Skip To Content Skip To Menu Skip To Footer

Psychology Current Courses

Spring 2024

Course Code Title/Instructor Meets
PSYC 120-01 Introduction to Health Psychology
Instructor: Christine Guardino
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide a broad overview of the interdisciplinary field of health psychology, which uses scientific research methods to study the bi-directional relationship between psychology and health. We will discuss psychological states such as stress and how they affect the body, and mental processes such as finding meaning that are associated with effective coping and positive health outcomes. We will also study health behaviors such as exercise, sleep, eating, and substance use. Finally, we will explore how psychological concepts and research can be applied to health promotion and illness prevention. Course content will be especially relevant to students considering careers in health care or public health.
12:30 PM-01:20 PM, MWF
KAUF 179
PSYC 140-01 Social Psychology
Instructor: Marie Helweg-Larsen
Course Description:
Humans are the social animal because our beliefs, our brains, and our physical environments are profoundly shaped by our social context, often without us realizing it. The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the field of social psychology - the scientific study of how our thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of other people. We will discuss topics such as the self, conformity and obedience, social cognition and information processing, attitudes and persuasion, prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination, social influence, romantic relationships, and helping behavior. You will learn how research in social psychology can explain everyday events in your own lives and around the world and how it can help to better human existence.
09:00 AM-10:15 AM, TR
STERN 103
PSYC 145-01 Psychology of Human Sexuality
Instructor: Michele Ford
Course Description:
Cross-listed with WGSS 102-01. This course is a study of human sexuality emphasizing psychological aspects. We will cover sexual development from childhood to adulthood, sexual orientations, biological influences, sexual attitudes and behavior, gender, sex therapy, sexual coercion and abuse, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual health, and the development of sexual relationships. The study of human sexuality is inherently interdisciplinary in nature (drawing from such varied disciplines as sociology, women's studies, biology, anthropology, history, and others). Although we will cover some material from these disciplines, we will take an explicitly social psychological perspective, focusing on individual, personal, and social aspects of sexual behaviors, attitudes and beliefs.
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
KAUF 179
PSYC 150-01 Culture and Psychology
Instructor: Rui Zhang
Course Description:
The vast amount of what we know in psychology is based on observations from a thin sliver of the humanity pie, an unreliable foundation for generalizing knowledge across time and place. This course starts with the position that a psychological science of Homo sapiens requires examining the various cultural and historical contexts that shape human behavior. Throughout this survey course, we will consider human universals and cultural diversity across a wide array of content areas including self, cognition, motivation, emotion, interpersonal and social behaviors, and health, with emphasis on the implications of such a cultural perspective for understanding what unites and divides us in the contemporary world.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
KAUF 179
PSYC 160-01 Human Development: Adolescence through Death
Instructor: Paula Yust
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the principles, theories, and research methods of lifespan developmental psychology from adolescence (12-18) and emerging adulthood (ages 18 25) through the end of life. The course focuses on how individuals develop physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally at each stage of adult life adolescence, emerging, early, middle, and late adulthood. While we will take a chronological approach to studying human development, we will also focus on integrating and reinforcing connections within and across ages and areas of development. By the end of the course, you will have gained exposure to the psychological study of human development and the ways in which gender, race, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic factors influence development. The course will also expose you to the role of context (e.g., school, marriage, work, leisure, neighborhoods) in supporting or undermining development and aging. Finally, we will explore the various ways knowledge gained from studying developmental processes in adolescence and adulthood have been used to improve lives and inform solutions to social problems facing adolescents and adults.
08:30 AM-09:20 AM, MWF
TOME 115
PSYC 160-02 Human Development: Adolescence through Death
Instructor: Paula Yust
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the principles, theories, and research methods of lifespan developmental psychology from adolescence (12-18) and emerging adulthood (ages 18 25) through the end of life. The course focuses on how individuals develop physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally at each stage of adult life adolescence, emerging, early, middle, and late adulthood. While we will take a chronological approach to studying human development, we will also focus on integrating and reinforcing connections within and across ages and areas of development. By the end of the course, you will have gained exposure to the psychological study of human development and the ways in which gender, race, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic factors influence development. The course will also expose you to the role of context (e.g., school, marriage, work, leisure, neighborhoods) in supporting or undermining development and aging. Finally, we will explore the various ways knowledge gained from studying developmental processes in adolescence and adulthood have been used to improve lives and inform solutions to social problems facing adolescents and adults.
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
TOME 115
PSYC 165-01 Psychopathology
Instructor: Nancy Farber
Course Description:
An introduction to various psychological disorders and techniques of diagnosis and treatment. Relevant for students who anticipate careers in medicine, law, and the social or psychological services. This course is a Health Studies elective.
09:00 AM-10:15 AM, TR
KAUF 186
PSYC 165-02 Psychopathology
Instructor: Nancy Farber
Course Description:
An introduction to various psychological disorders and techniques of diagnosis and treatment. Relevant for students who anticipate careers in medicine, law, and the social or psychological services. This course is a Health Studies elective.
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
KAUF 186
PSYC 175-02 Introduction to Community Psychology
Instructor: Sharon Kingston
Course Description:
This course will provide an introduction to the field of community psychology. Community psychology focuses on promoting well-being and preventing negative mental health and social outcomes by understanding persons-in-context and the ways that social issues, institutions, and settings impact individuals, families and communities. In the course, we will: (a) review the historical underpinnings of community psychology; (b) examine the field's major tenets and theories, including its emphasis on understanding the role of the environment in human behavior; (c) explore he field's application to prevent negative mental health and social outcomes and promote well-being and social justice.
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
BOSLER 314
PSYC 210-01 Analysis of Psychological Data
Instructor: Megan Yost
Course Description:
Permission of instructor required. Completion of both PSYC 210 and PSYC 211 fulfills the WID Requirement. This course will introduce you to analytic methods commonly used to evaluate the results of psychological research, with an emphasis on the statistical analysis of quantitative data. You will gain a conceptual and practical understanding of the statistical building blocks needed to report and interpret research findings and practice APA-style writing and visualization of results. We will discuss the concepts and assumptions that underlie common statistical procedures and their limitations. To practice statistical analyses, you will be exposed to the formulae that underly statistical tests. You will become proficient in conducting analyses with the help of a data-processing software that is popular in both academic and non-academic institutions: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The course will cover, in-depth, descriptive statistics (which summarize numerical data obtained in quantitative research) and inferential statistics (which test hypotheses in quantitative research) and will introduce thematic analysis (a method of analyzing themes in qualitative research). We will also consider the ethical use of data in psychological research. Three hours classroom plus three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: any 100-level course. NOTE: Completion of both 210 and 211 fulfills the WID requirement.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, R
ALTHSE 204
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, TF
DENNY 313
PSYC 210-02 Analysis of Psychological Data
Instructor: Christine Guardino
Course Description:
Permission of instructor required. Completion of both PSYC 210 and PSYC 211 fulfills the WID Requirement. This course will introduce you to analytic methods commonly used to evaluate the results of psychological research, with an emphasis on the statistical analysis of quantitative data. You will gain a conceptual and practical understanding of the statistical building blocks needed to report and interpret research findings and practice APA-style writing and visualization of results. We will discuss the concepts and assumptions that underlie common statistical procedures and their limitations. To practice statistical analyses, you will be exposed to the formulae that underly statistical tests. You will become proficient in conducting analyses with the help of a data-processing software that is popular in both academic and non-academic institutions: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The course will cover, in-depth, descriptive statistics (which summarize numerical data obtained in quantitative research) and inferential statistics (which test hypotheses in quantitative research) and will introduce thematic analysis (a method of analyzing themes in qualitative research). We will also consider the ethical use of data in psychological research. Three hours classroom plus three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: any 100-level course. NOTE: Completion of both 210 and 211 fulfills the WID requirement.
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 186
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
KAUF 186
PSYC 211-01 Design of Psychological Research
Instructor: Ben Basile
Course Description:
Completion of both PSYC 210 and PSYC 211 fulfills the WID Requirement. This course is an introduction to research methods in psychology. In this class, we will explore the major concepts in planning research studies, research design, and analysis. We will discuss the various strengths and limitations of each research approach (including quantitative and qualitative methods), as well as methods for assessing threats to validity and reliability of psychological measures. In class and lab, we will explore the relationship between data analysis and research design. In designing your own study, you will learn how to search and critically summarize and evaluate scientific research; design and conduct research projects ethically; collect, analyze and interpret data; and communicate the findings for a scientific audience in APA-style writing. Throughout the course, we will work on developing critical thinking skills and deepen our understanding of the field of psychology as a science. Three hours classroom plus three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: 210. NOTE: Completion of both 210 and 211 fulfills the WID graduation requirement.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
KAUF 186
11:30 AM-12:20 PM, MWF
KAUF 186
PSYC 315-01 Research Methods in Behavioral Pharmacology
Instructor: Anthony Rauhut
Course Description:
Behavioral pharmacology is a subdiscipline of pharmacology interested in the physiological and behavioral mechanisms by which drugs operate, encompassing how drugs influence behavior as well as how behavioral factors influence the actions of drugs. Standard experimental methodologies employed by behavioral pharmacologists to study the effects of drugs on behavior will be reviewed. Topics such as the behavioral analysis of drug effects, basic principles of pharmacology, and research ethics will be discussed. In this intensive lab course, students will conduct original, hands-on animal experiments throughout the semester. Three hours classroom plus three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisites: PSYC 110, 125, 130 or 165, PSYC 210 & 211; OR BIOL 132, PSYC 125 and NRSC 200.
10:30 AM-11:20 AM, MWF
JAMESR 1206
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
JAMESR 1206
PSYC 340-01 Research Methods in Social Psychology
Instructor: Marie Helweg-Larsen
Course Description:
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. This intensive course will provide students with an overview of research methods used in social psychology. Students will learn about major concepts in research planning, design, and analysis when working with social psychological data. Students will also learn about best practices and challenges in social psychological research such as issues of sampling, survey research, correlational research, observational methods, experimental methods, ethics, and replication. In lab students will learn hands-on how to search and review scientific literature, how to design and conduct research projects, collect, analyze and interpret data, and communicate their findings in scientific reports. They will also learn how to use online methods for data collection and survey administration and strengthen their skills in SPSS data analysis. Three hours classroom plus three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisites: 140, 210 & 211.
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, MR
KAUF 185
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, MR
KAUF 185
PSYC 350-01 Research Methods in Cultural Psychology
Instructor: Rui Zhang
Course Description:
Cultural psychology is the study of psychological processes shaped by cultural context. In this course, students will learn about various research methods used in cultural psychology. To compare cultures and subcultures, cultural psychologists have employed a wide array of methodological tools; we will focus on survey, quasi-experimental, and experimental methods. We will discuss the application of these methods to cultural psychology research, especially in relation to topics of validity, bias/equivalence, causal inference, and replication. This intensive lab course will culminate in the design and implementation of a research project in the area of cultural psychology. Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory a week. Prerequisite: 135, 140, 150 or 175; 210 & 211.
01:30 PM-02:45 PM, TF
KAUF 185
03:00 PM-04:15 PM, TF
KAUF 185
PSYC 425-01 Seminar in Biological Psychology
Instructor: Ben Basile
Course Description:
An advanced seminar into the relationship between physiological systems and behavior. This course will include coverage of mammalian brain organization and function in terms of transmitter systems which are correlated with the interactions between anatomy, physiology, and behavior. Prerequisites: 210 & 211; OR PSYC 125, BIOL 132 and NRSC 200.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, M
KAUF 187
PSYC 460-01 Seminar in Developmental Psychology
Instructor: Paula Yust
Course Description:
This advanced seminar will develop students understanding of how social and contextual forces can shape human development. It will focus on how physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development might be similar or dissimilar based on different life experiences. This course will consider development at all stages of life - childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood and adulthood. When appropriate, this course will draw on perspectives from related disciplines (e.g., history, sociology, public health). Additionally, this course will consider how social categories (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity) influence development. Finally, we will explore how knowledge gained from studying developmental processes in adulthood have been used to improve lives and inform solutions to social problems.Prerequisites: 210 & 211
10:30 AM-11:45 AM, TR
BOSLER 313
PSYC 480-01 Seminar in Music and Mental Health
Instructor: Nancy Farber
Course Description:
In the course, we will travel together through literature, our own experiences, and our own research questions about the impact of music on mental health. We will be learning together through multiple methods: reviewing professional literature on give topics, class discussion, experiential exercises, and developing informed research questions and proposals. As this class is a seminar, we will be learning from each other, and topics and exercises will evolve and develop as we go, much in the way that a song evolves through its development. There are many topics that could potentially be covered regarding music and mental health as the field is wide, varied and growing. While I will begin with my areas of expertise and interest regarding topics, it will be important that each of you come prepared with your own interests areas you wonder about and in which you would like to develop knowledge. . Together, we will generate topics for class exploration.
01:30 PM-04:30 PM, W
KAUF 187
PSYC 480-02 Seminar in Positive Psychology
Instructor: Michele Ford
Course Description:
Advanced seminar in which students become actively engaged in reading about, reviewing, and discussing selected topics of importance in the discipline. Recent advanced topics courses have included The Psychology of Law and Medicine, Psychopharmacology, The Psychology of Groups, and Psychology of Identification. Prerequisites: 210 & 211.
09:00 AM-10:15 AM, TR
KAUF 185
PSYC 480-03 Seminar in Serious Mental Illness
Instructor: Sharon Kingston
Course Description:
Advanced seminar in which students become actively engaged in reading about, reviewing, and discussing selected topics of importance in the discipline. Recent advanced topics courses have included The Psychology of Law and Medicine, Psychopharmacology, The Psychology of Groups, and Psychology of Identification. Prerequisites: 210 & 211.
09:30 AM-10:20 AM, MWF
BOSLER 314
PSYC 500-01 Positive Psychology and Eating Disorders
Instructor: Michele Ford
Course Description:

PSYC 500-03 Social Risk Factors in Eating Disorder
Instructor: Michele Ford
Course Description:

PSYC 500-04 Community Resources for Severe Mental Illness with Field Experience
Instructor: Sharon Kingston
Course Description:

PSYC 550-01 Research in Perinatal Mental Health
Instructor: Christine Guardino
Course Description:

PSYC 550-02 Research in Maternal-Child Mental Health
Instructor: Christine Guardino
Course Description:

PSYC 550-03 Impacts of Parental Pressure on Collegiate Athletes
Instructor: Sharon Kingston
Course Description:

PSYC 560-01 Research on Gendered Experience of Smoking Stigma
Instructor: Marie Helweg-Larsen
Course Description:

PSYC 560-02 Academic Involvement and Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Vaping and Smoking
Instructor: Sharon Kingston
Course Description:

PSYC 560-03 Studying Sexual Consent Using Mixed Methods
Instructor: Megan Yost
Course Description:

PSYC 560-04 An Animal Model of Drug Addiction
Instructor: Anthony Rauhut
Course Description:

PSYC 560-05 Bicultural Identities Collaborative Research
Instructor: Rui Zhang
Course Description:

PSYC 560-06 Research on the Gendered Experience of Smoking Stigma
Instructor: Marie Helweg-Larsen
Course Description: