Psychology (PSY)

PSY 101. Principles of Psychology. 3 Hours.

A survey of significant theory, issues, methods of inquiry, and applications in all areas of psychology. This is a foundation course for the psychology major and should be completed prior to taking upper division (300-400 level) psychology courses. Course Information: This course fulfills a general education requirement at UIS in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences (IAI Code: S6 900).

PSY 221. Lifespan Developmental Psychology. 3 Hours.

Physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development across the life span; determinants of individual differences and principles of mental and physical health throughout life.

PSY 251. Abnormal Psychology. 3 Hours.

Theories, research, and classification systems relevant to abnormal behavior. Emphasis on current diagnostic and descriptive systems. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 101 or equivalent.

PSY 253. Psychology of Addiction. 3 Hours.

This course will provide students with an overview of major conceptions of addiction, therapeutic approaches to addiction, and cultural and public health issues surrounding addiction.

PSY 301. Orientation and Entrance Assessment. 0 Hours.

Brief orientation to the major and pre-curriculum evaluation of undergraduate-level knowledge and skills within the discipline of psychology. Required for all psychology majors during their first semester of upper-division enrollment. Course Information: Credit/No Credit grading only.

PSY 302. Research Methods in Psychology. 4 Hours.

An introduction to the experimental method in psychology that includes research strategies, designs, ethics and descriptive statistics.

PSY 303. Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. 4 Hours.

Overview of basic descriptive and inferential statistics with special emphasis on hypothesis testing and alternatives. (Strongly recommended for students planning to pursue graduate study.) Course Information: Prerequisites: Complete MAT Gen Ed.

PSY 305. Careers in the Helping Professions. 2 Hours.

This course is designed to introduce students to various careers in the helping professions. The course involves a comprehensive approach to career planning that incorporates self-assessment, career exploration, and self-marketing techniques. Students will identify, evaluate, and prepare for their future academic and career paths.

PSY 310. Special Topics in Psychology. 4 Hours.

Selected topics of special interest in the area of psychology at a 300 level that may vary from semester to semester. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term.

PSY 311. Cognitive Psychology. 4 Hours.

Overview of selected topics in memory, information processing, perception, problem solving, and artificial intelligence.

PSY 314. Sensation and Perception. 4 Hours.

This course studies how the brain makes sense of sensory inputs. Students will learn how the anatomy and physiology of the eye, ear, and related parts of the brain allow people to understand speech, perceive color, see motion and depth and recognize faces.

PSY 315. Psychoactive Drugs. 4 Hours.

Major classes of drugs that affect psychological processes and behavior; issues of drug use in treatment of mental disorders; drugs as a social problem. Course Information: Designated Writing Course.

PSY 322. Child Development. 4 Hours.

Development of intelligence, language, and cognition; physical growth and social and personal development in newborns, infants, and toddlers and in early and middle childhood. Course Information: Designated Writing Course.

PSY 323. Adolescence. 4 Hours.

Important changes in adolescents' physical, cognitive, emotional, and social characteristics will be examined. This includes understanding the contexts in which adolescents develop, such as family, peer groups, and school. How scientists study adolescent development and the theories they use to guide their research will also be covered.

PSY 324. Exceptional Child. 4 Hours.

This course addresses exceptionalities as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It includes an introduction to the categories of eligibility which include: learning disabilities, attentions deficit hyperactivity disorders, emotional and behavioral disorders, cognitive disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, and speech, hearing, visual and physical impairments.

PSY 326. Family Psychology. 4 Hours.

Covers the five primary aspects of family psychology: family as a system; developmental family behavior; family of origin concepts and how they affect the family; relationships, dating, courtships, and marriage; and family dysfunctions. Course Information: Designated Writing Course.

PSY 327. Educational Psychology. 4 Hours.

Topics in psychology relevant to teaching: educational objectives, student characteristics and development, the learning process, and evaluation of learning. Course Information: Designated Writing Course.

PSY 331. Social Psychology. 4 Hours.

Survey of major theories and selected areas of research in social psychology. Course Information: (IAI Major Code: PSY908).

PSY 333. Positive Psychology. 4 Hours.

This course will explore concepts and research related to positive psychology. Well-being will be examined in the context of motivation, flow, love, creativity, and spirituality. While such study will include the major theoretical approaches to positive psychology, an equally significant focus will be on the application of this information to everyday life experiences.

PSY 335. Health Psychology. 4 Hours.

This course will assist students in developing knowledge of the field of health psychology. It examines the relationship between biological, psychological, and social factors as they interact with and affect health.

PSY 336. Psychology of Eating. 4 Hours.

This course will examine attitudes, physiological, nutritional, behavioral, and sociocultural factors surrounding food choices and eating behaviors. Topics covered in the course include sensory systems and eating experience, biological mechanisms of hunger and satiety, social influence over food consumption, eating and health, and maladaptive eating behaviors.

PSY 337. Psychology of Music. 4 Hours.

This course explores multidimensional aspects of human behavior from both psychological and musical perspectives. It covers theories on the evolutionary origins of music, musical development, music and the brain, music and emotion, the role of music in our everyday lives, social influences on musical tastes, composers with psychological disorders, and a brief introduction to music therapy.

