Psychology 830
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Major requirements in psychology can be completed through either daytime or evening attendance.
Department of Psychology
Chair: Robrecht van der Wel
Undergraduate Program Coordinator: Andrew Abeyta
Graduate Director: E. Sean Duffy
Distinguished Professor:
Daniel A. Hart, Ed.D., Harvard
Professors:
Sarah Allred, Ph.D., Washington
Kristin August, Ph.D., California (Irvine)
Courtenay Cavanaugh, Ph.D., California School of Professional Psychology (Alliant International)
Charlotte Markey, Ph.D., California (Riverside)
Naomi Marmorstein, Ph.D., Minnesota
Ira Roseman, Ph.D., Yale
Robrecht van der Wel, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State
Associate Professors:
Andrew Abeyta, Ph.D., North Dakota State
Lauren Daniel, Ph.D., Drexel
E. Sean Duffy, Ph.D., Chicago
Associate Teaching Professor:
Jamie Dunaev, Ph.D., Rutgers
Assistant Professors:
Yoona Kang, Ph.D., Yale
Tamara Nelson, Ph.D., Clark
Guannan Shen, Ph.D., Columbia
Professors Emeriti:
J.W. Whitlow Jr., Ph.D., Yale
Beth Adelson, M.A., Ph.D., Harvard
Mary Bravo, Ph.D., Northwestern
Luis T. Garcia, Ph.D., Kansas State
Michael Wogan, Ph.D., North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
Psychology is the science of mind and behavior. The Department of Psychology at Rutgers University-Camden offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees. The department is comprised of 15 full-time faculty members committed to educating our students and conducting high-quality research. Students who pursue a degree in psychology will gain an understanding of psychological theories, research methods in psychology, and the many ways psychology can be applied to understand and improve people's lives.
Major Requirements
The major in psychology requires a minimum of 40 credits, representing 13 credits in core required courses, 12 credits in area requirement courses, and 15 credits in psychology electives.
Core Requirements (13 credits)
Core Requirement #1: 50:830:101 Introduction to Psychology
Core Requirement #2: 50:830:250 Statistics for Social Science (or 50:960:183 Elementary Applied Statistics)
Core Requirement #3: 50:830:255 Method and Theory in Psychology (or 50:830:256 Research Methods in Psychology)
Core Requirement #4: 50:830:381 and 50:830:380 Experimental Psychology with laboratory (or 4 credits of 50:830:398 Independent Study Capstone. The Independent Study Capstone option must be preapproved by the department. The form to seek approval can be found on the psychology department's website.)
Statistics (50:830:250) and either Method and Theory (50:830:255) or Research Methods (50:830:256) are prerequisites for Experimental Psychology (50:830:381).
Area Requirements (12 credits): Select one 3-credit course that represents each of the four area requirements below. For a full updated list of courses that fulfill the four area requirements, visit the psychology department's website.
Area Requirement #1: Brain, Mind, Biological Perspectives (Example courses: 50:830:312 Psychology of Consciousness, 50:830:360 Cognitive Processes, 50:830:484 Physiological Psychology)
Area Requirement #2: Development and Life Course Perspectives (Example courses: 50:830:226 Psychology of Childhood, 50:830:326 Psychology of Adolescence, 50:830328 Psychology of Aging)
Area Requirement #3: Social, Health, and Clinical Perspectives (Example courses: 50:830:335 Social Psychology, 50:830:340 Abnormal Psychology, 50:830:348 Health Psychology)
Area Requirement #4: Diverse Perspective (Example courses: 50:830:365 Cultural Psychology, 50:830:410 Black Mental Health: Risk and Resilience, 50:830:303 Psychology of Gender)
Elective Courses (15 credits): Electives can be any psychology course. A psychology course cannot be counted for both required credit and elective credit, but electives can include extra area requirement psychology courses. Students may count up to 9 Independent Study in Psychology (50:830:494/495) as elective credits.
Graduating with a major in psychology requires at least a 2.5 grade-point average in courses presented for the major, with no more than two grades lower than a C in those courses. Students may petition the department to request an exception to these requirements if they feel it is warranted.
After their freshman year, students may take 50:830:494,495 Advanced Independent Study in Psychology and 50:830:493 Applied Experience in Psychology. No more than 9 credits from either of these courses may be used for the required psychology electives, although students with more than 9 credits may use the balance for general electives.
For required courses, students may take either Method and Theory in Psychology (50:830:255), which is a writing-intensive (WRI) research course, or Research Methods in Psychology (50:830:256), which is NOT writing-intensive.
Minor Requirements
Students who wish to minor in psychology must complete at least 18 credits in psychology courses, including 6 credits or more at the 300 level or higher. Students must have at least a C+ (2.5) grade-point average for courses applied to the psychology minor, with no more than one grade lower than a C among these courses.
Departmental Honors Program
Students interested in the departmental honors program should consult with the undergraduate program coordinator and their potential adviser before beginning their senior year. To receive honors in psychology, the student must complete two semesters of the departmental honors seminar, 50:830:496 and 50:830:497. The honors project must be a mentored, independent research project sponsored by one (or more) faculty adviser(s). The honors proposal must be approved by a committee of three (or more) members of the department, selected by the student and the student's adviser(s). During the second honors seminar (50:830:497), the student must make a formal presentation on the outcome of the project to the committee. Students must have prior permission to register for the honors program in psychology.
Teacher Certification
For details regarding admission to the teacher preparation program and its requirements, students should consult the Teacher Education program.
Preparation for Graduate Study
Students interested in pursuing graduate study in psychology should meet with a faculty member early to plan their course of study. Those who wish to specialize in particular areas of study should discuss their plans with faculty members whose expertise is most appropriate for those areas.
Students planning to pursue graduate work in psychology are strongly advised to take courses that provide training in research and/or theory, particularly in their tentative areas of specialization. In addition, they should include research activity in their programs of study by enrolling in 50:830:494,495,498 Advanced Independent Study in Psychology, and by taking other courses that include research projects. Students who wish to pursue clinical work should also enroll in 50:830:493 Applied Experience in Psychology.
BA/MA Accelerated Program
Students enrolled in the Camden College of Arts and Sciences or in University College-Camden may apply during their junior year to enter the accelerated Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts (B.A./M.A.) program. This program enables students with strong academic credentials to begin graduate work while still undergraduates, thus speeding the completion of the master's degree. Camden undergraduates who intend to pursue a master's degree in psychology in the Rutgers Graduate School-Camden must be approved for entry into this accelerated program by the director of graduate studies in psychology. If accepted, they may take one graduate course in each semester of their senior year. These two courses are charged at the undergraduate tuition rate, but are double-counted toward both the B.A. and the M.A. degree requirements. As seniors, students must apply to the Graduate School-Camden in regular fashion and be formally admitted and matriculated. They then go on to complete the remainder of their credits as master's-level students.
830 Courses
50:830:100 Introductory Topics in Psychology (3)
Introductory-level review of selected topics in psychology.
No prerequisite; does not substitute for 50:830:101. May be taken a maximum of two times for departmental credit, as long as the department agrees that the topics are different.
50:830:101 Introduction to Psychology (R) (3)
Introduction to the methods, theories, facts, and basic principles in the major fields of psychology, including the scientific nature of the psychological sciences, the biological foundations of psychological functioning, the cognitive processing systems from sensation and perception to higher-order cognition and decision-making, the processes of life span development, the assessment and characterization of personality, the processes of social psychology, the nature of psychological testing, and the foundations of clinical diagnosis for psychological disorders and their treatment. Participation in research or completion of an approved, appropriate alternative activity required.
50:830:135 Introductory Social Psychology (R) (3)
An introductory survey of psychological research and theory about individuals as they influence and are influenced by other people. Topics include social perception and judgment, attitudes and behavior, self and identity, social influence and persuasion, intergroup relations, prejudice and discrimination, and love and close relationships. Attention is given to applications in real-world settings, such as business/organizations, the law, health, and education.
Credit not given for both this course and 50:830:335. Not for psychology majors.
50:830:201 Frontiers in Psychology (3)
Faculty members and distinguished visiting lecturers lead seminars in their fields of specialization and provide information on how their career path. Students prepare and present papers on assigned topics that change from year to year.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:203 The Psychology of Minority Groups (D) (3)
Examination of the social and personality dynamics of inter-group relations and conflict and how these affect minority populations. Attempts made to define the major psychological events within minority groups as they relate to developmental processes, attitudes, perceptions, and identity patterns with special attention given to mental health issues in minority communities.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:206 Psychology of Couples and Families (3)
The psychological study of interpersonal behavior within family units, both nuclear and extended; addresses conjoint personal development, communication networks, intimate relationships, and intrafamily conflict.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:222 Human Development (3)
Human development across the life span: critical examination of psychological constancy and changes throughout the human life span, with emphasis on biological, cultural, intergenerational, social, and other systemic experiences and influences.
This course does not count toward the psychology major.
50:830:226 Psychology of Childhood (3)
Examination of psychological development from birth through late childhood. Emphasis on theories and research concerned with physical, perceptual, cognitive, social, and emotional development, and the applications of knowledge about development to contemporary issues regarding children.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:231 Psychology of Personality (3)
Examination of theoretical and research approaches to the understanding of individual behavior, considering both individual traits and situational sources of influence.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:250 Statistics for Social Science (3)
Introduction to basic concepts of statistics, both descriptive (organization and presentation of data) and inferential (drawing conclusions from data), with emphasis on practical applications in psychological research.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135. Credit not given for this course and 50:960:183 or equivalent.
50:830:255 Method and Theory in Psychology (W) (3)
Survey of research methods in psychology that emphasizes the guiding role of theory in scientific research. Consideration of the nature and history of scientific theories in psychology, hypothesis generation, review of professional literature, measurement, research designs, control of extraneous variables, and the analysis, interpretation, reproducibility and ecological validity of empirical results. Discussion of the self-correcting nature of the research process through replication, peer review, increased methodological sophistication, and quantitative analysis, with an emphasis on reading and writing research papers in psychology.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:256 Research Methods in Psychology (3)
Survey of research methods in psychology, emphasizing the guiding role of theory in scientific research. Students will learn about distinguishing between nonscientific versus scientific sources of information, hypothesis generation, review of extant literature, measurement, experimental versus nonexperimental designs, control of extraneous variables, analysis, interpretation, replication, and testing the ecological validity of results. Emphasis on the self-correcting nature of the research process through replication and extension, peer review, increased methodological sophistication, and quantitative analysis.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135. Credit not given for both this course and 50:830:255.
50:830:301 Educational Psychology (3)
Examines how individuals develop and learn, with particular emphasis on the classroom. Includes motivation, student interests, creating a healthy learning environment, language development, testing, and individual differences.
50:830:303 Psychology of Gender (3)
This course introduces students to the psychological literature on gender. Course topics include the causes of sex differences and similarities and the influence of gender roles on life experiences, including those related to the workplace, leadership, parenting, sexuality, and the public and private presentation of self.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:305 Psychology of Human Sexuality (3)
Examination of major topics and approaches to the psychological study of human sexuality. Begins with introduction to the history of the field, the major obstacles to conducting research in human sexuality, and major theoretical approaches, followed by presentation on anatomy and physiology of the human sexual response. Topics discussed include developmental issues in sexuality, sexual attraction and relationships, sexual orientation, variations in sexual behavior, commercial sexuality, coercive sexuality, and sexual dysfunctions and therapy.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:306 Human Emotions (3)
Inquiry into the nature of human emotions and their causes, effects, functions, and dysfunctions. Topics include physiological, behavioral, and cognitive approaches to emotions; expressive aspects; motivational aspects; emotional development; individual, gender, and cultural differences; emotional pathology; and emotional self-regulation and control.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:312 Psychology of Consciousness (3)
Examination of consciousness from psychological perspectives, such as cognitive processes, neuroscience, phenomenology, and evolution. Topics include sleep and dreams; perception and thought; effects of psychoactive drugs; introspective reports; and brain function in healthy and injured people. Satisfies the general education theme of physical and life sciences (PLS).
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:316 Psychology and the Law (3)
Explores the relationship between the field of psychology and the legal system; the decision-making process of judges and juries; eyewitness reliability; criminal insanity; the use of psychological knowledge to raise legal issues; and assumptions that the legal system makes about human nature.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:318 Ethics in Psychology (3)
Provides an overview of the ethical questions and dilemmas that psychologists encounter in their everyday practice, research, and teaching, with the goal of familiarizing students with the role of ethical behavior and decision-making in psychology. Satisfies the general education theme of ethics and values (EAV).
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:319 Industrial Psychology (3)
Personnel selection and placement; psychology of industrial and human relations; worker morale, motivation, and efficiency; human factors in equipment design, marketing, and advertising research.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:326 Psychology of Adolescence (3)
A survey of development during the adolescent and early adult years. Contemporary theories and research will be used to help students understand issues central to adolescence including pubertal development; cognitive development; identity, dating, and sexuality; family and peer relationships; adolescents at school and work; culture and the media; and challenges faced by adolescents. Adolescence will be discussed both as a distinct stage of life and as an integral component of development across the life span.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:328 Psychology of Aging (3)
This course is designed to provide a broad overview of the field of psychology of aging/gerontology. The focus on later life will be examined from a multidisciplinary perspective, using a life span developmental framework, and will cover fundamental theories, major topics, and characteristic methods in the psychology of aging. Topics include changes in physical, cognitive, social, and personality functions; mental health issues; retirement; long-term care; death and dying; and successful aging.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:335 Social Psychology (3)
Psychological theory and research examining how individuals influence and are influenced by their social environment. Topics include social cognition, cultural influences, conformity, persuasion, group behavior, prejudice aggression, interpersonal attraction, and prosocial behavior.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256. Credit not given for both this course and 50:830:135.
50:830:340 Abnormal Psychology (3)
A survey of different types of psychological disorders as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (currently DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association. To a lesser extent, the course examines causes of these disorders and the treatments for them.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:345 Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3)
Introduction to theory and practice of clinical psychology, with a focus on case studies and workshop design. It also includes individual, couples, and family therapy models.
Prerequisites: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256 and 50:830:340.
50:830:348 Health Psychology (3)
Focuses on understanding psychological processes that influence health. Topics include stress and illness, personality and disease, chronic illness and death, health promotion and disease prevention through behavior change, and relationships between patients and practitioners. The changing health care environment and the need to understand the role of individuals' lifestyles in determining their health are emphasized.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:355 Psychological Tests and Measurements (3)
Introduction to the history, development, and principles of psychological testing, including techniques of administration, scoring, and interpretation. Intelligence, aptitude, achievement, interest, and personality tests studied theoretically and empirically. The impact of testing on the individual and on society.
Prerequisites: 50:830:250 and 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:362 Cognitive Processes (3)
Examines research on human information processing, including attention, pattern recognition, memory, thought, and problem solving. Discusses laboratory techniques, theoretical models, and research applications to practical concerns such as reading, training strategies, and human engineering.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:365 Cultural Psychology (3)
Examines how culture influences the way people process information about themselves and the world. Topics include cultural differences in self-construal, cognition, perception, and other basic psychological processes.
Prerequisite: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135.
50:830:380 Laboratory in Experimental Psychology (1)
Examines scientific methods of approaching psychological questions, and students gain practical experience with research techniques used in selected areas of psychological investigations.
Prerequisites: 50:830:101, 50:830:250, and 50:830:255 or 50:830:256. Corequisite: 50:830:381.
50:830:381 Experimental Psychology (3)
Designed to give students experience with using research techniques for the investigation of psychological phenomena and understanding the methodological strengths and limitations of different techniques. Prepares students to conduct empirical investigations, analyze data, and interpret and report results for research studies in psychology.
Prerequisites: 50:830:101, 50:830:250, and 50:830:255 or 50:830:256. Corequisite: 50:830:380.
50:830:382 Experimental Psychology Laboratory II (1)
An advanced laboratory in psychology.
Prerequisites: 50:830:380, 50:830:381, and permission of instructor. Corequisite: Lecture course designated by department (changes each semester).
50:830:434 Psychology of Eating (3)
Focuses on understanding the psychological processes underlying humans' development of eating behaviors and the adoption of both healthy and maladaptive cognitions and behaviors concerning food, eating, and our bodies. Issues to be addressed include food choice, the development of food preferences, motivation to eat, cultural influences on eating patterns, weight-regulation, body image, dieting behaviors, obesity, eating disorders, and treatment of unhealthy and clinical eating problems. The psychological, not physiological, processes of eating will be emphasized.
Prerequisites: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135, and 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:438 The Psychology of Strongly Held Beliefs (3)
Inquiry into the origins, structure, and psychological functions of strongly held beliefs, such as political liberalism and conservatism, attitudes toward war and peace, and attitudes toward social issues (e.g., abortion, racial attitudes). Topics include relationships of personality, personal experiences, and socialization to political beliefs.
Prerequisites: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256 and 50:830:335.
50:830:440 Developmental Psychopathology (3)
Applies a developmental approach to the understanding of childhood disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:441 Theories of Psychotherapy (3)
Examination of different approaches to psychotherapy including psychoanalytic, humanistic, gestalt, existential, cognitive, behavioral, and solution-focused approaches. The focus will be on the theory behind each approach. While techniques used by the different approaches will be briefly discussed, students will not be taught how to do therapy.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:457,458,459,460,461,462,463,464 Special Topics in Psychology (2-3 each)
Selected theoretical, experimental, and applied problems in psychology. Specific topics covered rotate from semester to semester depending on the interests of participating faculty and students.
Prerequisites: 50:830:101 or 50:830:135 and junior or senior status, or permission of instructor.
50:830:465 Learning and Memory (3)
Critical survey of theories and data on the nature of learning and memory. Discusses a range of phenomena, including habituation, conditioning, perceptual learning, procedural learning, skill learning and habit formation, recall, recognition, and concept learning, and their application to education, everyday memory, and clinical interventions.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:467 Perception (3)
Examines what we need to know about the objects and events that surround us, how our eyes and ears sense this information, how the patterns of neural activity in our brain represent this information, and finally, what scientists know about our visual and auditory experiences.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:471 Behavioral Pharmacology (3)
Examines the action of drugs on the nervous system and behavior. Topics include principles of drug action, drug-environment interactions, drug abuse, drugs and therapeutic agents, and drugs as tools in psychological research.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:475 Physiological Psychology (3)
Examines the relationship between biology and behavior by studying the workings of animal brains, functional deficits of brain-damaged humans, neurophysiological mechanisms, and the genetics of behavior. Topics may include biological mechanisms of language, addiction, anxiety, depression, learning, aggression, and other aspects of human psychology. Satisfies the General Education Theme of Physical and Life Sciences (PLS).
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:476 Animal Behavior (3)
Examines the behavior of animals with emphasis on the evolution of behavior patterns and the experiential determiners of these patterns. Topics include communication, behavior-structure relationships, behavioral strategies, general adaptations versus specialized functions, and the evolution of intelligence.
Prerequisite: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256.
50:830:493 Applied Experience in Psychology (R) (3)
Provides advanced psychology majors with an opportunity to integrate and expand their knowledge of psychology through applied experiences in the community. Students are encouraged to develop their own placements, but may consult with the instructor for help in establishing a placement. Students are expected to meet with the instructor regularly throughout the semester, keep a journal of their experiences, and complete a class project/paper.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. This course may be repeated for credit, but only 9 credits can be applied toward the requirements for the major.
50:830:494,495 Advanced Independent Study in Psychology (R) (1-3)
Students are required to undertake a semester-long or yearlong laboratory or library project under the supervision of a member of the department. Strongly recommended for students planning to attend graduate school.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. This course may be repeated for credit, but only 9 credits can be applied toward the requirements for the major.
50:830:496,497 Honors Program in Psychology (3,3)
Design, execution, analysis, and presentation of original research, undertaken after departmental approval of an honor's research proposal and conducted under the supervision of one or more faculty members. May be taken only with departmental approval.
Prerequisite: By permission only.
50:830:498 Independent Study in Psychology Capstone (W) (1-3)
Students are required to undertake a semester-long laboratory or library project under the supervision of a faculty member of the department. Requires departmental approval of a research project proposal.
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor; 50:830:255 or 50:830:256 and 50:830:250 or 50:960:183; minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and in all prerequisites. Credit not given for both this course and 50:830:380 and 50:830:381 or 50:830:499.
50:830:499 Special Topics in Experimental Psychology with Lab (W) (3)
Designed to introduce students to experimental techniques and methodological problems involved in the investigation of a particular topic in psychology. Prepares the student to conduct research, analyze data, and interpret and report results of experiments in this area. Specific topics covered rotate from semester to semester depending on the interests of participating faculty and students.
Prerequisites: 50:830:255 or 50:830:256 and 50:830:250 or 50:960:183. Credit not given for both this course and 50:830:380 and 50:830:381 or 50:830:498.