The
University Senate of Michigan Technological University
PROPOSAL 4-04
(Voting Units: Academic
Departments)
BS PROGRAM IN PSYCHOLOGY
The Senate approves the
program as described below.
This proposal
is a formal request that Michigan Technological University offer a Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology. A program in Psychology will draw on strong US
undergraduate demand (currently 75,000 degrees awarded per year; comparable to
engineering, business and life sciences); will help MTU meet diversity goals
(75% of psychology graduates nationally are women) and will allow MTU to
enhance revenue rather than cutting costs to improve financial stability. Adding this major will increase the
university's recruiting potential and will improve retention by offering
students an important alternative to transferring to another school. MTU offers far fewer choices of majors than
any other public university in the state. A psychology major will improve MTU's
competitiveness with other state institutions. Beyond the State of Michigan,
all but one of MTU’s Benchmark Universities also offer bachelors degree
programs in Psychology. A psychology
program will foster synergies in teaching and research with existing MTU
strengths such as Engineering (Human Factors), Business
(Industrial/Organizational Psychology) and Environmental and Life Sciences
(biopsychology). A program in
Psychology will complement the strength of MTU’s current specialties by
promoting a focus on the “builders and users” of the tools and products of
science and engineering.
B. The need for a program in Psychology:
Psychology
on a National Level:
Nationally,
more than 74,000 students were awarded Bachelors degrees in Psychology in
1999-2000 (US Department of Education, National Center of Education
Statistics). Figure 1 demonstrates how the field of psychology compares with
core MTU strengths by examining the percent of all conferred Bachelors degrees
in the United States across several majors currently offered at MTU. Importantly, 6% of all Bachelors degrees in
1999-2000 were in the field of psychology, accounting for a larger percentage
than any of the other degree areas.
Some predict the field of psychology will see even more popularity in
the near future, as the recent traumas suffered through the hands of terrorism,
war, natural disasters, and technological disasters focus even more attention
on human-welfare related issues (American Psychological Association).
Of
the bachelor’s degrees awarded in psychology in 1999-2000, over 56,000 were to
women (See figure 2). Psychology has
seen tremendous growth over the past 50 years, with the percentage of women in
the field rising sharply. Because fewer
than 20% of students in engineering fields are women, addition of a psychology
program will contribute to the goal of enhancing gender diversity on campus.
Psychology
at Michigan Universities
Examining
all 15 Michigan State Universities reveals that on a state level, the
popularity of psychology is similar to national levels. In 2001, 5.2% of all bachelor level degrees
awarded by Michigan Universities were in the field of Psychology. For comparison purposes, 2.3% of degrees
were in Computer and Information Sciences, 8.5% were in Engineering fields
(over 20% of Michigan’s Engineering degrees were awarded by MTU), 4.5% were in
Biological and Life Sciences, 1.3% in Physical Sciences, and 1% in the field of
Mathematics. All of the other 14
Michigan Universities offer bachelors programs in psychology. Figure 3 demonstrates the percentage of
total degrees at each university that were awarded in the fields of psychology
and engineering.
Psychology
at Benchmark Institutions:
MTU’s
Benchmarks all offer degree programs in psychology (with the exception of the
Colorado School of Mines). An average
of 37 degrees were conferred in psychology at each of our Benchmark
Institutions in 2001 (excluding the Colorado School of Mines). Both Carnegie Melon and Lehigh, conferring a
total number of degrees similar to MTU (approximately 1000 each), matriculated
over 50 students in psychology in 2001 (See Table 1).
