Psychology
The psychology major at CLU is structured to meet three important objectives for those interested in the study of human thought, emotion and behavior. First, students learn about the empirical foundations of psychology. Second, psychology is a broad discipline and students are exposed to the variety of areas encompassed in the field. Third, the major is designed to enable students to apply what they have learned to the real world, thus teaching analysis, synthesis and critical thinking skills.
While lecture and textbook reading assignments are part of every course, faculty in the department encourage students to be active participants in learning through laboratory and case study projects. The three junior/senior capstone courses are practicums emphasizing the integration and application of theory and concepts, ethics, oral and written communication, and research methodology.
CLU’s Psychology Department has a chapter of Psi Chi, a national honor society for psychology majors, and each year several of our students receive support to present projects at undergraduate research conferences in California.
The bachelor’s degree in psychology is excellent preparation for graduate work in psychology, law and business. With a bachelor’s degree, employment opportunities can be found in psychiatric rehabilitation programs, as research assistants and in the business world. Those with master’s degrees may work in clinics and institutions, teach at a two-year college or work as school psychologists and counselors. For some clinical and research work, a doctorate is required.
CLU offers master of science degrees in clinical psychology and counseling psychology with a specialization in marital and family therapy as well as a PsyD degree in Psychology.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
36 credits minimum; 24 credits upper division.
Required Courses | ||
PSYC 200 | General Psychology | 4 |
PSYC 222 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
PSYC 312 | Research Design and Statistics I | 4 |
PSYC 313 | Research Design and Statistics II | 4 |
PSYC 331 | Physiological Psychology | 4 |
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Child and Adolescent Development | ||
Adult Development and Aging | ||
Theories of Personality | ||
Social Psychology | ||
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Principles of Learning and Memory | ||
Human Cognition | ||
History and Systems of Psychology | ||
Social Learning Theory: Research and Application | ||
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Applied Psychology Practicum | ||
Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy | ||
Clinical Practicum | ||
Psychology Elective Course (lower or upper division) | 4 | |
Total Hours | 36 |
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
44 credits minimum; 32 credits upper division.
Required Courses | ||
PSYC 200 | General Psychology | 4 |
PSYC 222 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
PSYC 312 | Research Design and Statistics I | 4 |
PSYC 313 | Research Design and Statistics II | 4 |
PSYC 331 | Physiological Psychology | 4 |
PSYC 412 | Advanced Research Design and Statistics | 4 |
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Child and Adolescent Development | ||
Adult Development and Aging | ||
Theories of Personality | ||
Social Psychology | ||
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Principles of Learning and Memory | ||
Human Cognition | ||
History and Systems of Psychology | ||
Social Learning Theory: Research and Application | ||
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy | ||
Clinical Practicum | ||
Research Practicum (capstone) | ||
Two Psychology Elective Courses (at least 4 credits upper division) | 8 | |
Total Hours | 44 |
Minor in Psychology
19 credits, 12 credits upper division.
PSYC 200 | General Psychology | 4 |
Three Upper Division Psychology Courses | 12 | |
Psychology Elective Credits (lower or upper division) | 3 | |
Total Hours | 19 |
Emphasis Area Option:
Because psychology may be applied to a wide range of human endeavors, students may add an emphasis area to the B.A. or B.S. to increase their marketability at graduation. Students select courses from an approved list of interdisciplinary courses to complete one of the following emphasis areas: Behavioral/Clinical Applications, Business/Organizational Applications, Family and Child Development, Health and Wellness Applications, Law and Criminal Behavior Applications, Psychobiology, Sports Psychology Applications.
Candidates for a California Secondary Teaching Credential should contact the School of Education Office for a complete list of course requirements for a Single Subject Waiver in Social Science.
Courses
Lower Division
PSYC 200. General Psychology. (4).
Covers the concepts and principles pertinent to
psychological processes as social behavior,
development, perception, thinking and symbolic
processes, physiology, personality and
psychological disorders. Introduces students to
the empirical foundation of the discipline of
psychology. Prerequisite to all courses in
psychology except PSYC 203, PSYC 207 and PSYC 215.
PSYC 203. Understanding Emotion. (4).
This course provides an introduction to the study
of emotions. Themes covered include the
biological basis of emotions, individual
differences in emotionality, emotions in social
relationships, cultural understanding of
emotions, emotions and psychopathology, and
Ganzheitspsychologie. Emphasis on research
methodology and ethics is also covered.
PSYC 207. Mentor Leadership. (1).
The Peer Advisor component of the first year of
transfer student experience represents an ideal
opportunity to positively influence undergraduate
students' academics and personal success. Peer
Advisors impact student development by supporting
the acquisition and application of academic
strategies, creating familiarity with campus
resources and their appropriate use, and creating
a sense of community at CLU in the first year.
This important role can also be defined as a
mentor. This course is designed to teach Peer
Advisors the skills necessary to become mentors,
and provides them with information and
opportunities to help new students with their
transition to college. We will examine various
theories, and style types while honing in on
leadership styles that are often found in mentors.
