Psychology Course Descriptions

(1) Provide descriptions of all courses contained on the above listing. Descriptions must provide enough information to show that standards could logically be met in these courses.

Course	Number	Cr	Description
Introduction to Psych. (required in major and minor)	PY101	4	A general introduction to the systematic study of behavior and mental processes in humans and animals.
Statistics (required in major and minor)	PY210	3	Introduction to basic statistical methods of analyzing psychological data. Emphasis is placed on statistical inference, e.g., t-tests, F-tests and selected non-parametric tests. This course provides students with basic statistical concepts and skills necessary for laboratory and survey work, and for understanding psychological literature, and introduces them to statistical analysis on the computer.
Experimental Psychology (required in major and minor)	PY212	4	An examination of the basic research methods employed in the social sciences with emphasis on the experiment. Topics: Epistemology, laboratory experiments, field experiments, survey construction, correlational research. Students will each participate as a subject and an experimenter, collect data, analyze data, and write a laboratory report according to the editorial style of the American Psychological Association. Laboratory assignments require use of computer applications for experimental purposes, including running experiments and collecting data, analyzing results, creation of appropriate figures, and communication of results in text and oral presentations
Learning and Motivation (required in major)	PY311	3	An introduction to the theory and research of learning. Factors are examined that influence the acquisition and performance of behaviors in classical and instrumental learning paradigms.
Personality Theory (required in major, one of the 4 restricted elective options for minors)	PY357	3	This course surveys the major psychological theories used to conceptualize, treat and research personality issues.
Tests and Measurements (required in major, one of the 4 restricted elective options for minors)	PY396	3	Part one of this course covers measurement theory, the properties of the normal curve, reliability, validity and measurement statistics. Part two reviews major tests used by researchers, educators, clinicians, counselors, addictions counselors and industrial psychologists.
Cognition (required in major, one of the 4 restricted elective options for minors)	PY457	3	A survey of recent findings on cognition in humans. Topics include learning, memory, problem solving, language and complex perceptual processes. Students read and interpret original research articles and make group research presentations.
Physiological Psychology (required in major, one of the 4 restricted elective options for minors )	PY459	3	This course is an introduction to the neurophysiological structures of the brain and their functions as regulators of animal and human behavior.
History and Systems (required in major)	PY456	6	An examination of persons, events, theories, schools and systems that influenced and define contemporary psychology.
Senior Research I (required in major)	PY498	3	The study of methods employed in gathering data for research purposes including direct observational techniques and self-report measures. Students will also learn to use the computer to gather data, analyze data and present data graphically; and will develop a research prospectus.
Senior Research II (required in major)	PY499	4	The study of methods employed in gathering data for research purposes including direct observational techniques and self-report measures. Students will also learn to use the computer to gather data, analyze data and present data graphically; and will develop a research prospectus.
Social Psychology (one of the 3 restricted elective courses from which majors may select . This course is recommended as an elective for minors.)	PY217	3	Topics include attitude formation and change, interpersonal attraction, aggression, altruism, conformity and environmental psychology. Students read and interpret original research articles and make group research presentations.
Abnormal Psychology (one of the 3 restricted elective courses from which majors may select. This course is recommended as an elective for minors.)	PY259	3	This course is a systematic investigation of the identification, dynamics and treatment of deviant and maladaptive behavior.
Child and Adolescent Development (one of the 3 restricted elective courses from which majors may select. This course is recommended as an elective for minors. )	PY265	3	Psychological development of the child through adolescence. Social, emotional and intellectual development are covered, with consideration of genetic, prenatal and postnatal influences.