Stephen F. Austin State University

Department of Psychology

Areas of Study & Degrees

Faculty

Objectives

The department provides students with a unique perspective for understanding human behavior and applying this knowledge in many different professional areas. First major and second major plans of study in psychology are offered to prepare students for the following:

  1. graduate work in experimental, clinical and industrial/organizational psychology, as well as in related fields.
  2. work in industrial research, in clinical mental health programs, and in interdisciplinary fields in the social/medical sciences.

Mission

The department's purpose concerns introducing students to the various disciplines and applications of psychology as a science of behavior. The department is committed to promoting the personal development and growth of the individual. Students' academic experiences will provide career preparation in psychology and related fields.

Advising

All students planning to pursue a first major in psychology must consult with an adviser before registration. It is strongly recommended that those students planning to obtain a second major or minor in psychology do so, as well. Until students have earned 45 semester credit hours, they must meet with an adviser each semester to select courses and have registration holds removed in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts' Academic and Career Advising Office in the Ferguson Building. First majors should discuss with a psychology adviser which degree plan (Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts) they will pursue. After earning 45 semester credit hours, students will meet each semester with a faculty adviser in the Department of Psychology to discuss graduate school and future career plans. Although registration holds will be removed following these meetings, the main purpose is not to select courses; that is the responsibility of the student. Advisers are responsible for ensuring that the chosen courses do, indeed, fit the plan of study.

Majors in the Department of Psychology are required to file an official plan of study after earning 60 semester credit hours. Once filed, students are required to consult their adviser once per year. At 90 hours, they must file for graduation, at which time they will receive a final graduation plan outlining all coursework remaining.

Graduate Study in Psychology

Students planning to pursue graduate work in psychology should note the following minimum graduate admission requirements for most psychology programs: courses in general psychology, psychological statistics and experimental psychology. In addition, the following courses are strongly recommended: developmental or learning, biopsychology or perception, abnormal or personality, and history and systems of psychology.

Undergraduate Honors Study

A student may apply for honors in psychology if he or she meets the criteria described in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts' departmental honors section of this bulletin. Written permission to register for PSY 398H must be obtained from the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, the chair of the Department of Psychology, and the supervising faculty member.

Psychology Honor Society

Students interested in joining the local chapter of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, should consult the psychology faculty sponsor of Psi Chi.

Definition of Majors & Minors

Prospective psychology majors or minors should consult a psychology adviser to determine which elective courses would be most appropriate for their academic and professional goals.

First Major in Psychology (B.S. or B.A.) (36 hours)

  1. The following major curriculum applies to both the B.A. and B.S. degrees in psychology and will provide the student with a general background in psychology preparatory for graduate work in the main areas of psychology or for employment.
  2. At least 18 of the 26 advanced hours (300-499) must be taken at SFA.
  3. The student also should refer to the general education requirements under the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree for students in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts with a major in psychology listed elsewhere in this bulletin.
Required Courses: (18 hours)
Subdisciplines of Psychology: (9 hours)

Choose one course from three of the following four pairs:

Elective Courses: (9 hours)

Second Major in Psychology (24-26 hours)

Recommended for students majoring in the natural sciences, pre-professional programs, or applied mental health fields.

  1. This curriculum, with the selection of courses in psychological statistics and experimental psychology and other appropriate electives will meet the minimum requirements for graduate work in psychology. Consult a graduate psychology adviser.
  2. At least 12 of the 15-17 advanced psychology hours (300-499) must be taken at SFA.
Required Courses (12 hours)
Elective Courses (12-14 hours)

Minor in Psychology (18-23 hours)

  1. A minor in psychology consists of a minimum of 18 to a maximum of 23 hours in psychology, comprising the following requirements:
Required Courses (3 hours)
Elective Courses (15-20 hours)
  1. With the selection of courses in general psychology, psychological statistics, experimental psychology and other appropriate electives, this minor will meet minimum admission requirements for graduate work in psychology.
  2. Advisers will provide information on suggested specialized minor plans for most academic majors.
  3. Exception for social work majors: PSY 133 (General Psychology) and PSY 375 (Abnormal Psychology) are required courses for social work majors. PSY 133 may be used to meet the requirements of both the social work major and the psychology minor with the credit hours being counted in the minor. No other courses in psychology may be credited in this manner. PSY 375 will be counted in the major, but not in the minor.

Courses in Psychology (PSY)

Unless otherwise indicated, courses are 3 semester hours credit, 3 hours lecture per week.

133.

General Psychology (PSYC 2301) - Survey of fundamental principles of behavior including physiological, perceptual, developmental, learning, motivational, cognitive, social, historical and methodological perspectives. Course fee $5.

143.

Psychology of Adjustment (PSYC 2315) - Applications of basic psychological principles to human adjustment and growth including development, self-concept, coping with stress, abnormal behavior, social influence and interpersonal relationships including love and intimacy.

153.

Human Sexuality (PSYC 2306) - Psychology of sexual behavior as related to social conduct.

198.