Table
1. Degrees Conferred at MTU Benchmarks
in 2001 by Major
Institution Name |
Total Degrees in
2001 |
Engineering |
Bio/Life Sci |
Comp/ Info Sci |
Phys Sci |
Psych |
MTU |
996 |
620 |
65 |
48 |
19 |
0 |
Cal
Poly |
3509 |
739 |
211 |
68 |
36 |
96 |
COL
SCH OF MINES |
539 |
440 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
GEORGIA
INST.TECH |
2157 |
1226 |
70 |
238 |
53 |
16 |
U
OF MISSOURI-ROLLA |
742 |
557 |
14 |
92 |
22 |
22 |
CLARKSON
|
512 |
247 |
23 |
25 |
15 |
11 |
RENSSELAER |
1200 |
592 |
38 |
193 |
25 |
7 |
CARNEGIE
MEL |
1178 |
291 |
27 |
231 |
38 |
52 |
LEHIGH |
1079 |
299 |
51 |
64 |
27 |
58 |
Psychology
at MTU:
As reflected above and in current MTU policy and discussions, the need for expanding degree programs is of utmost importance as the university seeks to attract new students and retain current students. MTU currently offers only 37 bachelors level degree programs. Lake Superior State University, with approximately half our enrollment, also offers 37 degree programs. Michigan Universities with similar enrollments offer an average of 63% more choices in majors for students:
Institutions with similar enrollment: |
Total Undergrad Enrollment (2002) |
Bachelors Degrees Offered |
|
LAKE
SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY |
3110 |
37 |
|
UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN-FLINT |
5879 |
62 |
|
MICHIGAN
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY |
5931 |
37 |
|
UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN-DEARBORN |
6326 |
56 |
|
SAGINAW
VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY |
7320 |
62 |
|
NORTHERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY |
7724 |
61 |
|
While MTU has developed some new bachelors level degree programs recently, most have been variations of current programs. Currently, MTU offers few alternatives to the student who decides not to continue in Engineering or science degree programs. Combining the effects of a drop in enrollment over the past 20 years, financial difficulties due to the economy, less state support, and a variety of other factors, MTU is in great need of degree programs that will attract new students (particularly students who may not otherwise be interested in MTU, especially females). The university also needs additional retention tools for those who may not wish to continue in their current major. A Psychology program would complement our current strengths, given the growth of career subfields such as I/O, Human Factors, and Biopsychology.
The national and state data regarding the
“popularity” of psychology programs are clear.
While this document focuses on the need of a program from the
University’s perspective, a brief narrative regarding outcomes from a student’s
perspective is warranted.
About 20% of psychology majors go on to graduate school
(Psychology/Careers, 1996). The remaining 80% seek employment after graduation.
Many researchers have reported that psychology graduates are generally
successful at finding satisfactory jobs in a wide variety of occupations (e.g.,
Clay, 1996; Hayes, 1997). According to
the American Psychological Association, most baccalaureate graduates
find jobs in administrative support, public affairs, education, business,
sales, service industries, health, the biological sciences, and computer
programming. They work as employment counselors, correction counselor trainees,
interviewers, personnel analysts, probation officers, and writers. Jessica
Kohout, PhD, director of the American Psychological Association’s Research
Office, foresees that areas such as technology, cultural diversity, and medical
delivery will recruit high numbers of psychologists in the coming years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics also has a bright outlook for psychologists. In its 1998-99
Occupational Outlook Handbook, the bureau forecasts that more job opportunities
will arise in businesses, nonprofit organizations and research and computer
firms for psychologists working as consultants. Trends of graduates in psychology are pictured below:
C. Relevance to MTU
Strategic Plan:
GOAL 1: Provide an outstanding and relevant learning environment,
consistent with a national university of choice
·
As per the strategic
plan, “many of the new industries are related to emerging areas of science and
technology that are interdisciplinary.”
While this proposal is for a general psychology program, our goal is to
build on the university's existing strengths by emphasizing subfields such as
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Business & Psychology), Human Factors
psychology (Engineering + Psychology) and Biopsychology (Biology and
Environmental Sciences + Psychology).
GOAL 2: Expand our scholarship and
research activities, sustaining successful existing programs while pursuing new
endeavors in carefully targeted areas.
·
While psychology is
not one of the listed program areas in MTU’s strategic plan, MTU clearly
desires to align themselves with the National Science Foundations Priority
Areas (Strategic Plan, Goal 2). The NSF
currently lists Human and Social Dynamics (HSD) as a priority area.
According to the NSF, this priority area aims to better understand the
causes and ramifications of change in our quickly changing workplace/world; to
improve the understanding of the dynamics of behavior and the human mind; and
to advance knowledge of the cognitive and social structures that create and
define change and to help people and organizations better manage profound or
rapid change.
·
A program in
psychology, with future interdisciplinary degree options, will assist in this
goal by providing a fundamental understanding within and across the social and
behavioral science disciplines, which is critical to the advancement of science
and engineering disciplines.
GOAL 3: Identify the best size and blend for our educational programs,
which have a diverse student body, faculty, and staff.
In sum, a program in psychology specifically addresses several
challenges facing MTU (as per MTU
Strategic Plan; II Our Current Context; quoted from www.mtu.edu/stratplan/context.html):
D. Related
Programs
MTU
currently has no similar programs, although interdisciplinary teaching,
research, and curriculum will be actively pursued following implementation of
the degree program. The degree program
will begin as a generalist program, suggesting concentration areas for
electives and distribution courses that would allow students to focus
interdepartmentally. The goal is to
develop interdepartmental majors, such as Psychology and Engineering,
Biopsychology, or Industrial Psychology, within 5 years.
A
majority of the programs offered in psychology nationally are general
programs. A recent trend, however, is
for programs to offer concentrations and specialized majors combining
curricular areas such as psychology and business or engineering. Specifically, departments at many
technological universities differ from the generalist approach taken at more
comprehensive universities by emphasizing the more technical areas of the field
of psychology such as human factors, cognitive science, artificial
intelligence, etc. Offering concentrations and specialized majors
may be an effective marketing strategy (Messer, Griggs, & Jackson,
1999). For example, the American Psychological Association, Division of Applied
Experimental and Engineering Psychology
(www.apa.org/divisions/div21/Introduction/about_division_21.html)
states:
“Many U.S. universities
offer integrated programs of courses and experiences in psychology designed to
prepare the student for Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology
careers, and the list is growing. Also, many schools offer specialized training
in the related field of Human Factors and Ergonomics. “
Universities that currently offer specialized programs, in
addition to a general psychology option include Georgia Tech (business
specialty; also graduate programs in Engineering psychology), Tufts
(biopsychology, Engineering Psychology), High Pont (Industrial/Organizational
Concentration) and Case Western Reserve (I/O concentration). Offering specialty areas at the undergraduate
level is a new, but growing trend that would be advantageous to MTU
graduates. The long-term programmatic
goal is to create interdisciplinary career options to assist in making MTU a
national school of choice!
Program
Administration
The program in Psychology will be administered through the Department
of Education, College of Sciences and Arts, which currently oversees MTU’s
minor in Psychology.
E. Faculty Resources and Institutional Impact
Enrollment Predictions:
Ø Year one and
two Goal: 10 new students per year.
Until marketing of the program can occur, we expect current MTU students to
migrate to the program.
Ø Year three and
four goal: 20 new students per year. Given the proportion of psychology degrees
nationally and in Michigan, this conservative estimate should result in total
enrollment in the program of approximately 60 students by year four, with
psychology degrees accounting for approximately 2 percent of annual degrees
conferred at MTU.
Ø Year five and
beyond: As the program gains
a strong reputation through marketing and outcomes, we anticipate attracting
approximately 30 students per year (still a conservative estimate given the
state and national rates of 5 – 6%). We
believe a majority of these students will be from a new market. We also do not expect to have a major impact
on any program areas currently offered at MTU, as most internal transfers to
the psychology program will be students who would otherwise transfer out of
MTU. This would put total enrollment in
the program at approximately 90-120 students in the long term.
