of literacy.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 306 | Sensation and Perception | 3 cr
Examines the sensory organs and perceptual mechanisms used in vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Emphasizes vision and audition.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 307 | Cross Cultural Psychology | 3 cr
Examines research and theories on culture influences human development, social interactions and perceptions. Discusses the self and psychological functioning.
Offered: Fall.
Meets: CP Civics & Perspectives, Ethnic Diversity
PSYC 318 | Psychological Assessment | 3 cr
Assessment of individual characteristics including issues related to measurement, test construction, test usage, reliability and validity, and specialized applications.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 324 | Child and Adolescent Psychopathology | 3 cr
Surveys the field of child and adolescent psychopathology. Examines historical factors and contemporary approaches to mental disorders in children and adolescents.
Prerequisites: PSYC 210 or permission of the instructor.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 325 | Biological Psychology | 3 cr
Covers brain structure, neural communication, the neural control of movement, the biological basis of complex behaviors (such as sleep, learning, memory, sex, language, and addiction), emotion, and psychological disorders.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 326 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 cr
Covers how cognitive processes are explained by the structure and function of the brain. Includes neuroanatomy, research methods, and other areas such as perceptual processing, object recognition, language, memory, emotion, and attention. Requires fees.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 327 | Neuropsychology | 3 cr
Covers brain structure and function using clinical case studies as the primary source of information. Includes basic neuroanatomy, behavioral disorders, severe neuropsychiatric conditions, neuropsychological testing, emotion, language, thought, and memory.
Prerequisites: PSYC 200 or consent of instructor.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 328 | Psychopharmacology | 3 cr
Covers the basic principles of psychopharmacology, including how drugs influence psychological phenomena, how and why drugs are used for treatment for psychopathological and neuropsychological conditions, mechanisms of addiction, tolerance and abuse, the social, recreational and religious context, and the history of substance abuse.
Prerequisites: PSYC 200 or consent of instructor.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 329 | Brain Development and Plasticity | 3 cr
Covers neuroplasticity form a predominantly behavioral perspective. Includes neural development of the human brain, implications for psychological and social behavior, neuroplasticity of the brain with respect to both learning and aging, and brain repair after acquired brain injury.
Prerequisites: PSYC 200 or consent of instructor.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 330 | Interviewing | 3 cr
Introduces interviewing in mental health counseling and the human service professions. Explores basic interviewing skills, uses and forms of interviewing, problems of interview communication, behavioral processes, and emotions in counseling.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 334 | Infant Development | 3 cr
Covers advanced theories, concepts, and research pertaining to human development during the first three years of life, including physical, motor, perceptual, cognitive, and social development, with focus on early mechanisms of change.
Offered: Fall (odd years).
PSYC 337 | Child Development | 3 cr
Introduces questions, approaches, and empirical findings in the field of child developmental psychology through middle childhood. Examines major theories and research in order to comprehensively understand children's physical, language, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Offered: Fall (even years).
PSYC 339 | Adolescent Development | 3 cr
Examines theory and research relating to biological, cognitive, social, and emotional influences on development in the second decade of life across multiple contexts. Focuses on the developmental tasks of adolescence, such as forming an identity and developing mature relations with peers, family, and possible mates.
Offered: Spring (even years).
PSYC 352 | Crisis Intervention | 3 cr
Introduces theory and practice of crisis intervention in the helping professions. Covers the principles of crisis counseling, including skills and approaches to working with survivors of acute, chronic, and complex trauma.
Prerequisites: PSYC 330 or concurrent enrollment.
Offered: Fall.
PSYC 360 | Psychopathology | 3 cr
Examines mental and behavioral disorders including theoretical models, diagnosis and classification, research findings, and treatment approaches.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 362 | Theories of Psychotherapy | 3 cr
Compares major, systematic approaches to psychotherapy. Integrates case study analyses with theory. Includes research findings on the process and outcome of psychotherapy.
Offered: Yearly.
PSYC 363 | Health Psychology | 3 cr
Explores major theoretical approaches, research findings, and principles of health psychology including stress and coping; and the role of lifestyle, personality, and social support in health and illness. Considers links between psychology and specific diseases.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 380 | Psychology of Gender | 3 cr
Explores research on the effects of gender on cognition, personality, emotions, interpersonal relations, labor-force participation and behavior. Examines theories of gender role development and gender typing. Not available to students with credit in PSYC 280.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 390 | Special Topics in Psychology | 1-4 cr
Examines selected topics in psychology.
Prerequisites: Varies by topic.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 420 | Neuroanatomy | 3 cr
Covers the structure of the nervous system and the major sensory, motor, and integrative neural systems. Explores the anatomical and physiological bases of multiple disorders of the nervous system.
Prerequisites: PSYC 200 or consent of instructor.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 421 | The Self | 3 cr
Explores the self from a social psychological perspective. Examines theories and research on the self and teaches verbal and written communication skills.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 431 | Counseling Psychology | 3 cr
Delves into fundamental techniques of counseling, including assessment of client problems, exploration of behavioral alternatives, applying psychological principles to effect change, and counseling relationship skills.
Offered: Spring.
PSYC 441 | Advanced Human Development Seminar | 3 cr
Focuses on a specific developmental topic such as moral development, adult cognitive development, Piagetian theory, etc. Incorporates advanced methodological issues, research reports, and primary theoretical sources.
Offered: Spring (odd years).
PSYC 490 | Special Topics in Psychology | 1-4 cr
Examines selected advanced topics in psychology. May be repeated with different topic.
Prerequisites: Varies by topic.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 491 | Senior Capstone in Neuroscience | 3 cr
Covers concepts in the field of neuroscience. Includes neuroanatomy and a critical analysis of the current research in neuroscience. Provides students opportunity for identifying and thinking critically about current topics in neuroscience and applying these skills in writing, presentations, and discussions.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 492 | Psychology Research Seminar | 3 cr
Provides hands-on experience working collectively with faculty and other students on faculty and student research projects. Includes designing, administering, analyzing and reporting original empirical research in psychology.
Prerequisites: PSYC 300 and consent of instructor.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 494 | Psychology Internship | 1-6 cr
Provides the opportunity for supervised experience in the field of psychology.
Prerequisites: 18 credits in psychology and consent of instructor and department chair.
Offered: Occasionally.
PSYC 495 | Psychology Senior Seminar | 3 cr
Discussion on ethical, methodological, historical, and/or philosophical issues in psychology, based on readings in psychology research, practice, and theory.
Prerequisites: PSYC 300 and 24 psychology credits, 85 degree credits and consent of instructor.
Offered: Fall, Spring.
PSYC 497 | Thesis in Psychology | 1-3 cr
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
PSYC 499 | Independent Study | 1-6 cr
Participation in research activities under the direction of a faculty member.
Prerequisites: PSYC 300, consent of instructor and department chair.
Offered: Fall, Spring.