2026-2027 Course Descriptions: Department of Psychology

2026-2027 Course Descriptions

Courses Primarily for Undergraduate Students

COG SCI 210 – Language & the Brain

The study of language and its biological basis from linguistic, psychological, and neuroscientific perspectives.

COG SCI 211 – Learning, Representation, & Reasoning

Interdisciplinary study of the nature of the mind with emphasis on learning, representation, and reasoning.

PSYCH 101 – First-Year Seminar: Psychology

Topics vary based on instructor and term

PSYCH 110 – Introduction to Psychology

A survey course reviewing primary psychological research and theories of human behavior. Laboratory experience exposes students to psychology as a research science.

PSYCH 201 – Statistical Methods in Psychology

Measurement; descriptive statistics; probability and sampling; T-test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite: 110; some college mathematics recommended.

PSYCH 213 – Social Psychology

(formerly PSYCH 204) Psychological processes underlying social behavior; topics include social cognition, attraction, aggression, prejudice, and behavior in groups. Prerequisite: Psych110- Introduction to Psychology.

PSYCH 215 – Psychology of Personality

Nature of personality and its development. Modern theoretical interpretations. Biological and social bases of individual differences. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 221 – Introduction to Neuroscience

(formerly PSYCH 212) Designed for students with no prior coursework in neuroscience or biology. Neurophysiology and neuroanatomy; neuroscience of perception, emotion, morality, memory, mental illness, and consciousness.

PSYCH 228 – Cognitive Psychology

Introduction to research into mental processes such as memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision making. Prerequisite: Psych 110-Introduction to Psychology.

PSYCH 244 – Developmental Psychology

(formerly PSYCH 218) Development of cognitive, social, and other psychological functions. Prerequisite: Psych110-Introduction to Psychology.

PSYCH 248 – Health Psychology

This course will provide an introduction to health psychology. The course will provide exposure to topics including stress and coping, personality and health, social support and health, health behaviors, and adjustment to chronic illnesses.

PSYCH 249 – Buddhist Psychology

Buddhist and scientific psychological views of mind and behavior; meditation techniques. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 301 – Research Methods

(Formerly Psych 205) Methods of psychological research; experimental design; reliability and validity; review and application of statistics; execution and reporting of psychological research. Prerequisite: 201. Must have class standing of sophomore or higher.

PSYCH 303 – Psychopathology

Understanding the nature of psychological, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Emphasis on current evidence regarding causes and characteristics of these disorders. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 306 – Introduction to Clinical Psychology

Definition and history of clinical psychology, personality theory in clinical psychology, diagnosis and classification of disorders, assessment, psychotherapy, and ethical issues. Prerequisite: 303.

PSYCH 308 – Cognitive Behavior Therapy

(formerly PSYCH 376) Scientific foundations of cognitive behavior therapy for a wide range of disorders. Focus on the rationale for different treatments and evidence of efficacy and process. Comparisons with other scientifically validated treatments. Prerequisite: Psych 303-Psychopathology.

PSYCH 313 - Relationship Science

Social-psychological analysis of close relationships, with an emphasis on romantic relationships. Interpersonal processes associated with relationship formation, development, and dissolution.

PSYCH 317 – The Holocaust - Psychological Themes & Perspectives

This course will be an exploration of how particular psychological theories and concepts can inform our understanding of the events of the Holocaust at both a group and individual level. Material from the fields of Social and Clinical Psychology will be a particular focus of the course. Six major topics will be explored vis-à-vis literature, historical accounts, film, and psychological theory: (1) Perpetrators and Bystanders; (2) Upstanders/Resisters; (3) Survivors; (4) Children of survivors; (5) Deniers; (6) Modern American Jewish identity, culture, and humor in the wake of the Holocaust.

PSYCH 324 – Perception

Human perception, particularly vision but also hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Biological foundations, development, and disorders of perception. The senses in everyday life. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 327 – Brain & Cognition

Neural bases of cognitive processing with emphases on neuroimaging approaches in the areas of encoding, perception, attention, memory, language, reading, motor control, and executive functioning.

PSYCH 330 – Special Topics in Cognition & Neuroscience

(Formerly PSYCH 316) Topic to be announced. Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 333 – Psychology of Thinking

Research methods and recent experimental findings for types of human thinking. Students conduct original research. Prerequisite: 228.

PSYCH 336 - Consciousness

Examines how psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and physicists have tackled fundamental questions about consciousness using empirical and theoretical methods.