Personnel Needs:
Ø The Department of Education currently has two tenure-track
Psychologists on faculty, who teach a total of 4 courses per semester. Additionally, adjunct funding has been
sought every semester for the past 3 years to offer an additional 1 or 2 courses
per semester. To offer a major that
requires 36 credits of psychology coursework, an estimated 8 - 10 courses per
semester will be offered. Thus, we will need one additional tenure track
faculty line (to begin year 2 of the program), and adjunct funds for up to 4
courses per semester (once the program has enough students, we will request
that the adjunct funding by replaced with funding for a fourth tenure track
faculty line).
F. Facilities and Equipment
Equipment/Supplies/Costs:
Included
in resource analysis table on page 11 (below).
Lab/Office
Space:
We
will need laboratory and office space for 1 new tenure track faculty, and a
shared office space for adjunct/work study support. We will also need one additional office for a current faculty. Office and lab space are currently shared.
Shared space will be ineffective with the new advising and directed study
loads. We currently have one modest lab
that is shared research space for the two faculty Psychologists.
Classroom
Space:
Given
the current lack of dedicated classroom space, the laptop computer and portable
projector requested for marketing purposes will also be used for teaching. No additional costs are necessary.
Library:
Given
the ease of ordering publications from your desktop computer, the addition of
new journals is not absolutely necessary.
However, enhancing our electronic database search engine PsychFirst is
required. MTU currently offers database
search access to psychology publications from only the preceding three years. Access to the entire database will be
essential for faculty, and very attractive for students. New library costs are summarized below:
(These costs were estimated in
consultation with Ellen Seidel):
·
$3000.00 one-time
allotment for the library to purchase core monographs in the area of
psychology, allowing the purchase of approximately 90 hard and soft-cover items
·
$350.00 per faculty
member for full electronic searching abilities through
PsycINFO
in journal, book, and book chapter, and dissertation records (1887–present) and
PsycARTICLES records (1988–present).
This search capability would not
be available for students to use. Their
searches would be limited to our library’s current subscription to FirstSearch. MTU
currently pays approximately $1700 per year for the current level of use (about
1950 searches per year at 85 cents per search).
·
For a cost of
approximately $10,000, MTU could offer full database search capability of the
psychology literature to all faculty and staff. This, obviously, is the most desirable option.
·
Additional
Interlibrary loan costs would be generated for the library.
Marketing:
A
laptop computer and portable projector for marketing presentations at local and
regional high schools, conferences, etc. (approx. $3000.00) will be
needed. Additionally, the program will
be advertised to all prospective students and accepted new students through
email. Incoming students will be
informed about the program through advising and orientation sessions. In addition to the computer and projector,
the costs of printing brochures, new letterhead, and other start-up supplies
will be necessary.
Computing
Facilities:
As
the Department of Education offers only certificate programs, we currently have
no student computer facilities. With the
implementation of a Bachelors Program in Psychology, collaboration with another
department for student computer facilities will be required. Estimated cost is $150.00 - $200.00 per
semester for each student.
G. Schedule
The
program in Psychology is proposed to begin Fall semester 2004. At that time, we
anticipate having some of our current Minor students transfer into the
program. First year efforts will be
focused on advertising, with new MTU students arriving on campus specifically
for the psychology program anticipated in the fall of 2005. A few degrees may be awarded by 2006, but
the first significant graduating class will likely occur in 2009.
H. Curriculum Structure Total Credits Required: 126
Core Requirements: 13 credits
UN
1001 Perspectives on Inquiry 3 credits
UN
1002 World Cultures 4 credits
UN2001
Revisions 3
credits
UN2002
Institutions 3
credits
Distribution Courses: 15 credits
World
Cultures and Institutions serve as prerequisites for the 15-credit distribution
requirement. The distribution courses are divided into two lists: World
Cultures and Institutions. Students must take six credits from each list. The
final three credits can come from either list. Note the following restrictions:
·
If a course is labeled
“activities,” a student may apply no more than three credits of approved
activities courses to satisfy this requirement;
·
A maximum of six credits of 2000-level
courses may be used to meet the distribution requirement;
·
Psychology courses that are also listed as
Distribution courses can apply to only the distribution requirement or the
major requirement, not both.
