PSYCHOLOGY
Department of Psychology
Debra C. Steckler, Chair
Steve Hampton and Miriam Liss, Career Advisors
B. David MacEwen, Internship Advisor
Mindy J. Erchull, Psi Chi Advisor
Faculty
Distinguished Professor
Roy H. Smith
Professors
Christopher T. Kilmartin
B. David MacEwen
Christine A. McBride
Denis Nissim-Sabat
Larry W. Penwell
Associate Professors
Steve R. Hampton
David W. Kolar
Miriam N. Liss
Jennifer R. Mailloux
Debra C. Steckler
Assistant Professors
Mindy J. Erchull
Virginia H. Mackintosh
David A. Rettinger
Holly H. Schiffrin
The Psychology Program
The psychology major provides students with a sound introduction to psychology as a scientific discipline, including both traditional areas and more recent trends and theoretical developments. Psychology majors receive extensive training in methodology and statistics. The study of psychology emphasizes critical thinking and the development of writing, oral communication and research skills.
Students are exposed to the variety of subject areas that define the field of psychology and are given the opportunity for hands-on, empirical work. Many students work on research teams and do year-long research projects under the direction of an individual faculty member. A variety of internships are offered at local businesses and social service agencies.
Course sequences prepare students for either graduate work or employment immediately after graduation. Employment options include research in various business settings; social work; human resource management; computer applications; and counseling and case management in social service and mental health settings like probation and parole, mental retardation, substance abuse, and adolescent/adult group homes. The curriculum also provides an excellent preparation for professional school and graduate study in psychology. Courses offered in collaboration with Business Administration explore the application of psychological principles and research methods to various work environments for students interested in careers in management, human resources, organizational behavior, organizational development, and industrial/organizational psychology.
The department sponsors a chapter of Psi Chi, the national honorary society in psychology, which annually sponsors an undergraduate research symposium at which students present both course and team research projects. Students are encouraged to be members of the Virginia Psychological Association and present their research at meetings of the Association. Each year the department awards several scholarships: the J. Christopher Bill Scholarship in Psychology to an outstanding rising senior in psychology, Minnie Rob Phaup Memorial Scholarships to junior and senior psychology majors, and the Burney Lynch Parkinson Memorial Scholarship to a student interested in education.
The department also presents the Outstanding Senior Psychology Award to a graduating major. Department facilities include computer laboratories suitable for both general student use and specialized work in cognition, sensation and perception, and physiological psychology; an animal laboratory complete with a vivarium, surgery, shop, and computerized experimental controls; a computerized video laboratory for studying social, developmental, and group processes; a number of rooms and a variety of equipment suitable for conducting empirical research with human participants; facilities for psychological testing; and computerized physiographs for use in experimental and clinical applications.
Requirements for the Psychology Major
Thirty-nine (39) credits in Psychology courses, including 100, 261, 360, 362, and 421; and at least one course from each of the following four groupings: (1) 372, 373, 374, 375, 381; (2) 301, 311, 320, 331, 332, 333, 342; (3) 305, 307, 385, 392, 394, 453; and (4) 321, 491 (minimum of 4 credits over 2 successive semesters), 499, or forty hours of supervised community service. The community service option requires at least forty hours of volunteer work at an approved community service site or at least twenty hours at each of two sites, and attending one reflection session per site during each semester of service. Students completing their community service during their last semester must complete all requirements by March 1 (November 1 for those finishing in December).
The BCABA Sequence
UMW undergraduates may enroll in a three-course sequence designed to provide the coursework required for eligibility to take the Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA) examination. Students must have (1) senior standing (90 credits) and (2) a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible to take the graduate level courses.
Courses in the sequence cover major principles, process and concepts of behavior analysis, and allow students opportunities to practice and apply basic techniques as defining behaviors, gathering data, and designing and carrying out behavior change programs. The sequence also covers specific behavior change techniques and ethical considerations, with a focus in some of the courses on how to teach children with autism. This sequence has been approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Students interested in receiving the BCABA must also complete practicum hours and receive supervision by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Only certain undergraduate instructors are approved by the BACB to offer the first course in the sequence; students should consult the online schedule of courses prior to registering to be sure they are in the correct section. The second two courses in the sequence are taught only at the College of Graduate and Professional Studies (Stafford Campus).
The UMW Psychology and NECC Collaboration
UMW students may enroll in a semester long program in Boston at The New England Center for Children working with children with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities. Students must have completed 12 hours in Psychology, and either Psyc 320 or Psyc 453, to be eligible for this program. Students will enroll for two courses that will count as electives in the UMW Psychology major (Psyc 401, 402, 403, 404, or 405), and spend about 30 hours each week gaining hands-on experience as student teachers. This experience will result in six internship credits and six course credits for the semester.
