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Psychology Master's Program: Course Listings
Tentative Fall 2008 Courses. Click here [revised 5/6/08].
Course Listing by Week. Click here [revised 5/6/08].
Spring 2008 Courses. Click here for pdf [revised 1/24/08].
Course Listing by Week. Click here for pdf [revised 1/08/08].
Fall 2007 Courses. Click here for pdf
Spring 2007 Courses. Click here for pdf.
All courses require permission of the MA Director. With the exception of 701.00, 705.00, 707.01, 707.02, & 747.00 courses are open to matriculated and nonmatriculated graduate students. Some courses require the instructor's written permission as well as the MA Director's permission. (Please check the current semester course listing for more information). Qualified undergraduates may enroll in certain courses if they have written permission of the instructor and permission of the MA Director.
| Psych 605 |
Abnormal Psychology
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: 1. PSYCH 220 or PSYCH 223 or the equivalent |
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| Covers facts and theories about the etiology of mental disorders; consideration of deviations commonly found in the population, such a mental retardation | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 630 |
Theories and Method of Psychotherapy
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Evolution of theories and methods of individual psychotherapy with a focus on central issues in the field. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 641 |
Comparative Psychology
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Development and evolution of the behavior of various species, major theoretical issues, classic experiments, and contemporary research and theory. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 646 |
Physiology Psychology
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: Psych 180, Psych 300, or equivalent undergraduate physiology psychology course. Psych 249, Psych 250 or equivalent undergraduate experimental psychology course. |
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| Emphasizes the basics of neuroscience and behavior. Topics covered include: a general introduction, structure and function of the nervous system, neural communication, physiology and neuropharmacology, neuroendocrine system, research methods, sensory and motor systems, hunger, thirst, reproductive behavior, emotions, learning and memory, cognition and mental disorders. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 651 |
Psychology of Small Groups
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission |
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| Therapeutic groups have experienced massive development and rapid spread: over ten million adults currently participate in the U.S. This course consists of a didactic part (including such topics as leadership, group structure and power, norm formation, and conditioning) as well as a clinical part (in which students participate both as potential leaders and clients). The aim is to familiarize student with group processes and understanding of group dynamics. 15 hrs lecture, 30 hrs lab, incl conf. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 651.51 |
Family and Couple Systems
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| This seminar examines couple communication and family relationships through the lens of systems theory, illuminating how this model can be applied to understanding and resolving the pitfalls and problems of intimate relating. The systems approach will be contrasted with cognitive/ behavioral, communicative, spiritual, physiological, and psychoanalytic models. Topics include interpersonal meanings and patterns, conflict, and barriers to intimacy. Conceptual material is complemented by real case examples and TV and film illustration. Various theories of family therapy are also explored. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 676 |
Psychology of Personality
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Frameworks for the study of personality, including classical psychoanalysis, American psychiatry, behaviorism and phenomenology. Theoriests studied include Freud, Adler, Jung, Sullivan, Dollard and Miller, Rogers, and Binswanger and Boss. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 680.XX |
Special Topics in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Readings and discussion on a selected problem or topic area - varies from semester to semester. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 690 |
Independent Research in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: FACULTY SPONSOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED |
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| Designed to meet the research needs and interests of individual students under the direction of a faculty sponsor. This may involve independent reading, tutorials, independent research projects, or participation in ongoing faculty research. Projects culminate in an APA-style research report or literature review. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 691 |
Independent Research in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: FACULTY SPONSOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED NOTE: PSYCH 691 is a 1-credit course. |
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| An opportunity for students to complete a research project that is less extensive than that required for PSYCH 690, such as a literature review, a pilot study, or acquisition of a new research technique or skill. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 692 |
Independent Research in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: FACULTY SPONSOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED NOTE: PSYCH 692 is a 2-credit course. |
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| An opportunity for students to complete a research project that is less extensive than that required for PSYCH 690 but more extensive than that required for PSYCH 691; this may involve a literature review, a pilot study, or acquisition of a new research technique or skill. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 701 |
Advanced Experimental Psychology
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| Prerequisite: A background course in statistics. Students who have not taken statistics in a while should review a statistics text before taking the course. Restricted to the program's matriculated students only. |
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| This course designed to develop an understanding of the whole research process from formulating a testable hypothesis, to designing the experimental idea, to collecting and analyzing data, to publishing the results. Examples a drawn from cognitive, clinical, developmental, and social psychology to address the following topics: reading and writing journal quality research reports; ethics; single and multifactor designs; small-n designs; quasi-experimental designs; survey research; laboratory vs. field research; observational techniques; correlational research. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 702 |
Proseminar in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| This course provides students with an introduction to theoretical concepts and methods of research across a variety of content areas within psychology. Areas include social, personality, and health psychology; development and cognition; sensory and developmental neuroscience; animal behavior and learning; and applied research, including clinical theory. The course is team taught by three faculty members and features guest lectures by other HC faculty and the occasional outside expert. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 705 |
Statistical Methods in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: Psych 248 or equivalent undergraduate statistical course. Restricted to the program's matriculated students only. |
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| Covers descriptive statistics and inferential methods, including t-tests, analyses of variance, correlation, simple regression, and introduction to multiple regression. Some assignments require the use of statistical computer package. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 707.01 |
Thesis Research
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| Prerequisites: 1. PSYCH 705 2. PSYCH 701 or PSYCH 747 Restricted to the program's matriculated students only. FACULTY SPONSOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED |
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| Individual research conducted under the supervision of a department faculty member, whose written permission must be obtained. One semester is required for the degree. Limited to students working on their MA thesis. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 707.02 |
Thesis Research
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| Prerequisites: 1. PSYCH 707.01 2. Approved Thesis Proposal Restricted to the program's matriculated students only. FACULTY SPONSOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION REQUIRED |
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| Additional semester of individual research under the supervision of a department faculty member. A formally approved Thesis Proposal and written approval from the faculty sponsor is required. Limited to students working on their MA thesis. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 710 |
Advanced Physiological Psychology (Neuroscience I)
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 646 or equivalent graduate course. Instructor's permission * Cross listed with Doctorial Program * |
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| An introduction to fundamental methodology in neuroscience research and a focus on the functioning of individual neurons and communication between neurons. This team-taught course is part of a two-term sequence covering fundamental concepts in neuroscience. Neuroscience I is not a prerequisite for Neuroscience II. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 711 |
Advanced Physiological Psychology II (Neuroscience II)
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission * Cross listed with Doctoral Program * |
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| Topics in neuroscience, including development of neural patterns, including development of neural patterns, cellular differentiation, path-ways and synaptic connections, the genetics of neural development, neural sexual differentiation, neural plasticity and endocrine factors, somatosensation, motor systems, and vision. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 716 |
Animal Behavioral I: Mechanisms of Behavior
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission |
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| History of approaches to animal behavior; behavior development; proximate causation of behavior (motivation, neuroethology, and biorhythms); animal orientation and communication; cognitive enthology and culture. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 717 |
Animal Behavior & Conservation in Captivity and the Wild
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Introduces concepts and techniques of wildlife biology and comparative psychology, with contributions from researchers in social behavior, reproductive biology, wildlife conservation, captive breeding, and animal cognition and communication. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 717.51 |
Field Study in Animal Behavior and Conservation
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission |
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| Observation and study of the behavior of animal in their natural environment and application of techniques of observation and data analysis. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 718 |
Animal Behavior II: Behavioral Ethology
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(B)
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission |
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| Examine behavioral genetics, in which we consider the importance of single-gene effects, polygenic behavioral traits, and the utility of the concept of heritability. This is followed by behavioral evolution, which covers the methods of elucidating the phylogeny of behavior, when fossil evidence is not available. Rounding out the course is a module on behavioral ecology, which focuses on mating systems, territorial behavior, feeding strategies, anti-predatory behavior, and sociobiology. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 720 |
Developmental Psychology I
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 150, Psych 210 or equivalent undergraduate course. Instructor's permission |
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| This course examines topics in development, focusing on learning processes, cognition, emotional development, and the emergence adjustment problems. The course uses a variety of perspectives to examine developmental issues. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 730.00 |
Psychology of Learning
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 249 or 250 Undergraduate course in research methods 2. Psych 350 Undergraduate courses in learning or learning theory or Psych 751.03 Basic Psychological Processes I: Perception, Learning, and Comparative Cognition. |
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| Through lecture, discussion of primary source literature and assigned exercises, this graduate seminar will provide an advanced overview of basic and advanced learning processes and their practical applications for husbandry training and behavioral enrichment in the field of captive wildlife management. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 737.00 |
Cognitive Development
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 270 or Psych 370 or equivalent undergraduate course |
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| The development of cognition, i.e., the development of higher mental processes. Areas covered include infancy, conceptual development, memory, social cognition, and language. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 738 |
Cognitive Psychology
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 270, Psych 370 or equivalent undergraduate course |
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| A theoretical and experimental overview of cognitive psychology. Topics include cognitive architecture, attention, pattern recognition, memory, language processing, and representation of knowledge. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 739 |
Research Methods in Animal Behavior
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(A,B)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 249, Psych 250 or equivalent undergraduate course |
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| Designed to develop skills required for the study of animal behavior, such as procedures for obtaining data in laboratories or in captive and natural environments; includes observational techniques, single-subject designs, issues of reliability and external validity, non-parametric statistics. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 742 |
Contemporary Psychoanalytic Theories
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 220 or Psych 676 or equivalent course. 2. Psych 223 or equivalent course. Instructor's permission |
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| An exploration of the British object relations theorists and their influence on contemporary psychoanalytic approaches. Students should have some background in basic psychoanalytic theory. |
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| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 746 |
Social Psychology
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| An advanced overview of the field, includes a focus on: the development of social psychological theory; beliefs, attitudes, and social behavior; stereotyping and prejudice; influencing attitudes and changing behavior; interpersonal perception; the self and social identity; social interaction and interpersonal relationships; group dynamics; and implications of social psychology for understanding society. |
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| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 747 |
Social Experimental Psychology
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| Prerequisites: A background course in statistics. Students who have not taken statistics in a while should review a statistics text before taking the course. Restricted to the program's matriculated students only. |
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| Designed to develop an understanding of the research process from formulating a testable hypothesis, to designing the study, to collecting and analyzing data, to publishing the results of the study. Examples are drawn primarily from social and cognitive psychology. Topics include reading and writing journal quality research reports; ethnics; single and multifactor designs; very research; laboratory and field research; observational techniques; co relational research. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 748 |
Psychological Theories of Ethnics and Cultural Identity
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Current research and theory on ethnic and racial identity development, including components of ethnic/racial/cultural identity; historical and conceptual issues; the state of theory and research on ethnic identity as it pertains to particular ethnic groups; racial and ethnic socialization; language and ethnic identity; applications of the ethnic identity construct |
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| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 750.XX |
Special Topics in Psychology
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Readings and discussion on a selected problem or topic area - varies from semester to semester. See individual semester listings at the top of the Masters course listing page for a sample of recently offered special topics courses. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 751.03 |
Basic Psychological Process I: Perception, Learning & Comparative Cognition
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(S, B)
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| Prerequisites: N/A * Cross listed with Doctorial Program * |
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| This course will be team taught by members of the Biopsychology subprogram and will cover the following basic psychological processes: sensation, perception, animal cognition, and learning. It will provide a background for students interested in further studies in these areas as well as provide the necessary background in psychology for students whose primary interests are in neuroscience and in animal behavior. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 751.04 |
Basic Psychological Processes II: Development, Cognition & Language
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: N/A * Cross listed with Doctorial Program * |
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| This course will be team taught by members of the Biopsychology subprogram and will cover the following basic psychological processes: memory, language, and development. It will provide a background for students interested in further studies in these areas as well as provide the necessary background in psychology for students whose primary interests are in neuroscience. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 753 |
Attitudes and Attitude Changes
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(S)
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| Prerequisites: N/A |
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| Covers traditional and current theory and research on attitudes and persuasion in social psychology, including attitude formation, structure, and measurement; the link between attitudes and behavior; prejudice and discrimination; and persuasion theories including cognitive dissonance, message learning, fear appeals, and elaboration likelihood. |
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| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 755 |
Psychopathology I
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(A)
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| Prerequisites: 1. Psych 223, Psych 605 or equivalent course. 2. Psych 249, Psych 250, Psych 701, Psych 747 or equivalent course. |
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| Familiarizes students with thinking and research about diagnosis, etiology, course and treatment of abnormal behavior. Topics covered include diagnosis and the principles and techniques of assessment; research methodology (experimental and correlational); the schizophrenias, mood disorders, neuroses, personality disorders, and stress reactions. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
| Psych 784.00 |
Colloquium in Biopsychology & Animal Behavior
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| Prerequisites: Instructor's permission NOTE: This is a 1-credit course * Cross listed with Doctorial Program * |
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| The fall colloquium is organized by doctoral students in the biopsychology program and includes presentations on a variety of topics by students, faculty and outside speakers. The spring colloquium is a themed set of symposia in which distinguished visiting scientists discuss their work in relation to current issues in the field. | ||
| Sample Syllabus | ||
