-
This page lists all undergraduate
psychology courses, including the course number, title, number of credits,
prerequisites, and a brief description.
- The Class Finder lists course days, times, and openings for 2008-2009
- Psychology Major Course Checklist (Word file)
| COURSES Course Number, Title, Number of Credits, Prerequisites, and a Brief Description |
101 INTRODUCTION TO
PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Examination of basic psychological
processes utilizing results of research investigations: participation in at
least two experiments or equivalent activities is expected.
119 PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER
(4)
Basic concepts, foundations for sex roles; similarities and differences between
the sexes; historical customs, personality theories, cultural, sub-cultural and
cross-cultural perspectives.
210 COGNITION (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. Provides an overview of the theories, methods and
practial applications of cognitive psychology. The higher mental processes,
particularly the ways in which knowledge is acquired, stored and used, will be
emphasized. The course also examines how theories and findings from cognitive
psychology can help us to understand mental activities in everyday life
220 INTRODUCTION TO
BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. An overview of the biological bases of behavior. Basic
concepts in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neurochemistry will be used to
understand the neural bases of normal and abnormal behavior.
230 DEVELOPMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. Basic principles of development. Topics include
behavior genetics, early experience, language, cognition, personality and social
development.
240 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. Socialization (moral development, racial, ethnic and
class differences), attitudes and attitude change, conformity, interpersonal
attraction. Theories and methods of social psychology stressing applicability of
social psychological research and knowledge to contemporary social problems.
250 INTRODUCTION TO
PERSONALITY AND ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. An overview of the research on individuals within
social contexts. Topics include models of personality development, stress and
coping, social influence on behavior, the relationship between psychological and
physical health and development adjustment issues. Also addresses common
psychological problems. Note: If you have completed a course in Abnormal
Psychology or Personality at another institution, please speak with a
Transfer
Advisor in the Psychology Department. These courses may transfer in as
Psychology 250 at WWU. If so, you will not be able to receive credit for both
Psychology 250 at WWU and the Abnormal Psychology or Personality course that you
completed at the other institution.
274 PSYCHOLOGY OF CHILD
REARING (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. Discipline at different developmental stages; parental
influences on social and cognitive development; influences on parenting; a
systems approach to understanding families; the changing American family.
300 DIRECTED INDEPENDENT
STUDY (1-15)
An intensive study of an area of psychology that has been agreed upon by the
student and a faculty member in psychology that is not a part of the curricular
offerings of the Department. The structure of the independent study may include,
among other things, library research on a defined topic or laboratory research
with a member of the faculty.
301 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH
METHODS (5)
Prerequisite: 15 credits in psychology, with at least 5 credits at Western
Washington University. Introduction to research psychology. A variety of
research methodologies will be explored. Students will also learn basic
description of research data and how to write psychology papers.
302 RESEARCH METHODS AND
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: CORRELATIONAL APPROACHES (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 301 and declared psychology major. Introduction to
correlational research methods in psychology and associated statistics. Review
of correlational research methods, design of correlational studies, and
development of research instruments such as questionnaires and behavioral
observation forms. Methods of data analysis include graphs, bivariate and
multivariate descriptive correlational statistics, sampling distributions of
statistical inference regarding correlations, and introduction to the t and F
tests. Nonparametric statistics such as chi square also will be discussed.
303 RESEARCH METHODS AND
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 302. Continuation of statistical inferencing introduced in
Psych 302 as it applies to the special cases of the general linear model. Two
sample t-tests and ANOVA models will be introduced at the conceptual and
computational level. Appropriate follow-up tests also will be covered. Computer
data analysis will be utilized for problem sets and the individual project.
305 PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS
AND MEASUREMENT (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101, 301 or permission. Philosophy, history and development
of psychological measurement. Reliability, validity, standardization and norms;
tests of intelligence, special abilities, personality, interests and values.
Students review non-restricted instruments of various types in small groups.
310 SENSATION AND
PERCEPTION (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 210, 220 and 301. The basic principles involved in seeing,
hearing, touch, taste and smell will be presented. Ecological constraints on
perceptual processes will be discussed in the context of illusions and other
perceptual demonstrations as well as underlying physiological mechanisms.
