Major Requirements
The requirements for the psychology major are described below. Note that the first digit of the course number indicates the academic level of the course and recommended sequence for a student to progress through the curriculum (e.g. 100-level courses should be taken before 200-level courses early in the curriculum; 300-level courses are typically taken after 200-level courses in the junior and senior years). Five-hundred level courses are upper-level courses that require approval by the instructor; they are appropriate for juniors and seniors. Please note that this coding system is provided only as a guideline. Students should consult with their departmental academic advisor to determine optimal course scheduling. A minimum of 40 credits (ten courses) are required for the major.
Core Requirements
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PSYCH-114 General Psychology
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Surveys core theoretical concepts and contemporary empirical research from the major sub-fields of psychology: physiology; perception; cognition; learning; emotion; motivation; development; personality; psychopathology; psychotherapy; and social behavior. Required for psychology majors. Offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-215 Behavioral Statistics
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114; Restricted to majors only unless with permission of instructor.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Introduces the use of statistics as tools for description and decision-making, including hypothesis testing. Prepares students for the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of psychological research. Required for psychology majors; should be taken before the junior year. Offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Quantitative Reasoning
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PSYCH-216 Research Methods and Design
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and PSYCH 215
Credits:
4.00
Description:
First provides an overview of the historical background and conceptual foundation of psychology as a science before introducing students to research methods employed in psychology including naturalistic observation, qualitative, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental designs. The experimental method and principles of experimental design are emphasized. The laboratory component of the class helps familiarize students with practical issues that arise when implementing an empirical research study. Required for psychology majors; should be taken before the junior year. Offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
PSYCH 114, General Psychology, is a prerequisite for most psychology courses (see individual course descriptions for prerequisite information). It is generally recommended that psychology majors take this course in the first semester of the freshman year. The two-course methods sequences, Behavioral Statistics and Research Methods and Design, should be completed by the end of the sophmore year.
Distribution Requirements
Students select at least three distribution courses to count toward the major, with at least one from each bases group. In keeping with the latest trends in the field, we have designed distribution requirements to provide students with a breadth of psychology training in the areas of social and cultural psychology, the neurological and biological bases of behavior, and developmental perspectives in psychological science. All 300-level courses require sophomore standing and PSYCH 114 as a prerequisite, and typically incorporate a substantive critical analysis writing or presentation component (e.g., a research paper) into the curriculum.
Social or Cultural Bases
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PSYCH-226 Theories of Personality
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Surveys the major theoretical approaches to personality including representative theorists from the psychoanalytic, trait, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic perspectives. Topics include personality dynamics, personality development, and the study of individual differences. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-241 Social Psychology
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Studies the social determinants of the behavior of individuals in relation to groups and surveys current research findings in such major content areas as attribution, prejudice, conformity, obedience, social cognition, interpersonal attraction, altruism, and aggression. Normally offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-324 Psychology of Identity and the Self
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Sophomore Standing.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Focuses on the processes by which self-knowledge, self-awareness, self-conceptions, self-esteem, self-consciousness, and self-blame are developed and maintained. May also include consideration of: identity and the life story; biography, narrative, and lives; cognition and personality; cultural conceptions of self; and self psychology. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-341 Sociocultural Perspectives
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Exposes students, particularly those interested in helping and service careers, to the terminology and approaches used in the study and critical discussion of culture and diversity. This course will be useful for students seeking to develop sensitivity, respect, and understanding of the meaning that individuals attach to their own definitions of culture. While topics relevant to specific, ethnic, racial, gendered and differently abled groups will be covered to varying degrees in each semester, attention is also given to culture as a personal and societal construction. Normally offered alternate years. This course fulfills the Cultural Diversity Requirement.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Social Science
