Psychology Minor

Psychology Minor

IN THIS SECTION

Choose a minor that will enhance a variety of majors.

The flexible Psychology Minor allows you to investigate a broad range of interests in psychology that you can apply to your major, your career, and your life. Courses will provide you with a core understanding of psychology, including how the mind, brain, and behavior are connected. Devise a minor that reflects your interests by taking fundamental courses and/or advanced courses spanning many different subfields, including developmental psychology, social psychology, diversity, learning and cognition, personality and abnormal psychology, biological psychology, or other subfields. If you choose to take Psychological Statistics and its prerequisite courses, you could even collaborate with faculty on their research.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

  • Develop experiential understanding of psychological processes
  • Apply scientific methodology to solve problems
  • Examine various theories to explain behavior and cognitive abilities
  • Participate in faculty-led undergraduate research on topics like mental health, motivation, gender studies, immigration, culture, age, neuroscience, and memory
  • Discover the relevance of psychology in your every day life, community, society, and worldwide

Explore sample courses in this program.

PS-101 General Psychology

Introduction to history of psychology, scientific method, brain/nervous system, development, learning, motivation, sensation/perception, personality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, cognitive processes, social behavior.
3 credits

PS-210 Developmental Psychology

Physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and moral development from conception to adolescence is examined within a framework of various theories.
3 credits

PS-222 Introduction to Health Psychology

Topics include epidemiology, behavior change, compliance, alternative medicine, healing, chronic illness.
3 credits

PS-224 Positive Psychology

Exploration of the psychology research on a fulfilling and flourishing life including happiness, self-esteem, love, goal setting, mindfulness, and spirituality.
3 credits

PS-230 Brain and Behavior

An introduction to the biological basis of behavior.
3 credits

PS-250 Social Psychology

The psychological dynamics of social interaction including verbal and non-verbal communication, group dynamics, and attitude formation and change.
3 credits

PS-254 Persuasion

Explores the areas of persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining in various situations by utilizing psychological theories/approaches to explain behavior.
3 credits

PS-255 Psychological Foundations of Diversity

Explores the gender, racial/ethnic, multiple-group membership, cultural, social class, religious, disability, and sexual orientation facets of diversity.
3 credits

PS-260 Psychology of Human Sexuality

Sexuality as a foundation of personality. The wide range of human sexuality is explored as well as sexual development, roles, attitudes and behaviors.
3 credits

PS-261 Couples and Family Psychology

Couples and family psychology is explored, focusing on dating, partnering, separation, divorce, intimacy, sexuality, parenting, and aging families.
3 credits

PS-263 Psychology of Women

Women's psychological development throughout the lifespan is examined, including female development, achievement, stereotyping, stress, violence, and psychological disorders.
3 credits

PS-270 Psychopharmacology

This course explores the effects of psychotropic drugs on the brain and subsequent effects on behavior.
3 credits

PS-275 Psychological Statistics

Data tabulation; graphing; measurement of central tendency, variability, and correlation; hypothesis testing applied to psychological and sociological data. Hand and computer analysis.
4 credits

PS-276 Research Methods

Exploration of psychological research methodologies including scientific method, design, conduction, analysis, and reporting of research, ethical principles, and APA format.
3 credits

PS-280 Sensation and Perception

Selected sensory and perceptual processes are studied in the context of current theory and research.
3 credits

PS-310 Development of Exceptional Children/Youth

Characteristics and needs of children with exceptionalities, including behavior retardation, giftedness, physical or sensory disabilities, and emotional or social maladjustments.
3 credits

PS-312 Psychology of Adolescence

The mental, emotional, social, and physical changes of contemporary adolescence are examined with emphasis on family, peer, and school influence.
3 credits

PS-315 Physical and Sexual Abuse

Etiology, characteristics, consequence, treatment, and prevention of various forms of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in children, adolescents, and adults.
3 credits

PS-318 Behavior Management Techniques

Considers the basic concepts of behavior management, including behavior modification for exceptional and normal populations.
3 credits

PS-322 Psychology of Aging

Adulthood and old age are studied with special emphasis on current developmental theories.
3 credits

PS-325 Psychology of Learning

Learning as a fundamental concept in understanding behavior; examines principles and theories of learning, emphasizing experimental findings.
3 credits

PS-330 Theories of Personality

A survey of major theories of personality. Why people behave as they do is explored through the different theories.
3 credits

PS-335 Abnormal Psychology

Etiology, dynamics, and treatment of psychopathology and their relation to normal personality are considered from traditional and contemporary perspectives.
3 credits

PS-340 Psychological Testing and Measurement

How do psychologists evaluate individual characteristics like extroversion, depression, and attention? How do mental health providers and researchers administer psychological assessments and interpret their results? This class explores the theory and practice of psychological testing, including sections on measurement theory, psychometric research, and clinical assessment.
3 credits

PS-345 Cognitive Psychology

This course introduces students to areas of cognitive psychology including memory, language processing, and decision making.
3 credits

PS-365 Cultural Psychology

This course addresses the role culture plays in human psychological processes and approaches to researching cultural aspects of human action.
3 credits

PS-381 Physiology of Behavior

The use of physiological methods in physiological research covering topics such as emotion, motivation, sleep, and learning.
3 credits

PS-385 Motivation

A study of conditions that arouse, direct, and sustain behavior. Topics include goals, competence, control, arousal, self-esteem, achievement, and stress.
3 credits

PS-435 Clinical Psychology

Practical issues, methods and techniques of current psychotherapies with emphasis on psychoanalytic, client-centered, and behavioral approaches.
3 credits

PB-200 Introduction to Psychobiology

Introductory course in psychobiology that covers topics including neurobiology, evolution, sensory/motor systems, learning and memory, and social behavior.
3 credits

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