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Graduate Courses and Descriptions

5003 Psychological Statistics I. Prerequisite: graduate standing and undergraduate statistics course, or permission of instructor. Applied statistics with emphasis upon statistical problems in behavioral sciences research. Includes probability, descriptive statistics, estimations and test of hypotheses. Techniques covered in depth include t-test, one and two factor ANOVA methods, multiple comparison methods (e.g., Scheff, Tukey, Ryan, etc.), and the robustness of these techniques to violation of their assumptions.

5013 Psychological Statistics II. Prerequisite: 5003 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. The general linear model is covered as it applies to the analysis of variance including fixed, mixed, and random models, individual comparisons, analysis of covariance, and multiple regression. Also, some nonparametric techniques are discussed including chi-square and distribution free procedures.

5043 Quantitative Methods in Evaluation Research. Prerequisite: 5003 or equivalent. The role of quantitative analysis in psychological, educational and program evaluation is discussed, with emphasis on experimental design, sampling theoory, randomization tests, analysis of covariance models and structural equation methods. 

5103 Physiological Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Surveys the neuroanatomical, hormonal and neurochemical bases of food and water intake, sleep and dreaming, emotion, reward and punishment, learning and memory, mental disorders. 

5203 Survey in Cognitive Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Survey of the field of cognitive psychology designed to provide a foundation for the study of human higher mental processes. Topics include: pattern recognition, attention, episodic memory, semantic memory, psycholinguistics, comprehension, reasoning, decision making and problem solving.

5280 Seminar in Cognitive Processes. 1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit six hours. Considers special topics in cognitive psychology emphasizing recent research literature.

5403 Theories and Methods in Developmental Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing in the department or permission of instructor. Examination of the theories and methods specific to life-span developmental psychology. 

5413 Personality. Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission of instructor. Survey of modern personality theory and research. Strong emphasis on current limited domain theories of personality, research methodology unique to personality research, and major issues facing this area. Individual research proposals are developed.

5423 Current Theories in Social Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of instructor. An overview of current theory and research in social psychology, including such topics as motivated cognition, automatic and controlled processing, stereotyping, impression formation, attributions, the self-concept and self-regulation, relationships, emotions, attitudes, altruism, and aggression. 

5433 Classic Issues in Social Psychology. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. An overview of classic theories and studies from the first 100 years of social psychology. Topics include attitudes and persuasion, group processes, attraction, social influence, conformity, helping, aggression, dissonance, emotions, and attribution. 

5703 Survey of Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing. An overview of the theory and practices used in industrial/organizational psychology. Focus on the general principles involved in applying psychological theory in the work place, considering applications at the individual, group, and organizational level. Also considers the major methodological techniques used to support those applications. 

5713 Training and Development. Prerequisite: 5703. Design and development of training courses as well as practical considerations in the delivery of training in organizational settings. 

5723 Selection and Assessment in Organizations. Prerequisite: 5703. Covers a variety of substantive topics including; the choice and design of pesonnel selection tools, validation of employment tests, legal issues regarding personnel assessment and selection, assessment of intelligence, experience, personality and integrity, the use of common assessment methods such as situational judgment tests, interviews, biodata, and assessment centers, frame-of-reference training, theoretical and empirical literature regarding assessment center technology, and development and administration of an assessment center. 

5733 Techniques in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Prerequisite: 5703. Provides an overview of how to develop and apply several methodologies and techniques that I/O psychologists commonly use to address organizational needs. During this course we will explore topics such as basic consulting skills, job analysis, individual asssessment and selection, biodata, performance appraisal, ad organizational surveys. Some basic familiarity with these areas is assumed. This class focuses on how to develop and implement these types of applications in organizational settings. 

5783 General Seminar in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Prerequisite: 5703. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit nine hours. Examine in-depth one or more topics that provide a basis for current work in industrial and organizational psychology. May include topics such as leadership, motivation, performance management, job satisfaction, and individual differences. 