Science/Math Requirements: 16 credits
Required for Psych Major:
MA
1032 (or higher) 4
credits
MA
2720 4
credits
BL
1040 (with lab) 4 credits
Any
Science, Math, Eng, CS Course 4
credits
Co-Curricular Activities (PE) 3
credits
Psychology
Requirements:(new courses are denoted with a ٭): 39 credits
Required
Psychology Core 12
credits
PSY
2000 Principles of Psychology 3
credits
PSY
2500 Freshman Seminar٭ 1 credit
PSY
4000 Experimental Methods I (name change) 3
credits
PSY
4001 Experimental Methods II 3 credits
PSY
4500 Senior Seminar٭ 2 credits
Biological
Bases (Choose One of the Following Courses) 3 credits
PSY
3060 Physiological Psychology 3 credits
PSY
3160 Sensation and Perception٭ 3 credits
Human Service
Bases (Choose One of the Following Courses)
3 credits
PSY
3030 Abnormal Psychology 3 credits
PSY
3010 Theories of Personality 3 credits
Content Areas (Choose 2 of
the following courses) 6
credits
PSY
3050 Developmental Psychology 3 credits
PSY 4110 Learning 3 credits
Elective
Courses (Choose from any of the following courses) -- 15 credits
PSY
3070 Cross Cultural Psychology 3 credits
ED
3112 Psych. Foundations of Learning 3 credits
PSY
4120 Engineering Psych٭ 3 credits
PSY
4020 I/O Psych٭ 3 credits
PSY
4220 Psychology and Law٭ 3
credits
PSY 2100 Counseling
Psychology 3 credits
PSY 2200 Behavior
Modification 3 credits
PSY
3090 Directed Study in Research٭ 1-3
credits
PSY
3095Directed Study - UGTA٭ 1-3 credits
PSY
4090 Independent Study in Psych 1-3 credits
*No more than
6 credits from Directed Study/Independent Study can apply to the major
*courses not
used to meet biological, human service, or content requirements may be used as
Psychology electives.
Resources:
An
analysis of the financial support required for the proposed program in
Psychology is in the table below. The
table illustrates the tuition dollars generated (accounting for retention rates
and discounted tuition) and costs of personnel through year 6 of the proposed
program (2010). Given the conservative
estimates of students expected, the program is expected to generate
approximately $180,000 annually by 2010.
Resource Analysis for Proposed
Program in Psychology
PSYCHOLOGY
MAJOR |
assumptions
(can be changed) |
2004-05
(Year 1) |
2005-06
(Year 2) |
2006-07
(Year 3) |
2007-08
(Year4) |
2008-09
(Year 5) |
2009-10
(Year 6) |
|
retention
rate |
0.875 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
discounted
tuition |
$4,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[ instate
tuition (30CRx$230) ] |
$6,900 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004-05 |
|
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
- |
|
|
2005-06 |
|
|
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
- |
|
2006-07 |
|
|
|
20 |
18 |
15 |
13 |
|
2007-08 |
|
|
|
|
20 |
18 |
15 |
|
2008-09 |
|
|
|
|
|
30 |
26 |
|
2009-10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
total
enrollment |
|
10 |
19 |
36 |
52 |
70 |
85 |
(steady
state) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
discounted
tuition revenue |
|
$45,000 |
$84,375 |
$163,828 |
$233,350 |
$312,803 |
$382,324 |
382,324 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 tt
assistant |
$62,550 |
|
62,550 |
62,550 |
62,550 |
125,100 |
125,100 |
125,100 |
1
instructor/lecturer |
$44,480 |
44,490 |
44,490 |
44,490 |
44,490 |
|
|
|
one-time
startup |
$15,000 |
|
15,000 |
|
|
15,000 |
|
|
one-time
library |
$3,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
one-time
marketing/recruiting |
$5,000 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
$350/faculty
search abilities |
$350 |
700 |
1,050 |
1,050 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
full
database search for faculty &students |
$11,258 |
|
|
|
$11,258 |
$11,258 |
$11,258 |
$11,258 |
faculty
computing |
$800 |
|
800 |
800 |
800 |
1,600 |
1,600 |
1,600 |
new
GTA Sci&Arts |
$16,000 |
|
|
16,000 |
32,000 |
48,000 |
64,000 |
64,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
total
expense |
|
50,190 |
128,890 |
124,890 |
151,098 |
200,958 |
201,958 |
201,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
net
profit/loss |
|
($5,190) |
($44,515) |
$38,938 |
$82,252 |
$111,845 |
$180,366 |
$180,366 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cumulative
profit/loss |
|
($5,190) |
($49,705) |
($10,767) |
$71,485 |
$183,329 |
$363,696 |
$544,062 |
Appendix A
Description of
Subfields in Psychology
Psychology
is the science that studies behavior and mental processes. This means that
psychologists use EMPIRICAL methods to understand and predict behavior, to
develop procedures for changing behavior and to evaluate their effectiveness;
they demand evidence to support their beliefs. There are many sub-fields within
psychology, each attempting to explain behavior from a different perspective.
People often misperceive the field of psychology as being stereotyped by the
Clinical Psychologist (diagnosis and treatment of disorders). In fact, there
are many different types of psychologists, many of which engage in research,
consulting, and academics instead of therapeutic practices. As the field of psychology has changed tremendously
over the past few decades, it would be useful to review some of the current
subfields in the field of Psychology (in addition to Clinicians):
Ø
Environmental Psychologists are concerned with the relations
between psychological processes and physical environments. These environments
range from homes and offices to urban areas and regions. They may do basic
research (i.e., attitudes toward different environments, sense of personal
space) or applied (i.e., evaluating an office design, assessing the psychological
impact of a plan to build a new waste-treatment plant).
Ø
Experimental Psychologists are a diverse group of psychologists
who conduct research on and often teach about a variety of basic behavioral
processes including learning, sensation, perception, human performance,
motivation, memory, language, thinking, and communication; and the
physiological processes underlying behaviors such as eating, reading, and
problem solving.
Ø
Industrial/Organizational Psychologists are concerned
with the relation between people and work. Their interests include
organizational structure and organizational change; workers' productivity and
job satisfaction; consumer behavior, selection, placement, training, and
development of personnel; the interaction between humans and machines;
development (translating the results of research into usable products or
procedures); and problem solving.
Ø
Consumer Psychologists are industrial/organizational
psychologists whose interests lie in consumers' reactions to a company's products
or services and develop strategies for marketing products. They also try to
improve the acceptability and the safety of products and to help the consumer
make better decisions.
Ø
Human Factors/Engineering Psychologists are I/O
psychologists concerned with improving the interaction between humans and their
working environments, including jobs and the contexts in which they are
performed. They help design systems that require people and machines to
interact, such as video-display units; they may also develop aids for training
people to use those systems. Although all aspects of human function in work and
learning environments is examined, human factors research today has several
"hot" areas, including:
Ø
Information Technology (tremendous
effort has been spent on studying how to improve the interaction between humans
and computers)
Ø
Efficiency and Error (i.e.,
technological complexity and recent disasters with nuclear reactors, oil
spills, and airline safety has led to an intense focus on improving efficiency and
reducing error),
Ø
Medicine and Health (i.e.,
increasing use of various prosthetic devices comes an increase in the
possibility of error in design and use).
Ø
Environment (i.e., How we
get people to interact with the environmental system looms as the most
important issue confronting engineering psychology as efforts are made to
ensure that technology does not afford or foster negative environmental impact)
Ø
Personnel Psychologists are industrial/organizational
psychologists who develop and validate procedures to select and evaluate
personnel. They may, for example, develop instruments and guides for
interviewers to use in screening applicants for positions, or they may work
with management and union representatives to develop criteria for assessing
employees' performance.