Effective Learning - Study of the acquisition of procedural knowledge through the application of human learning theory, cognitive behavior modification and developmental psychology. Generalization and transfer of this knowledge will be emphasized. May not be taken for credit in the psychology major, second major, or minor.

200.

Scientific Literacy in Psychology - Four semester hours credit, four hours lecture per week. Topics include information literacy and APA writing, ethics, introductory concepts in psychological statistics and research methods, and interpretation of data tables and graphs. Foundation course for psychological statistics and research design, preparing students to be better consumers of psychological science. Prerequisite: PSY 133.

298.

Special Topics in Psychology - Introduction to a special topic in psychology, such as social psychology, sport psychology, health psychology, or environmental psychology. Topic announced prior to registration.

310.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology - Comprehensive study of the use of applied psychology in the areas of business and industry. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

311.

Social Psychology - Study of how thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals relate to and are influenced by the presence of others. Topics include conformity, aggression, interpersonal attraction, close relationships, social cognition, attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice, and group and intergroup behaviors. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

330.

Psychological Statistics - Four semester hours, three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week. Application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques in processing behavioral data. Includes normative techniques, parametric and nonparametric applications. PSY 330L is a co-requisite for this course. Lecture and lab grades are combined into a single grade for the course. Prerequisites: PSY 200 with a grade of C or better, or consent of instructor. Course fee: $40.

341.

Research Design - Four semester hours, three hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory per week. Research methods, emphasizing use of experimental control and analysis of data for reporting experimental results in the psychological study of human and non-human behavior. Prerequisites: PSY 330 with a grade of C or better, or consent of instructor. Course fee: $40.

350.

Biopsychology - Examination of relationships between behavior and underlying physiological mechanisms. Aspects covered include neural conduction, sensory receptor mechanisms, learning and memory, and other aspects of higher cortical functioning in both humans and animals. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

351.

Sensation & Perception - Overview of how humans and other animals sense and perceive the world around us. All the senses will be discussed, with a focus on vision. Coverage includes psychophysical and physiological research, and how perception applies in our daily lives. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

360.

Cognitive Psychology - Introduction to current theory and research in the psychology of thought with an emphasis on human information-processing system. Topics include perceptual processes, attention, memory, language, categorization, imagery, problem solving and decision making. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

361.

Learning & Conditioning - Principles, research and use of behavioral techniques in clinical, academic, correctional, and industrial settings. Areas covered include behavioral management of children’s disorders, self-management skills enhancement, productivity enhancement, and other interventions. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or above.

375.

Abnormal Psychology - Theories and research on the incidence, classification, etiology and management of abnormal behaviors. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

376.

Lifespan Development - Examination of development from conception to death. Coverage includes theories and current research on the domains of physical, cognitive, social and emotional development, with a focus on how biological and environmental factors interact to influence development in these domains. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

385.

Psychology of Aggression - Perspectives on the development of human violence. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above.

398H.

Honors Reading and Research - Three to six semester hours. Individual reading and research for honors students in psychology. Amount of credit determined by scope of project. Prerequisites: 12 semester hours of psychology; consent of faculty supervisor, department chair and dean.

400.

Positive Psychology - Focus on strengthening and optimizing positive dimensions of personal life, particularly in the areas of interpersonal relationships, work and leisure. Includes topics such as self-efficacy, optimism, hope, cultural values, motivation, personal strengths and virtues. Prerequisites: Advanced standing.

410.

Performance Management - Focus on conducting effective performance improvement projects in organizations. Topics include identifying performance targets worthy of change, developing measurement systems and tracking performance, behavior and performance analyses, behavior change strategies, and evaluation of organizational impact. Prerequisite: Advanced standing.

420.

History and Systems of Psychology - Capstone course. Survey of the historical background of psychology emphasizing its philosophical origins and evolution of the psychological point of view. Contributions of major schools of psychology to modern psychology also emphasized. Prerequisite: Senior standing.

425.

Psychology & Law - Study of how psychological research contributes to a greater understanding of the legal system. Topics include an introduction to the legal system, psychology of police, criminal investigations, forensic assessments, the trial process, sentencing phase and corrections. Prerequisite: Advanced standing.

428.

Comparative Psychology - Introduction to the study of the behavior and cognition of diverse species. Topics include problem-solving, language, consciousness, perception, memory, reasoning, emotions, culture and social complexity of animals. Basic methods of animal observation in non-experimental settings also covered. Prerequisite: Advanced standing.

475.

Special Problems - One to four semester hours. Individual research on a topic agreed upon before registration by a student and supervising faculty member. May be repeated under a different topic area for a maximum of eight hours credit. Prerequisites: Advanced standing, consent of instructor, and overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

497.

Research Seminar - Students design, conduct, analyze, and write research for publication/presentation. Prerequisite: Advanced standing and grade of C or better in PSY 341. Course fee: $40

498.

Topics in Psychology - In-depth study of a topic, such as sports psychology, health psychology, human factors, ecological psychology or existential psychology. Topics announced prior to registration. Prerequisites: Advanced standing or consent of instructor. May be repeated once under a different topic.