5901 Foundations of Psychological Science I. Prerequisite: admission to graduate psychology program. Overview of current research in psychological science. Discussion of ethics, professional development, the pedagogical arts, methodology and grantsmanship. Participants complete a first year research project including a grant proposal, presentation at a professional meeting and presentation at departmental speaker series.

5911 Foundations of Psychological Science II. Prerequisite: 5901. Continuation of 5901. Advanced topics in professional development, research planning, funding and communication.

5960 Directed Readings in Psychology. 1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, permission of instructor, adviser and dean. Maximum credit nine hours. Supervised reading of selected topics in psychology by agreement of instructor and student. 

5970 Pre-Master's Research in Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing; pre-master's status; permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Supervised research in area agreed upon by student and instructor. Students conducting research for the master's thesis should enroll in 5980. 

5980 Research for Master's Thesis. Variable enrollment, two to nine hours; maximum credit applicable toward degree, six hours. 

5990 Independent Study. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Contracted independent study for a topic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. 

6013 Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models. Prerequisite: 5003, 5013 or equivalent. Several exploratory factor analysis models are discussed including principle factors, maximum likelihood, and alpha-factors analysis. Factor-analytic-like models such as components analysis and image analysis are also covered. Offers an overview of the application of structural equations in the social sciences. 

6023 Statistical Models of Tests Scores. Prerequisite: 5003, 5013 or equivalent. Topics include classical test theory, item-sampling theories, latent ability test theory, item analysis and test validation. 

6063 Seminar in Quantitative Psychology. Prerequisite: 5013 or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit 15 hours. The topic or topics to be covered depend upon the faculty member or members in charge of the seminar at the time it is offered.

6073 Experimental Design for Psychology. Prerequisite: 5003, 5013, or permission of instructor. Classical experimental design applied to research problems in the behavioral sciences; completely randomized, randomized blocks, factorial, Latin square, fractional factorial and repeated measures designs, confounding, and related topics are discussed.

6123 Physiological Psychology Laboratory. Prerequisite: 5103 or graduate standing and permission of instructor. Instruction in techniques and concepts used in physiological psychology research to include neurophysiological, neuroanatomical and neuropharmacological analyses of behavior.

6203 Advanced Tools and Methods in Cognition. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission. Demonstration and application of the tools and methods of the cognitive scientist, with a special emphasis on software tools, including Mathematica, SAS, S Plus, Neuralware, and Unix.

6213 Attention and Memory. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission. Detailed examination of current data and theory in attentional and automatic processes, short- and long-term memory, implicit memory, and the effect of knowledge on memory.

6223 Quantitative Models in Cognition. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission. Survey of quantitative models in cognition, with an emphasis on memory and reaction time. Techniques for model testing and development will be taught and supported by exercises.

6263 Introduction to Cognitive Science. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission. In-depth consideration of the interdisciplinary approach to mind. Includes topics in cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, philosophy, and neuro-science.

6280 Advanced Seminar in Cognitive Processes. 1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: 5203 or permission. May be repeated with change of subject matter; maximum credit 12 hours. Special topics in human learning and memory or in memory and cognitive processes will be considered in detail, emphasizing recent research literature and development of research proposals. 

6413 Stereotyping and Prejudice. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Classic and contemporary approaches in social psychology to the nature of prejudice and its motivational substrates, as well as the formation, content, use, and consequences of stereotypes. 

6423 Seminar in Social Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit nine hours. Intensive study of major problem areas in social psychology, including intrapersonal processes, group dynamics, the self, and research methods. Course topic will vary. 

6433 Seminar in Theories of Personality. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Psychology or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit 12 hours. Intensive exploration of both traditional and modern theories of personality. Examples from several major categories of personality theory are examined through intensive primary readings, writing, and discussion. 