PSYCH 340 – Psychology and Law

Examines the application of psychology to law, including topics such as the insanity defense, criminal profiling, eyewitness testimony, and interrogation. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 341 – Positive Psychology

Key developments in the field of positive psychology. Rudaimonic and hedonic well-being, mindfulness and flow, importance of social connections, emotional resilience, positive institutions. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 343 – Psychology of Beauty

Theory, methodology, and empirical data related to the psychological impact of human beauty. Emphasis on both cultural and evolutionary perspectives. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 345 – Presenting Ideas & Data

(Formerly Psych 245) Understanding principles of cognitive psychology, data visualization, and graphic design to present ideas and data in an engaging, clear, and memorable manner. PSYCH 345-0 and COG_SCI 345-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses.

PSYCH 350 – Special Topics in Psychology: The Psychology of Entrepreneurial Leaders

(Formerly PSYCH 314) This course will integrate current research on leadership and personality science within the context of entrepreneurialism. We will review current models of personality and leadership and extend this work to entrepreneurial leadership to better understand the characteristics and mechanisms underlying the ability of successful entrepreneurs to disrupt, innovate, and transform. In this course, we will define entrepreneurial leadership and examine aspects of personality that promote effective entrepreneurial leadership as well as those aspects that derail it. The full context of leadership personality will incorporate research on personality traits, motivations, identity, culture, the personality of teams, and the personality of companies. Assignments will include a series of self-assessments that encourage students to apply content from the course to their own leadership style, and personality-based analyses of successful founders.

PSYCH 350 – Special Topics in Psychology: Aging and Adult Development

(Formerly PSYCH 314) The number of older adults in the world is growing rapidly due to lengthening life expectancy and more effective treatments for diseases that in the past cut lives short at age 50 or younger. Scientists who study human development (e.g., developmental biologists, developmental psychologists, life-course sociologists) have primarily studied children. However, recent decades have witnessed much greater understanding of the profound changes that occur in adulthood and late life. This class will examine a number of key issues in the area of adult development and aging. While we will draw mainly on studies from the social and behavioral sciences, we will take an interdisciplinary approach and consider biological and biomedical studies as well.

PSYCH 364 – Social and Personality Development

Research methods, theories, and facts relating to the development and modification of attitudes and behavior. Prerequisites: 205; 213, 215, or 244.

PSYCH 366 – Stereotyping & Prejudice

Analysis of the causes and consequences of stereotyping and prejudice, as well as methods used to study these issues. Students conduct original research.

PSYCH 367 – Child Psychopathology

(formerly PSYCH 377) Major forms of psychopathology present during childhood, including disorders exclusive to childhood and those that may appear during any developmental period. Developmental models of the etiology and course of major psychopathologies. Prerequisites: 205; 244 or 303.

PSYCH 370 – Cognitive Development

Cognitive development in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Focus on theoretical explanations for cognitive change and development in core domains, including language, space, number, time, and social relations.

PSYCH 372 – Language & Cognition

Exposure to original research and theoretical perspectives on language and its relation to thought and behavior. Critical analysis of theories and methods. Topics may vary. Prerequisites: 205; 228 or COG SCI 211.

PSYCH 373 – Decision Making

(formerly PSYCH 335) Human decision-making from both descriptive and prescriptive perspectives. Theories and models of decision making applied to a variety of contexts. Prerequisites: 205, 228.

PSYCH 380 - Advanced Statistics and Experimental Design

This course focuses on the analysis of data, using computer software. The approach is conceptual. Important concepts include samples versus populations, normal curves and the central limit theorem, sampling distributions, standard errors, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the chi-squared test.

PSYCH 383 – Psychology & Food

Social, cultural, cognitive, evolutionary, and biological factors that influence food choice and consumption. Conducting and evaluating research on eating behavior. Students conduct original research.

PSYCH 387 – Consumer Psychology & Marketing Research

Application of psychological theories, findings, and methodologies to marketing research questions and problems. Students conduct a marketing research project for an actual client. Prerequisite: 205.

