Psychology as a Science and Profession

Catalog description

Overview of history and methods of psychology as a science and profession; applications and ethical issues in psychology. PSYCH 105 Psychology as a Science and Profession (3)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. The purpose of this course is to introduce Psychology majors and prospective majors to basic principles of research and practice in scientific psychology. The course provides a survey of the subfields of psychology, their history, and their current importance in both academic and applied settings. The focus is on common principles and issues important across these subfields. Students will learn how psychological research is conducted, survey applications of psychological research, consider ethical issues in psychological research and practice, and learn about careers in a variety of subfields in psychology. Students will be evaluated on the basis of multiple-choice exams (75%), in-class activities (10%), and short writing assignments (15%). The course will be required for the Psychology B.A. and Psychology B.S. (all options) majors, but will not be a prerequisite for any other course. The course will be offered each fall and spring semester in large sections of 300-350 students.