The Psychological Science Program, by way of the Psychology Major, seeks excellence in the teaching of psychology. This is done in a research-oriented environment, where undergraduate research is fostered in a way which prepares them for professional careers. A student who graduates from LaGrange College with a major in Psychological Science will be familiar with statistical methods and research design and be able to critique research efforts; be familiar with basic content areas of the discipline (e.g., developmental, social, abnormal, personality, learning, and biological psychology); be familiar with scholarly resources in psychology and the APA style in which professional literature is presented; and recognize the applicability of psychological principles to everyday life. Students will develop skills relevant to a variety of careers and will be prepared to succeed in graduate study.
Students in the Psychological Sciences Program should achieve outcomes focused on four different aspects. Upon completion of the degree they should be able to
Knowledge in the Field
1. Demonstrate an understanding of major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings in all areas of psychological science, as measured by the Psychology-ACAT.
Research
2. Display the skills required to correctly utilize ethical research design and statistical methods to answer experimental questions, using both critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This can be done in a group or individually. The research should conclude with dissemination of results and discussion with other research scholars through conference attendance.
Experiential Learning
3. Participate in internship opportunities, which require you to apply classroom lessons to real-life problems.
4. Increase understanding of different cultures by participating in travel abroad opportunities.
Writing Skills
5. Demonstrate the ability to write clearly and concisely on a variety of psychological topics.
6. Display the skills needed to locate and utilize scholarly resources and meet APA standards of formatting and referencing.Career Planning
7. Express career interest and complete the necessary steps in their path to ensure a successful career.
The accomplishment of the Psychological Science objectives by students majoring in Psychology will be demonstrated by (1) obtaining an acceptable score on the Area Concentration Achievement Test (ACAT) in psychology, (2) and the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) given during the student's final semester at LaGrange College, (3) successfully completing a travel courses, completing an internship, attending a professional conference, or presenting an IRB-approved research project, and (4) obtaining graduate school acceptance or entering preferred industry.
Psychology is the study of behavior, all types of behavior. Therefore, students who complete the major in Psychology have a wide variety of career options. To aid the students in course selection and career planning, we have created several course pathways that guide students towards the most appropriate courses. These pathways include Child Life Specialist, Sport Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, Counseling, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, School Counseling, Business and HR, Forensics, and Psychological Research. These can all be found on our website.
No course with a grade below “C-” may be applied toward the major in Psychology. The only exception is PSYC 4000, in which a grade of Pass must be obtained. Additionally, a student must maintain a “C” average (2.0) in the major in order to graduate.
*Denotes PSYC courses that may satisfy the Ethos requirement for Diverse Cultures, Human Behavior, and Human Relationships.
PSYC 1005 Writing in APA Style. (3) Fall
This course will teach students effective APA based formatting and referencing techniques. Students will learn how to correctly format a paper, cite references, paraphrase and avoid plagiarism. The information learned in this course will allow students to effectively write utilizing APA format which will be required in upper-level courses.
Prerequisite: None
PSYC 1006 Writing in the Sciences. (1) Fall
This course will teach students to effectively write papers in a scientific style. Students will learn how to construct a scientific paper including a literature review, research paper, and poster from the stage of generating an idea through polishing the product for distribution. This will include discussion of writing style, grammar usage, paraphrasing, and other common techniques for writing in the sciences.
Prerequisite: None
*PSYC 1101 Introduction to Psychology. (3) Fall and Spring
A survey of major topics in psychological science, including research methods, basic neuroanatomy, learning, perception, personality and abnormal behavior.
Prerequisite: None
PSYC 2200 Behavioral Statistics Lab. (1) Fall and Spring
This course will teach students how to utilize statistical software packages to analysis behavioral data. It will cover four broad topics: data entry, descriptive statistics, t-test comparisons, and correlations.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 1101, PSYC 2298 or MATH 1114
PSYC 2298 Behavioral Statistics. (3) Fall and Spring
Introduction to the measurement of behavior and quantitative methods of data analysis, emphasizing parametric statistics and their application to the behavioral sciences. May be taken simultaneously with PSYC 1101.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 2299 Research Methods. (4) Spring
A survey of various types of research design, including the strengths and weaknesses of each. The laboratory includes practice in designing and conducting experiments, as well as analysis and reporting of results.
Prerequisites: PSYC 2298
PSYC 3302 Human Growth and Development. (3) Fall and Spring
A study of human life beginning with conception. Important developmental phenomena are considered in the light of major theories of development.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3304 Educational Psychology. (3) Spring, Odd years
Application of psychological principles and research to the teaching/learning process. Major topics include behavioral and cognitive approaches to learning, classroom management, and test construction and interpretation.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3321 Social Psychology. (3) Fall
A course dealing with behavior as affected by social influences. Major topics include social perception, social communication (verbal and nonverbal), altruism, attitudes, aggression, and prejudice. Also, applied areas such as forensic psychology are considered.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3341 Human Sexuality. (3) Fall, Even Years
This course involves a multidisciplinary examination of human sexual behavior and intimate relationships. Typical topics considered include male and female sexual response, gender roles, sexual disorders and dysfunctions, gender identity, legal and cross-cultural aspects of human sexuality, sexual orientation, and relationship issues related to sexuality.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3350 Abnormal Psychology. (3) Fall and Spring
A survey of the causes, characteristics, current theories, and treatment of psychological disorders.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3351 Introduction to Counseling. (3) Fall
An introduction to counseling approaches, methods, and assessment techniques. Emphasis is placed on individual counseling.
Prerequisite: None
PSYC 3358 Psychology of Aging. (3) Spring, Even years
Human aging is examined from physiological (e.g., sensory and cardiovascular changes), psychological (e.g., memory and intellectual changes), and sociological (e.g., adjusting to retirement) perspectives. Also, death and disorders associated with aging (such as Alzheimer's Disease) are explored.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3360 Psychology of Personality. (3) Spring
A critical study of major personality theories, principles and instruments of assessment, and relevant empirical research.
Prerequisites: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3380 Special Topics in Psychology. (3) On Demand
A course offered at the sophomore/junior level, focusing on a specialized topic from the field of psychology.
Prerequisite: PSYC 1101
PSYC 3390 Advanced Research Methods: Survey Research (3) Fall, Even Years
This course continues the content covered in PSYC 2299 with specific attention to the utilization of surveys.
PSYC 4000 Internship in Psychology. (1-6) On Demand
Students majoring in Psychology may be eligible to enroll in a psychology internship in an applied setting. This course requires 120 hours of supervised experience (observation, work, etc.) in a local agency or office, selected readings, public presentation, and final portfolio containing essays, weekly journal, and supporting material. The internship must first be discussed with the student’s Psychology advisor one semester prior to beginning the internship. Information from this meeting will then be transferred to the Career Development Center for placement. The application process is unique to each facility. Grading is on a Pass/No Credit basis.
Prerequisites: major in Psychology with junior/senior standing, permission of program coordinator, and approval by the Internship Coordinator
PSYC 4400 Guided Research. (3) Fall and Spring
Under supervision of a faculty member, the student develops a project on a topic that is psychological in nature. The emphasis is on analyzing and synthesizing scientific literature, with the goal of producing a literature review and/or research proposal. A successful proposal may lead to data collection and analysis. The result of the project must be discriminated in some professional setting.
Prerequisites: major in Psychology with junior/senior standing, PSYC 2298, PSYC 2299, and permission of program coordinator
PSYC 4405 Sensation and Perception. (3) Spring
Sensations and our perception of those sensations are examined using both physiological and psychological approaches. Sensory transduction, anatomy/physiology of sensory systems, and psychophysical measurement techniques are explored along with research advancements in the field.
Prerequisites: PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299 or consent of professor
PSYC 4455 Cognitive Psychology. (3) Fall, Odd Years
An information processing analysis of topics in perception, thinking, learning, and memory.
Prerequisites: PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299 or consent of professor.
PSYC 4465 Biological Psychology. (3) Fall
Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology will be explored and will provide a foundation for examining biological aspects of various behaviors (e.g., sensory processes and sleep). Also, the psychopharmacology of selected drugs and genetic influences on behavior will be considered.
Prerequisites: PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299 or consent of professor
PSYC 4470 Behavior Analysis. (3) Spring
A survey of principles, research findings, and applications of classical, operant, and observational learning.
Prerequisites: PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299 or consent of professor
PSYC 4480 Special Topics in Psychology (3) On Demand
A course offered at the junior/senior level, focusing on a specialized topic from the field of psychology.
Prerequisites: major in Psychology with junior/senior standing, PSYC 2298, PSYC 2299, and permission of program coordinator
PSYC 4901 Psychological Science Capstone I (3) Fall
The purpose of this course is to allow the student to synthesize knowledge about the discipline of psychological science by providing opportunity for practical experience in developing a project. This project might be service-based or research-based. The student will conduct an extensive literature review on the topic before proposing and carrying out a research plan. This course is constructed as a two-course sequence, with the Spring semester course devoted to dissemination.
Prerequisites: major in Psychology with junior/senior standing, PSYC 2298, PSYC 2299, and permission of program coordinator
PSYC 4902 Psychological Science Capstone II (1) Spring
The purpose of this course is to allow the student to synthesize knowledge about the discipline of psychological science by providing opportunity for practical experience in developing a project. This project might be service-based or research-based. The student will conduct an extensive literature review on the topic before proposing and carrying out a research plan. This course is constructed as a two-course sequence, with the Spring semester course devoted to dissemination.
Prerequisites: major in Psychology with junior/senior standing, PSYC 2298, PSYC 2299, and permission of program coordinator
Path to Art Therapy
Art therapy is a career that uses art, the creative process, and resulting artwork to explore a variety of psychological and emotional issues. Students wanting to pursue this path should major in Art and Design in order to complete the number of student credit hours required of most graduate programs. Then they should either minor in Psychological science or pursue a double major. Regardless, students interested in this path should take the following courses:
It would be helpful to also take PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299, as the graduate program will have research requirements.
Path to School Counseling
School Counseling utilizes counseling techniques in school settings. Professionals also have training in planning for college and student success. Students wanting to pursue this path should major in Educational Studies. Then they should either minor in Psychological science or pursue a double major. Regardless, students interested in this path should take the following courses:
It would be helpful to also take PSYC 2298 and PSYC 2299, as the graduate program will have research requirements.
Major Minor
B.A. in Psychology Minor in Psychology