PY101 General Psychology. 3 hours. A survey of many factors that influence behavior and the techniques that psychologists use to study these factors. Major topics include heredity and physiology; development; learning and thinking; motivation and emotion; personality; and psychological adjustment, disorders, and treatment. Fall and Spring.
PY190 Special Topics. 1-5 hours. Introductory course on a topic not included in the regular curriculum. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission.
PY204 Experimental Psychology. 3 hours. An introduction to the basic process of conducting psychological research. Special attention will be focused on experimental methodology, the analysis and interpretation of data, and scientific report-writing. A practical goal for the course is to provide students with the analytic and conceptual skills necessary to read and critically evaluate professional journal articles. Spring.
PY210 Educational Psychology. 3 hours. Introduction of general psychological theories to the prospective elementary and secondary teacher. There is a brief introduction to developmental stages, learning theories, individual differences and motivation, with application to the classroom in teaching methods, content presentation, and evaluation procedures. (PY210 cannot be counted for psychology credit in the degree programs of Psychology majors or minors without the written permission of the chair of the Division of Social Sciences.) Fall and Spring.
PY211 Psychology of Personal Adjustment. 3 hours. The study of individual differences and self-analysis of cognitive processes, emotional responses to normal and/or traumatic life events. Limitations and options for appropriate behavior will be explored through discussion, testing and evaluations. Odd-numbered Falls.
PY223 Developmental Psychology. 3 hours. An examination of various aspects of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development from conception through late adulthood. Emphasis is placed on child and adolescent development. Prerequisite: PY101 or PY210. Fall and Spring.
PY260 Special Problems. 1-5 hours. Independent study or research on a subject of interest to an individual student. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission.
PY268 Internship and Field Experiences. 1-5 hours.
PY290 Special Topics. 1-5 hours. Intermediate-level course on a topic not included in the regular curriculum. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission.
PY301 Abnormal Psychology. 3 hours. A study of the causes and treatments of behavior disorders. Special attention is given to relevant diagnostic and legal issues. Prerequisite: PY101. Spring.
PY308 Personality. 3 hours. An examination of the major theoretical paradigms and research studies pertaining to the human personality. Psychodynamic, existential, humanistic, trait, social learning, and narrative approaches to understanding personality dynamics are reviewed. Prerequisite: PY101. Spring.
PY315 Sport and Exercise Psychology. 3 hours. This course will examine the psychological principles and techniques that are applied to sport performance and other fields of achievement (exercise and wellness, music, and academics). Special attention will be given to team cohesion, psychological aspects of injury and rehabilitation, youth sport, and athletic career termination issues.
PY321 Family Relationships and Values. 3 hours. A study of interpersonal relations in courtship and marriage across cultures, with an emphasis on the currently changing values in the United States. There will be a focus on cultural, social, cognitive and emotional bases of intimacy, commitment, and family roles. Cross-listed with SO321. Fall and Spring.
PY324 Social Psychology. 3 hours. A study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. The focus is on the individual within group situations, including both the effects of the group on the individual and the effects of the individual on the group. Specific topics include conformity, persuasion, aggression, altruism, and attraction. Cross-listed with SO324. Prerequisite: PY101 or SO101. Even-numbered Falls.
PY331 Research Design and Data Analysis in the Social Sciences. 3 hours. An introduction to research design, social measurement, analytic strategies and applied statistical techniques relevant to the interpretation of social phenomena. Cross-listed with CJ/HI/PS/SO 331. Fall and Spring.
PY332 Cognitive Processes and Applications. 3 hours. A study of cognitive processes such as perception, thinking, learning, and problem-solving. Special attention will be given to various applications of cognitive theory and research. Prerequisite: PY101. Even-numbered Springs.
PY334 Applied Quantitative Data Analysis in the Social Sciences. 3 hours. A study of the application of quantitative analytic techniques to data in the social sciences. Cross-listed with CJ/HI/PS/SO334. Prerequisite: MA105 or instructor's permission. Spring.
PY338 Applied Psychology. 3 hours. An examination of the applications of the facts, principles, and techniques of psychology to a broad range of human endeavors. The core of the course consists of an introduction to the various career paths in psychology. Prerequisite: PY101. Even-numbered Falls.
PY342 Psychology of the Exceptional Child. 2 hours. A study of techniques for increasing the academic, social, and vocational competence of disabled individuals. Attention is given to causal factors and behavioral characteristics associated with different exceptionalities. Prerequisite: PY101 or PY210. Fall and Spring.
PY343 Psychology of the Exceptional Child Practicum. 1 hour. Applied experiences working with disabled individuals. This course includes 18-20 clock hours of clinical experiences. Prerequisites: PY101 or PY210; credit or concurrent enrollment in PY342. Fall and Spring.
PY345 Learning. 3 hours. An overview of the principles of animal and human learning. Special attention is given to the acquisition, retention, and extinction of learned behavior patterns. Prerequisite: PY101. Odd-numbered Springs.
PY346 Sensation and Perception. 3 hours. This course will examine the process by which we interpret and organize sensory information to produce our conscious experience of objects and relationships among objects. Prerequisite. PY101. Even-numbered Falls.
PY347 Physiological Psychology. 3 hours. Examination of the physiological roots of psychological processes. Special attention will be given to neurochemistry and brain structures, as well as to the endocrinological bases of behavior. Prerequisite: PY101.
PY348 Health Psychology. 3 hours. An introduction to the application of psychological theories and research to our understanding, prediction, and promotion of health behavior. Course topics include stress, exercise, nutrition, sexual behavior, alcohol, smoking, chronic diseases, and terminal illnesses. Prerequisite: PY101. Even-numbered Falls.
PY349 Biological Psychology. 3 hours. An introduction to the foundations of human behavior. Course topics include the roles of brain function, hormones, and heredity as they relate to personality, sex differences, psychopathology, language, emotion, memory, sleep, and sensation/perception. Prerequisite: PY101.
PY351 Introduction to Counseling. 3 hours. A study of basic theories and methods of counseling and psychotherapy, including: behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic approaches to counseling, client analysis, and interviewing techniques. Emphasizes goals, responsibilities, and ethical problems in the counseling relationship. Cross-listed with SO351. Prerequisite: PY101. Fall.
PY352 Group Processes. 3 hours. A study of the properties, structure, and dynamics of groups and inter-group relations, as well as an introduction to group therapy techniques. Specific topics include group decision-making and problem-solving, leadership, communication patterns within and between groups, and therapy groups. The psychological effects of participation in groups are also examined. Prerequisite: PY101. Even-numbered Springs.
PY353 Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 3 hours. An introduction to the ways that psychological theory and research can be applied to understand and increase the effectiveness of people in the workplace. Course topics include personnel selection, training, performance appraisal, work motivation, morale, and job satisfaction. Prerequisite: PY101. Odd-numbered Springs.
PY360 Special Problems. 1-5 hours. Independent study or research on a subject of interest to an individual student. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission.
PY368 Internship and Field Experiences. 1-5 hours.
PY390 Special Topics. 1-5 hours. Advanced course on a topic not included in the regular curriculum. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission.
PY480 Senior Thesis. 3 hours. (Capstone) Open only to Juniors and Seniors majoring in Psychology. This is a Senior thesis seminar. To receive credit in this course, all students must complete a directed research paper and successfully defend it before the faculty of the Division of Social Sciences. Spring.