30000

Emphasizes modern psychoanalytic, behaviorist and humanistic theories of personality development. 

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. 

Inter-disciplinary approaches that apply 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, attraction, love, intimate relationships, sexual communication, sexual techniques, sexual orientation, conception, birth control, prenatal development, childbirth, sexual behavior across the life course, sexual dysfunction and therapy, sexually transmitted diseases, atypical variations in sexual behavior, sexual coercion, and commercial sex. Focuses on critical thinking as a tool for learning and taking action through diverse literature in the field of study. In addition, addresses sexual attitudes, behaviors, health, and responsible decision-making.

Introduces concepts and theoretical positions underlying adolescent personality traits, stages of growth development, learning development, and cultural, family and peer relationships. Develops psychological perspectives in adolescent behaviors, motives and values.

Study of biological, psychological and sociocultural influences contributing to abnormal behavior patterns. Includes history, identification, diagnosis, and treatment of various psycho-pathological disorders.

Study of the function of marriage and family in contemporary American society, including the why of intimate relationships, couple/parent/child adjustment, three generational relationships, and the process of break-up and remarriage.

Confronts the subject of death from new and alternative perspectives. Explores attitudes of death and the dying process, rituals, theories, and the social organization of death in many societies to gain knowledge in understanding feelings and attitudes toward death.  

Examines physical basis of human behavior and experience, how the brain and nervous system work, information flow, and processing at higher levels of organization. Addresses issues of intelligence, consciousness, addictions, and deviant behavior from a neurophysiological standpoint.

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 of an academically informed understanding of sexual development and its impact in human behavior with the hope that it will result in ethical decision-making for professionals of all disciplines. 

Examines social influences on human behavior including attitude formation and change, influence and persuasion, social attraction, theories of aggression, conformity, cultural impact, leadership styles, power and status, social roles, and environmental influences. 

Reviews basic research methods focusing on conceptual basis for experimentation. Includes basic design components such as control, sampling, data collection, and analysis. 

Examines theory and research on issues of human growth and development.

Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistical techniques used in the social sciences. Topics include data collection procedures, measures of dispersion, correlation designs, probability, statistical inference, and analysis of variance. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

This course provides an introduction to the science and practice of clinical neuropsychology, including the anatomic, functional, and cognitive substrates underlying human behavior and neuropsychology disorders.  These aspects will be observed through the lens of a variety of diseases with neuropsychological sequelae, individual case studies, behavioral syndromes, brief vignettes, neuroimaging and the understanding of the role of neuropsychological tests. 

Explores the major neuropsychological deficits following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their consequences in behavior, personality changes and emotion regulation.  Considers traumatic brain injury as a physical trauma the organic consequences of which often result in a secondary and/or tertiary trauma due to biochemical imbalances and internal swelling.  Traumatic brain injury will also be considered as an acquired set of deficits affecting brain function, emotional regulation, intellectual performance, and psychological adjustment as TBI tend to accentuate prior vulnerable personality traits.

Explores the legal and ethical issues inherent in the conduct and process of professional psychology.  Topics which will be included for consideration are: confidentiality, multiple relationships, ethical competence, prescription privileges, managed/rationed care models, conflict of interest, "duty to warn", euthanasia, expert testimony, malpractice, and forensic matters, such as the insanity defense.  Professional practice issues revolving around business and ethical concerns such as private practice, licensing/certification, and insurance reimbursement will also be discussed.

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.