2007 - 2008 University Catalog

Psychology

Education-Psychology 246
541-552-6206
Mary Russell-Miller, Chair

The Department of Psychology program prepares students to:

  1. achieve a broad understanding and appreciation of human behavior, which serves as the foundation for a liberal arts education;
  2. enter paraprofessional work in applied behavioral sciences and social service fields; and
  3. pursue graduate and professional study in psychology or related fields.

Nine goals are identified as desired outcomes of completing the psychology major. Students will acquire:

  1. a knowledge base
  2. critical-thinking skills
  3. writing and speaking skills
  4. information-gathering and synthesis skills
  5. research methods and statistical skills
  6. interpersonal skills
  7. ethics and values clarification
  8. culture and diversity sensitivity
  9. application skills

Degrees

BA or BS in Psychology
BA or BS in Social Science: an interdisciplinary degree with a concentration in psychology and coursework in supporting areas of related behavioral sciences
MA or MS in Applied Psychology with specializations in Organizational Training and Development, Human Service, and Mental Health Counseling

Minor

Psychology

Admission

  1. Students who intend to be majors must register with the department and be assigned an advisor. For more details, contact the department or write the department chair at the Department of Psychology, Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, Oregon 97520.
  2. Immediately after deciding to transfer to Southern Oregon University, transfer students who are juniors or seniors should contact the Psychology Department about obtaining an advisor and becoming a psychology major.

Requirements for the Major

  1. Fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements as stated beginning on page 21.
  2. Complete Elementary Statistics (MTH 243) and General Biology (BI 101).
  3. A minimum of 53 credits in psychology, at least 32 credits of which must be upper division, is required for the baccalaureate degree, including:
    1. PSY 201, 202, 211, 228, and 229 (17 credits) and senior standing.
    2. Core curriculum (20 credits): PSY 334 or 370; PSY 341, 351, one approved upper division multicultural/diversity course, and PSY 498, 499. All courses taken to fulfill credit requirements for the psychology major or minor must have a psychology (PSY) prefix or be approved for psychology credit by the Psychology Department. The multicultural/diversity course or courses must total at least 4 credits and be selected from approved psychology courses, including PSY 369, 465, 479, 487, 489, 492, and 495.
    3. Psychology electives (16 credits, of which 12 must be upper division). Transfer courses in the same content area that are equivalent to SOU offerings may not be used to fulfill both core and elective areas.
  4. A minimum grade of C- for each psychology course counted toward the major or the minor and for MTH 243 and BI 101, plus a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all psychology courses are required for a BA or BS in psychology or human service.
  5. University Seminar (USEM), or University Colloquium (Core), or WR 121 and 122; BI 101; MTH 243; and PSY 201, 202, 228, and 229 are prerequisites for some psychology courses. Check each course listing below for prerequisite courses. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C-.
  6. Writing, critical-thinking skills, and research competencies will be achieved as components in PSY 201, 202, 228, 229, and 499.

Note: A maximum of 6 credits from human service and practicum courses (PSY 209, 309, 409, and 416) may be counted toward the 53 credits needed for a psychology degree.

A minimum of 180 credits is required to graduate from SOU. Factors such as the number of hours and types of courses transferred to SOU may affect the total number of credits accrued in satisfying all requirements for graduation with a psychology major.

Optional Program Emphases

There are several program emphases for psychology majors, depending on particular career plans (e.g., paraprofessional programs and pregraduate school programs, including experimental, clinical or counseling, developmental, and organizational psychology). See your advisor for suggested coursework in these program emphases.

Psychology Degree Completion Program

The Psychology Degree Completion Program is a bachelor’s degree program. Classes are conveniently scheduled at night and on weekends in Ashland and Medford to accommodate the schedules of working students. The program is for students who: have completed an associate of arts degree or approximately two years of college and desire to reach their educational goals while working, plan to enter paraprofessional work in applied behavioral sciences and social service fields, or who plan to pursue graduate and professional study in psychology or related fields.

The length of the degree completion program varies with each student depending on prior coursework and employment status.

Requirements

The following courses are required for the human service major:

  1. Fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements as stated beginning on page 21.
  2. Complete Elementary Statistics (MTH 243) and General Biology (BI 101).
  3. A minimum of 53 credits in psychology (at least 32 credits of which must be upper division) is required for the bachelor's degree, including:
    1. PSY 201, 202, 211, 228, 229.
    2. Core curriculum (24 credits): PSY 370 or 334; PSY 341, 351, one approved upper division multicultural/diversity course, and PSY 429, 497. The multicultural/diversity course or courses must total at least 4 credits and be selected from approved psychology courses, including PSY 369, 465, 479, 487, 489, 492, and 495.
  4. A minimum grade of C- for each psychology course counted toward the major or the minor, MTH 243, BI 101; plus a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all psychology courses.
  5. Writing, critical-thinking skills, and research competencies will be achieved as components in PSY 201, 202, 228, 429, and 427.

Human Service Degree Completion Program

In collaboration with the School of Social Science, the Department of Psychology offers an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree program focusing on the needs of human service professionals. Classes are conveniently scheduled at nights and on weekends in Ashland and Medford to accommodate the schedules of working students. The program is for students who: (1) have completed an associate of arts degree or approximately two years of college; (2) want to better understand their community and social environment; (3) desire to improve their career opportunities and reach educational goals; and (4) wish to enhance specific human relations skills and strengthen their ability to work effectively in social services.

