Graduate Courses

513* Biological Bases of Behavior: General survey of the physiological bases of behavior, emphasizing understanding basic brain organization and function. LEC

629 Biopsychology of Ingestive Behavior: Familiarizes students with the breadth of studies conducted in ingestive behavior, focusing on the biological basis of feeding and drinking as well as broader concepts including homeostasis, sensory systems, structure and function of the nervous system, chemical signaling, learning and public health, all in the context of the control of feeding and drinking. SEM

634 Animal Behavior: Comparative studies of behavior with emphasis on similarities and differences between species. Structural bases for observed similarities and differences are considered. SEM

640 The Neurobiology of Communication in Animals/Animal Communication: In this course, students will learn about the evolution, function, design, development and diversity of animal communication systems across the animal kingdom. Additional topics covered include production, transmission, and reception of signals across sensory modalities. LEC

647 Theories of Learning: Examination of the ways in which humans and animals acquire new patterns of behavior, factors which control and/or limit those acquisition processes, and the theories which have been proposed to explain the mechanisms underlying learning. SEM

648 Animal Cognition: Focuses on animal minds, including perception, attention, representation, concept and rule learning, judgments of time and number, tool use, communication, self-awareness, and awareness of others. SEM

744 Biological Rhythms in Behavior: This course will examine the importance of timing in behavior as well as the internal timekeeping systems that regulate this timing.  A diverse array of biological rhythms will be covered with an emphasis on daily and seasonal rhythms to gain an in-depth understanding of their formal properties, underlying physiological mechanisms, importance for animal behavior, and impact on human health. SEM

749 Biopsychology of Stress: Examines the body’s various psychological and behavioral responses to stressors. Discussions cover the concept of stress, neural, hormonal, metabolic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune responses; behavior patterns and coping. Prerequisite: B in PSY 513 or permission of instructor. SEM

757 Psychoneurochemistry: Introduces basic receptor theory and regulatory mechanisms in neurochemical metabolism, and examines neurochemical substrates modulating behavior. Mammalian behavior paradigms considered with emphasis on species-typical behaviors. Behavioral roles of monoamines, neuropeptides, and steroid hormones given particular attention. Prerequisite: B in PSY 513 or permission of instructor. LEC

774 Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience: This class will meet the requirements for the Behavioral Neuroscience program's qualifying exam. The format will be independent study, with three written exams, a grant proposal, and an oral exam. Students should register for the section listed under their mentor's name. TUT

813 Hormones and Behavior: Examines the structure and function of the endocrine system, including neuroendocrine mechanisms and involvement of these in CNS function and behavior. Endocrine, neuroendocrine, and neuropharmacological methodologies discussed. Prerequisite: B in PSY 513 or permission of instructor. SEM

815 Experimental Models of Psychological Disorders: This course is a survey of the methods used by psychologists and behavioral neuroscientists to study common psychological disorders, especially with the end goals of developing treatments and/or identifying their biological substrates. This class will integrate and expand upon concepts taught in clinical psychology, biopsychology, and experimental methods. SEM

604 Clinical Research Methods: Issues, methods, and designs in clinical research. Topics include issues of assessment, nonspecific effects, treatment outcome studies, longitudinal designs, treatment of research participants, and research ethics. SEM

605 Introduction of Professional Issues in Clinical Psychological Science: This seminar is a graduate-level introduction to professional issues in clinical psychological science. The broad goals of the seminar are to orient students to the field and place them on a strong trajectory for success as graduate students and beyond. More specifically, students will gain knowledge regarding the demands and rigors of clinical psychology graduate school, professional issues related to academic careers in clinical psychology, and the skills needed to succeed as graduate students and psychological scholars. SEM

618* Developmental Psychopathology: Advanced investigation of both typical and atypical developmental processes.  Topics include social, cognitive, physiological/biological developmental domains, adaptive and maladaptive pathways, implications for applied research and practice, and ethical and cultural issues in developmental research with children and adolescents. SEM

624* Psychopathology: Discussion of classical literature and recent experimental contributions in clinical psychology. SEM

625* Community Psychology: Survey of theories and practices in the developing field of community psychology and community mental health. LEC

654 Psychological Assessment: Theoretical and practical issues in psychometrics, assessment, and case conceptualization, including ethics and issues of cultural diversity. Clinical II. SEM

671 Intervention I: The first of four Psychological Services Center practica for doctoral students in clinical psychology. Beginning basic assessment and treatment skills working with adults with mental health problems. Fall term. LAB

672 Intervention II: The second of four Psychological Services Center practica for doctoral students in clinical psychology. Continuing development of basic assessment and treatment skills working with adults with mental health problems. Spring term. LAB

713 Psychophysiology: This course focuses on the interface between psychological processes and physiological measures in humans. Prerequisites: courses in statistics and research methods; background in clinical psychology is recommended. SEM

751 Clinical Treatments I: Intensive analysis of the principles and practice of empirically-supported individual psychotherapy for adult disorders. Clinical III. Clinical Treatments: Adult. SEM Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

763 Intervention III: The third of four Psychological Services Center practica for doctoral students in clinical psychology. Introduction to skills in assessment and treatment of children and families. Ethical issues in treatment of families and issues in serving clients from diverse backgrounds. Fall term. LAB

