Courses on topics of interest to psychology students offered on the basis of need, interest, or timeliness. Prerequisites as determined by the instructor. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher. May be repeated for credit. For specific section description, click to the Section Details in VitNet.

In this course students will learn the various ways in which psychologists study and measure personality factors, traits, and individual differences. Students will compare and contrast different models of personality and evaluate the empirical evidence for each. Contemporary theories related to personality stability, development, and change will be also discussed. Students will also explore research on the psychology of individual differences beyond stable personality factors. Topics may include styles of motivation, emotion, trust, authoritarianism, and others.

Students in Behavioral Neuroscience explore a variety of advanced issues in biopsychology related to both normal and abnormal expressions of behavior through current primary scientific literature. In this seminar-style course, each student works with the instructor to select an appropriate topic of interest and leads the class discussion on this topic and corresponding journal article(s). Example general topic areas include neuroenhancement, neurotoxiclogy, and CNS disorders. Prerequisite: 261 or BIOP 261 or BIOL 353. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.

This course provides an overview of the major theories in the field of counseling and the historical perspectives and philosophies upon which they are based. This includes supervised laboratory experience with role-playing practice to understand the client and counselor roles in treatment strategies and techniques used in psychotherapy. Prerequisites: 270 or concurrent. Restricted to junior standing or higher.

This course prepares students to examine the systemic framework of couples and families. Emphasis will be placed on development of basic clinical skills, case conceptualization strategies, and intervention techniques relevant to couples and family therapy. The course fosters collaborative learning and critical discussion while integrating theory with practice through experiential activities such as role-plays, case simulations, and guided exercises. Prerequisite: PSYC 270 or SOWK 280. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.

Positive psychology focuses on aspects of life that include well-being and pro-social behavior. Topics in this course will include subjective well-being, mindfulness, character strengths, achievement, flow, resilience, optimism, and supportive relationships. Emphasis will be on both scientific findings and the application of those findings in ones personal life. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to engage in activities that are supported by research to improve subjective well-being. Prerequisite: PSYC 171

Psychological Testing explores the history, theory, and methods of measuring human behavior. Students will receive exposure to a variety of representative tests of intelligence, personality, neuropsychological functioning, and more. Strongly recommended for students interested in counseling, clinical, and industrial organization psychology. Prerequisite: 171. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.

Social psychology is a scientific area in the discipline of psychology that seeks an understanding of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. This course will focus on gaining an understanding of social psychological explanations for social influence and to improve understanding of common research methodologies utilized in social psychological research.

Considering the increasing diversity of the United States and a more interconnected world, this course has two aims. First, this course provides students with an understanding of why fostering belonging is necessary to create healthy and thriving diverse communities. Second, this course provides students with an understanding of how to create communities of belonging. Through a multidisciplinary lens, we will explore and discuss when, why, and how race was invented.

Health psychology is an exciting interdisciplinary field of study that explores the complex bi-directional relationship between psychological and physical health. This course examines the interactions between chronic medical conditions and psychological factors, such as stress, psychological states, and personality. Students will also learn about strategies for coping with stress and improving health and well-being, as well as the benefits of stress. Prerequisite: 171.