PSYCH 390 – Advanced Seminar in Personality, Clinical, or Social Psychology

Discussion and critical analysis of research methods and findings in an area of personality, clinical, and/or social psychology. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 391 – Advanced Seminar in Cognition or Neuroscience

Discussion and critical analysis of research methods and findings in an area of cognitive psychology and/or neuroscience. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 392 – Advanced Seminar

Discussion and critical analysis of research methods and findings in psychology. Interdisciplinary focus, often spanning natural and social science aspects of psychology. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 397 – Advanced Supervised Research-1

Design, implementation, and reporting of a psychology research project. Weinberg College limits on 398 and 399 enrollments also apply to 397.Prerequisites: PSYCH 205-0 and consent of instructor; PSYCH 397-2 must be taken with the same professor as PSYCH 397-1.

PSYCH 397-2 – Advanced Supervised Research-2

PSYCH 398-1,2,3 – Senior Thesis Seminar

Open only to students pursuing departmental honors. They must apply for admission in spring quarter of junior year.

PSYCH 399 – Independent Study

Consent of instructor required. Generally limited to juniors and seniors. See department requirements for eligibility.

Courses Primarily for Graduate Students

PSYCH 401-1 – Psychology Proseminar: Biological and Cognitive Bases of Behavior

Understanding how brain-imaging techniques apply to the understanding of cognition.

PSYCH 401-2 – Psychology Proseminar: Social and Personality Bases of Behavior

Survey of theory and research in the social and personality bases of behavior.

PSYCH 403 – Clinical Prosem

Survey of theory and research in the social and personality bases of behavior.

PSYCH 411-1,2,3 – Clinical Psychology Practicum

No description available.

PSYCH 412-1,2,3 – Assessment Practicum

Didactic and applied instruction in diagnosis of psychological disorders; diagnostic interviewing, organic assessment, and personality assessment. Arranged with the clinical program director. Three-quarter sequence.

PSYCH 413-1,2,3 – Anxiety: Assessment & Treatment

This practicum will cover the theory, history, empirical evidence, and clinical techniques on the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders, emphasizing cognitive-behavioral approaches

PSYCH 414-1,2,3 – Depression: Assessment & Treatment

No description available.

PSYCH 415-1,2,3 – Treatment Practicum: Family & Systems Approach

No description available.

PSYCH 416-1,2,3 – Treatment Practicum: DBT

Strategies and tactics of dialectical behavior therapy for effectively treating complex, multi-problem, difficult-to-treat populations.

PSYCH 417-1,2,3 – Child Intervention

Clinical Practicum Training.

PSYCH 421-1 – Psychopathology

Research and theories on the origins of various forms of psychopathology. Topics include schizophrenia, addictive disorders, psychopathy, personality disorders, eating disorders, psychosexual disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders. Also, issues regarding classification of psychiatric disorders. Two-quarter sequence.

PSYCH 428 – Overview of Health Psychology

Overview of research, theories, and methods in health psychology, emphasizing links between the social world and biology.

PSYCH 434 – Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

Conceptual and methodological issues in research in psychopathology and psychotherapy.

PSYCH 446 – Memory & Cognition

Theories of encoding and retrieval processes, semantic memory, automatic and strategic processes, and memory structure of text.

PSYCH 451-1 – Statistics in Experimental Design

Design and analysis of experiments. Emphasis on analysis of variance techniques.

PSYCH 453 – Linear Models: Correlation and Regression

Linear models approach to design and analysis of experiments and quasi-experiments. Basic concepts in correlation and regression: partial and semipartial correlation, matrix notation, least squares methods, and dummy variables.

PSYCH 460 – Topics in Cognition

Current research and theory in cognitive psychology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PSYCH 466 – Analogy and Similarity

Psychology of comparison, including theories of similarity, analogy and metaphor in psychology and artificial intelligence; processes of transfer, comparison in decision making; analogy in mental models and folk theories; and development of analogy and similarity.

PSYCH 467 – Culture, Language, and Cognition

Survey of theory, data, and methods in cultural research on language and cognition. Focus is on empirical research and its relation to cognitive psychology.

PSYCH 470 – Topics in CAN

Current research and theory in brain, behavior, and cognition. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PSYCH 481 – Theories of Social Psychology

Introductory overview of social psychology for graduate students, with a focus on recent and classic theories and their empirical support.

PSYCH 485 – Psychology of Attitudes

Surveys social psychological theory and attitudes. Considers attitude measurement, attitude structure, attitudes as predictors of behavior, and attitude change.

PSYCH 489 – Topics in Social Psychology

No description available.

PSYCH 494 – Personality Theory & Research

This seminar provides an advanced introduction to personality science, with emphasis on the development of personality across the human life course. The class considers theory and research on individual differences in dispositional personality traits, values and goals, and narrative constructions of the self.