Students will enroll at UMW and pay for full time tuition and fees (in state or out of state as appropriate), as well as the current cost of double occupancy housing. NECC will provide housing in close proximity to the Center; the student is responsible for the cost of their own food.
To obtain more information about this program, or to apply, please see Dr. Steckler, the Psychology Department chairperson, or the Psychology website at http://psyc.umwchandler. net/
Psychology Course Offerings
100 – General Psychology (3)
Fundamental principles of human behavior; history of psychology; research methods; the nervous system; learning; memory; personality; psychological disorders; therapy; social behavior; careers in psychology.
261 – Introductory Statistics for Psychology (4)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including basic ANOVA and simple regression. Emphasis on parametric tests and correlational methods. Laboratory experience includes problem solving, technical writing, and use of computer statistical packages (SPSS).
301 – Social Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Individual behavior in a social context; attitudes; social influence; attribution; prejudice and discrimination; prosocial behavior and aggression.
305 – Biocognition (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Introduction to the neural basis of cognitive processes emphasizing changing models of cognitive functioning.
306 – Biocognition Laboratory (1)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100; corequisite Psychology 305. Computer-based applications and tutorials supplementing conceptual themes of Psychology 305, Biocognition.
307 – Computer Applications in the Social Sciences (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 261. Educational technology, multimedia development, Web page construction, and artificial intelligence.
311 – Abnormal Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Various models of psychopathology, history of abnormal psychology, psychological disorders: their causes, and therapies.
315 – Foundations of Clinical Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Professional issues in clinical psychology, assessment of intelligence and personality, theories and practices of the major schools of psychotherapy, effectiveness of psychotherapy, community psychology, and primary prevention.
318 – Applied Counseling Psychology (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and either 311, 315, 320, or 342. Introduction to activities of psychological counselors with a focus on practical experience and skill building. Major emphases on psychological testing and building an effective counseling relationship.
320 – Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. A consideration of theories, relevant empirical research, and interventions regarding cognitive, emotional, and behavioral exceptionalities from infancy through adolescence.
321 – Practicum in Exceptional Child Psychology (1)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and 320. Supervised experience working with exceptional children in local schools and agencies.
331 – Developmental Psychology: The Infant and Child (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Psychological development from conception through childhood. Consideration of developmental processes, theories, issues, and relevant research.
332 – Developmental Psychology: The Adolescent and Adult (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Theories of, and research on, personality, social, physical, and intellectual characteristics from adolescence to young adulthood.
333 – Psychology of Aging (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Theories and research in aging, changes in personality, intellectual abilities, cognitive capacities, and physical capabilities from adulthood to death.
335 – Applied Child Psychology (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and 320 or 331. A consideration of professional issues, assessment, therapy, consultation, and prevention as applied to child-clients in schools and clinical settings.
339 – Health Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Exploration of psychological issues surrounding health, illness, and medical care. Social psychological perspectives are applied to such topics as stress-related diseases, exercise adherence, and doctor-patient interactions.
342 – Psychology of Personality (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Personality structure, dynamics, development, and methods of research.
346 – Forensic Psychology (3)
Prerequsite: Psychology 100 and 301 or 311 or 320 or 342. Examination of criminal behavior from a psychological perspective, including causes of criminal behavior, the criminal personality, the relationship between psychology and law, how psychology is applied to legal situations, rehabilitation, and the prediction of dangerousness.
347 – Psychology of Men (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Impact of sex and gender on male behavior, including models of masculine development. Includes work, physical and mental health, violence, ethnicity, sexuality, and relationships.
349 – Psychology of Human Sexuality (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Introduction to major areas of investigation concerning human sexuality, including anatomy, physiology, culture, behavior, sexual health, sexual violence, dysfunctions, and therapy.
350 – Psychology of Women (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Impact of sex and gender on the individual, interpersonal, and institutional female experience. Includes work, physical and mental health, physical and cognitive ability, social status and empowerment, ethnicity, and sexuality.
360 – Advanced Statistics for Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 261. Introduction to advanced statistical methods, including ANOVA models, a priori and post hoc tests, and multiple regression. Particular emphasis on quasi-experimental and correlational methods, and data entry, analysis using SPSS, and data presentation.
362 – Research Methods for Psychology (4)
Prerequisite: Psychology 261. Introduction to both laboratory and applied methods commonly used in psychological research including experimental, quasi-experimental, observational, qualitative, and correlational methods. A strong focus on the role of ethics in research is integrated into student’s own process of data collection, data analysis using SPSS, and formal presentation of their research results.
372 – Sensation and Perception (4)
Prerequisites: Psychology 360 and 362. Study of perceptual and sensory systems, with an emphasis on vision and hearing, as well as on psychophysical methods.
373 – Cognitive Psychology (4)
Prerequisites: Psychology 360 and 362. Methodology, research, and theory in the study of human memory, language, and thinking.