SOU’s small class sizes and friendly learning environment foster close ties among students, faculty, and the community. The length of the degree completion program varies with each individual, depending on prior coursework and employment status.

Requirements

The following courses are required for the human service major:

  1. Fulfill baccalaureate degree requirements as stated beginning on page 21.
  2. WR 121, 122 or University Seminar; PSY 201, 202, SOC 204; and a Lifespan Development course are prerequisites to all upper division core curriculum courses. MTH 243 is an additional prerequisite for PSY 429.
  3. A minimum of 46 core curriculum credits from psychology and sociology:
    1. Psychology (33 credits): PSY 409 (9 credits), 429, 438, 443, 471, 475, and 497.
    2. Sociology (16 credits): SOC 304, 310, 312, and 444.
  4. Select upper division electives (11 credits) with advisor consent.
  5. A GPA of 2.5 in all human service program courses is required for a BA or BS in social science.
  6. Meet writing and research competency through components in PSY 429.

Requirements for the Minor

A minimum of 24 credits in psychology is required for a minor. These 24 credits must include PSY 201, 202; 16 approved credits, only 4 of which may be Special Studies/Practicum or teaching assistant credits; and at least 12 credits at the upper division level. Credit toward a minor is only given for courses passed with a grade of C- or better.

Certificate in Management of Human Resources (CMHR)

The Certificate in Management of Human Resources is collaboratively offered by the School of Business, the Psychology Department, and the Communication Department. The program is open to current upper division undergraduate, graduate, and postbaccalaureate students, as well as professional development individuals with significant managerial experience. To be awarded the Certificate in Management of Human Resources, students must meet the 36-credit course requirements, which are listed in the Certificates section on page 151.

Interdisciplinary Studies

The objective of the interdisciplinary studies major with an emphasis in psychology or a related behavioral science is to prepare students for occupations requiring behavioral science backgrounds (e.g., welfare caseworker, probation/parole worker, psychometric aide, and research aide). The degree granted is a BA or BS in social science.

This program permits a broad major in the social sciences with a concentration in psychology for those whose educational goals are not met by any of the other psychology programs. The general requirements for this degree are found under Interdisciplinary Options on page 162. The specific requirements for social science majors with a concentration in psychology should reflect the needs of the individual student and must be planned with advisors in the Psychology Department. Required courses include BI 101 or 211; PSY 201, 202, 228, and 229; and MTH 243. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

The required psychology capstone courses (PSY 498, 499) may not be taken until the student has: (1) been formally approved for an interdisciplinary studies major with a psychology emphasis and (2) registered with the Psychology Department and been assigned an advisor.

Master in Applied Psychology (MAP) Graduate Program

Prospective students should address inquiries to the Psychology Department office coordinator or the Master in Applied Psychology (MAP) graduate office coordinator.

For graduates, the MAP offers full- or part-time programs for the specializations (tracks) in Organizational Training and Development, Human Service, and Mental Health Counseling. The part-time (OTD and HS) programs are offered evenings and weekends to accommodate working professionals who wish to obtain an applied master's degree in psychology.

The principal objective of the MAP is to provide professional training in the application of psychological principles and methodologies to increase the quality of function and service in public and private agencies, organizations, and communities. Each of the three tracks (Organizational Training and Development, Human Service, and Mental Health Counseling) is based on a common, integrated core of courses. The central goal of this core is to train master’s level practitioners to be grounded in professional ethics and values, well-versed in the empirical nature of their professions, and sensitive to and supportive of the increasing multicultural diversity of their communities. Students may obtain a master's degree in applied psychology, or they may select specified courses to obtain a specialization in Human Service or Organizational Training and Development.

Organizational Training and Development (OTD). Prepares students for professional positions as trainers of individuals and groups. Students learn how to facilitate group process in a variety of settings, foster team-building, and assist with organizational development. Coursework includes development and evaluation of training programs and the use of various media technologies to enhance training. The OTD track is a member of the Council of Applied Master’s Programs in Psychology (CAMPP).

Human Service (HS). Enhances the knowledge base and competence of providers and administrators of regional social service agencies. Managerial skills and public policy analysis, as well as program development, implementation, and evaluation, are central to this program. These skills are in increasing demand at both public and private agencies. The human service curriculum is designed to intersect with the SOU Human Service Degree Completion Program. It also conforms to broad educational objectives in human service, as outlined by the National Organization for Human Service Education (NOHSE).

Mental Health Counseling (MHC). Prepares professional counselors to provide extensive mental health services within public and private agencies, as well as in private practice. The curriculum is designed to meet national counseling standards, so graduates will gain mobility in responding to changing employment needs throughout the U.S. Only the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) can determine such accreditation status. The MHC program has attained CACREP accreditation, and the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists has indicated that the curriculum meets the educational requirements for application for licensure as a licensed professional counselor.

The track has also been designed to meet the majority of the educational requirements for application for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in California.

Admission Process

The deadline for applications for the next academic year is February 15. However, the OTD and HS tracks accept applications at other times on a space-available basis. Students are required to submit two separate applications:

  1. an SOU application for admission using the policies described on page 164, along with a $50 application fee; and
  2. a Master in Applied Psychology application, which may be acquired by contacting MAP Graduate Office Coordinator Lori Courtney at 541-552-6947 or map@sou.edu. These applications are also available online at www.sou.edu/psych/map.

