Department of Psychology

PSY 506. Learning And Cognition. 3 Credits.

Survey and critical review of existing theories of learning and relevant research data.

PSY 510. Graduate Research in Psychology. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to allow graduate psychology students an opportunity to learn about and engage in psychological research, independent of required or optional thesis research. Most 510 research participation will be of a collaborative nature, with students working closely with a departmental faculty member.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 512. Psychology Of Personality. 3 Credits.

The interaction and effects of forces that influence personality development. Normal and neurotic development are contrasted. Principles of personality measurement are explored.

PSY 514. Group Interventions II. 3 Credits.

Continuation of PSY 513 at an advanced level with emphasis on clinical sociometry, the social atom concept, auxiliary ego techniques, and directing. Instruction will include both didactic and experiential modes.

PSY 521. Issues in Autism: Diagnosis and Behavioral Treatments. 3 Credits.

Study of the assessment and treatment of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders, related disorders, and associated problems. Detailed coverage of current validated assessment and treatment practices, with emphasis on behavior analytic procedures. Instruction will occur via current books, periodicals, testing materials, videos, and role-play activities.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 524. Psychometrics: Measurement and Evaluation. 3 Credits.

A survey of measurement theory in psychology with emphasis on the logic of measurement, scaling models, statistical methods, construction of valid and reliable measures.

PSY 524 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 601, with a minimum grade of C-.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 530. Human Sexual Behavior. 3 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

PSY 540. Multicultural Psychology. 3 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

PSY 546. Advanced Systems Analysis. 3 Credits.

Systems analysis applied to the design, development, and management of human performance systems within organizations.

PSY 547. Interpersonal Relationships within Groups. 3 Credits.

A study of processes and factors in establishing, maintaining, and terminating relationships via the use of group methods. This class is designed as an introductory course, integrating theory and practice of psychodrama and cognitive behavioral therapy as a psychotherapeutic modality. Emphasis is placed on understanding the basic psychodramatic and cognitive behavioral techniques from a theoretical perspective with emphasis placed on how to use these basic techniques in applied situations.

PSY 560. Advanced Industrial Psychology. 3 Credits.

Advanced survey of theory, research, and applications in major topical areas of industrial psychology. Topics include job analysis, employee recruitment, employee selection, selection decisions, performance appraisal, uses and development of psychological tests.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 562. Organizational Psychology. 3 Credits.

Advanced survey of theory and research on the behavior of individuals and groups in organizations. Topics include job attitudes, leadership, work motivation, organizational culture, teams and group processes.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 565. Psychology of Women & Gender. 3 Credits.

A study of how behavior and experience are impacted by gender, with particular attention to the experiences of women and girls. Intersections of gender with biology, culture, and interpersonal/intrapersonal factors will be explored.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 566. Seminar in Industrial & Organizational Psychology. 3 Credits.

A second-year capstone course covering a variety of current issues in I/O selected by students and instructor.

PSY 566 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 560, PSY 562, PSY 569, PSY 601, and PSY 602, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 567. Psychology & Training. 3 Credits.

This course is focused on psychological principles and methods used for planning and analysis of training performance in organizations. Topics include training needs assessment, methods of training, transfer of training effects as well as design and experimental evaluation of training techniques.

PSY 568. Psychopharmacology. 3 Credits.

An introduction to the mechanisms of action, effects and side effects of those psychoative drugs most commonly encountered by mental health practitioners. Both psychotherapeutic drugs and drugs of abuse will be discussed. The course will focus on the implications of these drugs for our understanding of the neurochemical basis of both noraml and abnormal behavior.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 569. Ethics and Professional Skills in Organizational Practice. 3 Credits.

Tools, techniques, and practices required for successfully applying Industrial/Organizational psychology knowledge within organizations.

PSY 569 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 560 or PSY 562, with minimum grades of C-.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 570. Applied Psychology Practicum. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to give students hands-on consulting experience working with non-profits in the local community. Students will meet weekly with the course instructor and will be fully engaged in the design, data collection, intervention, and change management process for ongoing projects. In addition, they will also learn to critically evaluate empirical research, conduct data analysis, interpret the findings, and communicate them via an initial proposal and final summary report.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 571. Workplace Stress and Health. 3 Credits.

