Requirements and Curriculum
Note: This information reflects the 2007-08 course catalog.
Requirements
Requirements for a major
The following psychology courses are required for a major: 130, two 200 level courses, 349, 350, two courses numbered between 351 and 359, one 400 level course and one elective. These psychology courses must be supported by math 130 (or above), two Natural World lab courses chosen from: biology 116 (or above), physics 151 (or above), chemistry 151 (or above) environmental science 133 (or above) or science (121) or above. Finally, majors must take either an additional Natural World course (outside of psychology) OR an additional Human Behavior course (outside of psychology).
Required for a minor
The following psychology courses are required for a minor: 130, 349, 350; one course numbered between 351 and 359, and two psychology electives approved in consultation with a member of the psychology department. If a statistics course judged comparable to 350 is taken in another department, substitute an additional elective course in psychology for 350.
Required for a second teaching area
Twenty-four hours including 130 and 350, and either 352 or 354, or completion of a 30-hour major in another social science plus 15 hours in psychology
Curriculum
130 General Psychology 4 hours
An introduction to the field of psychology intended for both majors and non-majors. Topics covered include social processes, personality, emotional disorders, development, thinking, testing, learning, motivation, perception, psychobiology, and animal behavior. This course is prerequisite to all other psychology courses. (HBSSM)
139, 239, 339, 439 Special Topics Credit arr.
185 First-year Seminar 4 hours
A variety of seminars for first-year students offered each January term.
240 Developmental Psychology 4 hours
Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that studies how people change as they age. This course focuses on the description, prediction, and explanation of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of age-related change, from conception to old age. Prerequisite: 130. (HB)
241 Psychology of Health and Illness 4 hours
This course deals with the scientific and professional contributions of the discipline of psychology to the promotion and maintenance of health; the prevention and treatment of illness; and the identification of etiologic and diagnostic correlates of health, illness, and related dysfunctions. Prerequisite: 130. (HB)
242 Evolutionary Psychology 4 hours
Evolutionary psychology applies the principles of Darwinian natural and sexual selection to the study of the human mind and behavior. The central assumption of the field is that the mind evolved to solve recurrent survival and reproduction problems in the ancestral environment. Selected topics within evolutionary psychology will be examined and critically evaluated. Prerequisite: 130. (HB)
243 Personality and Individual Differences 4 hours
An examination of the major psychological approaches to personality and topics such as cognitive ability, attitudes, and other latent structures underlying consistencies in behavior. Special attention will be given to certain selected theorists and their contrasting views of personal change/consistency, human nature, and psychological investigation. Prerequisite: 130. (HB)
244 Animal Cognition 4 hours
This course is an introduction to the study of cognition in animals, including how animals perceive, think, learn, remember, and communicate. We will explore these issues within both psychological and biological frameworks, and will include topics such as the evolution of intelligence, cognition as adaptation, animal consciousness, and language in apes. An emphasis on comparing animal cognitive processes to human cognition will be part of the course. Prerequisite: 130. (NWL)
249 Brain and Behavior 4 hours
This course will explore the biological basis of behavior through the examination of the tremendous advances in the fields of behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. The focus will be on stressing how the brain regulates human behavior, with emphasis on particular psychological topics such as developmental processes, perceptual processes, sleep, effects of drugs, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, thinking, and disorders; as well as biological topics such as neural communication, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, genetics, and medical applications. Recent research will be discussed in terms of its applications to understanding human behavior and brain disorders. Prerequisites: 130. (NWL, HB)
349 Research Methods in Psychology 4 hours
This course provides an introduction to the ways in which the scientific method is applied to psychology. Attention is given to the methods used by psychologists to describe, predict, and explain psychological phenomena. Students will learn the nature of observational, quasi-experimental, and experiemental methods, with a specific focus on issues of reliability and validity. Required for 352, 353, 354, and 356. Prerequisite: 130.
350 Behavioral Statistics 4 hours
A first course in statistics which introduces descriptive and inferential statistical tools as they apply to organization and analysis of data in the behavioral sciences. Required for 351, 352, 354 and 356. Prerequisites: 130; mathematics 110 or 130 or above (or equivalent).