MAP Prerequisites

Prior to beginning their graduate program, all MAP students are required to complete the following undergraduate requirements:

All Tracks

General Psychology
Statistics (Descriptive)
Statistics (Inferential)
Research Design/Methods

MHC Track

Learning and Memory
Lifespan/Developmental
Abnormal Psychology

MAP: OTD and HS Tracks

Social Psychology, Lifespan Development, or Learning and Memory
Group Dynamics/Process

HS Track

HS coursework
HS practicum

MAP Curriculum

Core Required Courses for the Master in Applied Psychology

All Tracks

The common core of the MAP includes coursework in ethics (PSY 581 or 582), research (PSY 542), and multicultural diversity (PSY 586 or 587). The specific option is prescribed by the track in which the student is enrolled. Each track requires the following coursework:

Master in Applied Psychology (OTD and HS tracks)


(65 credits)

Practicum (PSY 509) or Teaching Psychology (PSY 516)9
Orientation to the MAP (PSY 511)2
Training Design (PSY 518)4
Program Development (PSY 529)4
Program Evaluation (PSY 530)4
Personality and Organizational Behavior (PSY 533)4
Group Dynamics and Training (PSY 538)4
Group Facilitation and Assessment (PSY 539)4
Organization Development (PSY 540)4
Applied Research Design (PSY 542)4
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (PSY 546)4
Ethics and Roles (PSY 582)2
Multicultural Psychology (PSY 587)4
Organizational Leadership (MM 516)3
Human Resource Environment (MM 517)3
Portfolio Development (PSY 512)2
Additional elective (see advisor)TBA

*To graduate from the OTD track of the MAP program, students must achieve satisfactory grades for: 1) all core courses specified above; 2) the approved electives selected with the help of a MAP advisor; and 3) a minimum of 9 credits from PSY 509. This yields a minimum total for the program of 65 credits, with the expectation that most students will take 11 credits in each term of the second year. Each student must also prepare a portfolio, as detailed in the Portfolio Planning Guide, and support that portfolio in an oral defense.

Human Service

To graduate with a degree in the Human Service track of the MAP, students must achieve satisfactory grades for all core courses specified above, select approved electives with the help of a MAP advisor, complete MM 515 (Management Information Systems), and complete a minimum of 12 credits from PSY 509. This yields a minimum total for the program of 65 credits. Each student must also prepare a portfolio, as detailed in the Portfolio Planning Guide, and support that portfolio in an oral defense.

Mental Health Counseling


(90 credits)

Mental Health Counselor: Identity and Practice (PSY 572)2
Counseling Theory (PSY 571)4
The Helping Relationship (PSY 502)4
Psychopharmacology (PSY 584)2
Ethics and Roles in the Helping Profession (PSY 581)4
Treatment Planning and Consultation (PSY 585)2
Advanced Human Growth and Development (PSY 570)4
Individual Counseling Practicum (PSY 504)3
Applied Research Design (PSY 542)4
Group Counseling (PSY 574)4
Group Counseling Practicum (PSY 506)3
Advanced Psychopathology (PSY 583)4
Multicultural Mental Health (PSY 586)4
Internship (PSY 510)18
Organization Development (PSY 540)4
Family and Marriage Counseling (PSY 576)4
Crisis Intervention (PSY 575)4
Assessment (PSY 521)4
Occupational Choice (PSY 549)4
Professional Guidance (PSY 599)4
Mental Health Profession (PSY 573)4

Additional Educational Offerings

Within the major and minor degree curricula, the Psychology Department presents or conducts a variety of additional practica, field studies, seminars, and research activities.

Field Practicum and Human Service Learning Opportunities

The human service, field practicum, and internship programs provide a sequence of progressively intensive experiences in human service agencies in the classroom or in the community. Students in these programs are exposed to a wide range of human service activities and acquire experience as human service providers. Students have been placed in the following organizations: Community Works; Mental Health Services; Welfare Department, Child Welfare; Vocational Rehabilitation Services; Veterans Domiciliary; animal shelters; preschools; Headstart; elementary and secondary school counseling programs; special education programs for the mentally disabled, emotionally disturbed, and physically disabled; private residential treatment centers; SOU’s Counseling Services; the Women’s Resource Center; juvenile justice programs; and public health programs.

Students interested in field experience programs must carefully plan with their advisor well in advance of any placement in such programs. Instructor consent and formal admission are required in all field service programs. Interested students should consult an advisor at their earliest convenience.

A maximum of 15 credits for field experience courses in psychology (e.g., practicum and teaching of psychology) may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. These credits may be selected from any combination of PSY 209, 309, 409, and 416. Only 6 credits from these courses may be counted toward the minimum 53 psychology credits necessary for a psychology degree.

Research and Community Service

Students are encouraged to become involved in research and community activities. In addition to formal research courses, there are opportunities for involvement in the private research activities of various faculty members. Past projects have focused on such topics as competency examination development for professional groups, surveys of transportation facilities for the elderly and disabled, design and development of residential treatment facilities for the emotionally disturbed, creation of preschool education and Headstart projects, needs assessment surveys, and program evaluation research in a variety of areas.

Students should consult their advisors and faculty members to determine which research projects are currently ongoing or in the planning stages. Students are encouraged to initiate contact with faculty members for assistance with research activities, development of research proposals, and presentations of research findings at local and regional professional meetings.

Psi Chi

Qualified students may become members of the local chapter of Psi Chi, a national honorary society in psychology. The purposes of Psi Chi are to encourage, stimulate, and maintain the scholarship excellence of individual members in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. To achieve these goals, Psi Chi offers a wide range of local, regional, and national programs.

Psychology Courses

See Course Prerequisites Policy

Lower Division Courses

PSY 199 Special Studies
Credits to be arranged

PSY 201 General Psychology
4 credits
Offers a general survey of the field of psychology covering a range of scientific and applied areas, including methodology, biological basis of behavior, perception, learning, sensation, memory, motivation, thinking, and emotion. Approved for University Studies (Explorations).

PSY 202 General Psychology
4 credits
Offers a general survey of the field of psychology covering a range of scientific and applied areas within the discipline, including human development, personality assessment, intelligence, maladaptive behavior patterns, treatment approaches, health and well-being, social and cultural groups, and social psychology. Approved for University Studies (Explorations).

PSY 209 Human Service Practicum
1 to 3 credits each term
Offers entry-level field experience for psychology students. Typically taken during the freshman or sophomore year. Graded P/NP only. See Field Practicum and Human Service Learning Opportunities above. Prerequisite: Instructor consent.

PSY 211 The Psychology Major
1 credit
Required course for all students considering the psychology major. Offers advice about the necessary steps for becoming a psychology major. Covers career options, preparation for graduate school, research opportunities, and other topics related to becoming a successful undergraduate psychology major.

PSY 228 Methods, Statistics, and Applications I
4 credits
Combines the study of survey and correlational research designs with appropriate statistical techniques (e.g., various descriptive statistics, correlations, chi-square). Through an integrated laboratory experience, students apply their studies and gain practice in planning research methodology, collecting and analyzing data, and writing APA research reports. Prerequisite: MTH 243.

PSY 229 Methods, Statistics, and Applications II
4 credits
Examines experimental and quasi-experimental designs, along with appropriate statistical tests (e.g., t-tests, One-Way ANOVA, and Factorial ANOVA). Through a laboratory component involving data collection studies and research proposals, students practice using and designing experimental studies, collecting data, and writing APA research reports. Prerequisite: PSY 228.

Upper Division Courses

PSY 309 Advanced Human Service Practicum
1 to 6 credits
Engages students in an intensive observation of several agencies or programs using psychological principles and techniques. Observation and participation in routine activities are performed under the sponsorship of professional and SOU staff. Refer to Field Practicum and Human Service Learning Opportunities above for the types of agencies and programs where placement is possible. Graded P/NP only. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.

PSY 313 Human Behavior and Film
4 credits
Uses the medium of modern movies to explore psychological concepts. Topics include abnormal and social psychology, group dynamics, relationship issues, communication styles, and family dynamics. Approved for University Studies (Synthesis/Integration). Prerequisite: Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements.

PSY 317 Personal and Social Adjustment
4 credits
Studies the processes contributing to human adjustment. Explores such topics as identity, self-concept, self-control, social relationships, feelings, conflicts and anxiety, sex role image, love, death, and fulfillment of human potential. Examines the influence of these topics on interpersonal effectiveness and satisfaction with life.

PSY 334 Social Psychology I
4 credits
Examines the influence of social and cultural environments on the behavior of the individual. Covers theories, methods, attitude formation and change, prejudice and discrimination, and social attraction. PSY 228 and 229 recommended.

PSY 335 Social Psychology II
4 credits
Continues study of the important theories, principles, and research of traditional social psychology and related social problems. Covers aggression and violence, prosocial behavior, groups and leaders, environmental psychology, social exchange, and applied social psychology. Prerequisite: PSY 334.

PSY 341 Learning and Memory
4 credits
Surveys theories and empirical research about learning, memory, and cognitive phenomena.

PSY 351 Physiological Psychology
4 credits
Studies the structure and function of the nervous and endocrine systems, especially as they relate to human behavior. Topics include motivation, sexual behavior, the physiological bases of emotion, sleep, learning, memory, depression, and psychopathology. Prerequisite: BI 101; PSY 201 recommended.

PSY 353 Sensation and Perception
4 credits
Surveys empirical research and theories about sensory and perceptual phenomena. Explores the sensations of vision, audition, touch, balance, smell, and taste, as well as our perceptual experiences of shape, color, depth, motion, and illusion.

PSY 369 Human Sexuality
4 credits
Explores dimensions of human sexuality from a psychosocial perspective. While the psychological aspects of sexuality are accented, attention is also given to biological, sociological, and cultural factors and their complex interaction. Students will gain a scholarly perspective on these factors; enhance understanding of personal sexual beliefs, attitudes, and practices; and further appreciate the diversity that comprises the human sexual experience. Approved for University Studies (Integration).

PSY 370 Lifespan Development
4 credits
Surveys human growth and development from birth to death. Examines individual differences in physical and physiological development and evaluates perception, cognition, learning, personality, and social factors as they influence behavior through the human lifespan. Prerequisite: PSY 202.

PSY 399 Special Studies
Credits to be arranged
Topics and credit vary. PSY 201, 202 recommended.

PSY 401/501 Research
Credits to be arranged

PSY 405/505 Reading and Conference
Credits to be arranged

PSY 407/507 Seminar
Credits to be arranged
For more information, see Additional Educational Offerings on page 128.