374 – Physiological Psychology (4)
Prerequisite: Psychology 360 and 362. Exploration of biological bases of behavior and neurological correlates of psychological events.
375 – Experimental Social Psychology (4)
Prerequisites: Psychology 301, 360, and 362. Current theory and research in social psychology with a methodological focus on experimentation, direct and indirect observations, and surveys.
381 – Applied Behavioral Analysis (4)
Prerequisites: Psychology 360 and 362. Empirical and theoretical approaches to the study of the mechanisms of adaptive behavior.
385 – Industrial-Organizational Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 261 or Business 259. Behavioral aspects of organizations, presenting concepts, theories, research, and research techniques applicable to people in organizations. Topics include personnel selection and placement, job and work environments, worker motivation, job satisfaction, and the organizational and social context of human work. Cross-listed as Business Administration 345.
386 – Human Resources Management (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 261 or Business 259. Philosophy, principles, policies, and programs for effective personnel management and industrial relations in business, governmental, and not-for-profit organizations. Cross-listed as Business Administration 346.
387 – Organizational Development and Change (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 261 or Business 259 and either Psychology 301, 385, 386 or Business 300. System-wide application of behavioral science methods, theories, and accumulated knowledge to the development, change, and reinforcement of organizational strategies, structures, and processes for improving organizational effectiveness. Cross-listed as Business Administration 347.
392 – Behavior Genetics (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and one year of biology. Use of principles of genetic transmission, population genetics, and evolutionary and sociobiological theories in the study of individual differences.
394 – Psychopharmacology (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and one year of biology or one year of chemistry. Principles of drug action in the body, drug effects on behavior, and the social psychology of drug use.
*402 – Advanced Learning (3)
Prerequisites: Twelve hours in Psychology and either Psyc 320 or Psyc 453, and acceptance into the UMW-NECC program. Covers theoretical underpinnings of operant and respondent conditioning, with emphasis on relating principles of behavior to problems of reinforcement, motivation, comparative psychophysics and physiological psychology. Course available only to UMW students enrolled in the UMW-NECC cooperative program at the New England Center for Children.
*403 – Programmed Learning (3)
Prerequisites: Twelve hours in Psychology and either Psyc 320 or Psyc 453, and acceptance into the UMW-NECC program. Reviews the history and theoretical and experimental bases of programmed instruction and errorless learning. Emphasizes the detailed analysis of stimulus control — its measurement and ways to produce it. Course available only to UMW students enrolled in the UMW-NECC cooperative program at the New England Center for Children.
*404 – Research Methods and Design in Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: Twelve hours in Psychology and either Psyc 320 or Psyc 453, and acceptance into the UMW-NECC program. Intensive study of single-subject designs in operant conditioning and applied behavior analysis research. Course available only to UMW students enrolled in the UMW-NECC cooperative program at the New England Center for Children.
*405 – Systematic Inquiry in Applied Research (3)
Prerequisites: Twelve hours in Psychology and either Psyc 320 or Psyc 453, and acceptance into the UMW-NECC program. Requires each student to collect a comprehensive bibliography on a significant topic in applied behavior research and to complete a thorough review via written and oral presentations. Emphasizes the integration and analysis of experimental findings and theoretical foundations of the research area, the critical evaluation of current research and the identification of potentially fruitful future work. Course available only to UMW students enrolled in the UMW-NECC cooperative program at the New England Center for Children.
421 – History of Psychology (3)
Prerequisite: Fifteen hours in Psychology. Survey of historical antecedents of modern psychology.
453 – Fundamentals of Learning and Motivation (3)
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Survey of empirical findings and theoretical issues in the analysis of learning and motivation and their interaction in the determination of behavior.
470 – Seminar in Psychology (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and courses specified by instructor. Seminar on enduring and/or contemporary issues in psychology. Different topics in different semesters. May be repeated with different topics.
480 – Selected Topics in Psychology (3)
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and courses specified by instructor. Enduring and/or contemporary issues in psychology. Different topics in different semesters. May be repeated with different topics.
490 – Guided Readings in Psychology (1-3)
Prerequisites: Junior standing and twelve credits in psychology beyond Psychology 100. Readings in a specialty area of psychology. Maximum of three credits toward the major; maximum of six credits in Psychology 490 and 491 combined may count toward the major.
491 – Individual Research (variable; maximum of 3 per semester)
Prerequisites: Psychology 360 and 362 or permission of instructor. Empirical investigation and/or theoretical research. Maximum of six credits in Psychology 490 and 491 combined may count toward the major program.
499 – Internship (1 to 6 credits)
Prerequisites: Junior standing and twelve hours in psychology beyond Psychology 100. Supervised off-campus experience. Prerequisites for specific internships differ. Maximum of three credits toward the major program.