Summer 2013 Credit Courses: Psychology

Certificate Program in Early Childhood Development

The most recent syllabi available can be found in the Liberal Studies Syllabus Bank.

Introduction to Psychology
Empirical and theoretical approaches to the basic physiological, cognitive, and social mechanisms underlying behavior. Topics include learning and conditioning; sensation and perception; memory, thinking, and language; psychological development; social processes; and personality and psychopathology.
Note: This course is 100% online; please visit www.purchase.edu/online for details.
BPS1530.60 / 4 credits
Peggy De Cooke
Session IV (Intensive): July 8–26

Behavioral Statistics
An introduction to data analysis, with coverage of both descriptive and inferential statistics, and an introduction to probability. Class discussions focus on the use of sample, sampling, and population distributions as they are employed in hypothesis testing. Inferential tests include t-tests, ANOVAs, chi square, regression, and nonparametric tests.
Note: This course is intended to fulfill the statistics requirement for psychology majors. It may also be used to satisfy the statistics requirement for economics and environmental studies majors, and it counts as a basic science support course for biology majors.
Section A:
Note: Section A is 100% online; please visit www.purchase.edu/online for details.
BPS2320.60 / 4 credits
Peggy De Cooke
Session I (Intensive): May 20–June 7
Section B:
BPS2320.61 / 4 credits
Kaori Germano
Mon.–Thurs., 9 a.m.–12:35 p.m.
Session IV (Intensive): July 8–Aug. 1
Natural Sciences Building Room 1029   

Adolescent Psychology
A broad survey of human development from late childhood through early adulthood. Topics include physiological, social, and cognitive development; peers, the family, and the school; issues of autonomy, identity, and sexual relations; depression; substance abuse; and suicide.
BPS2500.20 / 3 credits
Donna Hart
Tues. & Thurs., 9 a.m.–11:50 p.m.
Session II: June 11–July 25
Natural Sciences Building Room 1030  

Psychological Perspectives on the Self
An examination of the processes by which people develop and maintain a self-concept; how the self-concept influences emotion, motivation, and behavior; and whether or not the beliefs people hold about themselves are accurate or useful. Readings include recent theoretical and empirical writings from psychology journals and edited texts.
BPS3120.70 / 4 credits
BPS9120.70 / noncredit option / $625
Peggy De Cooke
Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Session III (Intensive): June 10–28
Fort Awesome Room 0126 

Health Psychology
An introduction to the theoretical and clinical foundations of the emerging field of health psychology. Explores contemporary approaches to the promotion of health and well-being from a multidisciplinary framework and sociocultural perspectives. Topics include co-morbidity factors (depression, anxiety) as they affect health outcomes; obstacles to health promotion, such as nonadherence; and quality of life with respect to chronic medical and mental health problems.
Note: This course is 100% online; please visit www.purchase.edu/online for details.
BPS3300.60 / 4 credits
Laura Moore
Session I (Intensive): May 20–June 7

Educational Psychology
Psychological themes, together with cognitive and social-emotional development, are studied in the context of the education environment. Emphasis is on the role of emotional climate in the classroom and its overall relationship to learning. Student variability (e.g., attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders) is evaluated. Sociological and legal issues pertinent to today’s classroom are also examined.
BPS3460.20 / 4 credits
Kenneth Mann
Mon. & Wed., 6:30–10:05 p.m.
Session II: June 10–July 24
Natural Sciences Building Room 1030  

Experimental Psychology
A study of the application of the scientific method to the study of human and animal behavior. Topics include experimental design, respondent and operant conditioning, psychophysics, perception, and cognitive processes. Students conduct experiments as a group and prepare scientific reports on their results. Students design and carry out an original research project. The lab section is required.
Prerequisite: Intro. to Psychology, Behavioral Statistics, and a third psychology course, with a grade of C+ or higher in each
BPS3551.20 / 5 credits
Kaori Germano
Mon.–Thurs., 9 a.m.–noon
Session III (Intensive): June 10–July 3
Natural Sciences Building Room 1029 

Experimental Psychology Lab
BPS3551.15 / 0 credit
Kaori Germano
Mon.–Thurs., 1–4 p.m.
Session III (Intensive): June 10–July 3
Natural Sciences Building Room 1029  

Personality Assessment
Focuses on how personality measures are constructed and how scores on these measures are interpreted and used. The strengths and weaknesses of various projective tests, personality inventories, single-trait measures, IQ tests, behavioral indicators, and physiological measures are reviewed. Topics include the stability of personality, whether or not IQ tests actually measure intelligence, and the accuracy of people’s self-descriptions of their personalities.
Prerequisite: BPS 1530/Intro. to Psychology or equivalent
Note: This course is 100% online; please visit www.purchase.edu/online for details.
BPS3690.60 / 4 credits
Kenneth Mann
Session IV (Intensive): July 8–26

Updated April 25, 2013