PSY 409A Practicum and Seminar in Psychological Services
Credits to be arranged
Provides an integrated didactic theory and practice experience, allowing students to develop psychological service skills and knowledge within selected programs and agencies. This is a culmination theory-practice course. Students commit to a long-term experience, making formal arrangements for their placements by consulting field practicum instructors well in advance. Types of placement available are listed under Field Practicum and Human Service Learning Opportunities. Graded P/NP. Prerequisites: Senior standing; consent of the instructor and involved agency; substantial coursework in psychology and related behavioral science disciplines; and application to the Psychology Department practicum coordinator.

PSY 409B Practicum: Human Service
1 to 6 credits
Required course for human service majors. Provides direct exposure to human service agencies and clients by field placement within a local social service agency. Integrates knowledge, skill, and attitudes that are taught in the classroom. Allows students to develop human service skills and applied knowledge. Students must make necessary arrangements for practicum placement prior to term enrollment. Graded P/NP. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing in human service program and instructor consent.

PSY 414/514 Humanistic Psychology
4 credits
Explores how humanistic psychologists care deeply about what it means to be fully, vitally human and to reach our highest potentials. Focuses on historical, contemporary, and leading-edge scholarly contributions to humanistic theory, research, and practice. Considers applications of the humanistic perspective to students’ lives and fields of interest, while examining the relevance to concerns of our time.

PSY 416 Teaching Psychology
1 to 6 credits
Students explore the process of teaching psychology by working closely with an instructor. May involve any aspect of teaching, including literature research, laboratory demonstrations, tutoring, lecture presentations, leading discussion groups, paper-grading, and grade-recording. Prerequisite: Instructor consent.

PSY 429 Program Development
4 credits
Explores the principles, processes, and practices involved in the creation of public policies and programs related to human service. Emphasizes the acquisition of skills necessary for effective program planning. Prerequisites: MTH 243 and instructor consent.

PSY 431/531 Community Psychology
4 credits
Examines the effects of social and environmental factors on behavior, with emphasis on the impact of societal systems (schools, neighborhoods, organizations, and other networks) on individuals and their mental health. Sample topics include community action, public policy, prevention programming, and social change processes.

PSY 432/532 Personality
4 credits
Offers analysis and survey of personality concepts and evaluation of selected personality theories.

PSY 435/535 Environmental Psychology
4 credits
Explores the theories, empirical research, and methodology of environmental psychology. Discusses environmental perception; the effects of noise, temperature, air pollution, and wind on behavior; personal space; territoriality; crowding; urban problems; leisure; recreation; and environmental activism.

PSY 437/537 Creative Thinking
4 credits
Involves experiential exercises designed to give students an opportunity to learn and gain thinking skills. Topics and exercises cover the development and assessment of creativity; the roles of learning styles, communication, assumptions, inferences, and hypotheses in creativity; the impact of groups on creativity; and various strategies for enhancing creativity.

PSY 438 Group Dynamics
4 credits
Examines group and interpersonal functioning via practical laboratory experience. Addresses leadership, group cohesion, decision making, conflict resolution, trust, interpersonal attraction, communication, and self-disclosure. Prerequisite: COMM 125 or experience in interpersonal communication or social psychology.

PSY 443/543 Behavior Modification
4 credits
Familiarizes students with the fundamentals and uses of behavior modification. Provides exposure to real-world applications and an opportunity to analyze applications of behavior modification in applied settings.

PSY 444/544 Cognitive Processes
4 credits
Studies current research and theory about how knowledge is perceived, represented, remembered, and used. Topics include memory, attention, language, thinking, problem solving, decision making, judgment, creativity, and human and artificial intelligence.

PSY 445/545 Organizational Psychology
4 credits
Applies the principles of psychology to job applicants, employees, managers, and consumers in business and industry. Examines the use of psychological principles in solving problems in the work world, including conflict resolution, power and influence within the organization, communication and leadership, integration of individual needs with management goals, and maintenance of institutional vitality. SOC 204 recommended. Approved for University Studies (Integration).

PSY 446 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
4 credits
Introduces the industrial/organizational (I/O) field of psychology. After surveying I/O theories and methods such as job design, personnel selection, job satisfaction, training, and team-building, students get an opportunity to model some of these methods in small group exercises and case study analyses. Prerequisite: PSY 229 or 327.

PSY 452/552 Health Psychology
4 credits
Explores the role of psychological factors in physical health. Covers such topics as the roles of cognition, social factors, and personality in the mind-body connection. Analyzes the brain, nervous system, and endocrine system. Examines applications to stress in the workplace, the development of physical and mental illness, and other implications.

PSY 453/553 Stress Management
4 credits
Focuses on determining the nature of stress, its effects on people, and how to minimize its negative effects. Describes physiological and psychological stress reactions, stress-related disease processes, individualization of stress reactivity, and maximization of one’s own stress management potential.

PSY 457/557 Drug Use and Abuse
4 credits
Surveys the physiological, psychological, and societal effects of chemical substances on humans. Emphasizes drugs of major usage, such as prescription drugs, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, and cocaine.

PSY 460/560 Child and Adolescent Development
4 credits
Provides an in-depth examination of the major developmental issues from infancy through adolescence, with emphasis on empirical models of cognition, psychosocial development, and personality. Culminating project involves application and theoretical integration. Prerequisite: PSY 370.

PSY 463/563 Psychopathology of Childhood
4 credits
Surveys the field of child psychopathology, including the theoretical concepts, etiology, assessment, and treatment of various childhood disorders. Emphasizes understanding children in the context of their development, families, and culture. Prerequisite: PSY 370.

PSY 465/565 Adult Development and Aging
4 credits
Studies the principles and methods of developmental psychology as they are seen in individuals from early adulthood to death. These include physical functioning, changes in cognitive and behavioral processes, personality changes and development, intimacy and family development, career development, and cultural factors in the aging process. Prerequisite: PSY 370.

PSY 466/566 Psychology of Aging
4 credits
Examines the psychological processes of aging starting from adult developmental maturity through old age and death. Focuses on continuing social and personal adaptation to physical changes and the impact of cultural attitudes on the self-concept of adults in their elderly years.

PSY 467/567 Death and Dying
4 credits
Offers a psychological examination of death and dying. Surveys the many dimensions of death and our death-care system. Explores the ways in which psychological and societal assumptions, expectations, and practices influence our relationship with death. PSY 201, 202 recommended.

PSY 471 Introduction to Helping Skills
4 credits
Explores the roles and functions of the professional counselor. Focuses on developing the core ingredients of effective counseling practice, including the interpersonal, conceptual, and helping skills relevant to personal, work, and family relationships at the paraprofessional level. Emphasizes helping microskills, ethics, and application of contemporary theory. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.

PSY 475 Crisis Intervention Strategies
4 credits
Introduces crisis intervention research and theory. Emphasizes interventions for suicide, domestic violence, rape, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, and terrorism.

PSY 479 Abnormal Psychology
4 credits
Surveys the major categories of behavioral and mental disorders, including schizophrenia; anxiety; and childhood, dissociative, mood, personality, sexual, and substance disorders. Explores etiology, general characteristics of the disorders, and current treatments. Emphasizes the sociocultural factors affecting diagnosis and prognosis. Approved for University Studies (Integration).

PSY 487/587 Multicultural Psychology
4 credits
Considers theory, research, and multicultural perspectives as they relate to applied psychology and special populations. Students explore their own ethnic and cultural heritages, challenging biases and confronting stereotypes. Emphasizes issues related to the role of the professional psychologist.

PSY 489/589 Native American Psychology
4 credits
Surveys selected health issues, such as psychosocial problems-in-living, depression, suicide, and substance abuse. Also addresses the traumatizing impact of the American Dream.

PSY 490/590 Women and Relationships
4 credits
Offers an intensive exploration of women’s involvement in interpersonal relationships, with a focus on theoretical and experiential aspects. Considers women’s roles, identities, and self schemas as influenced by interactions with others in cultural, familial, and intrapsychic frameworks.

PSY 492/592 Psychology of Women
4 credits
Surveys women’s issues from the perspective of feminist psychology, including lifecycles, theories, and contemporary social problems. Critiques traditional psychological assumptions, data, philosophies, and policies in light of new trends. Students actively explore empirical and experiential aspects of such issues as psychological sex differences, socialization of gender, identity development, androgyny, power, language, violence, and therapy.

PSY 495/595 Lesbian and Gay Studies
4 credits
Provides students with in-depth exposure to a select set of lesbian and gay issues in relation to the field of psychology. From a psychological perspective, students examine the assumptions, definitions, supporting research, personality theorists’ perspectives, and counseling concerns as they relate to lesbians and gay men.

PSY 496/596 History and Systems of Psychology
4 credits
Explores the historical development of psychology as a science. Offers critical analysis of the various historical and contemporary movements and issues related to scientific inquiry and the evolution of knowledge.

PSY 497 Human Service Capstone Project
4 credits
Integrates and synthesizes the skills and knowledge acquired in the human service program. Students develop a social service program encompassing needs assessment, program rationale, objectives, methods, activities, and a plan for program evaluation. Prerequisites: PSY 429, acceptance into the human service program, and senior standing.

PSY 498, 499 Psychology Capstone Project
2 credits each
Students integrate and synthesize the skills and knowledge specified in the nine goals of the psychology major in a project involving a psychological, investigative process. Several options are available for the project, which is conducted during the two terms of the required senior capstone. Approved for University Studies (Integration). Prerequisites: PSY 201, 202, 211, 228, 229; psychology major or interdisciplinary psychology emphasis; and senior standing.

Graduate Courses

Note: All 500-level graduate-only courses require instructor consent or current enrollment in the MAP program.

PSY 502 The Helping Relationship
4 credits
Designed for first-term mental health counseling students. Focuses on the foundational ingredients of the effective helping relationship, including development of a clear professional identity; ethical practice; multicultural sensitivity; and the conceptual, interpersonal, and therapeutic skills that foster movement toward clients’ goals and potentialities. Students gain competence in interviewing and couseling microskills. The pre-practicum portion involves practice interviews utilizing videotape critique in weekly dyads/triads and group supervision. Students learn how to utilize supervision to facilitate developments of microskills and expand competence as an “intentional” counselor. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MHC track. Corequisite: PSY 571.

PSY 503 Thesis
Credits to be arranged

PSY 504 Individual Counseling Practicum
4 credits
Provides supervised training and experience in individual counseling. Designed to build upon the understanding of the counseling theories studied in PSY 571 and the counseling microskills learned in PSY 502. MHC students engage in videotaped practice counseling with undergeraduate student volunteers. Videotapes are utilized in weekly dyad/triad and group supervision sessions. Prerequisites: PSY 502, 571, and enrollment in the MHC track.

