Psychology (PSYX)

This course examines the nature of psychology as a social and behavioral science. It surveys fundamental areas in behavior including research in psychology, the brain and behavior, learning, human development and socialization, intelligence, personality, health psychology, and social psychology.

This course will provide the student with an intensive introduction to abnormal psychology and the American Psychological Association’s classification system for mental disorders. Consideration of the various classifications and symptomatology of psychopathological disorders – their origin, assessment, prognosis, treatment, and prevention. There will be an emphasis on both the etiology and treatment options for various disease processes. This course is designed to include realistic and work-related information that will help the student integrate classroom learning with practical knowledge. Additionally, this course provides a framework for students to learn to differentiate the major theories according to key concepts, their therapeutic goals and relationship, interventions, and techniques as well as applications to the current practice of counseling with an emphasis on multicultural populations.

This course is an introduction to the methodology, concepts, principles, and issues in the study of developmental psychology. Topics covered include the lifespan perspective; biological processes, physical development, and health; cognitive processes and development; socio-emotional processes and development; social contexts of development; and death, dying, and grieving.

This course is a survey of current psychological mechanisms of the addiction process, those associated with consciousness-altering substances, along with the social and cultural perspectives on addictive behavior. This course also focuses on non-substance-related addictions, such as gambling, internet/video gaming addiction, sex, and shopping addiction. Other relevant factors of addictive behaviors, like systemic family patterns and personality traits, will be discussed.

This course provides an overview of psychological trauma. The history, etiology, theories, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of traumatic stress at different ages across the lifespan will be explored. The course begins with discussion of a range of traumatic events and definitions of trauma symptoms and responses. Next, theoretical frameworks and models useful for understanding traumatic stress reactions are introduced, including developmental psychopathology, cognitive development, neuropsychology, and intergenerational systems theory. In addition, assessment, diagnosis, and the evidence for best intervention practices in treating traumatic stress are examined.

This course provides an overview and general understanding of the field of counseling psychology. The course is designed to familiarize students with the basic concepts, interventions, scientific research, professional practices and contemporary issues of the profession of counseling psychology. Students will learn a variety of theoretical approaches and psychotherapy techniques to counseling, including psychoanalytic, behavioral, cognitive and humanistic approaches. The course contains both didactic and skill application to encourage competency in the performance of counseling skills.

A course designed to provide a theoretical and experiential exposure to group formation, group process and group dynamics, as well as to interpersonal relationships within and between groups.

This course explores the intersection of psychology, health, and medicine. Using evidence-based research, students will examine the foundational principles of health psychology while considering the influence of biological, psychological, and social factors on health outcomes. Topics include stress and its impacts, health behavior change strategies, chronic illness management, and psychological interventions for healthcare.