6453 Seminar in Interpersonal Relationships. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. Covers classic and contemporary theories and findings in the social psychological literature on interpersonal relationships, with a focus on the biological, motivations, social and personality factors that contribute to attraction, closeness, satisfaction, and stability in dyadic relationships. 

6643 Seminar in Developmental Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit 12 hours. Involves in-depth study of theory and research in major areas of developmental psychology, e.g., social cognition, peer relations, emotions, temperament and personality, morality, aggression, theory of mind. 

6703 Advanced Seminar in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Prerequisite: 5703. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit nine hours. Focus in-depth on one or more topics examining the area with respect to new theoretical developments and major research findings. Topics may include active, emergent research areas likely to lead to changes in theoretical and professional practice including motivation, team effectiveness, work and family issues, changes in job design, etc. 

6713 Leadership Theories, Research, and Practice. Prerequisite: 5703. This graduate seminar examines the theoretical and empirical research as well as case studies on a variety of topics in the field of leadership, leadership dyads, outstanding forms of leadership (transformational, charismatic, pragmatic), politics, leading innovation and change, assessing leadership effectiveness, gender and leadership, and cross-cultural leadership. 

6723 Groups and Teams in Organizations. Prerequisite: 5703. This course explores the literature on groups and teams in organizations. The goal is to understand group dynamics, with particular emphasis on those group processes most relevant to organizational groups, such as primary work groups, project teams, top management teams, and so forth. Some of the topics covered include group formation and development, cohesion, social identity, social influence, intergroup dynamics, group decision making, creativity in groups, group performance, leadership in groups, and team training. 

6903 Seminar in Contemporary Problems. Prerequisite: five graduate courses including 5003 or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit eighteen hours. Content dependent upon faculty member in charge of the seminar at the time it is offered. Intensive consideration of major contemporary issues in psychology. 

6910 Readings in Psychology. 1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: advanced graduate standing (post-master's). May be repeated; maximum graduate credit nine hours. Supervised reading for advanced students. Topics chosen by agreement of instructor and student.

6920 Research in Learning, Motivation and Comparative Psychology. 1 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: by permission of instructor only. May be repeated; maximum graduate credit 18 hours. Supervised individual laboratory research on major projects in an area of mutual interest with a faculty member. Upon advice of the instructor involved, enrollment for work on minor research projects in the above areas may alternatively be in 4990. 

6923 History of Psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Introduction to origin of modern psychology within science. Origins are examined from the ancient Greeks through philosophy, physiology, and astronomy. Special emphasis placed on the historical trends and the people involved.

6930 Research in Cognitive Processes, Sensation-Perception and Physiological Psychology. 1 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: by permission of instructor only. May be repeated; maximum graduate credit eighteen hours. Supervised laboratory research on major projects in an area of mutual interest with a faculty member. Upon advice of the instructor involved, enrollment for work on minor research projects in the above areas may alternatively be in 4990. 

6933 Seminar in Human Learning and Motivation. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Special topics in human learning, motivation, and memory are considered in detail. Emphasis is placed on recent research literature and development of research proposals.

6940 Research in Personality: Social and Developmental Psychology. 1 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: by permission of instructor only. May be repeated; maximum graduate credit 18 hours. Supervised individual laboratory research on major projects in an area of mutual interest with a faculty member. Upon advice of the instructor involved, enrollment for work on minor research projects in the above areas may alternatively be in 4990. 

6960 Research in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 1 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: 5703 and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit twelve hours. Provide guided research experiences preparatory for master's and doctoral degrees. Topics selected in consultation with faculty member may include leadership, management ethics, and motivation. Exposure to key aspects of the research process including literature reviews, study design, data analysis, report preparation, proposal writing, paper presentation, and article writing. 

6970 Post-Master's Research in Psychology. Prerequisite: master's degree and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit 12 hours. Supervised research for advanced graduate students on major projects of mutual interest with a faculty member. 

6980 Research for Doctor's Dissertation

6990 Independent Study. 1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Contracted independent study for a topic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects.