Course Descriptions
100 Introduction to Psychology A survey of the major topics of psychology and an introduction to the methodology of psychological research. Students are normally expected to be involved with ongoing research in the department by participating in experiments as subjects during the course of the academic year. Six credits. 210 Learning A review of research on animal and human learning, and a consideration of the major issues that have shaped the study of learning. Topics include: general principles of learning; classical conditioning; operant conditioning; radical behaviorism and its limitations; biological constraints on learning and social-cognitive learning. Recommended for students considering graduate work in clinical psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Lab component. Six credits. 220 Cognitive Psychology This course deals with the basic cognitive processes: perception, attention, memory, language, thinking, and problem-solving. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Lab component. Six credits. 225 Sensation and Perception An examination of how the physical structure of sensory systems and the psychological interpretation of sensory information influence what is perceived. Major sensory systems will be covered. Theoretical and empirical work will be explored. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Lab component. Six credits. 230 Brain and Behavior An introduction to behavioral neuroscience, including analysis of the anatomical, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms underlying behavior. Recommended for students considering graduate work in clinical psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Lab component. Six credits. 240 Social Psychology This course covers relationships among individuals and the effect of those relationships on behavior and personality. Topics may include: aggression, altruism, conformity, attributions, and attitudes. Lab component. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Six credits. 260 Developmental Psychology The study of major environmental and maturational influences and their relationship to the growing person. Lab component. Cross-listed as NURS 260. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. Six credits. 290 Research Methods and Statistics An introduction to methods used to collect and analyze data in psychology. Topics include: research ethics; measurement and design; descriptive statistics; hypothesis testing; inferential statistics including correlation and regression; z-tests and t-tests; basic analysis of variance; non-parametric procedures such as chi-square. Students will use statistical software. Lab component. Six credits. 300 History and Theory of Psychology An examination of psychology’s evolution, including the theoretical issues that underlie past and present debates about the discipline’s subject matter and methodology. Approaches to historiography within the history of the sciences will also be discussed. Prerequisite: honours standing or permission of the chair. Six credits. 310 Health Psychology This course provides an introduction to key issues in health psychology. In adopting a bio-psycho-social approach the course will examine the ways in which biological, psychological, and social factors interact to affect health. Restricted enrollment. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC; PSYC 210 is recommended. Six credits. 325 Biopsychology of Pain Contrary to popular opinion, pain is not simply a predictable sensory response to bodily injury. This course discusses the variable link between pain and injury, as well as sensation versus perception; the neuroanatomical bases of pain; pain measurement and clinical pain syndromes; contrasting theories of pain perception; and different approaches to pain control. Prerequisites: 12 credits PSYC; PSYC 230 is recommended. Six credits. 341 The Self This course explores contemporary perspectives and research on the self as it relates to social behavior. The nature and function of the self and the ways in which the self is both influenced by and influences other people will be examined from a social-psychological perspective. Topics will include: knowledge of the self, self-motivation, self-esteem, self-regulation, self-prediction, the self in the context of relationships with others, and the influence of culture on views of the self. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC, including PSYC 240. Three credits. Not offered 2008-2009. 345 Communication and Language This course explores the social psychology of language and communication. Topics include: basic concepts in language; language attitudes; language variation; bilingualism and multiculturalism; language and culture; discourse analysis; the relationship between language and social identity. This seminar will consist largely of student presentations. Restricted enrollment. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 350 Psychology of Personality The purpose of this course is to explore the diverse body of contemporary research and theory on personality psychology. The course may involve small group research projects and/or an APA-style research proposal. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 360 Psychology of Gender This lecture course explores the development of gender roles as well as the psychology of women and men. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Cross-listed as WMNS 360. Six credits. 370 Abnormal Psychology Examines current perspectives and research on the various classes of psychological abnormality. Courses in learning, brain and behavior, and personality form a useful background for this course. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 375 Applied Psychology Two topic areas are covered in this lecture course: industrial/organizational psychology, which will be covered in the first term, and sports psychology, which will be covered in the second term. In these fields, psychological principles, theory, and research are applied in work and sports settings. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 377 Drugs and Behaviour This course explores the effect of psychoactive drugs on the brain. The course will cover basic pharmacological principles, the basis of cellular communication in the brain and how drugs that cross the blood brain barrier affect brain function, and in turn affect behavior. Drugs that will be discussed include antidepressants, antipsychotics and drugs of abuse such as alcohol, cocaine, heroin and marijuana. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 380 Forensic Psychology This lecture and seminar course will focus on the relationship between psychology and law. Course content will include the history of the relationship between psychology and law; basic concepts in criminal justice and the study of crime; and the nature of offending from a psychological perspective. Restricted enrollment. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC, including PSYC 370 or permission of the department chair. Field trip component. Six credits. 386 Selected Topics School Psychology. An examination of the application of the scientific principles of learning and behavior to the assessment and amelioration of school related problems and design and delivery of appropriate school programs and psychological services specifically for at risk children. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Three credits. 387 Selected Topics in Psychology Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Six credits. 389 Selected Topics in Psychology Learning Disabilities. This course will offer students an indepth look at learning disabilities from emergent characteristics, assessment and diagnosis, and treatment across the lifespan. Current research in diagnosis and educational programming will also be explored. Prerequisite: 12 credits PSYC. Three credits. 390 Advanced Statistics for Psychological Research An examination of intermediate and advanced statistical procedures for the psychology researcher, with emphasis on the use of statistical software packages. Lectures and lab sessions cover topics such as factorial analysis of variance; mixed designs; contrasts and comparisons; power; multiple regression and correlation (MRC); the MRC approach to factorial and mixed designs; and multivariate analysis. Prerequisite: PSYC 290. Six credits. 391 Junior Seminar The purpose of this non-credit course is to assist students in carrying out their thesis or senior paper research, choosing a career, and gaining admission to graduate or professional school. Attendance at colloquia and guest lectures relevant to psychology is mandatory. Prerequisite: junior standing in an advanced major or honours program in psychology. 420 Advanced Topics in Cognition and Perception An examination of topics in perception and cognition, including pattern recognition; attention; memory; and cognitive skills such as reading-skill acquisition. Laboratory component. Prerequisites: PSYC 220 or 225; advanced major or honours standing or permission of the chair. Cross-listed as BIOL 450. Six credits. 430 Advanced Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience This is a lecture, seminar, and laboratory course in which current topics in the field of behavioral neuroscience will be considered. Prerequisites: PSYC 230; advanced major or honours standing or permission of the chair. Lab component. Six credits. 440 Advanced Social and Personality Psychology An examination of topics in experimental social psychology, and consideration of the overlap between social psychology and studies in personality. Content is partially determined by student interests. Prerequisites: PSYC 240, 350; advanced major or honours standing or permission of the chair. Lab component. Six credits. 460 Advanced Developmental Psychology An examination of topics in developmental psychology from various theoretical perspectives and in terms of empirical evidence. Lab component. Prerequisites: PSYC 260; advanced major or honours standing or permission of the chair. Six credits. 490 Honours Thesis Prerequisites: PSYC 390; honours standing in psychology. Six credits. 491 Senior Seminar The purpose of this non-credit course is to assist students in carrying out thesis or senior paper research, choosing a career, and gaining admission to graduate or professional school. Students will present their thesis proposal orally in the fall term and their completed research in the spring. Attendance at colloquia and guest lectures relevant to psychology is mandatory. Prerequisite: senior standing in an advanced major or honours program in psychology. 499 Directed Study I and II These are reading or laboratory courses in which the student pursues an individual program of study under the direction of a faculty member. See section 3.5. Three credits each.
Last updated December 28, 2008 by Website Manager Dr. Jennifer Sullivan