Psychology of Race and Belonging

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. Through the lens of psychology, we will explore how the invention of race and doing race lead to othering and maintain "us" versus "them" perspectives and structures in society. We will also use psychological concepts and theories to explore and discuss ideas for moving beyond racism, race, and othering to create communities of belonging. SJE

Social Psychology

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. Topics of study may include social cognition, attitudes and persuasion, errors of everyday human judgment, social influence, obedience and conformity, romantic attraction, morality and pro-social behavior, aggression, intergroup relations and prejudice, and group processes. Prerequisite: 171. SS

Psychological Testing

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.

Positive Psychology

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

Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

This course provides a comprehensive examination of psychological, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders with onset typically occurring in childhood and adolescence. Emphasis is placed on the diagnostic criteria, classification systems, and symptomatology as delineated in the DSM. The curriculum addresses potential causes and risk factors, evidence-based interventions, and preventive strategies, integrating multiple theoretical orientations and empirical findings. Special focus is given to the application of diagnostic and treatment principles within professional practice settings. Prerequisite: 171. SS

Geropsychology

Applies psychological science to the assessment, intervention, and consultation needs of older adults and their families, addressing normative and pathological aging processes within a biopsychosocial framework. This course examines theoretical models of adult development and aging, DSM relevant disorders, and core competencies in assessment, evidence-based treatment, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Topics include cognitive decline, mood and anxiety disorders, health-related stressors, decisional capacity, and health promotion. Prerequisite: 171.

Research Methods II

In this course, students learn about causal claims and experimental methods in psychology. Emphasis will be placed on understanding simple experiments, factorial designs, ethics in experiments with human subjects, and replication and open science principles. The major assignment is a comprehensive research project that requires students to design and implement an experiment, analyze the data, and prepare a final presentation and paper in APA style. Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in PSYC 223 and 230. Open to psychology majors only.

Cognitive Psychology

Students learn how contemporary psychologists use the scientific method to study mental processes (that is, the "mind"), with an emphasis on major constructs: perception, attention, memory, language, and reasoning. Regular activities include hands-on experiments to collect data, followed by basic data analysis, visualization, and interpretation. Students will also critically evaluate several cognitive psychology journal articles. Prerequisite: 171. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.

Behavior Disorders

This course introduces students to a range of behavior disorders including anxiety disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, substance-related disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and personality disorders. The course reviews modern conceptualizations of these disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), emphasizing three areas: (1) assessment, classification, and symptom features; (2) potential causes and risk factors; and (3) evidence-based treatments and interventions to prevent disorders and symptom recurrence. Prerequisite: 171. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.

Counseling Microskills

The essence of this course is communication micro-skills, such as: attending, questioning, reflecting content and feelings, confronting, self-disclosing, interpreting, information giving, and enlisting cooperation and action. It is taught through a counseling psychology lens and provides opportunity to develop and practice skills. In addition, the techniques transcend disciplines and are valuable for a variety of interpersonal relationships. OC

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