I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Honors General Psychology
2. Course Prefix & Number:
PSYC 2423
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 4
Lecture Hours: 4
4. Course Description:
This honors class presents a general introduction to psychology as a biosocial science. This survey course will familiarize the student with the basic principles of psychology, show how psychologists employ the scientific method, and equip the beginning student of psychology with a working vocabulary of psychological terminology and critical thinking skills. Areas to be covered include research, the nervous system, learning, personality, memory, psychological disorders and therapy. Students will be introduced to psychological research and writing.
Courses in the Honors Program emphasize independent inquiry, informed discourse, and direct
application within small, transformative, and seminar-style classes that embrace detailed
examinations of the material and feature close working relationships with instructors. In addition, students learn to leverage course materials so that they can affect the world around them in positive ways.
5. Placement Tests Required:
| Accuplacer (specify test): |
Reading |
Score: |
100 |
| Other (specify test): |
ACT English |
Score: |
24
|
6. Prerequisite Courses:
PSYC 2423 - Honors General Psychology
There are no prerequisites for this course.
7. Other Prerequisites
Or permission of the honors coordinator or course instructor.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
PSYC 2423 - Honors General Psychology
There are no corequisites for this course.
III. Course Purpose
MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
- Goal 2 – Critical Thinking
- Goal 5 – History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Demonstrate written communication skills |
Write a research based paper in APA format |
| Demonstrate reading and listening skills |
Read assigned material and listen to instructor and classmates during lecture and class discussions |
| Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Apply psychological theories to understand human behavior |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
|
Expected Outcome
|
MnTC
Goal Area
|
|
Identify & apply alternative explanatory systems of theories (Program-level outcome for Social Sciences)
|
5
|
|
Identify & communicate alternative explanations for contemporary social issues (Program-level outcome for Social Sciences)
|
5
|
|
Define psychology as the science that studies behavior and mental processes and the profession that applies the science
|
5
|
|
Explain how psychology meets the criteria of science
|
5
|
|
Describe behavior and mental processes empirically, including operational definitions
|
5
|
|
Distinguish behavior from inferences about behavior
|
5
|
|
Describe the key eras of the major schools of thought in the history of psychology
|
5
|
|
Identify the overarching themes of psychology
- interaction of heredity & environment
- free will v. determinism
- interaction of mind and body
- applicability of theories & measures across society & cultural groups
|
5
|
|
Identify & explain basic concepts, theories and research represented in general content domains:
- learning & cognition
- individual & sociocultural differences
- biological bases of behavior & mental processes
|
5
|
|
Identify broad career opportunities associated with psychology at the bachelor’s master’s and doctoral levels
|
5
|
|
Describe the basic characteristics of the scientific method in psychology
|
5
|
|
Describe the various general research methods, including advantages & disadvantages of use
|
5
|
|
Distinguish the nature of designs that permit causal inferences from those that do not
|
5
|
|
Define correlation
|
5
|
|
Explain the difference between correlation & causation
|
5
|
|
Define hypothesis, variables, & operational definitions
|
5
|
|
Describe random sampling & assignment
|
5
|
|
Define validity
|
5
|
|
Identify variations in behavior related to sociocultural differences
|
5
|
|
Describe the differences between descriptive and inferential statistical analysis
|
5
|
|
Discern differences between personal views and scientific evidence in understanding behavior
|
2
|
|
Identify argument based largely on anecdotal evidence and personal experience
|
2
|
|
Identify claims arising from myths, stereotypes, common fallacies and poorly supported assertions regarding behavior
|
2
|
|
Summarize general criteria of abnormality
|
5
|
|
Explain the elements and importance of effective testing
|
5
|
|
Identify major and emerging applied areas in psychology
|
5
|
|
Define skepticism and its role in psychological sciences
|
2
|
|
Define tolerance of ambiguity and explain its role in psychological science
|
2
|
|
Describe some elements of the ethical code
|
5
|
|
Recognize and respect human diversity
|
5
|
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- What is Psychology?