PSYC 215. Perspectives on Women and Men. (4).
An examination of current sociological and
psychological theory and research on the causes
and consequence of sex role expectations to
individuals, society and the relationship between
men and women.
PSYC 222. Abnormal Psychology. (4).
A survey and critique of traditional diagnostic
categories of mental illness, plus an
introduction to treatment approaches based on
psychoanalytic, behavioral and humanistic models.
PSYC 282. Selected Topics. (1-4).
Upper Division
PSYC 304. Child and Adolescent Development. (4).
Study of theories and principles pertaining to
the developmental characteristics of children and
adolescents in terms of the physical, mental,
emotional and social development of the
individual. Meets the gender/ethnic studies
requirement.
PSYC 305. Adult Development and Aging. (4).
Study of theories and principles pertaining to
the developmental characteristics of adults,
including the aged, in terms of the physical,
mental, emotional and social development of the
individual. Meets the gender/ethnic studies
requirement.
PSYC 311L. Statistics Lab. (1).
An itroduction to computer applications
for statistics, emphasizing data analysis and
problem solving with contemporary statistical
software programs. Corequisite: Psyc 311
(must be taken simultaneously).
PSYC 312. Research Design and Statistics I. (4).
Research Design and Statistics I is the first of
a two course sequence in Psychology designed to
prepare undergraduate psychology majors to
develop the knowledge and skills needed to
design, implement and analyze psychological
research. Students will develop knowledge about
ethical issues related to psychological research.
Students will develop skill in critical reading
and analyzing peer reviewed published research.
This course will also introduce students to a
variety of research designs and statistical
analyses including qualitative, descriptive and
correlation methodologies. (Prerequisite:
MATH 115 or MATH 151 or equivalent).
PSYC 313. Research Design and Statistics II. (4).
Research Design and Statistics II is the second
course in a two course sequence designed to
assist undergraduate psychology majors in
developing the knowledge and skills needed to
design, implement and analyze psychological
research. Building on the skills learned in
PSYC 312, students will continue to develop
knowledge about psychological research with a
focus on experimental designs, quasi-experimental
designs
and inferential statistics. Students are required
to design and implement an original research
project using an experimental design. This course
is a writing intensive course (Prerequisite:
PSYC 312).
PSYC 315. Principles of Learning and Memory. (4).
An overview of the major principles of learning
and memory. Includes Pavlovian and instrumental
conditioning as well as verbal learning and
memory. Includes an examination of topical issues
and areas of research in learning theory.
PSYC 317. Cultural Psychology. (4).
This course provides a systematic overview of
knowledge about cultural organization of human
psychological functions, and how psychology as a
research discipline can study these functions.
Strong theoretical and methodological orientation
is included.
PSYC 321. Human Cognition. (4).
Examines perception, attention, memory, language
and problem solving. In addition to studying
research and theory, students experience and
observe cognitive processes in computer labs and
class demonstrations. Cognitive deficits and
rehabilitation are discussed in each topic area.
PSYC 325. Theories of Personality. (4).
The analysis of the theories of personality in
terms of structure, dynamics and development.
Biological, social and cultural determination of
personality are considered, as well as
characteristic research and research methods.
PSYC 330. Psychological Assessment. (4).
Studies the principles and practices of group and
individual testing in the fields of intelligence,
aptitude, achievement, personality and vocational
interest. Includes an introduction to the MMPI-2
and Wechsler tests and projective techniques.
PSYC 331. Physiological Psychology. (4).
Studies the physiological aspects of human
behavior, with special emphasis on neurological
structure and functions as related to sensation,
perception and psychopathology.
PSYC 340. History and Systems of Psychology. (4).
An overview of the historical foundations of
contemporary psychology, including an examination
of major systems of thought and theoretical
applications of each in the areas of sensation,
perception, learning, motivation, emotion,
personality and social behavior.
PSYC 341. Criminal Psychology. (4).
Students examine theory, research, law and case
studies to gain an understanding of the behavior
of violent offenders. Research into biological,
psychological and social causes is examined and
evaluated. Additional topics include the role of
the forensic psychologist, the science of
profiling, and the definitions and use of the
insanity defense. (cross-listed with CRIM 341).
PSYC 345. Health Psychology. (4).
Examines the use of behavior therapy procedures
in relation to the prevention and treatment of
various disorders such as chronic pain, cancer,
hypertension, alcoholism, smoking and eating
disorders. The use of psychological issues and
treatment procedures as they relate to etiology
and maintenance of these disorders is emphasized
and specialized areas such as clinical behavioral
pediatrics, type A behavior and terminal illness
are discussed.
PSYC 401. Social Psychology. (4).
Studies the influence of personal, group and
social systems on individual attitudes and
behavior. Includes socialization, social
perception, attraction, aggression, prejudice,
conformity, altruism and related topics, as well
as the discussion of theories, methods and
contemporary research.
PSYC 412. Advanced Research Design and Statistics. (4).
