Psychology
Degrees and Certificates
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B.A. in Psychology -
Combined B.A. in Psychology / M.A. in Counseling -
B.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Pschology -
Minor in Psychology -
Minor in Women's Studies
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. The objective of the Psychology Department is to prepare students to enter graduate or professional schools, or a variety of careers in areas related to the discipline, such as mental health, education, research, business, human resources, human services, and counseling. In accordance with Felician University’s Catholic/Franciscan mission and the values underpinning the discipline of psychology, students will also learn to act ethically, and recognize, understand and respect human diversity. The Psychology Department offers a variety of courses that enable students to gain the requisite knowledge and skills, including lecture courses, research and field practicum courses, and an independent undergraduate research course in which students develop and present an individual project. Students not only have the opportunity to learn from faculty mentors, but can also enrich their experiences within the program by interacting with peers in the Psychology Club.
The learning outcomes of the major are adapted from the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for undergraduate programs in Psychology.*
Psychology Learning Outcomes:
Students successfully completing the Psychology major will:
- Be familiar with the concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends in the field of psychology.
- Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.
- Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation.
- Demonstrate competence in gathering, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information, that is, weigh evidence.
- Develop insight into their own and others’ behavior and mental processes.
- Apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.
- Develop realistic ideas about how to implement their psychological knowledge, skills and values in occupational pursuits that meet personal goals and societal needs.
* American Psychological Association. (2007). APA guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major. Washington,DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/about/psymajor-guidelines.pdf on 6/29/11.
Classes
PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 105: Lifespan Development
Credits 3PSYC 201: Introduction to Child Development
Credits 3PSYC 202: Adolescent Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 203: The Psychology of Adult Development and Aging
Credits 3PSYC 207: The Psychology of Consciousness
Credits 3PSYC 249: Data Management
Credits 3This course is your entrée into a key feature of the practice of psychology. Psychology is among the most diverse disciplines in terms of what we consider to be “data,” how we generate this data, and how we perform operations on this data to draw inferences and make decisions. The immediate aim of this course is to prepare you for writing and research methods courses, as well as your senior research project. The set of skills we’ll cover in the course is unique to the social sciences (psychology in particular), and its value should not be underestimated. These skills are important to anyone pursuing a career in psychology. They are also valuable in any workplace that collects information on people’s thoughts, attitudes, or behaviors. Furthermore, these skills support the Franciscan values of Justice and Peace, as they are fundamental to the vital work performed by psychologists, interventionists, program evaluators, grant writers, social service staff, and others involved in the operation of human service operations.
PSYC 250: Writing and Reading in Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 280: The Psychology of Learning
Credits 3PSYC 290: Social Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 295: Psychology of Addiction
Credits 3PSYC 301: Educational Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 302: Educational Assessment Techniques
Credits 3PSYC 303: Statistics for Psychological Research
Credits 3PSYC 304: Advanced Statistical Methods
Credits 3PSYC 305: Psychometric Theory and Practice
Credits 3PSYC 306: Criminal Risk Assessment
Credits 3PSYC 307: The Psychology of Sex and Gender
Credits 3PSYC 309: Research Design in Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 310: Experimental Methods
Credits 3PSYC 311: Biopsychology
Credits 4PSYC 315: Evolutionary Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 317: Psychological Principles of Intercultural Communication
Credits 3* Fulfills course requirements for GECC Global Consciousness
PSYC 325: Psychology of Careers
Credits 3PSYC 330: Multicultural Perspectives in Psychology
Credits 3PSYC 377: Psychology of Health and Illness
Credits 3PSYC 380: Psychology of the Family
Credits 3PSYC 391: Motivation and Emotion
Credits 3Motivation and Emotion is a distinct subfield of psychology that has an intellectual history dating back to Classical Greek philosophy. Usually we say that it is the study of processes that influence the arousal, instigation, direction, and intensity of action. Stated this way, it is hard to pinpoint what this course is not about. What we will do throughout the course is to examine the individual person from several levels of analysis—biological, genetic, physiological, cognitive, personality, and social—with no prior assumption about which perspective is best. We will explore historical origins and current thinking in an array of topics, with special emphasis on critical thinking and productive dialogue. These skills are central to your university experience and are highly valued in work and other settings.