764 Intervention IV: The fourth of four Psychological Services Center practica for doctoral students in clinical psychology. Assessment and treatment of couple dysfunction. Preventive interventions for children experiencing parental separation. Ethical issues in treatment of families and issues in serving clients from diverse backgrounds. Spring term. LAB

765 Intervention V: This practicum provides ongoing supervision and didactic material in order to facilitate students’ continued growth as clinical scientists. The emphasis in this course will be on ways of bringing empirical and conceptual knowledge to the practice of psychology and will focus on case conceptualization and using data to guide treatment decisions. LAB

775 Child Development and Eating Behavior: This course integrates the topics of development during infancy/childhood and eating behavior. Students will explore eating-behavior-related topics relevant to these developmental periods and will think critically about the role of the current environment in the development of eating habits and health outcomes beginning early in life. SEM

778 Clinical Treatments II: A critical review of recent empirical literature on the psychopathologies of childhood and adolescence. Clinical IV: Clinical Treatments: Child. LEC

830 Psychology of Drug Addiction-Theory, Assessment, and Treatment: This course covers a wide range of issues related to epidemiology of drug abuse disorders, modern theories of drug abuse and dependence, the assessment of addictive disorders, and addictions treatment. The seminar will attempt to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical practice to promote a translational perspective on effective treatments for drug dependence and abuse for both adults and adolescents.  Drugs of abuse including alcohol, opiates, marijuana, nicotine, and stimulants will be discussed. SEM

575 Cognitive Science: An introduction to cognitive science, an interdisciplinary approach to the computational study of human cognition. Methodology, assumptions, and research problems of cognitive science and such cognitive-science disciplines as anthropology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, neurosciences, philosophy, psychology, etc. Emphasis will be placed on joint efforts of these disciplines in investigating issues in the nature of the mind, intelligence, language, perception, memory, etc. Students will be encouraged to participate in colloquia sponsored by the Center for Cognitive Science. Prerequisites: Graduate standing, or permission of instructor.

627* Perception: Survey of experimental data and theories of perception. Topics include the underlying neurophysiology of brain systems involved in perception, the principles of perceptual organization in vision and audition, and current trends and controversies in th e fields of visual perception and attention. SEM

639* Cognitive Processes: Survey of dimensions of cognitive behavior. Emphasizes current theoretical and experimental analyses of information processing, memory, learning, psycholinguistics, perception, and thinking. SEM

640 The Neurobiology of Communication in Animals/Animal Communication: In this course, students will learn about the evolution, function, design, development and diversity of animal communication systems across the animal kingdom. Additional topics covered include production, transmission, and reception of signals across sensory modalities. LEC

642* Psycholinguistics: Relationship between linguistic theory and behavioral research. Topics include competence-performance distinction, language acquisition and perception, processing and storage of linguistically marked materials. SEM

645* Cognitive Development: Survey of core topics and recent work fundamental to the interdisciplinary field of human cognitive development. Assigned readings and in-class discussions  focus primarily on the cognitive abilities and inabilities of young, typically developing children (birth to five years). A strong emphasis will be placed on the nature and mechanisms underlying cognitive development. SEM

719 Speech Perception: Examines mechanisms and processes that enable humans to recognize and understand speech. Particular attention given toward describing speech signal and various models that have been proposed for perception. Topics include speech production, psychoacoustics, phonetics, and machine recognition of speech. LEC Prerequisite: PSY 639 or permission of instructor

728* Memory: An overview of the cognitive study of human memory. The course provides a basic foundation for thinking about how humans remember information and introduces students to cognitive research related to the topic of memory. SEM

747 Language Development: Survey of core topics and recent work fundamental to the interdisciplinary field of language development with a focus on early language development in normally developing children. A strong emphasis will be placed on theoretical issues relevant to the perception and comprehension of spoken language. SEM.

616 Prosocial Motivation: Review of cognitive, affective, and motivational bases for helping and cooperative behavior. Topics include empathy and compassion, reciprocity, norms and moral identity, biological mechanisms, and contexts in which prosocial motivations occur. SEM

680* Advanced Social Psychology: An introduction to classic and current approaches in social psychology. Topics include: fundamental human needs, group and situational influence, the self and self-esteem, motivation, close relationships, cognitive dissonance and self-justification, stigma, stereotyping and prejudice, intergroup relations, emotions, gender, culture and applications to mental and physical health. SEM

685 Social Psychophysiology: The application of psychophysiological methods to social psychology. Topics include basic principles of social psychophysiology; measurement approaches that have demonstrated utility in social psychology; and evaluation of research in which psychophysiological measures have been used to address social psychological research questions. SEM

704 Research Methods in Social Psychology
: Design, execution and evaluation of research in social psychology. Emphasizes topics of reliability and validity of tests, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, and goals of science. PSY 680 and 704 are non-overlapping and together constitute a full survey of the field of social psychology. 680 is not a prerequisite for 704 but is recommended. SEM Prerequisite: permission of instructor

725* Attitudes and Social Cognition
: An overview of major theory and research in attitudes and social cognition, including both the methods used as well as topics such as automaticity and control, persuasion, stereotyping and motivated cognition. SEM

730 The Social Self: An overview of major theory and research on the social nature of self, including topics such as self-esteem, self-knowledge, and self-biases. SEM

735 Close Relationships: This course introduces social psychological theory and research on adult close relationships. Material includes a focus on the historical roots of current perspectives, as well as discussion and evaluation of recent research. This course provides a broad overview of the field and an in depth understanding of particular subtopics. SEM