Psychology Courses

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and 3 additional hours of psychology. An introduction to contemporary theories about learning and behavior, emphasizing the experimental basis of these phenomena. May be taught concurrently with PSY 502. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 502 and PSY 602.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121. Explores the basics of forensic psychology with emphasis on factors that affect children, how these factors are assessed and how communities intervene to reduce both child crime and child victimization. The class will involve text analysis as well as analysis of primary source readings. May be taught concurrently with PSY 505. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 505 and PSY 604.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and 3 additional hours of psychology. Nature of perception, concept formation and role of language. May be taught concurrently with PSY 506. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 506 and PSY 606.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 304. Current theories of personality, research background and historical development. May be taught concurrently with PSY 512. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 512 and PSY 612.

Introduction to the field of neuropsychology. Includes careers, history, behavioral changes after brain injury, assessment, and ethical considerations. May be taught concurrently with PSY 513. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 613 and PSY 513.

Serves as an introduction to the field of applied behavior analysis. During this course, students are introduced to content areas contained in the Behavior Analysis Certification Board Task List. This includes core concepts such as reinforcement, punishment, stimulus control, and principles of shaping. Students will be introduced to functional assessments and functional analyses. Additional topics include verbal behavior and ethical considerations for behavior analysts. May be taught concurrently with PSY 508. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 614 and PSY 508.

Study of forensic issues related to child abuse and exploitation. Students will gain an understanding of the forensic and psychological issues that often arise during child abuse investigations. The Child Advocacy Center, Inc. will participate in the design of the course, thus the specific forensic issues discussed will remain current and may change based on the needs of the community. May be taught concurrently with PSY 514. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 617 and PSY 514.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 331 and 3 additional hours of psychology. Study of cognitive development in children and adolescents. Topics to be included: perception, memory, visual imagery, problem solving, language development, cognitive style, social learning theory, information processing theory, and Piaget's theory. Applications in education, child rearing, and behavior management. May be taught concurrently with PSY 519. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 519 and PSY 619.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and 3 additional hours of psychology. Physiological correlates underlying behavior, including sensory and response mechanisms, central nervous system. May be taught concurrently with PSY 521. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 521 and PSY 622.

Recommended Prerequisite: 6 hours of Psychology. An examination into the nature of and research in human language and its relationship to psychology. Topics will include the biological bases of language, speech production and perception, word recognition, sentence processing, reading, discourse, dyslexia, grammar and the lexicon. This course will cover current theories on these topics and experimental paradigms analyzing language and psychology. May be taught concurrently with PSY 523. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 623 and PSY 523.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and 3 additional hours of psychology. Psychological and physiological motives, needs, drives and instinctual mechanisms; emotional effects of these upon the organism. May be taught concurrently with PSY 525. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 525 and PSY 625.

Recommended Prerequisite: introductory statistics course selected from PSY 200, 711; AGR 330; ECO 308; MTH 340; QBA 237; REC 328; SOC 302; or equivalent. A review of introductory statistics and investigation of research methods in behavioral sciences that require multivariate statistical models. This course takes an applied orientation and emphasizes the use of statistical packages. Topics include: linear models, principal components analysis, discriminant analysis, multiple regression analysis, multiple regression with categorical variables, and multi-factor ANOVA. May be taught concurrently with PSY 527. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 527 and PSY 627.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 200 or equivalent. Theory and techniques underlying measurement of human traits and abilities. Critical analysis of intellectual, achievement, interest and personality tests, including their development, application and potential abuses. May be taught concurrently with PSY 529. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 529 and PSY 629.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and REL 100. Comprehensive overview of historical background, research methods, and contemporary issues involving behavior and religious beliefs. Psychological research in the areas of religious development and cognition will be included. May be taught concurrently with PSY 533. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 533 and PSY 633.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 331. Theory and research on the maturation and cognition of the human infant in the first two years, from a developmental psychometric perspective. General principles of the mental and motor assessment of the infant and interpretation will be emphasized through class demonstrations so that the student may understand the use of these procedures in interpreting development and research. May be taught concurrently with PSY 534. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 634 and PSY 534.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121; and either PSY 360, PSY 380, PSY 385, or PSY 390. Provides a psychological perspective of individual and social factors necessary to develop an effective eclectic approach to discipline and an understanding of social behavior in the classroom. Includes an emphasis on personal, social, and motivational development. May be taught concurrently with PSY 535. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 535 and PSY 635.

Techniques and skills in utilizing psychological tests as they pertain to diagnosing reading disabilities and prediction of success in remedial programs. Students receive supervised practice in administration. May be taught concurrently with PSY 550. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 550 and PSY 648.