311 HUMAN MEMORY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 210 and 301. Reviews memory theories, empirical findings,
and applications. Topics include encoding, storage, and retrieval from short-
and long-term memory; implicit and explicit memory; autobiographical memory;
eyewitness memory.
312 THINKING AND
IMAGINATION (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 210 and 301. Discussions and/or demonstrations of logical
and intuitive thinking, creativity, symbolism and fantasy. Consideration of the
relationships of patterns of thinking and brain activity and of the
implications of differences in cognitive style.
318 PSYCHOLOGY OF
LANGUAGE (5)
Prerequisite: Psychology 210 and 301. An overview of the psychological study
of language. Topics include language comprehension, language acquisition, speech
errors, bilingualism, dyslexia, language and the brain, and animal communication
systems.
319 COGNITIVE
NEUROSCIENCE (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 210 and 301. Discussions of the brain systems underlying
human cognition, with a focus on how inferences about brain systems are drawn
from neuropathological neuroimaging, and behavioral studies.
320 TOPICS IN BEHAVIORAL
NEUROSCIENCE (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 220 and 301. Detailed examination of key areas of
physiological psychology, emphasizing the anatomical, physiological and
neurochemical bases of behavior.
321 LEARNING (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101 and 301. A survey of conditioning and learning.
322 MOTIVATION (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 220 and 301. Theoretical and empirical study of human and
subhuman motivational process. Topics covered range from basic physiological
drives to achievement motivation and conformity. Emphasis on both biological and
social sources of motivation.
323 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(4)
Prerequisite: Psych 220 and 301. An introduction to behavioral pharmacology and
the effects of therapeutic and recreational drugs on the function of the nervous
system and behavior.
324 COMPARATIVE
PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 220 and 301. A phylogenetic comparison of animal behavior,
focusing on learning, motivation and sensory processes in selected species of
animals.
328 TECHNIQUES IN
BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 326 (old number, for 2001-2002 only) or Psych 320 or
concurrent; Psych 301; Biol 101 recommended. Introduction to the laboratory
methods and techniques used in physiological psychology. Basic techniques in
histology, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and behavioral analysis.
329 PSYCHOLOGY OF
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 101, 301 or permission. Elements of genetics and the
influence of heredity on behavior. Topics studied include elementary human
genetics, correlational and behavioral-genetic research strategies, the
influence of genetic and environmental variation on human personality and
cognitive ability.
330 SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 230 or 372, and 301. In-depth coverage of social and
cognitive development in children and adolescents. Emphasis on the implications
and practical applications of research findings in these areas.
331 ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND
AGING (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 230 and 301. Examines developmental processes that occur in
later life, with a focus on theory, research and practical issues. Topics
include a) theoretical and methodological issues, b) biological changes and
health issues, c) changes in memory and intelligence, d) personality across
adulthood and e) death and dying.
332 ADOLESCENT
DEVELOPMENT (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 230 and 301. Examines adolescent cognitive, social,
physiological and intrapsychic development from a variety of theoretical
perspectives. Emphasis on current research findings in this area.
Note: Credit cannot be given for both Psychology 332 and
Psychology 372 (Adolescent Psychology).
340 ENVIRONMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 240 and 301. Theoretical, methodological and empirical
problems and issues relating to behavior in constructed and natural
environments.
341 PSYCHOLOGY AND
CULTURE (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 240 and 301. Cultural and ecological factors and their
effect on perception, thinking, language, intelligence, sexuality and other
psychological variables. An examination of the “universality” of traditional
Euro-American psychological theories.
342 SOCIAL COGNITION (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 240 and 301. Examination of selected topics related to
cognitive processes and their relation to social judgment and behavior.
343 SOCIAL PROCESSES (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 240 and 301. Examination of selected topics related to
formation and functioning of groups, as well as intergroup relations.
344 PSYCHOLOGY AND THE
LAW (5)
Prerequisite: Psych 240 and 301. Introduces students to the rapidly growing
field of legal psychology by exposing students to current issues in psychology
and the law. Emphasizes the application of psychological theories and research
to the study of law and human behavior.
345 EVOLUTIONARY
PSYCHOLOGY (5)
Prerequisite: One course from 210-240 and Psy 301. The application of
evolutionary theory to understanding the characteristics of human functioning,
including emotion, thinking, and action.