Ø
Biological Psychology is that branch of psychology that
includes studies of the various biological bases of behavior. These include the
study of neuroanatomy and physiology, the influences of hormones and other
chemicals both andogenous and exogenous, and the genetics and heritability of
behavioral traits. Biological psychology is one of a group of brain sciences
called the neurosciences, which focuses on diverse aspects of the nervous
system, while biological psychologists in particular are more specifically
interested in the biology of behavior.
Ø
School Psychologists are concerned with the intellectual,
educational, social and emotional development of children. They are also
concerned with creating environments that facilitate learning and mental
health. They may evaluate and plan programs for children with special needs, or
deal with less severe problems such as disruptive behavior in the classroom.
They sometimes engage in program development and staff consultation to prevent
problems.
Ø
Social Psychologists study how people interact with each
other and how their social environments affect them. They study individuals as
well as groups, observable behaviors, and private thoughts. Topics of interest
include personality theories, the formation of attitudes and attitude change,
attractions between people such as friendship and love, prejudice, group
dynamics, and violence and aggression.
Ø
Clinical Psychologists—who constitute the largest
specialty—usually work in counseling centers, independent or group practices,
hospitals, or clinics. They help mentally and emotionally disturbed clients
adjust to life and may help medical and surgical patients deal with illnesses
or injuries. Some work in physical rehabilitation settings, treating patients
with spinal cord injuries, chronic pain or illness, stroke, arthritis, and
neurologic conditions. Others help people deal with times of personal crisis,
such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
Appendix B
New Course Descriptions
Course Descriptions for new courses
PSY 2500 -
Freshman Seminar (1, spring)
Students considering or registered as Psychology
majors will examine the field of psychology and major degree requirements. Students will develop an undergraduate plan
of study focused on the goal of graduate school admission or career
preparation.
PSY 4001 -
Experimental Methods II (3)
Second course in psychological research methodology
& statistics, both experimental and non-experimental. Students design,
execute, interpret, and report psychological research.
PSY 4500 - Senior Seminar: Psychology Capstone (2)
Focusing on career preparation or application to
graduate programs, an intensive exploration into an aspect (e.g., teaching,
service, research) and area (e.g., experimental, developmental, clinical) of
psychology will enhance learning and unify knowledge and experiences acquired
as a psychology major.
PSY 3160 - Sensation & Perception (3)
Survey of theories and empirical findings in the
study of sensation and perception. Some
of the topics covered are vision, audition, pain perception, illusions, pattern
recognition and perceptual development.
PSY 2100 - Counseling Psychology (3)
A survey of the current practice of and basic issues
in counseling. Topics include theories
of counseling, the counseling process, and applications of counseling such as
family, group, and health counseling.
PSY 4110 – Learning (3)
Fundamental concepts of learning with emphasis on
classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. This course includes analysis of major
theories of learning including works of Thorndike, Pavlov, Skinner, and Tolman.
PSY 4120 - Engineering Psychology
Application
of principles of experimental psychology to analysis of interaction of the
human operator with machine systems and work environments; emphasis on
psychological aspects of human performance.
Prerequisite: PSY 2000
PSY 2200 -
Behavior Modification (3)
An introduction to techniques of behavior
modification. Both theory and application of behavioral techniques will be
covered with special emphasis on their use in education, child rearing,
clinics, and self modification.
PSY 4020 -
Industrial / Organizational Psychology (3)
The psychology of work and organizations.
Introduction to the use and application of psychology in the workplace. Focus is on the development of employees and
organizational structure, and social behavior including the management of work
groups and organizations.
Prerequisite: PSY 2000
PSY 4220 - Psychology and Law (3)
Study of the relationship between psychology and the
legal system. A variety of areas are examined, including social, cognitive,
developmental, and clinical psychology.
Prerequisite: PSY 2000
Draft of 9 October 2003