PSYC 249: Data Management

This 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.