Department of Psychology and Communication
Ben Barton, Chair (211 Student Health Ctr. 83844-3043; phone 208-885-6324; www.uidaho.edu/class/psychcomm)
Psychology is the scientific study of thinking, emotion, and behavior. It is a diverse field and can be applied to almost all aspects of everyday life: interpersonal relationships, school and lifelong learning, family, and the work environment. Psychology uses scientific research methods to develop and test theories and to explain or predict behavior. Undergraduate study in psychology provides a broad coverage of the field, whereas graduate study focuses more narrowly on a particular discipline, preparing students for professional work as researchers and/or practitioners.
Communication is a social science discipline that considers how people verbally and nonverbally communicate at the individual, societal, and cultural levels. It can be seen as the discipline that links other disciplines: a discipline that is vital for people, organizations, and governments to thrive in today’s complex world. Students with degrees in communication pursue careers as communication specialists in the fields of communication education, business, government and politics, high technology industries, health, and social and human services. Graduates may also pursue advanced degrees in communication and other fields.
The Department of Psychology and Communication offers a B.S. or B.A. in Psychology or Communication. The psychology degree requires students to take a wide variety of courses in areas such as developmental processes, social psychology, learning and memory, personality, clinical psychology, biological processes, and sensation/perception. Depending on their interests, students also select from more specialized subjects such as human factors, industrial/organizational psychology, aging, and the psychology of emotion. The communication degree requires students to take courses in a breadth of fields including speech, conflict management, interpersonal, organizational, and intercultural communication. Students choose additional coursework from the areas of persuasion, nonverbal, gender, and other relational communication.
Currently, graduate training in the department is only available in psychology. The department offers an M.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in human factors psychology. The master’s degree prepares students for careers in government and industry, teaching at the junior college level, or for continued study at the doctoral level. The Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology prepares students for a research career that may involve applied research in industry or an academic position. An applicant to the graduate program must possess an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related field, such as engineering, computer science, or business. In addition, applicants should have completed a course in introductory statistics, a course in experimental psychology or research methods, and a course in computer programming. Additional coursework in cognitive psychology and sensation/perception is recommended. All applicants will be considered even if recommended coursework has not been taken.
COMM 1101 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3 credits)
General Education: Oral Communication
Skills and techniques of effective speaking. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
COMM 1110 Introduction to Communication (3 credits)
Introduction to historical and intellectual development of the primary subfields within communication, including interpersonal, small group, intercultural, digital, and organizational communication, in order to build competence as critical consumers of communication content. Typically Offered: Fall.
COMM 1500 Online Oral Communication (3 credits)
General Education: Oral Communication
This course provides the skills, techniques, and knowledge needed to engage in effective oral communication in online contexts.
COMM 2000 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
COMM 2030 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged. May be graded P/F.
Prereqs: Permission
COMM 2040 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
COMM 2330 Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Communication concepts and skills applied to relationship management; communication process, listening, self-disclosure, perception, conflict.
COMM 2400 Small Group Communication (3 credits)
An introduction to theory and practice of communicating in small, task-oriented groups. Skills include developing group problem-solving strategies, enhancing awareness of small group dynamics, and building an understanding of the theoretical foundation(s) of small group communication. Typically Offered: Varies.
COMM 2990 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
COMM 3350 Intercultural Communication (3 credits)
General Education: International, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Survey of current theories and research on intercultural communication; development of critical thinking skills in regard to intercultural interaction and communication styles. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
COMM 3400 Family Communication (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of family communication theories and applications by examining functional and dysfunctional family communication patterns and relationships, diverse family systems, roles and rules in the family, and power dynamics.
COMM 3470 Persuasion (3 credits)
Persuasive communication principles as they guide social interactions and persuasive dialogue.
COMM 3550 Organizational Communication (3 credits)
Overview of current theory and research in organizational communication; examining organizational structure, organizational culture, leadership, organizational change, management systems, and power relationships.
COMM 3590 Communication Research Methods (3 credits)
Aims and methods of quantitative and qualitative research designs used by communication scholars. Typically Offered: Varies.
Prereqs: STAT 1530, STAT 2510, or PSYC 2150; Communication major; Junior standing
COMM 4000 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
COMM 4030 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged. May be graded P/F.
Prereqs: Permission
COMM 4040 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
COMM 4100 Conflict Management (3 credits)
General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Principles of effective conflict management in various settings; emphasis on styles of conflict, power, goals, strategies, and intervention techniques as well as negotiation in the conflict process. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
COMM 4210 Nonverbal Communication (3 credits)
Current theories, research, and applied principles of nonverbal communication; in-depth examination of human social and biological development of nonverbal codes, and the role of nonverbal expression in intercultural, interspecies, mediated and organizational contexts.
COMM 4310 Applied Business and Professional Communication (3 credits)
Principles, skills development, and practical applications of public communication within business and other organizational contexts; emphasis on using media for creating business presentations and on the role of effective communication in career management and civic and community development. Recommended Preparation: COMM 1101 or COMM 1500; COMM 3550. Typically Offered: Varies.
COMM 4320 Gender and Communication (3 credits)
General Education: American Experience
The nature of interpersonal communication and gender; identification, interpretation, and analyses of theories that offer explanations of gender and culture in interpersonal interactions. Typically Offered: At least once per year.
COMM 4380 Crisis Communication (3 credits)
Communication and crisis are inherently intertwined; crisis necessitates communication from individuals, organizations, and stakeholders across a myriad of internal and external contexts. As such, this course focuses on key communication factors of crisis and crisis management. Students will examine theoretical foundations and strategies and apply practical principles to crisis communication planning and management with internal and external stakeholders. Typically Offered: Varies.
COMM 4530 Communication Theory (3 credits)
General Education: Capstone Experience
A survey of established theories and theoretical traditions in the Communication discipline, with an emphasis on understanding how theory is developed and applied to solve real world problems.
Prereqs: Communication major, Junior standing
COMM 4560 Nonprofit Fundraising (3 credits)
Explores theory and practice of fundraising for nonprofit groups. Surveys public campaigns and communication strategies, fundraising methods, ethics of fundraising, and fundraising leadership/management. Students will develop methods of evaluation for fundraising, and do so by case studies and preparation for fundraising campaigns.
COMM 4600 Technology and Communication (3 credits)
An introduction to theories and processes of technology in communication. Areas covered include factors that distinguish mediated from face-to-face interaction, theories of mediated interpersonal communication, self-presentation online, Internet-based relationships, and online communities. Ultimately, this course is designed to critically examine how technology alters human communication and our ability to form meaningful interpersonal relationships. Typically Offered: Varies.
COMM 4910 Communication and Aging (3 credits)
General Education: American Experience
A communication perspective is adopted to examine the aging process and the ability of individuals to successfully adapt to aging; issues addressed are theory, research, and factors associated with communication and aging.
COMM 4920 Dark Side of Communication (3 credits)
Interdisciplinary study of how individuals cope with difficult, problematic, distressing, and disruptive social interaction. Topics included are the "hidden and forbidden" aspects of personal relationships that are often neglected by social scientists. Recommended Preparation: COMM 2330.
COMM 4940 (s) Research Experience (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged. Supervised experience in conducting communication studies research. Available topics vary depending on current faculty research interests.
Prereqs: Permission
COMM 4970 Practicum in Instruction (1-3 credits, max 6)
Tutoring and/or instructional services performed by advanced students under faculty supervision.
Prereqs: Permission
COMM 4980 (s) Internship (1-3 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged. Graded Pass/Fail.
Prereqs: Permission
COMM 4990 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 1101 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Intro to psychology topics, including sensation and perception, learning and thinking, motivation, personality and adjustment, social processes, psychological testing; emphasis on fundamental principles. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
PSYC 2010 Survey of Contemporary Psychology (1 credit)
Introduces students to the psychology major, the psychology faculty, and current research in psychology. Each week a different faculty member will discuss the history, methods, major findings, and recent developments in their main areas of study.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 2150 Quantitative Methods in Psychology (3 credits)
Primarily for majors in psychology. Introduction to data analytic techniques used by psychologists. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 and completion of a math or statistics course (MATH 1080, MATH 1123, MATH 1143, MATH 1153, MATH 1160, MATH 1170, STAT 1530, or STAT 2510)
PSYC 2180 Introduction to Research in the Behavioral Sciences (4 credits)
Primarily for majors in psychology. Logic and method of empirical research in the behavioral sciences; design, execution, and reporting of psychological experimentation and research. Three lectures and one 2-hour lab per week.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 Prereqs or
PSYC 3050 Developmental Psychology (3 credits)
Conception through late adolescence; genetics, anatomy, physiology, biological changes during development, learning, socialization, cognition, and personality.
PSYC 3100 Psychology of Personality (3 credits)
Theories of personality, basic concepts, techniques of measurement, and experimental methods; the normal personality.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3110 Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
Nature, causes, treatment, and prevention of patterns of emotional disturbances and personality disorders, including neuroses and psychoses.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3150 Psychology of Women (3 credits)
General Education: American Experience
This course will cover the empirical research regarding gender differences in domains that are of particular interest to women. These topics will include but not be limited to women in the workplace, cognitive and socialization differences, work-family issues, sexuality, childhood, adolescence, motherhood, identity, and intimate relationships. Typically Offered: Fall.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3190 Environmental Psychology (3 credits)
This course will cover the empirical social science research on a variety of topics within environmental psychology. Specific topics include: conservation, population psychology, built environments, human territoriality, personal space, crowding, environmental stressors, environmental symbolism, cognitive processes, sustainability of spaces and communities. Typically Offered: Varies.
PSYC 3200 Introduction to Social Psychology (3 credits)
Theories, concepts, and research on the social bases of behavior and social interaction; topics of personal and social relevance, aggression, prejudice, altruism and helping behavior, interpersonal attraction, behavior in groups, conformity, attitudes, authoritarianism, and obedience to authority.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3250 Cognitive Psychology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5250
Survey and analysis of major topics in field; emphasis on contemporary research and theory; related topics in perception, memory, and information processing and transformation. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3300 Human Sexuality (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5300
Introduction to the fundamentals of human sexuality; emphasis on current trends and research. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3450 Group Dynamics (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5450
This course will cover the empirical research regarding group dynamics, including topics of leadership, cohesion, team building, understanding group level data, problem solving, group mood, group creativity, transactive memory, information processing, and other small group processes. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3470 Survey of Helping Professions (3 credits)
Survey of the helping professions involving psychological assistance, including clinical, counseling, school, social work, psychiatric nursing, chaplaincy/ministerial, non-traditional helpers, and peer helpers. Analysis of counseling methods, psychological testing, outcome studies, and professional issues.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3600 Positive Psychology (3 credits)
The scientific study of human strengths, life fulfillment, and optimal functioning. Topics include well-being, happiness, optimism, resilience, positive relationships, life meaning, gratitude, and positive development across the lifespan.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3720 Physiological Psychology (3 credits)
Physiological bases of animal and normal human behavior. Recommended Preparation: BIOL 1020/BIOL 1020L or higher.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3800 Activities-Based Therapies (3 credits)
Techniques based on physical and recreational activities, including crafts, individual and team sports, recreational reading and game-playing. The goal of such approaches is to assist clients in their return to an adaptive and or comfortable level of functioning. Both physical and psychological functioning are emphasized.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 or Instructor Permission
PSYC 3900 Psychology of Learning (3 credits)
Experimental literature of the nature and conditions of classical and operant conditioning, verbal learning, and cognition.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4050 (s) Professional Development (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 4140 Traumatic Events: Preparation, Intervention, Evaluation (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 4140
Traumatic Events (TEs) range from local to large scale human-induced or catastrophic natural disasters (violent crimes, major accidents, weather events, etc. ). This course is designed to address integral response elements: (a) preparation (e. g. , organizing, planning, training, equipping) (b) intervention (e. g. , multi-agency coordination, logistics, triage, first & secondary responses, volunteers, incident command, communication, mitigation, psychological first aid, media, safety, security) (c) evaluation (e. g. , after-action reports, lessons learned, hot wash, best practices, research).
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 or Instructor Permission
PSYC 4150 History and Systems of Psychology (3 credits)
General Education: Capstone Experience
History of psychology as a field of scientific inquiry; overview of development of schools of thought, prominent figures, and key theories. Recommended Preparation: Two upper-division psychology courses.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4160 Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5160
Application of psychological principles to the study of work behavior; includes topics such as personnel selection, performance appraisal, training, work motivation, teams, leadership, and job attitudes. Additional work required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4190 Adult Development and Aging (3 credits)
General Education: American Experience
Analysis of change from early adulthood through death in the areas of social, cognitive, and physical development; examination of theories, concepts, and research in the area of lifespan development; study of the problems of aging, plasticity of functioning, and ingredients of successful aging. Typically Offered: Spring.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4200 Personality and Social Development (3 credits)
Personality and social development from birth through adolescence, including such topics as attachment, aggression, impulse control, sex differences, self concept, moral development, and effects of parental child rearing styles.
PSYC 4210 Cognitive Development (3 credits)
Intellectual development of child from birth to maturity, mechanisms of intellectual growth, relationship between language and cognitive development.
PSYC 4220 Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5220
Overview of psychological disorders that affect children and adolescents; emphasis on how childhood mental illness is defined, diagnosed, and treated within multiple theoretical perspectives. Examines how multiple, interacting events shape both adaptive and maladaptive developmental outcomes.
PSYC 4250 Psychology of Action (3 credits)
The psychology of action is about the mind-body connection: what are the underlying psychological and neurological processes that enable us to translate our intentions into action, and that prevent us from doing things as well as we would like? Action control is a fundamental topic in psychology, neuroscience, and related disciplines, important for rehabilitation, training, design of usable devices, and insight into the functioning of the nervous system as a whole. Topics include perceptual-motor integration, skill acquisition, and planning and generation of simple and complex movements.
PSYC 4300 Tests and Measurements (3 credits)
Review of the major principles of test development including test construction and methods for determining test validity and reliability, some of the currently used scales, and study of scaling methods such as Thurstone scales, Likert scales, and semantic differentials. Recommended Preparation: STAT 2510.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4350 Personnel (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 4350
Joint-listed with ORGS 5350, PSYC 5350
Review of theory and methods related to personnel issues; includes topics such as individual differences, selection, psychometrics, compensation, training programs, and performance appraisal. Additional work required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4400 Psychology of Judgement and Decision Making (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to the psychological study of judgment and decision-making. By examining both laboratory and real-world research, we will learn how people (both laypersons and experts) actually make decisions and judgments and how various biases and heuristics can influence their judgments and decisions.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4410 Human Relations in the Workplace (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 4410
Joint-listed with ORGS 5410, PSYC 5410
Overview of the general theory and methods of organizational effectiveness; focus on how individual or group behavior is affected by the organizational environment; includes topics such as work motivation, leadership, teams, culture/climate, and job attitudes. Additional assignments/projects required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4440 Sensation and Perception (3 credits)
Fundamental processes and variables in sensory, perceptual, and cognitive experiences of humans.
PSYC 4460 Engineering Psychology (3 credits)
Application of principles of experimental psychology to analysis of interaction of the human operator with machine systems and work environments; emphasis on psychological aspects of human performance.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101; and PSYC 2180 or STAT 3010; or Permission Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
PSYC 4480 Psycholinguistics (3 credits)
Survey of cognitive processes of language comprehension, language/speech production, and language acquisition. Recommended Preparation: ENGL 2410 or ANTH 2410, PSYC 1101.
Prereqs: ENGL 1102
PSYC 4500 Organizational Systems and Projects (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 4500
Joint-listed with ORGS 5500, PSYC 5500
An exploration of Systems approaches to organizational performance. Includes coverage of goal setting, outcome determination, process management, performance feedback and evaluation, training support, and system revision/improvement. Additional project/assignments required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Varies.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4560 Psychology of Emotion (3 credits)
Theories of emotion; biological and social variables influencing the activation of emotion.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4700 Introduction to Chemical Addictions (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5700
Understanding how individuals develop an addiction to psychoactive chemicals and how they recover from such an addiction; recognition, assessment, and treatment of various chemical addictions and how to do interventions for addicted individuals and their families; topics include drugs of abuse, symptoms and warning signs of chemical addiction, assessment, codependency, interventions, treatment, and recovery. Additional work required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4720 Introduction to the Pharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5720
Overview of neural mechanisms, behavioral responses, and addictive aspects of psychoactive drugs. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4730 Blood and Airborne Pathogens: HIV/STDs/Hepatitis/TB (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5730
Overview of HIV/AIDS, TB, and other STDs; preparing counselors to work with clients to prevent these diseases or counsel clients who have acquired these diseases; making counselors examine issues related to human sexuality and biases about sexually related topics. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4740 Record Keeping and Case Management in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5740
Exploration and examination of the sequence of events and services that clients encounter as they begin and move through the treatment process in a typical addictions treatment setting, as outlined in the Twelve Core Functions and Global Criteria of the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC); study of the Twelve Core Functions and the Addiction Counseling Competencies relevant to each area. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4750 Professional Ethics in Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5810
Overview of ethical issues and decision making related to addictions counseling; ethics related to harm reduction models and other issues. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4760 Relapse Prevention in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5760
Overview of addictions relapse, issues and triggers related to relapse, prevention of relapse, and issues related to addictions relapse in general. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4780 Individual and Group Therapy Techniques in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5780
Techniques related to individual and group counseling of chemical addictions clients; helping skills such as active listening, problem solving, paraphrasing; numerous role plays and other practicum exercises; information about group therapy with actual experience of being part of a group. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4820 Client Screening, Assessment, and Placement (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 5820
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of substance abuse screening and assessment. This includes information related to interviewing techniques, substance abuse diagnosis, testing instruments, client placement, and issues or problems that influence the assessment environment. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Prereq for 4820: PSYC 1101 and PSYC 4780. Prereq for 5820: PSYC 5780
PSYC 4900 Psychopharmacology (3 credits)
This course provides a solid overview of neurobiology, neurophysiology, and pharmacologic treatment for individuals having psychological/psychiatric disorders. It will also examine evidence supporting the use of such interventions. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Recommended Preparation: PSYC 3110 and PSYC 3720
Prereqs: PSYC 1101
PSYC 4940 (s) Psychology Research Training (1-16 credits, max 99)
Supervised experience in conducting psychological research. Available topics vary depending on current faculty research interests. Recommended preparation: PSYC 2180.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 and Permission
PSYC 4960 Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
Analysis and assessment of behavior in real-life settings, e. g. , home, business, industry, and institutions such as prisons and psychiatric hospitals; structured programs of intervention and assessment of behavior change; special emphasis on self-management of behavior.
PSYC 4970 (s) Practicum in Instruction (1-3 credits, max 6)
Tutoring and/or instructional services performed by advanced students under faculty supervision.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 and Permission
PSYC 4980 (s) Internship (1-6 credits, max 99)
Directed internship in an approved setting that features psychological applications.
Prereqs: PSYC 1101 and Permission
PSYC 5000 Master's Research & Thesis (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5010 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5020 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5030 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5040 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5090 Human Factors in Engineering Design (3 credits)
Application of psychological principles to engineering and design; psychological models and principles from areas of perception, cognition, and information processing; the design process; display and control design; work station layout and system integration; environmental factors; safety; mental workload; human-computer interaction; and current research topics. Recommended preparation: PSYC 3250 or PSYC 5350; PSYC 4440; and PSYC 4460. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
PSYC 5120 Research Methods (3 credits)
Philosophy of research, types of design, data analysis, research report.
Prereqs: PSYC 2180 or equivalent, or Permission
PSYC 5130 Advanced Research Methods (3 credits)
Types of research designs and data analyses; application of principles of design and analysis to real-world problems; and use of computer packages for data analysis.
Prereqs: Permission
PSYC 5160 Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4160
Application of psychological principles to the study of work behavior; includes topics such as personnel selection, performance appraisal, training, work motivation, teams, leadership, and job attitudes. Additional work required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5220 Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4220
Overview of psychological disorders that affect children and adolescents; emphasis on how childhood mental illness is defined, diagnosed, and treated within multiple theoretical perspectives. Examines how multiple, interacting events shape both adaptive and maladaptive developmental outcomes.
PSYC 5250 Cognitive Psychology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 3250
Survey and analysis of major topics in field; emphasis on contemporary research and theory; related topics in perception, memory, and information processing and transformation. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5260 Cognitive Neuroscience (3 credits)
Examine research in human and animal cognition and its neurological basis. Material covered will include the study of normal cognitive processes in humans with noninvasive behavioral and physiological techniques (e. g. , reaction times, fMRI, EEG), the study of brain-injured patients, behavioral and neurophysiological research in animals, and the comparative analyses of cognitive processes across organisms. Computational approaches towards cognitive and neural processing will also be addressed. A selection of the following topics will be covered: perception, object recognition, attention, memory, spatial cognition, motor control, language, executive control, and development. Recommended Preparation: PSYC 3250.
PSYC 5300 Human Sexuality (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 3300
Introduction to the fundamentals of human sexuality; emphasis on current trends and research. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5350 Personnel (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 5350
Joint-listed with ORGS 4350, PSYC 4350
Review of theory and methods related to personnel issues; includes topics such as individual differences, selection, psychometrics, compensation, training programs, and performance appraisal. Additional work required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5410 Human Relations in the Workplace (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 5410
Joint-listed with ORGS 4410, PSYC 4410
Overview of the general theory and methods of organizational effectiveness; focus on how individual or group behavior is affected by the organizational environment; includes topics such as work motivation, leadership, teams, culture/climate, and job attitudes. Additional assignments/projects required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5450 Group Dynamics (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 3450
This course will cover the empirical research regarding group dynamics, including topics of leadership, cohesion, team building, understanding group level data, problem solving, group mood, group creativity, transactive memory, information processing, and other small group processes. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5500 Organizational Systems and Projects (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ORGS 5500
Joint-listed with ORGS 4500, PSYC 4500
An exploration of Systems approaches to organizational performance. Includes coverage of goal setting, outcome determination, process management, performance feedback and evaluation, training support, and system revision/improvement. Additional project/assignments required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Varies.
PSYC 5620 Advanced Human Factors (3 credits)
Review of topics and theories germane to human factors such as performance measurement systems, design specifications, research issues, controls and displays, human reliability, and illumination.
Prereqs: PSYC 4460, and STAT 4310; or Permission Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
PSYC 5700 Introduction to Chemical Addictions (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4700
Understanding how individuals develop an addiction to psychoactive chemicals and how they recover from such an addiction; recognition, assessment, and treatment of various chemical addictions and how to do interventions for addicted individuals and their families; topics include drugs of abuse, symptoms and warning signs of chemical addiction, assessment, codependency, interventions, treatment, and recovery. Additional work required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5720 Introduction to the Pharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4720
Overview of neural mechanisms, behavioral responses, and addictive aspects of psychoactive drugs. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5730 Blood and Airborne Pathogens: HIV/STDs/Hepatitis/TB (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4730
Overview of HIV/AIDS, TB, and other STDs; preparing counselors to work with clients to prevent these diseases or counsel clients who have acquired these diseases; making counselors examine issues related to human sexuality and biases about sexually related topics. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5740 Record Keeping and Case Management in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4740
Exploration and examination of the sequence of events and services that clients encounter as they begin and move through the treatment process in a typical addictions treatment setting, as outlined in the Twelve Core Functions and Global Criteria of the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC); study of the Twelve Core Functions and the Addiction Counseling Competencies relevant to each area. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5760 Relapse Prevention in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4760
Overview of addictions relapse, issues and triggers related to relapse, prevention of relapse, and issues related to addictions relapse in general. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5780 Individual and Group Therapy Techniques in Chemical Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4780
Techniques related to individual and group counseling of chemical addictions clients; helping skills such as active listening, problem solving, paraphrasing; numerous role plays and other practicum exercises; information about group therapy with actual experience of being part of a group. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5810 Professional Ethics in Addictions Counseling (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4750
Overview of ethical issues and decision making related to addictions counseling; ethics related to harm reduction models and other issues. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
PSYC 5820 Client Screening, Assessment, and Placement (3 credits)
Joint-listed with PSYC 4820
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of substance abuse screening and assessment. This includes information related to interviewing techniques, substance abuse diagnosis, testing instruments, client placement, and issues or problems that influence the assessment environment. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Prereq for 4820: PSYC 1101 and PSYC 4780. Prereq for 5820: PSYC 5780
PSYC 5960 Comprehensive Exam (1 credit)
Capstone integration and comprehensive examination of material in psychology master’s degree program.
PSYC 5970 (s) Practicum (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
Prereqs: Permission
PSYC 5980 (s) Internship (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged
PSYC 5990 (s) Non-thesis Master's Research (1-16 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged. Research not directly related to a thesis or dissertation.
Prereqs: Permission
PSYC 6000 Doctoral Research and Dissertation (1-45 credits, max 99)
Credit arranged