Academic Bulletin Psychology - 2011-12

Currently viewing 2011-12 bulletin

Faculty: P. Bost (chair), C. Blaich^^^, K. Gunther, R. Horton, E. Olofson, N. Schmitzer-Torbert

^^^Administrative Leave, full year

Psychology is defined as “the science of behavior and mental processes, and the application of research findings to the solution of problems.” This definition encompasses an enormous number of specialty areas, and psychologists are the most diverse group of people in our society to share the same title. The core goals of the Psychology Department are:

• CONTENT: to acquire a degree of mastery of both factual and conceptual knowledge in several areas of psychology.
   
• THINKING SKILLS: to become habitually inquisitive, trustful of reason, and honest in facing personal biases; to actively evaluate knowledge and ideas.
   
• SELF-EXPRESSION: to become competent and confident in the oral and written skills needed to speak and write with facility and sophistication about psychological issues and research.
   
• THE METHODOLOGY OF PSYCHOLOGY: to acquire the ability to use the scientific method to generate and answer significant questions in an ethical manner, to demonstrate quantitative literacy, and to become increasingly independent in posing questions and pursuing answers through several research strategies.
   
• PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIETY: to understand the nature of the complex relationship between psychological inquiry and social policy; to think critically about how the results of psychological research are used and how they might be used in the future.
   
• HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: To understand and be able to evaluate critically the diversity of viewpoints about human nature and behavior represented over the course of psychology’s history.

Requirements for the Major:

• Introductory: Introduction to Psychology (Psychology 101) 
• Research: Research Methods & Statistics I and II (Psychology 201 and 202). Students are encouraged to begin this sequence in their sophomore year, especially if they are interested in graduate school or wish to study off-campus.
• Writing: Literature Review (Psychology 301; required starting with the class of 2011)
• Intermediate-Advanced Course Sequences: Any two of the following five 2-course sequences:
  1. Psychology 220 or 221: Child or Adult Development—Psychology 320: Research in Development
  2. Psychology 222: Social Psychology—Psychology 322: Research in Social Psychology
  3. Psychology 231: Cognition—Psychology 331: Research in Cognitive Psychology
  4. Psychology 232: Sensation & Perception—Psychology 332: Research in Sensation & Perception
  5. Psychology 233: Behavioral Neuroscience—Psychology 333: Research in Behavioral Neuroscience  
• Experimental-Physiological: At least one of the following four intermediate courses:
  1. Psychology 231: Cognition
  2. Psychology 232: Sensation and Perception
  3. Psychology 233: Behavioral Neuroscience 
  4. Psychology 235: Cognitive Neuropsychology
  Note: Completion of any of the following sequences also fulfills the Experimental-Physiological requirement: PSY 231/331, PSY 232/332, PSY 233/333. 
• Senior Project: Psychology 495/496
• Additional courses to bring total Psychology course-credits to a minimum of nine. Note: Students planning to apply to graduate school are strongly urged to take the maximum of 11 courses including a full credit of Independent Study (Psychology 387, 388).
• Biology Course: Psychology majors are required to take one of the following courses: Psychology 104, Biology 101, or Biology 111. This course should be taken by the end of the sophomore year.

Written Senior Comprehensive Examinations in Psychology require majors to (1) organize and synthesize information to support their thoughts on questions of broad interest to psychologists, (2) to demonstrate knowledge across major content areas of Psychology, and (3) to demonstrate competence with the scientific method and statistics.

Faculty Advisors: Majors are strongly urged to select an advisor from the Psychology Department when they declare their major.

Requirements for the Minor:

• Introductory: Introduction to Psychology (Psychology 101) 
• Research & Methods: Research Methods and Statistics I: Psychology 201.  
• At least one of following five courses:
  1. Child Development: Psychology 220
  2. Social Psychology: Psychology 222
  3. Cognition: Psychology 231
  4. Behavioral Neuroscience: Psychology 233
  5. Sensation & Perception: Psychology 232 
• Additional courses to bring total Psychology course-credits to a minimum of five. Students are strongly encouraged to take one upper level course that follows one of the seven listed above.

Off-Campus Study: Psychology majors and minors considering taking courses at other campuses, or abroad, should be aware that it is difficult to meet our Psychology 201 and 202 requirements at other schools. Because both courses combine research methods and statistics, most off campus statistics courses do not substitute for either requirement. This means you should plan to take Psychology 201 and 202 at Wabash. Permission to spend the junior year abroad requires completion of Psychology 201 and 202 prior to going off campus.

An Area of Concentration in Education and Middle and High School Teaching licensure (grades 5-12) with this major is administered through the Teacher Education Program. For Education AOC and teaching licensure information, please see the Teacher Education section of the Academic Bulletin. Students are asked to consult with their academic advisor AND the Director of Teacher Education to learn more about course and licensure requirements.