PSY 339. Psychology of Gender. 4 Hours.

Gender issues cut across many areas of psychology. This course provides an overview of how biological and cultural factors influence the development of gender roles, identities, and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity and how these affect out lives at the personal, social, and institutional levels.

PSY 352. Multicultural Counseling. 4 Hours.

This course will examine the various multicultural issues relevant to counseling and clinical psychology, and the importance of providing culturally-competent psychological services to diverse populations.

PSY 410. Advanced Topics in Psychology. 4 Hours.

Selected topics of special interest in the area of psychology, at the 400 level, that may vary from semester to semester. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 412. Introduction to Biopsychology. 4 Hours.

Introduction to the biological bases of behavior. Topics include structure and function of the nervous system, sensory processing, sleep, reproductive behavior, language, and mental disorders. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 413. Psychology of Learning and Memory. 4 Hours.

Explores the question of how humans and animals learn, store and recall information. Major theories of memory will be covered with an emphasis on cognitive models of memory systems, biological underpinnings, and disorders of memory. Designated Writing Course. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 416. Psychology of Motivation. 4 Hours.

Explores four constructs that define human, rather than nonhuman, motivation including needs, cognitions, emotions, and external events that arise from genetic, physiological, psychological, interpersonal, and cultural sources. The emphasis is on theoretical as well as practical issues that overlap among varying psychological fields. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 433. Political Psychology. 3,4 Hours.

Both political science and psychology study how individuals interact with their environment, other individuals and groups. We will use theories and findings from both disciplines to gain deeper insights into political processes and decisions. Likely topics include stereotyping, trust, schemas, heuristics, media effects, social identity, and political tolerance. Course Information: Same as PSC 412. Undergraduates are restricted to 3 credit hour sections; graduates are restricted to 4 credit hour sections.

PSY 441. Theories of Personality. 4 Hours.

Major theories of personality and determinants of individual differences. Course Information: Designated Writing Course. Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 452. Introduction to Clinical Psychology. 4 Hours.

Systematic examination of major perspectives, techniques, skills, and career options related to the field of clinical psychology. Course Information: Designated Writing Course. Prerequisites: PSY 302 and PSY 251 or equivalent.

PSY 453. Psychological Foundations for Helping. 4 Hours.

Preprofessional introduction to therapeutic processes for students considering counseling or clinical psychology careers. Includes systematic training in fundamental helping attitudes and skills. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302.

PSY 454. Theories of Psychotherapy. 4 Hours.

Systematic examination of the principles and concepts, procedures, and clinical applications of the most common traditional and contemporary theories of psychotherapy. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 and PSY 251 or equivalents. Excludes Freshmen.

PSY 457. Applied Behavior Analysis. 4 Hours.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) involves the application of basic learning principles to enact meaningful change in socially significant behavior. This course will introduce students to important learning principles, assessment techniques, behavior change strategies, and research methods used in ABA. Students will learn about the wide variety of populations, settings, and target behaviors addressed by the field. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302.

PSY 458. Psychological Testing. 4 Hours.

Basic theories of psychological tests and of test construction and interpretation. Includes representative tests and examines contemporary issues in testing. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent.

PSY 471. Senior Seminar. 4 Hours.

An integrative capstone experience for psychology majors involving the development of individual portfolios reflecting student learning within the discipline. Students will prepare evidence of learning within five dimensions of psychology and will complete the psychology exit exam. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302, all required concentration courses, and senior status. Advisor approval to register.

PSY 480. Senior Research Project. 1-4 Hours.

Selected (empirical) research project researched, developed, designed, and written by the student with faculty supervision. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 4 hours with approval. Prerequisites: PSY 302 and PSY 303.

PSY 481. Perspectives on Child Maltreatment and Advocacy. 3,4 Hours.

Covers the history, comparative perspectives, legal framework, responses to child maltreatment, the skills necessary to do the work, and other pertinent issues pertaining to child maltreatment and child advocacy. The approach of the course will be from a variety of diverse, professional perspectives. The course is designed for students majoring in public administration, criminal justice, psychology, social work, sociology, legal studies or other areas where knowledge of child maltreatment and advocating for children might be necessary or beneficial. Course Information: Same as CCJ 481, PAD 481, TEP 481, and SWK 481.

PSY 484. Childhood Trauma: Risk and Resiliency. 3,4 Hours.

This course examines the psychological effects of trauma on children. Specifically, the impact of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect, war, terrorism, and natural disasters are explored. The concepts of resilience and post traumatic growth are discussed to discover why many affected children successfully traverse their trauma. Additionally, interventions and treatment for trauma in childhood are considered. Course Information: Prerequisites: PSY 302 and 321 or 322. Same as PAD 484.

PSY 490. Independent Study in Psychology. 4 Hours.

Selected topics by agreement with a member of the psychology faculty; topics, methods of study, and means of evaluation to be negotiated between student and faculty member. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent. Restricted to Psychology. A maximum of 4 hours may be used for psychology electives.

PSY 499. Tutorial. 1-12 Hours.

Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisites: PSY 302 or equivalent. Restricted to Psychology. A maximum of 4 hours may be used for psychology electives.