PSY 506 Group Counseling Practicum
4 credits
Provides supervised group counseling training and experience for MHC students. Co-leaders plan and facilitate an eight-week personal growth group for undergraduate student volunteers. Videotapes are utilized in weekly dyad/triad and group supervision sessions. Prerequisite: PSY 502, 504, 571, and enrollment in the MHC track. Corequisite: PSY 574.

PSY 509 Practicum
1 to 6 credits
Supervised experience at agencies and organizations. Provides opportunities for professional service that reflect students’ academic goals. Students work as part of an organization and under the supervision of a site supervisor and SOU practicum supervisor. To fulfill requirements for graduation, OTD students must have a minimum of 9 PSY 509 credits and HS students must have a minimum of 12 PSY 509 credits. HS students may apply up to a total of 15 PSY 509 credits, as approved, toward graduation requirements. OTD students may apply up to 15 credits total in PSY 509 and 516 combined, and as approved, toward graduation requirements. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the HS or OTD track.

PSY 510 Internship
1 to 8 credits
Offers a supervised counseling experience at selected agencies and organizations. Students provide counseling services to agency clients and function as part of the agency counseling personnel. Sessions are reviewed in both individual and group supervision. Documentation, on-site supervision and evaluation, and weekly meetings with the SOU supervisor required. Graded P/NP. MHC students are required to take at least 18 credits of supervised internship during their program. Prerequisites: PSY 571, 574, and enrollment in the MHC track.

PSY 511 Orientation to the MAP
2 credits
Seminar required of all students entering the MAP program’s HS and OTD tracks. Provides a means for students and faculty to discuss expectations of the program. Topics include roles of HS and OTD professionals, planning a meaningful internship, becoming familiar with graduate school academic expectations, and learning APA style. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the HS or OTD track.

PSY 512 Portfolio Development
2 credits
Seminar for successful completion of professional portfolio. Development of executive summary detailing strengths and deficiencies related to core competencies. Discusses continuing professional education after graduation, including both new skills and knowledge, as well as work to improve on current deficiencies. Involves both group and individual sessions. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the HS or OTD track.

PSY 516 Teaching Psychology
1 to 6 credits per term
Students explore the process of teaching psychology by working closely with an instructor. Involves laboratory demonstrations, lecture presentations, discussion groups and small-group work facilitation, and paper-grading. Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Corequisite: PSY 509 for credit to meet requirements of the OTD practicum.

PSY 518 Training Design
4 credits
Provides an overview of instructional design theory and methodology. Emphasizes experiential learning and seminar and workshop development. Students design and rehearse a training project with videotaped and interpersonal feedback.

PSY 521 Assessment
4 credits
Surveys the common assessment methods and instruments used in counseling children, adolescents, adults, elders, couples, and families. Addresses assessment requirements of managed care and methods of assessing counseling effectiveness.

PSY 529 Program Development
4 credits
Explores the principles, processes, and practices involved in the creation of human service programs. Students develop a model social service program as a significant part of this course. Prerequisites: Undergraduate courses in descriptive and inferential statistics; instructor consent.

PSY 530 Program Evaluation
4 credits
Explores models of evaluation and applies research methods to policy and program assessment, with emphases on mental health, human service, and organizational settings. Students conduct a supervised program evaluation. Prerequisite: PSY 542.

PSY 533 Personality and Organizational Behavior
4 credits
Focuses on assessment in organizations, particularly individual differences in personality, ability, preferences, and temperament. Explores the relationship between individual difference variables, as well as roles and issues such as leadership selection, placement, and development. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MAP program.

PSY 538 Group Dynamics and Training
4 credits
Examines group and interpersonal functioning via practical laboratory experience. Addresses leadership, group cohesion, decision making, conflict resolution, trust, interpersonal attraction, communication, and self-disclosure. Addresses the role of training and team-building in organizations.

PSY 539 Group Facilitation and Assessment
4 credits
Surveys models of group facilitation and methods of assessing group functioning. Emphasizes functional or training groups in organizations. Topics include ongoing process consultation, facilitation of team effectiveness training, group-process educational groups, short-term problem-solving designs, models of group decision making, and structured inventories to assess group structure and process. Students facilitate groups. Prerequisite: PSY 538.

PSY 540 Organization Development
4 credits
Analyzes the coherent, systematically planned, sustained effort at system self-study and improvement. Focuses explicitly on change in formal and informal procedures, norms, structures, and using behavioral science concepts. Explores various OD designs, including training, survey-data-feedback, constructive confrontation, and process observation and feedback. Prerequisites: PSY 538, 539.

PSY 542 Applied Research Design
4 credits
Emphasizes the design of applied research and outcome evaluation in counseling, organizational, and human service settings. Reviews relevant experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational designs, with additional training in qualitative methods. Prerequisite: Undergraduate research methods and statistics course.

PSY 546 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
4 credits
Surveys the field of industrial and organizational psychology. Introduces students to the broad professional context in which they may work. The first half of the course focuses on traditional industrial psychology methods, such as job design and analysis, as well as personnel selection and appraisal. The second half addresses the integration of organizational psychology theories and methods, including motivation, job satisfaction, communication, leadership, team-building, and training and development.

PSY 549 Occupational Choice and the Psychology of Careers
4 credits
Introduces the psychology of career-life planning and occupational choices. Follows guidelines from CACREP for counselor preparation and is a core course in the MHC track. Examines career development theories and decision-making models; lifespan career development; career, educational, and labor market information systems and resources; program planning and evaluation; assessment; and career counseling approaches, techniques, and ethical considerations.