352 Cognitive Processes 4 hours
A study of the mental processes involved in the acquisition, organization, representation, and retrieval of information by humans. Topics to be covered include attention, recognition memory, short-term and long-term memory, concept formation, problem solving, and creativity. Lecture, discussion, and weekly laboratories. Students conduct original research. Prerequisites: 130 and 350. (R, W)
353 Social Psychology 4 hours
Social psychology focuses on the processes of social influence and examines how we affect other people and how other people affect us. Some major topic areas include attitude formation and change, aggression, attraction, conformity, person perception and group processes. Lectures, discussions, and weekly laboratories will be held. Students will be involved in original research. Prerequisite: 130, 349, 350. (R, W)
354 Learning and Behavioral Theory 4 hours
A study of the basic theories, methodology, and findings in the areas of conditioning and discrimination learning for both humans and animals. Applications of behavioral theories, such as behavior modification, will be made throughout the course. Lecture, discussion, and weekly laboratories. Prerequisites: 130 and 350. (R, W)
356 Stress, Coping, and Well-Being 4 hours
This course focuses on psychological, biological, and social factors involved in stress, coping, and well-being. Correlates, causes, and consequences of stress will be examined, as will the role of appraisal and coping as mediating/moderating influences. Students will conduct and present original research on stress, coping, and well-being. Topics to be covered include: models of stress, measurement, stressful events, appriasals, coping, adaptation, and treatment. Prerequisites: 130 and 350. (R, W)
380 Internship Credit arr.
Supervised learning experience in a psychological work setting. Interested students should discuss internship well in advance of placement with the psychology internship adviser. Prerequisites: at least three courses (12 hours) in psychology, overall GPA of 2.5 or higher, and consent of the department. Students may not receive credit for more than four hours while at Luther.
389 Directed Research 1, 2, or 4 hours
Directed research involves students in research projects conducted under the supervision of departmental faculty. Encouraged for those students with expectations of graduate study. With the approval of the department, students may register for more than one semester. Prerequisites: two semesters of psychology, approval of the research director and the department head.
395 Independent Study 1, 2, or 4 hours
461 Industrial and Organizational Psychology 4 hours
This course focuses on the application of psychological methods and principles in business and industry. Emphasis is placed on the interaction of employees and their organization. Specific topics include leadership and supervision, job satisfaction, personnel practices, performance appraisal, and human factors research. Prerequisite: 130.
465 Abnormal Psychology 4 hours
An examination of the major psychological disorders including depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders, psychosomatic disorders, organic disorders, and the disorders of childhood. Emphasis is placed on the description and classification of psychopathology and on the research relating to etiology and treatment. Prerequisites: 130 and a 200-level course, junior status.
466 Psychological Tests and Measurement 4 hours
This course is designed to acquaint the student with psychological measurement, in general, and psychological tests, in particular. The course will survey the measurement of aptitude, personality, interest, and adjustment using objective tests, projective tests, rating scales, and interviews. The validity, reliability, and application of these measurement techniques will be emphasized. Prerequisites: 130, 350.
468 Introduction to Counseling 4 hours
An introduction to models of counseling with emphasis on selected processes and skills necessary to apply the models in a variety of settings. One class meeting per week is devoted to practice of skills. Other topics include professional ethics and the efficacy of major models of counseling. Prerequisites: 130 and 465, or consent of instructor.
485 Seminar Credit arr.
490 Senior Project 1, 2, or 4 hours
493 Senior Honors Project 4 hours
A year-long independent research project. Applications are completed on the “Honors Program” form available at the registrar’s office, requiring the signatures of a faculty supervisor, the department head, the honors program director, and the registrar. Interdisciplinary projects require the signatures of two faculty supervisors. The project must be completed by the due date for senior projects. The completed project is evaluated by a review committee consisting of the faculty supervisor, another faculty member from the major department, and a faculty member from outside the major department. All projects must be presented publicly. Only projects awarded an “A-” or “A” qualify for “department honors” designation. The honors project fulfills the all-college senior project requirement. (W, S, R)