Advanced survey of processes, theories, research, and practical applications related to stress and health in the workplace. Topics include workplace stress interventions, corporate wellness programs, and work-life integration.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 572. Introduction to People Analytics. 3 Credits.

An introduction to metrics, analysis, measurement, and data interpretation critical to human resource (people) analytics. Students will learn various quantitative decision-making techniques and methods for common personnel management issues such as talent acquisition, training evaluation, performance management, employee attitudes and engagement, HR effectiveness, and financial return-on-investment.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 573. Assessment and Performance Prediction in the Workplace. 3 Credits.

This course considers conceptual and practical issues and procedures for personality and performance prediction and assessment in the workplace. Assessment methods and rating formats are discussed in relation to issues of criteria relevance, legal considerations, and the distinction between subjective ratings and objective measures of performance. Focus is on the design of valid and efficient programs for assessment and prediction of job performance of individuals for the purposes of selection, development, and promotion. The course will be focused on personality assessment, cognitive ability assessment, emotional intelligence, leadership, knowledge and skills measures, workplace environment assessment and assessment of physical performance. Emphasis will be placed on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment instruments. Students will learn to identify and characterize behavioral styles as a way to assess and develop individual competencies for different organizational purposes.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 575. Disruptive Behavior Through the Lifespan. 3 Credits.

This course offers a clinical focus on "disruptive behavior" by highlighting diagnostic and treatment considerations for Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder. The course is a learning collaborative in which graduate-level students learn from each other and the course instructor. They will learn to identify factors that contribute to continuity and discontinuity in disruptive behavior across the lifespan through discussion of case studies, theoretical work, and empirical papers. They will also reflect on their own thoughts and feelings about clients presenting with disruptive behaviors while learning how to address disruptive behavior in clinical settings. The course is designed for graduate-level students who have a background in psychology or a related field.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 581. Eating Disorders. 3 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

PSY 590. Topical Seminar in Psychology. 1-3 Credits.

Special topics in psychology not offered under existing regularly offered courses.

Distance education offering may be available.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 600. Research Report. 1-3 Credits.

This course is designed to provide graduate psychology students with structure, support, and mentorship in their specific area of interest as they develop their own research proposal, including a critical literature review, specific aims and hypotheses informed by the literature, and appropriate research methodology. This course may be used as a starting point for a thesis or dissertation.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 601. Introduction to Statistics/Research Methods. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of research methods in psychology, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs, correlational methods, and survey methods. Students will receive practical experience in the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of data, and in preparation of written reports for research projects.

PSY 602. Advanced Statistical Methods. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of advanced research methods in psychology, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs, correlational methods, and survey methods. Students will receive practical experience in the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of data, and in preparation of written reports for research projects.

PSY 602 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 601, with a minimum grade of C-.

PSY 604. History and Systems of Psychology. 3 Credits.

An integrated overview of the history of psychology as well as the systems, theories, and fundamental issues with which psychologists have concerned themselves in the past, recent, and current stages of the science.

PSY 605. Biological Bases of Behavior. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of the anatomical, physiological, endocrinological and psychopharmacological underpinnings of behavior, including emotion, learning, memory, movement, and neurobehavioral dysfunction.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 607. Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior. 3 Credits.

This course emphasizes cognitive and affective processes that influence behavior, and the interaction of emotion and cognition. Areas of emphasis include attention, memory, decision making, emotion regulation and disorders of emotion.

PSY 608. Developmental Bases of Behavior. 3 Credits.

Study of developmental theories explaining typical human development. Emphasis on current theoretical issues involved in the effects of early experience and environment.

PSY 609. Advanced Social Psychology. 3 Credits.

Emphasizes contemporary approaches to the study of social behavior including cognitive, social, and experimental and quasi-experimental research methodology.

PSY 610. Thesis. 3 Credits.

An original empirical study.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 630. Internship in Industrial/Organizational. 3 Credits.

Supervised professional participation in applied psychological activities within a business or organizational setting.

PSY 680. Advanced Health Psychology. 3 Credits.

An in-depth study of the behavioral, biolgoical, psychological and social factors in physical health and illness. Emphasis will be placed on contemporary health psychology research and current areas of focus in the field.

PSY 700. Adult Psychopathology. 3 Credits.

Advanced study of abnormal human behavior and a description of pertinent types, including symptoms, causes, and treatment. Current and recent theoretical approaches and research findings relevant to the etiology and treatment of these disorders.

PSY 701. Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. 3 Credits.

Advanced study of abnormal child and adolescent behavior and a description of pertinent types, including symptoms, causes, and treatment. Current and recent theoretical approaches and research findings relevant to the etiology and treatment of these disorders.

PSY 701 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 700, with a minimum grade of C-.

PSY 705. Multicultural Clinical Psychology. 3 Credits.

This course provides students an overview of multiculturalism in the practice of clinical psychology. The focus of this course is on the role of culture, viewed broadly in terms of multiple social identities (e.g., class, race, age, gender, sexual orientation) and the intersection of these identities, in understanding human behavior, particularly in the context of therapeutic interactions.

PSY 708. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Psychotherapy. 3 Credits.

The focus of this course is on the ethical practice of counseling/psychotherapy. Ethical standards of the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association, and Pennsylvania law will guide discussion of the ethical and legal issues that may arise for psychotherapists during their various professional activities.

PSY 710. Psychotherapy I: Cognitive and Behavior Therapy. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the cognitive model from an applied and theoretical therapeutic perspective. Students will become acquainted with some of the commonly used assessment tools and various intervention techniques in cognitive behavioral treatment. The course is viewed as a practice-application environment utilizing basic CBT techniques emphasizing collaborative components of the cognitive model.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 712. Psychotherapy II: Interpersonal and Psychodynamic Theory. 3 Credits.

This course will provide students the opportunity to learn skills necessary for conducting individual psychotherapy using interpersonal and psychodynamic theories.

PSY 712 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 710, with a minimum grade of C-.

PSY 714. Psychotherapy III: Child and Family Therapy. 3 Credits.

This course will provide students the opportunity to learn skills necessary for conducting psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and families. Theoretical considerations, principles, techniques, and problems involved in psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and families will be discussed. Contemporary theories of psychotherapy encompass a wide range of thought, differing models of mind, and competing clinical perspectives. In this course we will contrast and evaluate various psychotherapy models for treating children and adolescents, including psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, narrative, and family systems approaches.

PSY 714 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 710 and PSY 712, with minimum grades of C-.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 716. Psychotherapy IV: Group Dynamics/Group Interventions. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to the practice of group psychotherapy from a variety of theoretical orientations.

PSY 716 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 710, PSY 712, and PSY 714, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 720. Assessment I: Intellectual Assessment. 3 Credits.

Historical development, administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Wechsler scales.

PSY 721. Assessment II: Personality Assessment. 3 Credits.

History and theory of personality testing. Introduction to administration, scoring, and interpretation of projective and objective techniques.

PSY 730. Clinical Skills Practicum. 3 Credits.

The focus of this course is on the effective practice of individual counseling/psychotherapy. The primary emphasis in the course is on process issues that are typically encountered by many psychotherapists, regardless of their specific theoretical orientation.

PSY 730 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 700 and PSY 710, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 731. Clinical Supervision. 1 Credit.

This course is designed for PsyD students working in the WCU Community Mental Health Services Clinic (CMHS). This course provides face-to-face, individual supervision with a member of the WCU Clinical Psychology faculty through telesupervision (i.e., synchronous meetings held via Zoom Health). By working closely with their supervisors, students will develop their assessment and psychotherapy skills, will learn appropriate professional conduct, and will develop into ethical and effective mental health practitioners. Face-to-face, individual supervision with a licensed psychologist is a necessary component of training in psychotherapy. As students gain experience working in the WCU Community Mental Health Clinic, they will receive individual supervision with a member of the WCU clinical psychology faculty. Students will meet one-on-one with their supervisors each week for no less than one hour. These meetings will be spent discussing cases, clinical issues, clinic paperwork, and the development of assessment/psychotherapy skills. By working closely with their supervisors, students will learn and apply psychological theory and research, appropriate professional conduct, and ethical behavior as mental health practitioners. Professional and ethical conduct is expected for all activities pertaining to practicum.

PSY 731 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 730, with a minimum grade of C-. Corequisite: PSY 733.

Distance education offering may be available.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 732. Consultation and Supervision in Clinical Practice. 3 Credits.

This course will provide students with an overview of the theory, research, and practice of clinical supervision and consultation within a multicultural framework. Students will develop skills that will help them become effective and ethical supervisors and consultants.

PSY 732 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 708, with a minimum grade of C-.

PSY 733. Psychology Clinic Practicum. 2 Credits.

For students working in the WCU Community Mental Health Clinic. This course will provide supervised, educational, graduate-level experience in an outpatient mental health setting in the intake process, assessment, diagnosis, report writing, and individual, family, and/or group psychotherapy.

PSY 733 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 730, with a minimum grade of C-.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 734. Advanced Clinical Practicum. 2-3 Credits.

Supervised professional participation in applied psychological activities, or projects in cooperating agencies and institutions.

PSY 734 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 730, with a minimum grade of C-.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 740. Research Practicum. 3 Credits.

This course gives graduate psychology students an opportunity to learn about and engage in psychological research to augment the dissertation research by assisting students in learning the process of developing a research program and a dissertation proposal.

PSY 740 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 601 and PSY 602, with minimum grades of C-.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 742. Program Evaluation. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to introduce advanced graduate students to a variety of approaches to program evaluation and a range of skills required to develop and implement an evaluation. Topics include needs analysis, statement of objectives, definition and verification of treatment, operational measures, evaluation design, analysis/interpretation of data, and report writing.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 750. Community Interventions. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the examination of interventions, including prevention programs, for contemporary social problems. Students will learn skills needed to conduct community assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Emphasis will be placed on contextual analyses, community strengths, and culturally-appropriate solutions.

PSY 752. Clinical Neuropsychology. 3 Credits.

This course provides an introduction to the subspecialty of clinical neuropsychology, with a focus on understanding brain-behavior relationships using culturally and ethically informed neuropsychological assessment methods.

PSY 752 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 605 and PSY 721, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 760. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood. 3 Credits.

Key topics of adolescence and emerging adulthood. Focus will be on the (a) biological, cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological changes of these age periods, (b) contexts of development, such as families, peers, and schools, and (c) ways in which individual development is related to income, gender, sexual orientation, and racial/ethnic group membership.

PSY 760 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 608 and PSY 701, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 761. Infant Mental Health. 3 Credits.

This course provides an introduction to infant mental health, a growing area of psychological research and practice. Among other topics, we will cover development and context, risk and protective factors, assessment, psychopathology or significant difficulties, and prevention and intervention.

PSY 770. Trauma and Treatment. 3 Credits.

This course reviews the history, etiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of trauma-related dysfunction, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder (ASD), and common comorbid conditions.

PSY 770 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 700, PSY 710, and PSY 712, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 780. Trauma Interventions for Children and Adolescents. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of etiology and treatment issues related to psychology studies in traumatic stress for children. Review of empirical research and psychotherapeutic principles for mitigating the negative consequences of trauma in children.

PSY 780 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 701, PSY 710, PSY 712, and PSY 714, with minimum grades of C-.

Distance education offering may be available.

PSY 781. Ecological Contexts of Trauma. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the ecological contexts of psychological trauma, ranging from microsystem influences such as family and friends to macrosystem influences such as the broader culture and its systems of oppression. Consideration of ecological context is important for understanding how to define traumatic events, why these events occur, why some social groups are disproportionately likely to experience them, and how we might promote recovery for individuals and communities as well as prevent or reduce the occurrence of future trauma.

PSY 781 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 605, PSY 609, PSY 700, and PSY 701, with minimum grades of C-.

PSY 800. Dissertation. 3 Credits.

An empirical research study with an oral defense approved by at least 2 faculty members from the WCU Psychology Department.

PSY 800 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 740, with a minimum grade of C-.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 890. Pre-Doctoral Clinical Internship. 1-6 Credits.

Contact department for more information about this course.

PSY 890 Prerequisite: Successful completion of PSY 734, with a minimum grade of C-, and permission of program director.

Repeatable for credit.

PSY 999. Psychology Transfer Credits (Graduate). 3-9 Credits.

Transfer credit