Advanced Research Design and Statistics is a
required course for undergraduate psychology
majors seeking a bachelor of science degree in
psychology. This course is designed to provide
students with an opportunity to build on their
knowledge of correlational and experimental
research methodologies and basic approaches to
statistical analyses. Taught as a seminar course,
students will be required to design and implement
an original research project which utilizes a
mixed methodological approach. In addition,
students will be introduced to the theoretical
underpinnings of advanced statistical analyses
(Prerequisite: PSYC 313).
PSYC 416. Social Learning Theory: Research and Application. (4).
Covers the basic principles and procedures of
behavior modification and learning theory as they
apply to areas such as child and classroom
management, behavioral self-change projects,
medical psychology, developmental disabilities
and mental health settings. Students read current
literature in behavior analysis related to the
etiology and treatment of addictive behavior
disorders, health psychology, anxiety disorders
and behavioral disorders.
PSYC 422. Child Psychopathology. (4).
This course is designed to give students an
introduction to abnormal child psychology. We
will study the major disorders typically
diagnosed in childhood, including the DSM-IV-TR
diagnostic criteria, the current information on
the etiology of the disorders, as well as the
current research on the most effective assessment
and treatment for these disorders.
PSYC 430. Applied Psychology Practicum. (4).
Involves the application of psychological
principles to personal and social problems of
everyday life. Topics include positive
psychology, the nature of personality, problem
solving, stress, psychological disorders, career
development and intimate relationships. Theory is
integrated with practical application. Students
conduct and present an individual experiment or
project.
PSYC 435. Introduction to Counseling and Psychotherapy. (4).
An introduction to the theories, problems and
techniques of counseling and therapy.
Prerequisites: PSYC 222 and PSYC 325.
PSYC 447. Theories & Practice of Leadership. (4).
Examines leadership from theoretical, historical
and practical perspectives. Includes topics of
trait, behavioral and contingency theories; the
influence process; management vs. leadership,
leadership and followership. Survey of leadership
theory and research; characteristics of leaders,
theories of leadership origins and psychological
and social correlates. Interaction of personal and
organizational factors in determining leadership
effectiveness. (ADEP only).
PSYC 450. Sensation and Perception. (4).
Introduction to the basic sensory and perceptual
processes of humans with an emphasis on vision
and audition.
PSYC 482. Selected Topic. (4).
PSYC 490. Independent Study. (1-4).
PSYC 492. Internship. (1-4).
(graded P/NC only).
PSYC 493. Applied Behavior Analysis: a Clinical Practicum. (4).
The purpose of this course is to help each
student acquire outstanding research and clinical
skills within the field of applied behavior
analysis. Specifically, each student will (a)
fully develop an individual area of expertise
related to child behavior disorders within the
developmentally disabled population; (b) write a
scholarly research paper directly related to the
student's assigned area of expertise; and (c)
learn skills related to conduction of an in-home
behavioral analysis with a caseload of assigned
families within the Ventura County area. Students
will also learn a comprehensive set of skills
related to performing an in-depth review of the
literature using innovative Internet research
strategies. Prerequisite: PSYC 416.
PSYC 494/494A. Clinical Practicum. (4,4).
This course has two components - a weekly seminar
in a clinical setting and six hours per week in a
field placement working with mentally ill or
developmentally disabled patients. Students
participate on an interdisciplinary treatment
team and, under the supervision of the clinical
staff, are taught to implement and evaluate
behaviorally based clinical interventions with
selected patients. Prerequisite: PSYC 222.
Recommended: PSYC 416.
PSYC 494B. Clinical Practicum. (4).
This course has two components - a weekly seminar
in a clinical setting and six hours per week in a
field placement working with mentally ill or
developmentally disabled patients. Students
participate on an interdisciplinary treatment
team and, under the supervision of the clinical
staff, are taught to implement and evaluate
behaviorally based clinical interventions with
selected patients. Prerequisite: PSYC 222.
Recommended: PSYC 416.
PSYC 495. Research Practicum (capstone). (4).
This course offers students the opportunity to
work on a major research project or to design and
carry out their own research study. Students gain
a working knowledge of all aspects of research,
which include planning and design of studies,
project coordination, administration of measures
and data management. Prerequisites: PSYC 312 and
PSYC 313; 3.4 Psychology GPA; 16 upper division
units in Psychology.
PSYC 497. Departmental Honors. (4).
Professors
Steve Kissinger, PhD | Professor of Psychology () | PhD Kent State University |
Julie Kuehnel, PhD | Chair/Professor of Psychology () | PhD University of Texas |
Associate professors
Marylie Gerson, PhD | Associate Professor of Psychology () | PhD Princeton University |
Rainer Diriwaechter, PhD | Associate Professor of Psychology () | PhD Clark University |
Assistant professors
Jodie Kocur, PhD | Assistant Professor of Psychology () | PhD Colorado State University |
Seth Wagerman, PhD | Assistant Professor of Psychology () | PhD Univ of California, Riverside |