- How Psychologists do Research
- Genes, Evolution & Environment
- The Brain: Source of Mind & Self
- Body Rhythms & Mental States
- Learning & Conditioning
- Behavior in Social & Cultural Context
- Memory
- Emotion
- Theories of Personality
- Psychological Disorders
- Approaches To Treatment & Therapy
I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Honors General Psychology
2. Course Prefix & Number:
PSYC 2423
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 4
Lecture Hours: 4
4. Course Description:
This honors class presents a general introduction to psychology as a biosocial science. This survey course will familiarize the student with the basic principles of psychology, show how psychologists employ the scientific method, and equip the beginning student of psychology with a working vocabulary of psychological terminology and critical thinking skills. Areas to be covered include research, the nervous system, learning, personality, memory, psychological disorders and therapy. Students will be introduced to psychological research and writing.
Courses in the Honors Program emphasize independent inquiry, informed discourse, and direct
application within small, transformative, and seminar-style classes that embrace detailed
examinations of the material and feature close working relationships with instructors. In addition, students learn to leverage course materials so that they can affect the world around them in positive ways.
5. Placement Tests Required:
| Accuplacer (specify test): |
Reading |
Score: |
100 |
| Other (specify test): |
ACT English |
Score: |
24
|
6. Prerequisite Courses:
PSYC 2423 - Honors General Psychology
There are no prerequisites for this course.
7. Other Prerequisites
Or permission of the honors coordinator or course instructor.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
PSYC 2423 - Honors General Psychology
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
III. Course Purpose
2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
- Goal 2 – Critical Thinking
- Goal 5 – History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Demonstrate written communication skills |
Write a research based paper in APA format |
| Demonstrate reading and listening skills |
Read assigned material and listen to instructor and classmates during lecture and class discussions |
| Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Apply psychological theories to understand human behavior |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
|
Expected Outcome
|
MnTC
Goal Area
|
|
Identify & apply alternative explanatory systems of theories (Program-level outcome for Social Sciences)
|
5
|
|
Identify & communicate alternative explanations for contemporary social issues (Program-level outcome for Social Sciences)
|
5
|
|
Define psychology as the science that studies behavior and mental processes and the profession that applies the science
|
5
|
|
Explain how psychology meets the criteria of science
|
5
|
|
Describe behavior and mental processes empirically, including operational definitions
|
5
|
|
Distinguish behavior from inferences about behavior
|
5
|
|
Describe the key eras of the major schools of thought in the history of psychology
|
5
|
|
Identify the overarching themes of psychology
- interaction of heredity & environment
- free will v. determinism
- interaction of mind and body
- applicability of theories & measures across society & cultural groups
|
5
|
|
Identify & explain basic concepts, theories and research represented in general content domains:
- learning & cognition
- individual & sociocultural differences
- biological bases of behavior & mental processes
|
5
|
|
Identify broad career opportunities associated with psychology at the bachelor’s master’s and doctoral levels
|
5
|
|
Describe the basic characteristics of the scientific method in psychology
|
5
|
|
Describe the various general research methods, including advantages & disadvantages of use
|
5
|
|
Distinguish the nature of designs that permit causal inferences from those that do not
|
5
|
|
Define correlation
|
5
|
|
Explain the difference between correlation & causation
|
5
|
|
Define hypothesis, variables, & operational definitions
|
5
|
|
Describe random sampling & assignment
|
5
|
|
Define validity
|
5
|
|
Identify variations in behavior related to sociocultural differences
|
5
|
|
Describe the differences between descriptive and inferential statistical analysis
|
5
|
|
Discern differences between personal views and scientific evidence in understanding behavior
|
2
|
|
Identify argument based largely on anecdotal evidence and personal experience
|
2
|
|
Identify claims arising from myths, stereotypes, common fallacies and poorly supported assertions regarding behavior
|
2
|
|
Summarize general criteria of abnormality
|
5
|
|
Explain the elements and importance of effective testing
|
5
|
|
Identify major and emerging applied areas in psychology
|
5
|
|
Define skepticism and its role in psychological sciences
|
2
|
|
Define tolerance of ambiguity and explain its role in psychological science
|
2
|
|
Describe some elements of the ethical code
|
5
|
|
Recognize and respect human diversity
|
5
|
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- What is Psychology?
- How Psychologists do Research
- Genes, Evolution & Environment
- The Brain: Source of Mind & Self
- Body Rhythms & Mental States
- Learning & Conditioning
- Behavior in Social & Cultural Context
- Memory
- Emotion
- Theories of Personality
- Psychological Disorders
- Approaches To Treatment & Therapy