Applied Psychology Major Courses
For curriculum and course descriptions please Download a Applied Psychology Program Overview.
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Required Major Courses
PSY 12053 | General Psychology (3 Credits) Introduces basic elements in understanding human behavior. Emphasis on basic concepts and terminology of psychology including the biological basis of behavior, sensation, perception, history of psychology, growth and development, motivation, learning, measurement and scientific methodology, emotion, personality, abnormal behavior, and psychotherapy.
PSY 20253 | Human Sexuality (3 Credits) Inter-disciplinary approach draws upon the scientific expertise of anthropologists, biologists, medical researchers, sociologists, social workers, and psychologists and the contributions of these fields to the study of human sexuality. Interest in this topic is based on the fact that sexual behavior reflects our biological capabilities, our psychological characteristics and social and cultural influences. Covers core topics in the field of human sexuality including anatomy, physiology, arousal and response, gender roles, attraction, love, intimate relationships, sexual communication, sexual techniques, sexual orientation, conception, birth control, prenatal development, childbirth, sexual behavior across the life-span, sexual dysfunction and therapy, sexually transmitted diseases, atypical variations in sexual behavior, sexual coercion and commerical sex. Focuses on critical thinking as a tool for learning and taking action through diverse literature in the field of study. In addition, addresses gender roles, sexual attitudes, sexual behaviors, sexual health, and sexually responsible decision-making.
PSY 27030 | Ethics in Psychology (3 Credits) This course provides an introductory exploration of ethical principles and professional standards that guide the practice of psychology across diverse settings. Students will examine the APA Code of Ethics and its application to research, clinical practice, teaching, consulting, forensic psychology, multicultural psychology and other professional domains. Through case studies, discussions, and critical analysis, the course emphasizes ethical decision-making, confidentiality, informed consent, dual relationships, and cultural competence. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to recognize and navigate ethical dilemmas with integrity and professionalism in both academic and applied psychological contexts.
PSY 30153 | Theories of Personality (3 Credits) Emphasizes modern psychoanalytic, behaviorist and humanistic theories of personality development. Course prerequisites: PSY 12053.
PSY 30353 | Psychopathology (3 Credits) Study of biological, psychological and sociocultural influences contributing to abnormal behavior patterns. Includes history, identification, diagnosis, and treatment of various psycho-pathological disorders.
PSY 31354 | Physiological Psychology (3 Credits) Examines physical basis of human behavior and experience, how the brain and nervous system work, information flow, and processing at higher levels of organizations. Addresses issues of intelligence, consciousness, addictions, and deviant behavior from a neurophysiological standpoint.
PSY 36000 | Statistics for Social Sciences (3 Credits) Introduction to descriptive, inferential, and other statistical techniques used in the social sciences along with contemporary methods of graphical data presentation. Topics include data collection procedures, measures of dispersion, correlation designs, probability, statistical inference, measures of effect size, analysis of variance, and regression. Prerequisite: MAT 10743 Foundations of Mathematics or higher level MAT course. Cross-listed with HUS 36000.
PSY 38000 | Applied Research Design: Analysis, Analytics, and Visualization (4 Credits) This course offers an integrated and applied approach to data collection, research design, statistical analysis, and results presentation within the social sciences. Students will focus on data management, exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs, as well as predictive analysis and dashboard presentation techniques. The course emphasizes practical application, requiring students to develop original research proposals and projects that involve Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals. Prerequisites: PSY 36000 Statistics for Social Sciences.
APY 49424 | Applied Psychology Senior Seminar (4 Credits) This capstone course offers an outstanding opportunity for students to demonstrate their acquired knowledge of the specialization they have chosen in Applied Psychology. Students may choose between an applied research approach or an applied investigate and resolve approach. In the research approach students will develop a thesis, conduct a literature review, develop a research topic, conduct research, and present their findings in a defense format and either a jury presentation or conference presentation format. In the investigate and resolve approach, students select a bio-psycho-social issue of concern, identify its mechanisms of cause and change (both proximal and distal), then develop and propose a process of resolution to be defended in an oral format. Prerequisite: PSY 38000 Applied Research Design.
Criminal Psychology Concentration
PSY 37000 | Criminal Profiling (3 Credits) The goal of this course is to provide the student with knowledge of criminal profiling by examination of those methods and approaches used in the identification and apprehension of individuals engaged in criminal activity.
PSY 37001 | Psychology of Terrorism (3 Credits) This course is an introduction to the psychological study of historic and contemporary terrorist groups, their motives and strategies. The psychological and social impact on individuals, communities and global societies of the achievement of terrorist goals as well as recruitment methods, the influence that terrorist groups exert on their members and factors influencing the establishment and dissolution of terrorist groups will be examined.
PSY 37002 | Criminal Psychology: Scientific Analysis of Criminal Behavior (3 Credits) Through hands-on activities and case studies, this course explores the role of clinical history, traumatic experiences and learned behaviors, in criminal acting-out, with reference to the fields of criminal psychology and neuropsychology, anthropology, profiling and forensic psychology. Analyzes different types of violent crime in the context of brain dysfunction, brain injury, prolonged trauma, intellectual deficits, sexual deviance and mental and/or personality disorders. Integrates the theories and methods necessary for the scientifically informed observation involved in the screening of qualitative identification of criminal behavior. Considers the role of development factors in the emergence of a criminal behavior.
PSY 37040 | Psychology & The Law (4 Credits) Focuses on the paradigm differences in the mental health and legal systems and the challenges associated with integrating the two. Provides the students with an overview of the American legal system and the American mental health system.
Culture and Human Development Concentration
PSY 30155 | IDS: Disability and Culture (3 Credits) This course will engage the different definitions of disability in a variety of sociopolitical and cultural contexts. From the beginning, this course will encourage students to become aware of their own personal values and beliefs as they relate to disability and societal perspectives. Cross-listed with LAS 30155.
PSY 31454 | IDS: Sexuality and Human Development (3 Credits) Understanding sexual identity is a necessity to understand cognitive emotional and behavioral aspects of human development and experience. Through an evidence-based theoretical framework related to the field of psychological science, this course promotes the development and its impact in human behavior with the hope that it will result in ethical decision-making for professionals of all disciplines. Cross-listed with LAS 31454.
PSY 37010 | Psychopathology Across Cultures (3 Credits) Provides theories and concepts that allow the integration culture and cultural factors in psychological diagnosis, evaluated in terms of the scope and limitations of current diagnostic practice, criticisms from different quarters, and the role and relevance of culture in the diagnostic encounter.
PSY 49660 | Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (3 Credits) Religion and spirituality are an essential part of culture. Whether they are implicit or explicit, religious and spiritual orientations can affect our daily lives, including an individual's attitudes, motivations, cognition, emotions, and behaviors. Religious and spiritual perspectives also affect the way people express, suppress and regulate emotions, define themselves within the family system, experience their sexuality, conduct interpersonal relationships, plan their future, etc. This course will examine religion through different theoretical approaches: neurobiological, psycho-dynamic, behavioral, cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, existential, etc. This course will be research and case-study oriented and will consider measurements of religiosity and spirituality in a research and/or clinical context.
Generalist Concentration
Students pursuing the Generalist concentration will select two courses from the Criminal Psychology concentration and two courses from the Culture and Human Development concentration for a total of four courses .
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