351 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
(5)
Prerequisite: Psych 250 and 301. Human behavior patterns culturally labeled as
abnormalities, or as mental illness; their etiology, incidence, treatment and
social attitudes toward such patterns. Historical review of the concepts used to
explain such behavior and of the research relating to the treatment of psychoses
and neuroses.
359 INTRODUCTION TO
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COUNSELING (4)
Prerequisite: declared major in psychology and Psych 250, 301. Overview of
professional counseling in schools, colleges and communities. Includes counselor
roles, ethics, counseling theories and techniques, training and licensing,
counseling minorities, outreach, use of paraprofessionals and research.
370 PSYCHOLOGY AND THE
ARTS (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 101. Concepts from a wide variety of areas in psychology are
used to analyze issues in art. Specific works of art—which may include
literature, music and visual arts—are considered through class discussion and
written essay.
400 DIRECTED INDEPENDENT
STUDY (1-15)
An intensive study of an area of psychology that has been agreed upon by the
student and a faculty member in psychology that is not a part of the curricular
offerings of the Department. The structure of the independent study may include,
among other things, library research on a defined topic or laboratory research
with a member of the faculty.
410 SEMINAR IN PERCEPTION
(3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and one from 310, 311, 319 or 320, all with C-
or better. In-depth coverage of major issues and methods in the study of
sensation, perception and thinking. Library and laboratory or field research.
411 SEMINAR IN COGNITION
(3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and one from 310, 311, 319 or 320, all with C-
or better. In-depth coverage of selected topics in memory, cognition, and higher
order cognitive processing. Library and laboratory or field research.
420 SEMINAR IN
PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 320 or 323, all with C- or better. A
detailed examination of brain-behavior relations and the neural bases of
behavior, based upon review and discussion of current literature in a variety of
areas. Library and/or laboratory work.
421 SEMINAR IN LEARNING
(3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 321, all with C- or better. In-depth
study of major theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of
learning. Laboratory and field research exercises.
422 SEMINAR IN MOTIVATION
(3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 322, all with C- or better. In-depth
coverage of determinants of behavior in humans and other animals. Topics of
interest to individual students are studied in depth and research analyzing
motivational issues is conducted.
424 SEMINAR IN
COMPARATIVE PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250, 303 and 324, all with C- or better. In-depth study
of animal behavior where different species in different ecological niches is a
major variable. Emphasis on the genetic determinants of behavior differences.
Library, field and laboratory exercises are expected with hands-on experience by
the student.
428 ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE (3)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Psych 328 and 303; 420 or concurrent; Biology
101 recommended. Laboratory-based electrophysiological and behavioral study of
integrated neural systems. Live animal research.
430 SEMINAR IN
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 330 or 331 or 332, all with C- or better.
In-depth study of central themes of human development. Contemporary research
questions addressed in professional literature and field investigations.
440 SEMINAR IN
ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 340, all with C- or better. In-depth study
of major issues and methods in the study of psychosocial adaptations to and of
the physical environment. Library and laboratory or field research.
441 SEMINAR IN
CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250, 303 and 341, all with C- or better. In-depth study
of contemporary issues, perspectives, and methods used in the study of how
cultural and ethnic factors affect psychological processes. A basic examination
of current topics that are receiving significant attention. Library and/or
laboratory and field research.
442 SEMINAR IN SOCIAL
PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and one from 342- 345, all with C- or better.
In-depth study of social psychological theory and research to explain patterns
of thought and behavior.
451 SEMINAR IN ABNORMAL
PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250; 303; and 351, all with C- or better. Advanced study
in major issues and research methods in abnormal psychology. Focus on research
design and protocols with clinical populations.
471 HONORS THESIS SEMINAR
(2)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. In-depth investigation of a selected
topic in psychology culminating in an honors thesis. Should be taken the quarter
before the thesis is begun and while it is in progress. Repeatable to a maximum
of 6 credits. S/U grading.
481 SEMINAR IN HISTORY
AND SYSTEMS OF PSYCHOLOGY (4)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250 and 302, all with C- or better; completion of 45
credits in psychology. An historical perspective of the development of
psychological systems and theories and their impact on contemporary psychology.
482 SEMINAR IN
PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY (4)
Prerequisite: Psych 210-250 and 302, all with C- or better; completion of 45
credits in psychology. A seminar examining the philosophical assumptions of
science in general and psychology in particular.
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