Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online

This is a course in biological science and research methodology from the perspective of the human body and its systems. The course lays the foundation of knowledge of biology: the chemistry of living organisms, the cell tissues, organs, organ systems and the organism; homeostasis as it applies to human survival; evolutionary processes; genetic, reproductive and other areas of biotechnology; and the human body systems and how they function and malfunction. Biomedical research, the use of humans as research subjects, and other bioethics issues will be addressed. Research methodology will include the use of scientific method in laboratory exercises, and critical analysis of research studies. Laboratories will include varied exercises in anatomy, physiology, genetics, evolution and an opportunity for students to design their own experiments. Not open to biology majors, biotechnology majors, or students who have taken an Anatomy and Physiology course.

This course surveys the chief theories, principles, and methodologies of psychology with special emphasis on their relations to human behavior. The biological foundations of behavior, sensory processes, learning, perception, memory, emotion, motivation, personality, and the social bases of behavior and behavior pathology are examined to establish the foundations for advanced study in psychology. Current research findings are included wherever applicable.

Applied Statistics provides an introduction to basic statistical procedures for the behavioral sciences, including probability theory, hypothesis testing, and descriptive and inferential statistics. Students learn how to use and select among a variety of statistical tests such as z-statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, and correlation, as well as nonparametric tests such as chi-square. Technology intensive laboratory sessions train students in the use computer software to analyze data and create graphs that are appropriate for the sciences. Students will be charged an additional Psychology Lab Fee when enrolling in this course.

This course builds upon skills acquired by students in PSY 2020. Students continue their study of scientific methods with emphasis upon experimental techniques in the behavioral sciences. Students are trained in a wide range of methods for studying human and animal participants consistent with American Psychological Association guidelines for ethical research. Students will continue to learn to use sophisticated software for the management and analysis of data. This is a writing intensive course that will require students to complete a minimum of 15 pages of formal writing.

This course provides a foundation for understanding human physical, cognitive, and social-emotional aspects of development from conception to death. Theories and research findings of developmental psychology will be examined in its larger environment and socio-cultural context.

This course provides an introduction to social psychological theory, research, and application. At its best, social psychology is an interdisciplinary endeavor. Thus, in our attempt to understand human social interaction, we draw from sociology, political science, and history, as well as from more traditional psychological sources. Topics to be covered include attitude formation and change, social influence processes, social cognition, moral development, interpersonal attraction, aggression, prejudice, and political psychology.

This course introduces the student to the development of modern psychological thought beginning with the Greeks. While some topics, such as dualism, are discussed in terms of earlier origins, the emphasis is upon the development of post-renaissance concepts such as mechanism, determinism, and empiricism. The origins of the scientific method and the early attempt to apply this methodology to psychological issues are also presented from several perspectives. Particular attention is also given to the antecedents, formal development and ultimate fate of the major schools of thought in contemporary psychology.

This course surveys the nature and concerns of personality theory. Coverage includes the contributions of major theorists from the classical psychoanalysis, social analytic, humanistic, radical and cognitive behavioristic viewpoints.

This course explores some of the major relationships between brain functions and behavior and the methods and techniques that are currently used to examine these relationships. In addition, current research findings and how these findings impact on our lives are discussed.

This course critically examines human information-processing capabilities and limitations. Emphasis will be placed on theoretical principles that underlie various cognitive functions including: attention, perception, memory, language, and problem solving. Developmental aspects of cognition will be included in the discussion of these topics. Students will also be exposed to some of the research that has shed significant light on the nature of cognition.

This course serves as an integration of previous learning and an opportunity for the student to “pull it all together” where students review and evaluate what they have previously been exposed to and integrate and synthesis their learning into a coherent theoretical model of human behavior and thought. The course also serves as an opportunity for students to self-define what kind of theoretical orientations they privately endorse for the purposes of their own future development and growth. To these ends, students will be expected to display their knowledge coherently in written and oral form. This is a writing intensive course that will require students to complete a minimum of 15 pages of formal writing.

This course introduces students to the science and practice of industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology. Psychological theory and research are applied to the solution of problems in business and industry. After an overview of research methods and the history of I/O psychology, students are exposed to basic concepts from human resources psychology, organizational development, and consumer behavior.

This course presents students with an introduction to the breadth of concepts, social issues, and research approaches that characterize community psychology. Unlike many other areas of Psychology,community psychology utilizes an ecological approach in examining adaptive and maladaptive behavior such that it may not be an issue with an individual but rather the fit of the individual with the context. Context here is viewed as multi-layered, behavior is examined as a function of the individual within networks of people, institutions, and social systems. Students will learn to recognize the complexity of the ecological perspective and the many circles of social influence with an eye to advancing the well-being of individuals and communities. In addition to examining theory-based research, this course will also focus on applied service delivery. The promotion of health, the prevention of mental health problems, and the design of community-level interventions will be addressed.

Examines traditional schools of psychology as they pertain to the psychological experience of African-Americans. Alternative psychological considerations relative to the African-American experience, including those advanced by noted African-American psychologists, are also explored.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the role of culture in shaping a person’s developmental processes, emotion, identity, social behavior and mental health. Findings of relevant classic and contemporary cross-cultural empirical studies will be presented, with emphasis on the universal and culturally-specific aspects of human condition. In addition, this course will explore ways to integrate cultural perspectives into understanding and working with people around the globe.