PSY 569 Psychology of Human Sexuality
4 credits
Surveys the psychological aspects of human sexual behavior relevant to the work of mental health counselors and human service professionals. Considers typical and atypical sexual behavior, sexual health and wellness throughout the lifespan, sexual orientation, gender, sexual dysfunction, paraphilic behaviors, sex therapy, and counseling practice related to sexuality. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MAP program.

PSY 570 Advanced Human Growth and Development
4 credits
Examines theory and research related to human development from birth to death. Emphasizes the application of developmental theories to the counseling process. Addresses individual differences in physical and physiological development. Evaluates the influence of perception, cognition, learning, personality, and social factors on behavior throughout the human lifespan. Prerequisite: Undergraduate coursework in lifespan development or developmental psychology.

PSY 571 Counseling Theory
4 credits
Explores the roles and functions of the professional counselor relative to other mental health professionals. Develops the core ingredients of effective counseling practice, including interpersonal, conceptual, and helping skills that foster movement toward a client’s goals. Addresses the personal qualities of effective counselors, the creation of therapeutic alliances, counseling microskills, ethical practice, and techniques fundamental to contemporary theoretical orientations. Surveys the primary models of counseling and psychotherapy from theoretical, experiential, and personal growth perspectives. Prerequisite: Undergraduate coursework in abnormal psychology.

PSY 572 Mental Health Counselor: Identity and Practice
2 credits
Provides a foundation of the mental health counseling profession’s history, unique contributions to the human service provider field, identity themes, distinctive practice characteristics, and an interdisciplinary approach to interventions.

PSY 573 Mental Health Profession
4 credits
Refines counseling skills and continues development of professional portfolios. Students write a professional disclosure statement, conduct a seminar on their theoretical framework, determine the setting and clients best-suited for their theoretical approach, and address other issues germane to the professional counselor and human service professional. Prerequisites: PSY 571 and enrollment in the HS or MHC track.

PSY 574 Group Counseling
4 credits
Offers a theoretical and experiential introduction to group counseling. Emphasizes leadership styles and skills; stages of counseling groups; ethics; specific modalities; and major orientations to group counseling and their applications, evaluations, and effectiveness. Students participate in experiential and supervision groups. They also plan and co-lead a counseling group with student volunteers as part of laboratory experience. Prerequisites: Coursework in group dynamics and enrollment in the HS or MHC track.

PSY 575 Advanced Crisis Intervention Strategies
4 credits
Applies intervention strategies to specific crisis situations and critical incidents. Studies the driving forces behind the event, assessment procedures, and intervention strategies applied during and after the trauma incident. Crisis categories include suicide, battered women’s syndrome, sexual assault, post-traumatic stress disorder, personal loss, and substance abuse.

PSY 576 Family and Marriage Counseling
4 credits
Explores the theoretical and practical applications of family-systems approaches to the treatment of dysfunctional families and couples. Presents family lifecycle issues, the role of the therapist, and alternatives to intervention. Prerequisite: PSY 571.

PSY 577 Counseling Children
4 credits
Surveys methods, other than behavior modification, of counseling children. Includes forms of play therapy, expressive therapy, role-playing, stress management for children, and experiential methods that aid in the assessment of children’s problems. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MAP program.

PSY 581 Ethics and Roles in the Helping Profession
4 credits
Examines the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Mental Health Counseling Association, and the National Organization for Human Service Education. Focuses on legal and ethical issues related to professional practice in counseling and human service fields. Emphasizes issues of public policy and sociocultural factors affecting counseling. Challenges participants to apply critical-thinking skills to ethical decision making in their respective professional roles. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MAP program.

PSY 582 Ethics and Roles
2 credits
Examines the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association and the American Society of Training and Development. Challenges participants to apply critical-thinking skills to ethical decision making in their professional roles.

PSY 583 Advanced Psychopathology
4 credits
Explores the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of mental illness as defined by the DSM-IV. Covers treatment planning, with special emphasis on psychopharmacology. Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in abnormal psychology.

PSY 584 Psychopharmacology
2 credits
Provides a basic overview and understanding of how medications are used in the treatment of psychological and behavioral disorders. Various DSM diagnoses provide a framework for learning about treatment choices that include psychiatric medications. Focuses on the integration of psychotropic medications and counseling. Topics include drug interactions, medication side effects, consultation with medical personnel, and characteristics of psychiatric medications.

PSY 585 Treatment Planning and Consultation
2 credits
Focuses on general principles and practices of diagnosis, treatment planning, consultation and referral of mental and emotional disorders, and dysfunctional behavior, including addictive behaviors. Examines the etiology of mental and emotional disorders/dysfunctions and addictive behaviors.

PSY 586 Multicultural Mental Health
4 credits
Surveys the mental health status of racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Presents culture-specific models for providing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment services for individuals, including children, adolescents, adults, families, groups, and communities. Examines ethical issues and training for service providers.

PSY 599 Professional Guidance
4 credits
MHC students work closely with a faculty advisor in seminar and individual meetings to begin their professional portfolios and identify their strengths, challenges, and areas of interest. This process includes determining the setting and clients best-suited to the student, identifying appropriate theoretical orientations, and continuing the discussion of ethical concerns and professional identity. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MAP program.