Psychology
- Department Office: SS 103
- Phone Number: 507-537-6224
- Website: https://www.smsu.edu/academics/programs/psychology/
The major in Psychology at SMSU blends a background in experimental methodology with an applied approach to the study of behavior. Our faculty’s expertise encompasses five of the major areas of contemporary psychology—personality, experimental, developmental, applied, and social psychology. In addition, faculty from other programs at SMSU, as well as professionals from the community who hold degrees in psychology and closely related areas, frequently offer courses in their special areas of competence.
The Degree
A bachelor’s degree in Psychology can lead to employment in a number of different areas, such as work in group home, educational, human resource, non-profit, criminal justice, and social service settings, as well as careers in other fields for which a liberal arts degree is appropriate. In addition, the degree can lead to graduate school and subsequent professional employment as a psychologist in areas such as counseling, clinical, experimental, physiological, industrial/organizational, developmental, health, forensic, or school psychology.
A grade of “C-” or better is required for major or minor coursework applied toward a degree from the Psychology Program.
Note: Students seeking licensure to teach social science in grades 5-12 may major in psychology and follow the Teacher Licensing Requirements listed in the Education section. Students should contact the Education Department for the most up-to-date licensure information.
Note: Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits in order to graduate with a Bachelor's degree.
This course surveys content areas of general interest in psychology. Topics include major schools of thought in psychology, development, states of awareness, learning, memory, health and stress, personality, abnormal behavior, psychotherapy, and social issues.
This is a lecture and seminar course which helps students develop skills related to finding, reading, abstracting, and synthesizing published research in psychology. It also introduces students to the psychology major and to career planning in psychology.
Course provides an orientation to topics and evaluation methods of Community Psychology as a formal multi-disciplinary profession, with primary aims of promotion of health/well-being and empowerment at individual and systemic levels, prevention programming, strengthening of social support networks, community development, cultural competency, and policy change. Course will also include overview of professions in community/health psychology and relevant career development resources/processes.
This course acquaints the student with the application of psychological principles and methods in a wide variety of settings. Topics include problems addressed by applied psychologists working in business and industry, clinical, community, health, legal, environmental and developmental settings.
This course provides students with an introduction to the use of statistical methods in behavioral sciences research. Topics covered include descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance with post-hoc tests, correlation, linear regression, and chi-square tests. Students taking this course should also enroll in the laboratory section, in which they will learn how to use statistical software for data analysis. The required preparation is MATH 110 or three years of high school mathematics.
This course provides students with instruction on the use of statistical software to perform analysis of behavioral research data. Students will learn how to run and interpret outputs for a wide variety of common statistical procedures, including descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance, correlation, and chi-square tests. The required preparation is completion or current enrollment in PSYC 200, or familiarity with basic statistical procedures.
This course covers the fundamentals of research design and methodology in a variety of settings of interest to behavioral scientists. A lab component is included which involves students in collecting data, applying statistical methods, and writing a report in APA journal format. Students use SPSS, a computer package for data analysis.
Social psychology is the study of how an individuals behavior is affected by other people. Topics covered include social perception, interpersonal attraction, prejudice, altruism, power, social influence, and group interaction.
Causes and treatment of abnormal behavior patterns, diagnosis of such behaviors and investigation of normal and abnormal behaviors are studied.
Major theories of personality are studied.
This course provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives and constructs related to the field of health psychology, assuming a biopsychosocial model of health and illness. Topics include empirical foundations, role of psychological factors in health and illness, stress and coping, mindfulness, and relevant professions.
Developmental psychology is the study of the development of behavior across the entire life span from birth until old age.
The use of learning principles to modify behavior in a variety of settings is studied. Educational, therapeutic, and self-control domains are explored.
A study of more advanced topics in psychology not normally provided as part of the curriculum.
Common topics addressed by the Mental Health topics (287) course, regardless of the particular mental health concern addressed in given semester (e.g., eating disorders, PTSD, borderline personality disorder) include the following; nature, prevalence, etiology, treatment outcome literature, prevention programs, and critical consideration of the self-help literature of a given mental health concern. In addition there will be opportunities to apply effective coping/intervention strategies. Mental health topics will be considered from the perspective of those experiencing symptoms of a given mental health disorder and concerned others. This course may be taken multiple times, assuming the particular focus of a given course is different from Mental Health topics courses previously taken. NOTE: Students may opt to enroll at the upper division (487) instead of (287), for which completion of a Final Research Paper assignment will be required in addition to fulfilling all other assignments at the lower division (287) level.
An independent study course designed primarily for Honors Program students. This course allows more in-depth or comprehensive study or research by certain students concurrently enrolled in at least one other psychology course.
This course provides an introduction to sport & performance psychology. Topics such as motivation, reinforcement, communication, psychological skills training, and ethics associated with the field will be covered.
This course provides a forum for the development, implementation, and presentation of original research projects. A seminar format is used to discuss research ideas, designs, problems, and the presentation and discussion of findings. It includes an on-campus presentation of individual research projects.
The course deals with the relationship between the brain, physiological systems, and behavior. Topics include neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, sensory systems, learning, mental disorders, and drug actions.
This course surveys factors influencing behavior in small groups. Included are topics such as leadership, social power, and group structures.
This course provides a survey of classical theories and current research in the areas of sensation and perception. Topics include vision, object recognition, attention, audition, taste, smell, and touch.
This course reviews theory and research on attitude formation, attitude change, and the relationship between attitude, beliefs, and behavior.
This course provides an introduction to counseling fundamentals, definitions of a helping relationship, counseling goals and expectations, counselor role and function, theories and approaches, techniques and skill building, ethical and legal considerations, and counseling special populations.
This course is intended as an introduction to the emerging field of positive psychology. The sub-field of positive psychology is focused on the experience of happiness, subjective well-being, resilience, and human flourishing. Topics will include classical philosophical models of well-being, contemporary theories and concepts, a review of current findings, and discussion of potential applications and future directions.
The course acquaints students with the basic theories, methods of study, and research findings on childrens and adolescents behavior and cognition. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking about claims made in this area.
This course surveys the personality changes and life crises that occur from maturity to old age. Social and cultural factors and their interrelationships with psychological adjustment are stressed. Topics include marriage, childrearing, empty nest, retirement, widowhood, grief and death.
Industrial/organizational psychology is the study of the application of psychology to business. Primary topics are in the areas of personnel psychology, organizational behavior, and the work environment.
This course deals with the impact of culture on human experience. Topics include similarities and differences in personality, emotion, cognition, development, mental health, and interpersonal behavior across cultures.
In this course, students will attend a seminar where such matters as ethical principles of psychologists, difficulties in translating theory into practice, and applied research will be discussed. Students will be required to spend 100 hours in the field. This course may be repeated for credit once. NOTE: For students majoring in Community Psychology and Health Promotion, one of the internships must be directly related to Community Psychology and include one or more of the following applied learning experiences: program evaluation; outcome/process evaluation of a mental health education workshop, health promotion initiative, or prevention program; narrative interview of or other form of qualitative research; and/or grant writing experience.
This course provides an in-depth study of the major ideas in psychology and their origins, as well as key people in the history of psychology. Students trace the evolution of current psychological thought. Prerequisites: six courses in psychology.
This course provides an overview of major theoretical perspectives and constructs related to the field of health psychology, assuming a biopsychosocial model of health and illness. Topics include empirical foundations, role of psychological factors in health and illness, stress and coping, mindfulness, and relevant professions.
A study of more advanced topics in psychology not normally provided as part of the curriculum.
Common topics addressed by the Mental Health topics 487 course, regardless of the particular mental health concern addressed in a given semester (e.g., eating disorders, PTSD, borderline personality disorder) include the following: nature, prevalence, etiology, treatment outcome literature, prevention programs, and critical consideration of the self-help literature of a given mental health concern. In addition there will be opportunities to apply effective coping/intervention strategies. Mental health topics will be considered from the perspective of those experiencing symptoms of a given mental health disorder and concerned others. This course may be taken multiple times, assuming the particular focus of a given course is different from Mental Health topics courses previously taken. NOTE: Students may opt to enroll at the lower division (287) instead of (487). If enrolled at the lower division (287) level, completion of a Final Research Paper assignment will not be required.
Arranged Independent Study in Psychology
Students register for this course when their internship requires more field hours than are credited in PSYC 400, or when they wish to explore additional areas of professional practice in psychology. Students will be required to spend 50 hours in the field for each credit hour.