Psychology

Mission

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. Students learn to apply scientific methods and data analysis techniques to a variety of human and non-human behaviors. Also, an emphasis is placed on developing students’ proficiency in academic skills; for example, papers and oral presentations are part of many of the psychology courses. Students who have majored in psychology can enter a variety of careers or pursue graduate education in the behavioral sciences or the helping professions. The psychology major is not a professional degree program; students are not trained as therapists, counselors, or mental health technicians.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Psychology will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the content in psychology and the ability to integrate that knowledge.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of research methods in psychology.
  3. Communicate their knowledge of psychology.
  4. Effectively apply the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association to research and professional situations.

Special Features and Activities

Psychology students are offered the opportunity to participate in the following:

  • Student research.
  • Internships.
  • SBS Club and the Georgia Rho chapter of Pi Gamma Mu international honor society in the social sciences.
  • Participation in professional conferences.
  • Social activities with other majors and faculty.

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

PSY 101: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is a beginning survey of the field of psychology. Special emphasis is placed on the use of scientific methodology to address questions about human behavior. Topics include social interactions, intelligence, development, memory, the physiological bases of behavior and abnormal behavior.

PSY 103: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PSYCH

Credits 1
This 1-hour course is modeled after the traditional Friday afternoon seminars that many of our faculty experienced as graduate students. The intent is to provide a course where all of our Psychology majors come together, integrating their academic experiences and preparing for the next steps in their careers. Class members will be able to begin planning and preparing for graduate studies, internships, and work outside academia. Prerequisite: PSY 101

PSY 200: LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course examines human development from conception to death, with an emphasis on how physical, cognitive and social/emotional factors interact during development. Scientific approaches for studying development across the life-span will also be addressed, along with applications of theories of human development to real world problems. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or Permission of Instructor

PSY 210: PERSONALITY

Credits 3
This course is a critical survey of various theoretical paradigms in personality research, including psychoanalysis, trait theories, humanistic approaches and the cognitive/behavioral tradition. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or Permission of Instructor

PSY 260: COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is intended to introduce you to the field of community psychology. We will discuss the theoretical and political roots of the field, guiding principles, research methods, and practice of community psychology. Using in-class activities, we will practice applying the theory and methods of community psychology to local and global issues. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better, or its equivalent.

PSY 299: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course, which involoves supervised research on a selected topic, is offered as needed to students with sophomore standing. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor

PSY 303: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PSY

Credits 1
This 1-hour course is modeled after the traditional Friday afternoon seminars that many of our faculty experienced as graduate students. The intent is to provide a course where all of our Psychology majors come together, integrating their academic experiences and preparing for the next steps in their careers. Class members will be able to begin planning and preparing for graduate studies, internships, and work outside academia. Prerequisite: PSY 101

PSY 305: CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3

This course explores how culture influences human cognition, emotion, and behavior, integrating historical and current trends to examine their impact on group adjustment. By investigating cultures historically and globally, it highlights the role of cultural dynamics in psychological adaptation. Covering developmental, social, health, and organizational psychology, it o`ers insights into the evolving e`ects of culture on diverse communities. Students will also be exposed to evolutionary thinking while also exploring human universals in order to understand what is common across cultures. Students will learn to critically analyze cultural and societal shifts, preparing them for applications in various contexts. This comprehensive approach equips students 
with the knowledge to apply psychological principles in a culturally informed manner, fostering a deeper understanding of psychology's interaction with culture

PSY 310: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is a survey of the various emotional and behavioral disorders, including etiology and treatment. Prerequisite: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or permission of instructor

PSY 325: EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY IN PSYCH

Credits 4
The purpose of this course is to train students in the experimental methodology used to gather data in psychology. Topics include random selection and assignment of research participants; presentation of treatments and appropriate control conditions; conducting experiments; application of statistical analysis to results; ethical considerations; and quasi-experimental/single participant designs. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of “C” or better; SSC 315 with a grade of “C” or better.

PSY 330: PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is a survey of the neural structures and physiological processes underlying human behavior. Topics include the structure and function of the nervous system and the physiological basis of cognition, emotion and selected psychopathologies. Includes lecture and laboratory instruction. Prerequisite: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or Permission of Instructor

PSY 335: PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING

Credits 3
During this course, we will learn to appreciate the significance of studying aging as a continuous process throughout life and how early life experiences and cumulative factors affect psychological health in the later years. Within this framework, we will also focus on healthy aging as opposed to the negative associations that aging often carries and how diverse the aging population actually is. Moreover, we will challenge ourselves to investigate how different areas of study, particularly how the domains of psychology, aging, neuroscience, sociocultural, biology, and mental health fields, intersect and need to come together to functionally understand how psychological and aging processes unfold.

PSY 340: COGNITION & MEMORY

Credits 3
This course is a survey of the research methods, findings and theories of human thought processes and memory. Information processing from sensation to encoding in long-term memory will be a focus. Other topics will include normal memory distortion and memory loss. Abnormal processes that occur with brain damage will also be discussed. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or permission of Instructor

PSY 345: DRUG USE AND ADDICTION

Credits 3
This course focuses on the history and role of drugs in society, licit and illicit substances, the use and abuse of medical drugs, the use of drugs in treating psychological disorders, theories of addiction, and prevention and treatment for substance abuse and dependence. The focus will be on how these drugs effect the body and mind.

PSY 350: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course examines major theories and research traditions in social psychology. Topics include attitude formation and change, conformity, aggression, interpersonal attraction and group dynamics. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or permission of Instructor

PSY 355: INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
Topics covered in this course include: (I) clinical issues such as competency to stand trial, parent custody evaluations, the insanity defense, and risk assessment, (2) research issues involving eyewitness memory, suspect identification, criminal investigation, and use of lethal force, and (3) procedural issues such as the child interview, suspect interrogations, and witness vetting. Essentially, this course conveys the importance of the behavioral sciences as it impacts the criminal and civil justice system.

PSY 360: BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Credits 3
The principles of behavior analysis and learning will be applied to problems in shaping and managing human behavior. The techniques covered will include: operant and classical conditioning, reinforcement of successive approximations, schedules of reinforcement, operant and classical extinction, and reinforcement of competing responses, counter conditioning, negative reinforcement and stimulus control. These procedures will be related to a range of practical settings and applications. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with a grade of C or better or permission of Instructor

PSY 365: PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING & ASSESSMENT

Credits 3
This course will cover the basic principles, research, and theories on testing and measurement of psychological constructs. It is expected that students complete the course with knowledge of various techniques for psychological testing; familiarity with several professionally developed tests; the ability to develop, administer, and interpret certain tests; knowledge of measurement theory which includes reliability and validity. Through case studies and reflective practice, students will learn to evaluate and adapt psychological assessments to diverse populations, addressing potential cultural biases and ensuring ethical, inclusive psychological practices.

PSY 370: ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
As the population of the world rapidly expands, the demand for food, water, shelter, fuel, and consumer goods rises resulting in increasing pressure on environmental resources. We face growing concerns about global warming, air and water pollution, deforestation, and species extinction. Environmental problems are caused by people’s behavior and will be solved by changes in people’s behavior. In this course, we will explore how psychological theories and research can help to address environmental problems and improve outcomes for both people and environments. Prerequisite: PSY 101

PSY 375: SENSE AND PERCEPTION

Credits 3
In this course, students will learn how their perceptions of the world--whether visual, auditory, or the other senses--are connected to the external data from the world. Students will learn the interplay between artistic advances and visual theory, how each sense interacts with the world and is processed In the brain. Further, students will learn how senses interacts with each other, whether to enhance another sense or to override it.

PSY 380: RESEARCH METHODS AND STATISTICS

Credits 3

The purpose of this course is to train students in the research methodologies used to gather data in psychology and how to statistically analyze this data. 
Students will learn about the importance of empirical and quantifiable data, learn how to statistically analyze this data, how to conduct research including experimental research. They will learn how to characterize statistical data, run statistical tests to compare single and multiple groups, and find correlations between measures. They will also learn how to construct logical arguments based on their background and to use these statistics to make informed arguments about data

PSY 400: HISTORY AND SYSTEMS

Credits 3
This course provides an overview of the history of psychology, This course will begin with psychology's roots in classical Greece and explore its development along with the development of scientific thought and the experimental method.

PSY 420: SENIOR SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
The seminar is a capstone course in the major. The students will be responsible for individual presentations in a seminar setting that will cover a variety of topics within the sub-fields of psychology. Also, the students will focus on the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA 2002) and its application to specific professional situations. Prerequisites: PSY 101, and PSY 325 with a grade of C or better in these prerequisites or permission of Instructor

PSY 440: ADVANCED CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Credits 3
This course is designed to introduce students to current scientific thinking and research about development as understood by developmental psychologists. The course focuses primarily, but not exclusively, on the development of human infants and children. The integration of theoretical, research, and practical orientations is emphasized. Topics include theories and methods of developmental psychology, prenatal development and birth, infancy, cognitive and social-emotional development, language acquisition, and moral development. Prerequisites: PSY 101 with grade C or better or permission of instructor.

PSY 498: SPECIAL TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course, which explores a topic of contemporary interest to the study of psychology, is offered as needed. Prerequisite: Completion of junior year or Permission of Instructor

PSY 499: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY

Credits 3
This course is offered as needed to students. Prerequisites: Completion of PSY 101, and PSY 325 with a grade of C or better and Proposal approved by Instructor