400

PSY 400 Neuropsychology

Prerequisite: Open to psychology majors with junior or senior standing. A review of elementary neuroanatomy and brain function, with an exploration of how clinical conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, amnesia, Parkinson's, stroke, schizophrenia, agnosia, aphasia, Huntington's) affect cognitive, behavioral, affective, perceptual, and motor processes.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

PSY 401 Theories of Personality

Prerequisites: Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. An overview of the different approaches to the understanding of the personality. Emphasis is placed on the normal personality.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

PSY 409 Learning and Memory

Prerequisites: PSY 312. Open to junior and senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. A contemporary survey of methods, theories, principles and processes in the fields of learning and memory. The course focuses on understanding the building blocks of behavior in human and nonhuman learning and operant conditioning, as well as exploration of higher-order processes (e.g., language, pattern learning).

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

PSY 418 Physiological Psychology

Prerequisites: PSY 101. Open to junior and senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. Explores the relationships among physiological structure, functioning and behavior. Special attention is given to the overall structure of the nervous system, as well as the physiological bases of sensation, perception, learning, memory, cognition, emotion and consciousness.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSY 431 Abnormal Psychology

Prerequisites: Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. The origins, symptoms and methods of treatment of the principal forms of deviant behavior, with illustrative case material. Social as well as clinical aspects of individual psychological problems are considered.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSY 434 Foundations of Psychological Testing

Prerequisites: PSY 211 or MATH 112 or SOC 261. Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. A study of the testing movement, including fundamental statistical procedures. Emphasizes the use of tests in education, industry and clinical practice. Observation and participation in individual and group testing.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

PSY 441 History of Psychology

Prerequisites: Open to junior and senior psychology majors. This reading-intensive capstone course exposes students to the history of the field. It begins with an overview of epistemological and ontological philosophical theories of the 17th and 18th centuries. It then contextualizes and analyzes the history of psychological ideas of the 19th and 20th century from a broad political, economic, and sociocultural framework.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Both Semesters

PSY 456 Behavior Modification

Prerequisites: PSY 312. Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. Application of operant and respondent learning principles to change behaviors in a prosocial manner across individuals and situations.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSY 498 Special Topics

An opportunity for a group of students to explore current topics in psychology as suggested by their special interests, and those of the faculty, but not included in the regular course offerings.

Credits

3.0

Offered

As needed

PSY 499 Departmental Honors

Prerequisite: By invitation of the department. The departmental honors paper is a two-semester senior-year program designed for students who wish to pursue intensive research or special projects in close coordination with faculty advisers. Departmental honors students are known as the Christine P. Tischer Scholars and receive 6 credits for this work.

Credits

6.0

Offered

Year Long