-
PSYCH-345 Teambuilding in Global and Diverse Workplaces
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines effective approaches to building and maintaining successful teams in todays global and diverse workplace. Relevant theories and research concerning the cultural, organizational and individual factors that impact the structure, function and interpersonal dynamics of teams across settings are discussed. Topics include team characteristics, communication, leadership style, emotional and social intelligence, conflict and negotiation strategies, and challenges of working with multicultural, diverse and global team members and effectiveness of virtual teams. Students will explore essential components of functional versus dysfunctional teams, role of individual and cultural diversity, interpersonal relationship dynamics, globalization, and effective team work strategies across business, community and social organizational settings. Normally offered alternate years. This course fulfills the Cultural Diversity Requirement.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science,Cultural Diversity Opt A
Neurological and Biological Bases
-
PSYCH-311 Sensation & Perception
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114, PSYCH 215, PSYCH 216; Sophomore Standing.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines the process of understanding the immediate environment with particular emphasis on the visual system. Topics include: the neurophysiology of the sensory systems; the elements of psychophysics; visual perception (color, depth, motion, illusions); and the process of perceptual inference. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-312 Cognitive Neuroscience
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114, PSYCH 215, PSYCH 216 and sophomore standing.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines theory and research on a number of human cognitive processes, including topics of attention, perception, learning, memory, language processing, problem solving, and reasoning. The field of cognition integrates knowledge from the multiple disciplines of neuropsychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and information science. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-313 Physiological Psychology
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114, PSYCH 215 and PSYCH 216.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Explores the organic basis for human and animal behavior. Topics include nervous system structure and function as well as neurological contributions to motivation, emotion, stress, and abnormal functioning. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
Developmental Bases
-
PSYCH-233 Child Development
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development in youth (i.e., from conception through adolescence). Surveys major developmental approaches including biological, learning, and contextual/environmental theories. Major focus is on normal development. Normally offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-333 Adult Development & Aging
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Sophomore Standing.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Surveys theory and research about the physical, mental, and psychological aspects of life-span development. Age-related changes in mental health, personality, self-image, sexual relations, friendships, career development and spirituality are explored. Aging may also be explored as a global, demographic and cross-cultural issue. Research surrounding death and dying, bereavement, and hospice/nursing home care is also presented. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-334 Adolescent Development
Prerequisites:
PSYCH-114 and sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines the physical, cognitive, emotional and social aspects of adolescence. Attention is given to identity, parent-adolescent relationships, values, sexuality, and career development as well as psychopathology, drug use and abuse, delinquency, and alienation. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
Specialization Courses
Students may select courses from the following list of Specialization Courses. These courses assume a knowledge base derived from the Core and Distribution requirements; they are recommended for sophomores, juniors and seniors. In these courses students examine empirical research, develop critical thinking skills, and/or prepare for work in applied settings. Each has a required substantive writing component.
-
PSYCH-222 Human Sexuality
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines the field of human sexuality across the life span. Topics include: sexual anatomy and physiology, sexual development, typical and atypical sexual behavior, sexual dysfunctions, current research on human sexuality, and relationship issues as they relate to sexuality and intimacy. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-236 Psychology of the Family
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Focuses on the various forms and structures of families and family life over time and across cultures, with emphasis on the psychological impact of such forms. The complex relationship among individual psychology, family relationships, and the larger social context is addressed. Topics include marriage, parenting, and divorce. Normally offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-243 Organizational Psychology
Prerequisites:
Take PSYCH-114;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Focuses on diversity concerns in various aspects of the psychology of the workforce. This includes job analysis, recruitment, selection, evaluation, training, retention, and termination. Employee morale, well-being, stress, and hardiness are considered.
Type:
Cultural Diversity Opt A,Social Science
-
PSYCH-245 Consumer Psychology
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Investigates the perceptual and motivational bases of consumer decision making in relation to advertising, packaging, brand loyalty, and other marketing considerations. Prior familiarity with psychological principles helpful but not essential. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-247 Asian Perspectives on Health and Work
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines theoretical and empirical approaches that provide insight into Asian viewpoints on socialization practices, family systems, health/well-being, cultural traditions/values, and spiritual philosophy/literature. Explores the diversity among Asian cultures in terms of language, history, religion/spiritual faith, and healthcare practices, all of which play a significant role in shaping the psychological characteristics, interpersonal relationships, and work dynamics of Asians and Asian immigrants. Students critically analyze similarities and differences between Asian and Western psychological perspectives of health and work through didactic and experiential learning components. This course fulfills the Cultural Diversity Requirement and may fulfill the Expanded Classroom Requirement. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
Type:
Social Science,Asian Studies,Cultural Diversity Opt A
-
PSYCH-314 Learning & Reinforcement
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Considers the process of the storage of information including its affective coloration and the role of incentives and rewards. Topics include: principles of classical and operant conditioning; verbal and episodic learning; and traditional and contemporary theory. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-315 Neuropsychological Syndromes
Prerequisites:
Take PSYCH-215 PSYCH-216;
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Provides students with a neuropsychological perspective on common neuropsychological disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, seizure disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis, HIV, and various dementias. Normal aging will also be considered.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-317 Psychology of Addictions
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines patterns of addictive behavior with an emphasis on physiological etiology. Social, historical, and other psychological perspectives are also discussed. Populations at high risk, the consequences of addiction, and research on interventions and treatment will also be addressed. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Spring Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-321 Introduction to Counseling Skills
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Explores and examines basic models of helping and provides supervised practice of helping skills. Format includes lecture, discussion, role play, and video feedback. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-326 Abnormal Psychology
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114, and Sophomore standing or permission of the instructor
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Introduces the concepts of psychological disorder and focuses on description and etiology of various mental health problems from a variety of different theoretical perspectives. Students develop familiarity with the DSM classification system and major disorders described within it, including topics such as mood and anxiety disorders, thought disorders, personality disorders. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-336 Developmental Psychopathology
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and sophomore standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines the etiology and symptoms of disorders of childhood and adolescence, as well as current therapeutic approaches. Developmental changes in the incidence of externalizing disorders, such as conduct disorder and attention deficit disorder, and internalizing disorders, such as depression and eating disorders, are addressed. Disorders that affect both behavioral and mental functioning such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and autism may also be included. The role of development in the understanding and treatment of the childhood disorders is reviewed. Normally offered yearly.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
-
PSYCH-347 Cyberpsychology
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114 and Soph standing.
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Examines the role of cybertechnology, such as web Internet use, and its psychosocial correlates across gender, age, and culture. The course focuses on the complex and multidimensional approaches to the study of behavioral informatics. Explores theoretical and empirical research issues concerning the psychological, organizational, and cultural factors that impact online behavior both at home and in the workplace. Use of the Internet/web in mental health service areas will also be addressed. Normally offered alternate years.
Term:
Offered Fall Term
Type:
Social Science
Expanded Classroom Requirement
Students have two options for completing the applied course requirement. Those students who intend to complete an internship must secure their own internship position prior to the start of the semester. A list of potential internship sites and their descriptions are available for students in the department’s front office.
-
PSYCH-346 Community Psychology
Prerequisites:
JR Standing; Majors only or instructors consent; ECR
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Explores the efforts of psychologists to enhance the well-being of groups and communities. Complementing clinical approaches, community approaches have implications for both theory (e.g., environmental and/or person-environment theories) and practice (e.g., prevention-oriented paradigms targeted to groups and social systems). Students will be expected to attend weekly two-hour lectures to examine key concepts within the field (e.g., competence building, empowerment) as well as to engage in weekly community service activity. Normally offered every semester. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
-
PSYCH-350 Psychology Internship
Prerequisites:
Junior Standing. Restricted to majors only unless permission of instructor. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Focuses on interacting with others in a service environment in a professional role. Seminar emphasizes tools for interacting with recipients in a respectful manner, emphasizing strengths and resources of the recipient, and sensitivity to various kinds of diversity in the service setting. Students work in service settings for a minimum of 6-8 hours per week during the semester, with most of that time in direct contact with service recipients. Internship arrangements must be made before the course begins. Normally offered every semester. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
Seminar Requirement
The seminar requirement should be completed during the senior year. Prerequisites include completion of departmental Core and Distribution requirements.
-
PSYCH-408 Senior Seminar: History & System
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114,PSYCH 215, PSYCH 216 and senior standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Presents the historical context for the development of core ideas, theoretical positions, and research in the field of Psychology. The interconnections between systematic orientations and domains of psychology are examined along with their relation to contemporary concepts and issues in the field of psychology. Offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
Minor Requirements
A minor in psychology includes the completion of 18-20 credit hours as follows:
1. PSYCH 114 General Psychology
2. One course at the 300 level or above
3. Three additional courses at any level
Students must complete at least 8 credits in residence at Suffolk.
Additional Requirements
Expanded Classroom Requirement
Students have two options for completing the applied course requirement. Those students who intend to complete an internship must secure their own internship position prior to the start of the semester. A list of potential internship sites and their descriptions are available for students in the department’s front office.
-
PSYCH-346 Community Psychology
Prerequisites:
JR Standing; Majors only or instructors consent; ECR
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Explores the efforts of psychologists to enhance the well-being of groups and communities. Complementing clinical approaches, community approaches have implications for both theory (e.g., environmental and/or person-environment theories) and practice (e.g., prevention-oriented paradigms targeted to groups and social systems). Students will be expected to attend weekly two-hour lectures to examine key concepts within the field (e.g., competence building, empowerment) as well as to engage in weekly community service activity. Normally offered every semester. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
-
PSYCH-350 Psychology Internship
Prerequisites:
Junior Standing. Restricted to majors only unless permission of instructor. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Focuses on interacting with others in a service environment in a professional role. Seminar emphasizes tools for interacting with recipients in a respectful manner, emphasizing strengths and resources of the recipient, and sensitivity to various kinds of diversity in the service setting. Students work in service settings for a minimum of 6-8 hours per week during the semester, with most of that time in direct contact with service recipients. Internship arrangements must be made before the course begins. Normally offered every semester. This course fulfills the Expanded Classroom Requirement.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science,Expanded Classroom Requirement
Seminar Requirement
The seminar requirement should be completed during the senior year. Prerequisites include completion of departmental Core and Distribution requirements.
-
PSYCH-408 Senior Seminar: History & System
Prerequisites:
PSYCH 114,PSYCH 215, PSYCH 216 and senior standing
Credits:
4.00
Description:
Presents the historical context for the development of core ideas, theoretical positions, and research in the field of Psychology. The interconnections between systematic orientations and domains of psychology are examined along with their relation to contemporary concepts and issues in the field of psychology. Offered every semester.
Term:
Offered Both Fall and Spring
Type:
Social Science
Research Options
The psychology department provides numerous directed research opportunities for students. PSYCH 510, Independent Study in Psychology, may be completed for up to 8 credits (4 credits maximum per semester). In this course, students participate in ongoing research in collaboration with a department faculty member. Students should consult the department website or the Faculty Research Interests brochure (available in the department office) for a full description of ongoing research projects. These research tutorials may involve library research as well as many hands-on elements of research such as data collection, coding, data entry, and data analysis. Each course also includes a substantive written component.
Societies
Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology
The Suffolk University chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, was chartered on April 28, 1978. Psi Chi is a member of the American Association of College Honor Societies. Criteria for membership include:
1. Junior or senior class status
2. Minimum 3.0 grade point average
3. Attainment of at least a 3.4 grade point average in all courses in psychology
4. Completion of at least five courses in psychology at Suffolk
New members are inducted into the Psi Chi National Honor Society at an induction ceremony held in April.