This course delivers leadership, team processes, and motivation principles to help coaches develop the leadership skills of sport team athletes. This course aligns sport program goals with educational goals by utilizing athletic settings to promote skills that student-athletes can apply on sport teams and in other group settings. Coaches will learn how to set specific leadership goals with team leader-athletes and will learn concrete and constructive ways to mentor leader-athletes. Coaches will use course principles to construct a plan for developing sport team leaders and for making "team leadership" a core team value. May be taught concurrently with PSY 555. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 555 and PSY 649.

Complementing PSY 649 Developing Sport Team Leadership, this course provides a 2-credit option for students to document the application of a leadership development plan on a sport team. This course reinforces the value of leadership and leadership development on sport teams by helping to make "team leadership" a core team value. Advancing this objective, students learn to align the values of sport teams with the broader values of educational institutions. Students taking this course must provide evidence that they have permission to implement a leadership development program on an organized sport team prior to enrolling in the class (hours the student spends with the team must exceed 90 hours). May be taught concurrently with PSY 556. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 556 and PSY 656.

Study of the legal issues related to child abuse and exploitation. Students will gain an understanding of the law pertaining to child cases and how interactions with children can bolster or diminish the quality of children's memory report as seen by the judicial system. The Greene County Prosecutor's Office will participate in the design of this course, thus the specific legal issues discussed will remain current and may change based on the needs of the community. May be taught concurrently with PSY 557. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 657 and PSY 557. Identical with CRM 657. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 657 and CRM 657.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 370. Description of dementias, with particular references to Alzheimer's Disease and with emphasis on behavioral consequences for both patient and caregiver. Directed practicum. May be taught concurrently with PSY 565. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 565 and PSY 669.

Recommended Prerequisite: 9 hours of Psychology. Specialized investigation into selected topics in psychology. Graduate students will be required to complete an extra project to be determined by the instructor. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours if topic is different. Variable content course. May be taught concurrently with PSY 597. Cannot receive credit for both PSY 695 and PSY 597.

Individual investigation into a problem or problems of concern to the student and deemed of significance by the instructor. Written report required.

Specific topics selected to introduce graduate students to research and theory. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

Depth investigation of growth and development during elementary school years. Experimental evidence and clinical evaluations used to supplement consideration of major theories of development.

Depth investigation of growth and development during the adolescent period. Experimental evidence and clinical evaluation used to supplement consideration of major theories of adolescence.

Development of intellectual functions, personality, and social psychological processes across the adult life span will be emphasized. Normal as well as abnormal phenomena unique to young, middle-aged, and elderly adults will also be considered.

Provides in-depth analyses of historical and current theories and associated research in higher mental cognition processing. Primary emphasis is on normal human adult functioning, although associated topics such as cognitive development, learning dysfunctions and skill enhancement will be considered.

Program involving both theory and practice in psychological evaluation of pre-school children.

Orientation to the use of psychology in education.

Statistical techniques used in education and psychology; overview of scaling techniques, sampling, descriptive techniques, inferential techniques (to include t and x2), reliability and validity.

A survey of the psychological principles, theory, and research related to human resource practices in organizations. Topics include job analysis, performance appraisal and criterion development, EEO compliance, individual differences measurement, selection and validation research.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 121 and PSY 304. A survey of the psychological principles, theory, and research related to behavior in organizations. Topics include work motivation, job satisfaction and performance, leadership and group processes, organizational design and development.

Analysis of individual tests of intelligence; Wechsler Scales and the Revised Stanford Binet. Students receive supervised practice in administration, scoring and interpretation of individual tests.

Analysis of individual tests of intelligence; Stanford-Binet Fourth Edition and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Students will receive supervised practice in administration, scoring, and interpretation.

Introduction to theory of and basic underlying projective methods.

Students of clinical psychology will be introduced to the process of psychological diagnosis. They will be expected to master the administration, scoring, and interpretation of individual instruments and become acquainted with the foundations and theory and research on which they rest. In addition the course will emphasize the differential applicability of tests and assessment techniques to a wide range of referral problems and the principles of clinical inference that may be used to interpret, integrate, and communicate their diagnostic findings.

Supervised experience in assessment, diagnoses and report-writing with clients at a community mental health facility. Site arrangements must be made by the Practicum Coordinator during the preceding semester. Consists of a one-hour seminar on campus and 4 hours at the practicum site each week. May be repeated and a minimum grade of "B" must be maintained.

Recommended Prerequisite: introductory statistics course from PSY 200, 611; AGR 330; ECO 308; MTH 340; QBA 237; REC 328; SOC 302; or equivalent. Use of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Models and Multivariate Analysis in the design and analysis of psychological experiments.

Provides instruction in the use of single subject design research methods, in both experimental and applied settings. Instruction provided in behavioral measurement via direct and indirect observation, the employment of group and individual (single-subject) time series designs, statistical approaches for within-group and single-subject design data analysis and interpretation, and use of data to evaluate interventions. The course also considers professional issues in the ethical conduct of research and practice.

Reinforce breadth of knowledge of psychology in the areas of Biological bases of behavior, Sensation and Perception, Memory, Cognition, Motivation, Development and Social Psychology.

Investigation of research methods employed in education and psychology.

Provides an understanding of the research methods employed in experimental and applied settings. Includes ethical considerations.

The application of research methods to the evaluation of programs and planned change interventions in organizations.

Recommended Prerequisite: PSY 614. Current research and best practices in the area of behavioral assessment. Topics include behavioral definitions, observational recording techniques, data analysis, functional and stimulus preference assessment methods, and issues of validity and reliability of measurement.

Must be taken prior to or concurrent with first teaching of any regular or laboratory section of any course. Preparation for teaching college courses, includes development of personal philosophies of teaching; suggestions for active student learning; maintaining student motivation; preparing assignments, in-class presentations, and exams; grading; and classroom management. Designed to help graduate students prepare for their first independent college teaching experiences.

Introduction to the nature of the helping process with emphasis on strategies of behavior change, interpersonal communication, and development of basic helping skills.

An exploration of ethical issues, including values, professional responsibilities, and professional ethics codes. Issues are explored both from ethical and legal perspectives. Current professional issues, such as changing modes of assessment and intervention, are examined.

An extensive analysis of the factors contributing to the development and maintenance of therapeutic groups in a variety of settings. The prevention and education uses of small groups and small group processes will be included.

Investigation of the major theoretical approaches and strategies of psychotherapy and counseling along with the techniques associated with each theory. Emphasis on theoretical bases and critical analysis of comparative research.

Focus is on the differential diagnosis of psychological disorders, the appropriate use of current diagnostic systems, and relevant research.

Course focuses on assessment and treatment of common childhood behavior disorders. The course emphasizes 1) the study of biological, behavioral, cognitive, and systemic variables in the development of childhood behavior disorders; 2) training in multiaxial diagnostic assessment; and 3) interventions.

A survey of the major theoretical and practical issues in the study of personality and social development. The course will focus on application of personality to universal human concerns.

Behavioral Systems Analysis (BSA) comes from a synthesis of the fields of behavior analysis and systems analysis and can be defined as the analysis of behavior that occurs in complex and organized social environments. This course will cover applications of BSA in order to promote behavioral solutions to socially significant practices within large social units like organizations and cultures. Applications will focus on settings such as organizations and the culture more broadly from a functional contextual perspective.

An in-depth consideration of the psychological principles, theory, research, applications and problems associated with occupational stress, safety and health. Topics include personal, organizational, work-related and social antecedents to stress, as well as the short-term and long-term responses to stress.

An in-depth consideration of theory, research, applications and problems of performance assessment in organizations. Topics include criterion development and validation, models of effectiveness, performance appraisal, methods and sources of evaluation, performance feedback, team performance measurement, and biases in assessment.

Provides an introduction to human factors engineering (ergonomics) primarily in the workplace. Involves emphasis on analyzing job requirements, human capabilities, human-machine interactions, and safety.

An in-depth consideration of theory, research, applications, and problems in the design, conduct and evaluation of training programs in organizational settings. Topics include needs assessment, theories of learning and motivation, transfer of training, and evaluation of training processes and outcomes.

An in-depth consideration of the theory, research, applications, and problems in matching of individual needs, preferences, skills and abilities with the needs and preferences of organizations. Topics include job analysis, theories of human performance, test development and use, alternative selection techniques, EEO law, criterion development, and validation of selection decisions.

The course addresses the history of behavior analysis, philosophy of science, advanced behavioral principles and processes and their application to various content domains in the behavioral, social, and cognitive sciences (e.g., emotion, language, cognition, and culture).

An in-depth consideration of theory, research, applications, and problems in group processes in organizations. Topics include models and typologies of group performance, group decision making, group social influence and ecology, leadership, and team staffing and development.

Advanced study of selected topics in I/O psychology . Course requirements include extensive readings and a paper. May be repeated if different topics for a maximum of 9 hours.

Advanced study of interactions and social cognition, including attitude change, person perception, and group dynamics.

Offers an opportunity for the graduate student to gain additional training through field experiences in research, clinical or organizational settings. Such experience need not be confined to the campus. Variable content course. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

Offers an opportunity for the graduate student to gain additional training through guided research. Such research need not be confined to the campus. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

Supervised fieldwork in a professional psychology setting. Includes a seminar paper as a requirement.

Independent research and study leading to the completion of the thesis.

Recommended Prerequisite: 12 hours of Gerontology. In-depth inquiry into selected interdisciplinary topics of contemporary interest in gerontology. Variable content course. May be repeated to a total of 6 hours when topic changes. May be taught concurrently with GER 597. Cannot receive credit for both GER 597 and GER 697.