Quad Cities Campus

Minor in Psychology: 18 s.h.

  1. PSY 100: 3 s.h.
  2. Psychology Electives: 15 s.h.

Course Descriptions

100 Introductory Psychology. (3) (General Education/Social Sciences) An introduction to Psychology including methods, theory, and data regarding the study of behavior. Topics include biological, social, learning, personality, motivation, and abnormal behavior. IAI: S6 900.

200 Careers in Psychology. (1) An overview of career opportunities for Psychology majors; includes information on preparation for immediate employment and graduate school. Students will develop their own career plan. Prerequisite: Psychology major. Graded S/U only.

221 Psychology of Child Development. (3) (General Education/Social Sciences) A presentation of the data and generalizations concerning the development of children from birth to adolescence. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or permission of instructor. IAI: S6 903.

223 Research in Psychology I: Statistical Methods and Design. (4) Familiarizes the student with the logic of experimental design, the use of statistical procedures, the rationale of measurement techniques, and the reporting of research results in the behavioral sciences. Prerequisites: PSY 100 and must have completed the University General Education Curriculum baccalaureate-level skills in Mathematics requirement; Psychology major or permission of instructor.

250 Human Social Behavior. (3) (General Education/Social Sciences) An introduction to the influences of social factors on behavior. Topics include helping, aggression, interpersonal attraction, attitudes, prejudice, and behavior in groups. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or permission of instructor. IAI: S8 900.

251 Personality and Adjustment. (3) (General Education/Social Sciences) An introduction to the study of personality and its relation to human behavioral adjustment emphasizing such topics as relating to others, stress management, needs, values, and self-esteem. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or permission of instructor.

323 Research in Psychology II: Research Methodology. (3) An introduction to the use of scientific methods in the study of behavior. Techniques in designing, conducting, and reporting psychological research are covered. Lectures and laboratory. Writing Instruction in the Discipline (WID) course. Prerequisites: PSY 223 with a grade of C or better and ENG 280.

334 Perspectives on Substance Abuse. (3) This course is designed to provide students with a usable framework regarding the nature of substance abuse and dependence. Students will explore various perspectives on substance use, as well as current issues in its diagnosis and treatment. Prerequisites: PSY 100 and 251, or permission of instructor.

335 Substance Abuse Assessment, Education and Case Management. (3) This course is designed to provide an understanding of the roles of assessment, education, and case management in substance abuse treatment settings. Prerequisite: PSY 334.

336 Ethics and Special Populations in Substance Abuse Treatment. (3) This course is designed to familiarize students with relevant ethical and practice guidelines in substance abuse treatment, as well as with issues vital to effectively working with diverse populations. Prerequisites: PSY 100 and 251.

340 Fundamentals of Learning and Behavior. (3) A systematic presentation of the empirical findings concerning the acquisition, maintenance, and removal of behavioral patterns. Findings from the study of animal learning are stressed. Prerequisite: PSY 223 or permission of instructor.

343 Physiological Psychology. (3) An examination of physiological or biological psychology emphasizing the relationships between behavior and underlying physiological mechanisms. Prerequisites: BIOL 101 or ZOOL 200, and 6 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or permission of instructor.

344 Perception. (3) A consideration of sensation and perception including color perception, constancies, and illusions. Prerequisite: PSY 223 or permission of instructor.

346 Motivation and Emotion. (3) The role of motives and emotions in the behavior of animals and humans including their physiological and psychological bases. Prerequisite: 6 s.h. of Psychology coursework or permission of instructor.

353 (Cross-listed with ANTH 353) Cultural Psychology. (3) (Global Issues) Examines culture as the physical environment, social institutions and practices, language, and the media that influences human behavior and mental processes. Not open to students with credit in ANTH 353. Prerequisites: 9 s.h. of Psychology coursework and junior standing or permission of instructor.

357 (Cross-listed with WS 357) Women and Work. (3) (General Education/Multicultural Studies) Examination of major psychological issues encountered by women entering the workforce, including career choice, combining work and family life, leadership, and inequities. Not open to students with credit in WS 357. Prerequisite: PSY 100.

360 Research Practicum. (1, repeatable to 2) The course involves a research apprenticeship under the direction of a faculty member wherein the student will be involved in assisting faculty in conducting research and other relevant research activities. Prerequisites: 9 s.h. of Psychology courses and a written contract with the student’s research supervisor.

380 Clinical Psychology. (3) A review of traditional and contemporary developments in clinical psychology with emphasis on recent developments in community mental health, nonbehavioral psychotherapy, group treatment, and clinical research. Prerequisite: PSY 251 or permission of instructor.

422 Adolescent Development. (3) A study of adolescence from the standpoints of growth and adjustment emphasizing the areas of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development. Prerequisite: PSY 100 and 221, or permission of instructor.

423 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging. (3) A survey of the adult years from early adulthood to old age and the dying process. Emphasis will be placed on psychological theories and research related to aging and its implications. Prerequisite: 9 s.h. in Psychology coursework, or graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

424 Abnormal Psychology. (3) A consideration of the psychological factors in behavior disorders. The problems of recognizing, understanding, treating, and preventing these disorders are surveyed. Prerequisites: PSY 251 and junior or senior standing, or permission of instructor.

425 Psychology of Exceptional Children. (3) A psychological approach to children above and below the normal range in learning and behavior characteristics. Examines assessment techniques, methods of remediation or enhancement, and relevant federal and state legislation. Prerequisite: PSY 221 or graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

427 Health Psychology. (3) Examines how psychological theory and research have been used to study the behavioral, psychological, and social factors that affect physical health. Topics include how social scientists study coping with stress, pain, illness management, and prevention of unhealthy behaviors. Prerequisites: PSY 251 and 223, or permission of instructor.

430 History and Systems of Psychology. (3) A study of the important historical and contemporary schools of Psychology. The systems of Psychology are presented in an historical setting leading to an evaluation of trends in Psychology. Prerequisite: PSY 323 or permission of instructor.

433 (Cross-listed with WS 433) Psychology of Gender. (3) Examines the psychological, social, and biological bases for societal-defined sex roles. The knowledge of these factors will assist students in recognizing and understanding the influence of gender on human experiences (i.e., behaviors, cognitions, emotions, physiology) and relationships. Not open to students with credit in WS 433. Prerequisite: 9 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

434 Substance Abuse Treatment Approaches and Techniques I. (3) This course is designed to provide an introduction to basic therapy and counseling skills that are utilized in the treatment of substance abuse, as well as current brief therapy approaches. Prerequisite: PSY 334.

435 Substance Abuse Treatment Approaches and Techniques II. (3) This course is designed as an extension of Substance Abuse Treatment Approaches and Techniques I. Through more extensive examination of theory, research, and practice, students will be provided with information that guides the understanding and treatment of substance abuse problems. Prerequisite: PSY 434.

436 Substance Abuse Practicum. (3) This practicum will provide an opportunity for students to develop their individual and/or group substance abuse assessment and treatment skills through supervised work in a treatment center. Prerequisites: PSY 336 and 435, or permission of instructor.

442 Principles of Behavior Modification. (3) An application of learning principles to modification of human behavior emphasizing operant and respondent principles. Topics include autistic behavior, academic learning, rehabilitation, token economies. Prerequisite: 9 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

443 Principles of Neuroscience with Laboratory. (4) A study of the nervous system from a multidisciplinary perspective. This perspective emphasizes physiological, genetic, neurochemical, and psychological explanations of nervous system function. This class will include a 3-hour lecture component and a two-hour lab. Prerequisites: PSY 343; BIOL 330 or BIOL 340, or ZOOL 430, or CHEM 330, or CHEM 221, or KIN 270, or permission of instructor.

444 Biopsychology of Drugs and Addiction. (3) A systematic study of the relationships between drugs and psychological processes (i.e., psychopharmacology) with emphasis on the roles of the central nervous system, individual experience, and the environment in determining the outcome of drug use. Prerequisite: PSY 343 or ZOOL 200 or HE 123 or HE 442, or permission of the instructor.

451 Personality. (3) An advanced treatment of the major research concepts and theoretical formulations of personality emphasizing integration of personality with other areas such as learning and social psychology. Prerequisites: PSY 251 and an additional 6 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

452 Advanced Social Psychology. (3) A systematic and critical treatment of current topics in the field of social psychology with emphasis on problems in conducting social psychological research. Prerequisite: PSY 323 or permission of instructor.

453 Psychology and Law. (3) A comprehensive study of the interface between Psychology and the legal system. Topics covered include the insanity defense, eyewitness memory, child interview procedures, and suspect interrogations. Prerequisite: 9 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or permission of instructor.

454 Psychological Tests and Measurements. (3) A study of the basic concepts of measurement, commonly used tests in Psychology, and major findings concerning group and individual differences. Prerequisite: PSY 323 or permission of instructor.

456 Cognitive Processes. (3) A survey of topical areas related to complex thought processes including cognitive neuroscience, attention, knowledge, memory, problem solving, and language. Prerequisites: BOT 200 or COMM 311 or LEJA 303 or PSY 323 or SOC 232 or SW 312 or ZOOL 200 and 9 s.h. of Psychology coursework, or permission of instructor.

457 Industrial/Organizational Psychology. (3) Examines the theory and application of psychological principles to business and other organizational settings. Topics include employee selection and evaluation, work motivation, work attitudes, leadership, and organizational change. Prerequisites: one course in Statistics and either HRM 353 or PSY 100, or permission of instructor.

460 Individual Research in Psychology. (1–4, repeatable to 4) The student designs, carries out, and writes up a research project. Ordinarily, students enroll for two consecutive semesters of two hours credit each semester. This offering is strongly recommended for students planning to do graduate work in Psychology. Prerequisites: open to majors in Psychology having a GPA of at least 3.00 in Psychology and a written contract with the student’s research supervisor.

463 Individual Reading in Psychology. (1–2, repeatable to 3) The student reads extensively on some topic in Psychology, chosen in consultation with a Psychology instructor, and prepares a written report on the topic. Ordinarily, a student will register for 1 s.h. of credit. Prerequisites: junior standing and a written contract with the student’s reading supervisor.

481 Fire-Related Human Behavior. (3) Considers fire related behavior in general including fire detection, suppression action, and evacuation behavior. Also considers fire-setting behavior, fire-prevention education, and eyewitness processes. Prerequisite: acceptance into the Open Learning Fire Service Program for in-service fire/safety personnel by the director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach, or permission of instructor/chairperson.

487 Field Experience. (1–15, repeatable to 15) Practicum course designed to provide supervised practical experiences in applied settings. Students actively participate in the service delivery systems of approved agencies and organizations. Prerequisites: junior or senior Psychology major or Gerontology minor, minimum GPA of 2.50 in Psychology or Gerontology coursework, and consent of field experience instructor. Concurrent registration in PSY 490 may be required. Graded S/U only.

490 Seminar. (1–3, repeatable to 12) Instructors of the department may present a seminar on some topic of interest. Seminar descriptions are posted outside of the Psychology Department main office prior to registration periods. Prerequisite: written permission of the instructor.

491 Honors Thesis in Psychology. (1–4, repeatable to 4) The preparation by an Honors student of an undergraduate Psychology thesis under the direction of one or more members of the Psychology Department. Ordinarily, students enroll for two consecutive semesters, taking 3 s.h. in the first and 1 s.h. in the second. Prerequisite: Honors major in Psychology with junior or senior standing.

492 Capstone Experience. (1) Students will write a substantive paper that integrates empirical and/or theoretical material from at least two subdisciplines of Psychology. Prerequisites: senior standing; PSY 323; permission of instructor. Corequisites: PSY 460, 487, 491, or a Capstone-designated 400-level course. Graded S/U only.

499 Senior Comprehensive Exam. (0) An exam which all Psychology majors must take during their senior year. Taking the exam will result in a grade of S. Prerequisite: senior standing.