The Psychology Major

Objectives:

The curriculum for the major in Psychology has three objectives:

1. To introduce the student to the existing body of scientific knowledge about human and animal behavior;
2. to acquaint students with the methods and procedures psychologists use in conducting scientific research designed to acquire new knowledge about human and animal behavior; and
3. to introduce students to the various methods of using existing psychological knowledge about human and animal behavior.

Learning Outcomes:

Psychology students at Washburn University, upon graduation, are expected to have:

1. acquired knowledge of the fundamental principles in psychology;
2. developed critical thinking and reasoning skills;
3. acquired oral and written communication skills;
4. demonstrated information gathering and synthesis skills;
5. demonstrated research and statistical skills; and
6. developed an understanding of the ethics of psychology.

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Requirements:

The requirements for a major in Psychology are designed to meet educational goals of two distinct student populations. First, Psychology is a profession which usually requires an advanced degree for employment as a psychologist. Consequently, the major is designed to provide the fundamental knowledge, skills, and experience appropriate for those students who plan to attend graduate school in Psychology. Second, most students who choose a major in psychology do so because they are very interested in the subject and want more than just a casual understanding of Psychology. Therefore, the major is also designed to provide basic knowledge and skills which would be useful to students who plan to complete a BA degree and then pursue a career in a field other than Psychology.

Students must complete a minimum of 30 graded hours of credit in Psychology earning a grade of C or better. These hours must include: Psychology 100, 105, 150, 250 and 299; four upper division courses from among 301, 305, 306, 307, 309, and 310; and a total of at least 3 hours selected from the set of courses which may serve as the basis of a Senior Capstone Experience: (Psychology 387, 389 and 390.

At least 15 of the required 30 hours must be upper-division courses, and at least 9 hours (including 6 upper division hours) must be taken at Washburn.

Suggested Schedule, Undergraduate Psychology Major

FRESHMAN	SOPHOMORE	JUNIOR	SENIOR
PY 100 PY 105 PY 150 (with lab)	PY 250 (with lab) PY 299 Sophomore Elective	Core 1 Core 2 Junior Elective	Core 3 Core 4 Capstone

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Course Listings:

Required of all majors:

PY 100 Basic Concepts in Psychology (3)
An introduction to fundamental areas of Psychology including an overview of the concepts and methods of such areas as perception, learning, motivation, memory, development, personality, abnormal and social.

PY 105 Introductory Psychology Laboratory (1)
Introduction to the psychological research laboratory via a series of guided laboratory exercises with emphasis on 1) using numerical data from the exercises to write in a scientific style about behavior, and 2) using computer-based tools. Prerequisite: PY 100 or concurrent enrollment.

PY 150 Psychological Statistics (4)
Descriptive and inferential statistics in design, analysis and interpretation of psychological research. Lectures and two hours of laboratory. Prerequisites: PY 100 with grade of "C" or better, PY 105 or concurrent enrollment, and MA 104.

PY 250 Experimental Psychology (4)
An introduction to objectives and methods of experimental Psychology, including how to design and implement experiments, and how to analyze, interpret, and report experimental results. Prerequisite: PY 102 and PY 105 with grades of "C" or better.

PY 299 Psychological Forum (1)
Survey of applied issues in the profession of Psychology including an overview of employment and graduate school opportunities as well as vocational techniques for achieving those goals. Prerequisite: PY100 and Sophomore Psychology Major - Pass/Fail Only.

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Sophomore Year Electives:

PY 209 Psychological Dev. Through the Life-Span (3)
Psychological research and theories which describe and explain life-cycle stability and change in perception, cognition, language, psychomotor behavior, personality, interpersonal relationships, etc. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or 101.

PY 210 Psychology of Infancy and Childhood (3)
Overview of theory and research on the psychological development of infants and children. Included are the development of sex roles, aggression, friendship, attachment to parents, perception, cognition, language, and moral reasoning and behavior. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 211 Adolescent Psychology (3)
Theory and research on adolescent personality, social and cognitive development, including problems of adjustment during the teenage years. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 212 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging(3)
Psychological theory and research on the changes and continuities of the adult years: personality, intelligence, memory, sex roles, interpersonal relationships, death and dying, and the psychological consequences of physical and health changes. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 231 Abnormal Psychology (3)
A survey of the origins, processes, and diagnostic characteristics of representative syndromes of maladaptive behavior. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

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Core (choose 4 from these 6):

PY 301 Principles of Learning (3)
Empirical and theoretical approaches to the study of classical and instrumental conditioning. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 305 Sensation and Perception (3)
Focus on the anatomy and functions of sensory systems (vision, audition, olfaction, gustation, haptics). Emphasis on differences in theoretical backgrounds. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101

PY 306 Cognition (3)
A study of the intellectual structures and processes involved in the acquisition, storage, transformation and use of knowledge. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 307 Physiological Psychology (3)
Examines the physiological basis of psychological phenomena (e.g., behavior). Concentrates on the function of biological systems on both general and specific behaviors. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 309 Theories of Personality (3)
Psychological theories of personality, including psychoanalytic, learning and humanistic approaches. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 310 Social Psychology (3)
Theory and research on cognitive and behavioral responses to social stimuli. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

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Capstone (must have 3 hours among these choices):

PY387 History and Systems of Psychology (3)
An examination of philosophical and empirical roots that led to the development of the discipline of Psychology and the historical progression of ideas central to modern Psychology. (May be used to meet Senior Capstone Experience requirement). Prerequisites: Psychology Senior or Consent.

PY 389 Independent Study (1-3)
Individual problems planned and executed by the student under supervision. (May be used to meet Senior Capstone Experience requirement). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. May be repeated up to a total of 6 hours.

PY 390 Directed Research (1-3)
Supervised independent research involving gathering, analysis, and reporting of empirical data. (May be used to meet Senior Capstone Experience requirement.) Prerequisite: PY250 and consent of instructor. May be repeated up to a total of 6 hours.

Additional 300 Level Choices (help fill 30-hour requirement):

PY 315 Personnel Psychology (3)
The psychological aspects of personnel administration stressing the application of psychological principles to personnel management. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 320 Principles of Psychological Testing (3)
Theory and methods in psychological measurement, and their application to the construction, selection and interpretation of psychological tests. Includes a survey of representative personality and ability tests. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 325 Community Psychology (3)
The study of community and organizational approaches to intervention and prevention strategies for mental health care, general health care, and various social problems. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 326 Health Psychology (3)
Psychological research and theory in the areas of psychosomatic disorders, chronic illness, disability, terminal illness, and staff/patient relation- ships. The course emphasizes the contributions of psychological theory and treatment in traditionally medical areas of human behavior. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 327 Correctional Psychology (3)
An introduction to the field of correctional Psychology. Applies psychological theories, principles and research to correctional issues. Topics include inmate behavior, women in prison, psychological disorders found among offenders, and prevention of fatigue, stress, and burnout in staff members. Prerequisite: PY 100 or consent.

PY 333 Counseling Psychology (3)
Major theories and techniques of psychological counseling. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 336 Field/Volunteer Experience in Psychology (1-3)
Supervised experience in the application of psychological concepts and methods or volunteer work. Work in non-classroom situations required. Arrangements for enrollment must be completed prior to registration. Prerequisite: One related advanced course and consent of instructor. Pass/Fail Only

PY 338 Childhood Psychopathology (3)
An overview of psychological and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents, including their characteristics, origins, and treatment. Prerequisite: PY 231.

PY 350 Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3)
Clinical Psychology as a science and a profession. The history, scope, ethics, theories and methods of clinical psychology. Prerequisite: PY 231.

PY 353 Psychology of Everyday Life (3)
Applications of psychological theory and research in common life arenas, including family, work, and interpersonal relationships. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 356 Psychology of Marital and Family Processes (3)
An overview of psychological theories and research pertaining to family processes and the influence of the family on the psychological development of the individual. Topics to be covered include various psychological theories pertaining to family functioning, family dysfunction and divorce, and relationships between family functioning and psychopathology. Prerequisite: PY 100 or 101.

PY 381 History and Psychology of Sex and Gender (3)
Surveys historic and current experience of being male and female within changing Western society. The course will examine past ideas fostering distinctions between sexes, as well as surveying current Psychological research in this area. This course will be team taught by a historian and a psychologist. Prerequisite: Three hours of Social Science or consent. Of PY 381 and HI 381 only one may be taken for credit.

PY 382 Zoo Research (3)
Exploration of methods of observational research used to study behavior. Students will conduct supervised observations of animals or people at the Topeka Zoo. Prerequisite: PY 250.

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Psychology Minor

Students majoring in other areas but who wish to supplement their coursework with a variety of psychology courses should consider the minor in Psychology. A minor in Psychology consists of no less than 15 hours: a minimum of six hours of lower division courses and a minimum of nine hours of upper division courses. At least four hours must be taken at Washburn. Students should consult an advisor in the Psychology Department for selecting the most appropriate psychology courses to complement their major. Students must have a grade of C or better in each course applied to the minor.