Psychology

Proof of successful completion with a C+ or higher and taken within five years of the first nursing course. Anatomy and Physiology I and Intro to Psychology, must be submitted by the nursing application deadline date.

Psychology is the scientific study of cognitions, emotions, and behavior. Core topics include human social behavior, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, learning, memory, human development, biological influences, and research methods. Related topics may include sensation, perception, states of consciousness, thinking, intelligence, language, motivation, emotion, stress and health, cross-cultural psychology, and applied psychology. Psychology also critically evaluates "common sense"assumptions about how people function and relate.

This course will promote student exploration of intrapersonal (within self) and interpersonal (between self and others) aspects of human relationships. An understanding of basic psychological concepts and their connection to interpersonal relationships will be presented. Integration of effective communication, stress reduction, and team and leadership strategies in both the home and workplace will be encouraged.

The study of human growth and development across the lifespan is based primarily in the social sciences of psychology, sociology and anthropology. Emphasis will be given to maturation and development achieved in four interrelated systems: Physical, cognitive, social, and emotional. Development is about change; changes that we share as well as changes that are based on unique environments, social and cultural customs. Attention will be paid to controversies that have developed as a result of living in a diverse and multicultural world.

This course includes examining various methods and techniques suitable for the modification of human behavior, based on the principles and findings of experimental studies of animal and human behavior. Considers how such methods can be used in education, mental health, corrections, and self-directed personal change. This course will also provide mental and behavioral health providers, knowledge and skills for supporting students and others displaying challenging behaviors using frameworks of positive behavioral supports.

This course will examine theory and research in the science of individual human behavior in social situations as well as applications of its major principles in everyday life. The course is designed to illustrate how the individual and society are shaped by mutual interaction of mental processes, situational factors, individual differences, and group phenomena within cultures and social structures. Students will investigate the manner in which the behavior, feelings or thoughts of the individual are influenced or determined by the behavior and/or characteristics of others. Diversity, prejudice, institutional aggression, and the political process will be investigated.

This course explores the diagnosis, treatment and care of the symptoms associated with abnormal behavior. The theoretical causes of various types of psychological disorders'97particularly the neurotic, psychotic, and mood disorders will be presented as will a historical perspective regarding treatment.The psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and medical model approaches to treatment will be emphasized.

This course will present a discussion of the most widely used theories of counseling. Integration of these basic theories with the student's own value system will be encouraged.

This course will introduce students to the importance of research techniques and methodologies within the field of psychology (specifically) and to science in general.They will become familiar with the strengths and limitations of empirical studies by exploring the ways in which research is explained to the general public and how essential an adequate understanding can be to the development of programs treatments and policies aimed at improving lives. We will explore the role of ethics in the research process and identify ways that social scientists work to conduct research that helps rather than harms. The course will also examine both quantitative and qualitative approaches to social science research and students will learn and develop, conduct and write research reports.

This course will provide a study of therapeutic interventions as carried out through a group.The course design includes academic discussion of group processes and dynamics. Theory will be incorporated into application for students to increase their awareness of their group roles and increase their leadership and group problem solving abilities. This course is a combination of didactic and experiential activities. Students are exposed to the various theories of group work, the basics of group process and professional and ethical issues involved in group counseling. Emphasis is placed on determining how students can incorporate the best of each of the models into their own personalized eclectic model-one that is consistent with their philosophy and suits them personally. One aim of this course is a didactic or teaching purpose that focuses on learning how groups function, learning about group dynamics, and acquiring specific skills necessary to effectively lead groups. The other aim is to provide a climate of support and challenge that will encourage students to get personally involved to the extent that they will be given some tools to continue taking an honest look at themselves as persons and to assess how their personal characteristics might either facilitate or inhibit their ability to lead groups.

This course is designed to examine alcohol use, drug use and misuse, addiction and personal and social consequences.The effect on the family system and roles of family members will also be explored as well as etiology, symptomatology and current treatment modalities. This course contains an optional service learning component.

This capstone course is intended to provide the student with an internship as a means for enhancing learning and unifying the knowledge and experience for the student in the Associate of Arts Psychology degree program.**. This course will provide an opportunity for students to integrate classroom learning with real world activities. Critical thinking will be encouraged by demonstrating the student's ability to integrate and synthesize past course material and then illustrate this understanding in a final paper. This course will give the student multiple opportunities to be active and collaborative learners through the application of psychological principles and ethical issues such as confidentiality and values. Career planning can also be strengthened with mentoring relationships developed during this experience. Field work positions may include placement in mental health, applied developmental and industrial settings as well as social service agencies, educational intervention programs and adolescent crisis centers. Pre-approval of fieldwork site by Department Chairperson before placement. Students are expected to have field work placement before class begins.