PSYC 510 · Tests and Assessment   3 Credits

Overview of psychological tests and assessments. With a focus on improvement of industrial and/or developmental settings, students examine multiple approaches and applications of assessment strategies and intervention.

PSYC 520 · Social and Cultural Psychology   3 Credits

An introduction to what culture is and how it intersects with psychology in the area of cultural competence. The course encourages students to begin the process of garnering cultural competency by examining their own attitudes and biases, increasing their knowledge of multicultural competency topics, and developing skills to learn about unfamiliar cultural groups. Through experiential assignments, students examine the conceptual and theoretical foundations of cultural competence and reflect on their own readiness to engage in a process of developing this aptitude.

PSYC 530 · Motivational Psychology in Organizations   3 Credits

Psychological theories of motivation and their relevance to people, the workplace, and the discipline of psychology with specific application in the field of organizational psychology. Students explore a variety of factors that motivate individuals in organizational settings and strategies to address motivational challenges from a psychological perspective.

PSYC 540 · Personality   3 Credits

Provides understanding and applications of theories and research of personality and social development, with attention to processes of social learning, individual differences in personality development, and impact to performance; applications to educational, business, and other field settings. Explores the measurement, antecedents, and consequences of such differences and attributions along with predicting and changing attitudes, behavior and performance.

PSYC 550 · Professional and Ethical Issues   3 Credits

Provides a critical examination of professional and ethical issues in research and practice. Ethical codes, such as the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics, and others relevant to the field will be assessed, including a focus on practical application, pertinent legal considerations, and moral and ethical reasoning.

PSYC 560 · Group Work   3 Credits

Provides understanding and application of theories, development, and practices of groups. Practical approaches to group assessment, formation, process, dynamics, facilitation, group members’ roles and behaviors, transformation and change including cultural, legal, and ethical issues related to group work will be evaluated.

PSYC 580 · Lifestyle and Career Counseling   3 Credits

Provides an understanding of theories, research, methods and techniques in career counseling and development and related life factors, including: theories and decision-making models; resources, information, and systems related to career, education, occupation and the labor market; career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, placement, follow-up, and evaluation; related instruments and assessment of needs, values, aptitudes, abilities, and interests; career counseling processes, techniques, interviewing skills, and resources; job maintenance, advancement, retirement, loss, avocation, and second career issues; and related interrelationships among and between work, family, and other life roles and factors including the role of diversity and gender.

PSYC 590 · Personnel Selection, Training, and Development   3 Credits

The understanding and application of research, theories, and strategies in personnel selection, training, and development. The topics include such areas as individual differences, recruitment, selection, placement, appraisal, feedback and measurement, assessing bias in selection, training methods, learning and development programs, evaluation, employment legislation, and organizational design issues necessary for planning evaluation and improvement strategies.

PSYC 600 · Industrial and Organizational Psychology   3 Credits

Provides an understanding and application of research, principles, and practices in industrial and organizational psychology including leadership, motivation, task performance, impact of individual behaviors, cognitions, and perception; and organizational theories, structure and development with an emphasis on enhancing organizational functioning and employee well-being.

PSYC 620 · Behavioral Assessment, Modification, and Management   3 Credits

Provides critical analysis and application of research, methods and assessment of behavior including analysis of cause and intervention, behavioral data, surveys, tests, assessment, and approaches to modification, intervention and management with emphasis on empirically-supported practices applied to educational, clinical, legal and workplace settings.

PSYC 630 · Cognitive Development, Issues, and Interventions   3 Credits

Provides an understanding of research and assessment methods related to cognitive development including prevention, assessment, intervention, and treatment strategies, with emphasis on empirically-supported practices.

PSYC 640 · Applied Lifespan Development   3 Credits

Comprehensive review of research, theory, and application of social, cultural, emotional, biological, cognitive, moral, and spiritual development from birth to death with an emphasis on creating optimal functioning in all stages and areas of development.

PSYC 650 · Child, Adolescent, and Family Issues and Interventions   3 Credits

Provides critical analysis and applications of research, theory, and interventions for child, adolescent, and family issues with emphasis on empirically-supported practices.

PSYC 660 · Advanced Counseling Skills   3 Credits

Provides an understanding of the counseling process in a multicultural society, including: counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence helping processes, which could include age, gender, religious, and ethnic differences, verbal and nonverbal behaviors, and personal characteristics, orientations, applications of theories, and skills; essential interviewing and counseling skills; an orientation to wellness and prevention as desired counseling goals; establishment of appropriate counseling goals and intervention strategies, evaluation of client outcome, and successful termination of the counseling relationship; a general framework for understanding and practicing consultation; and crisis intervention and suicide prevention models, including the use of psychological first aid strategies; all informed by research evidence and community standards of practice.

PSYC 670 · Research and Evaluation Methods   3 Credits

Fundamental principles of research design and methods in the social sciences. The primary outcome for the course is a research proposal, in APA format, using either a qualitative or quantitative method. The topics include such areas as: how to formulate a research question; the differences between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods; basic data analysis; elements of a research paper in APA format; conducting a scholarly literature review; and evaluation of a research study for ethical principles. Concepts and skills developed in this course prepare the student for coursework in PSYC 680.

Prerequisite: STAT 280 with a grade of C- or better.

PSYC 680 · Literature Review Advanced Topic   3 Credits

A comprehensive, synthesized, and scholarly review of the literature on a topic area pertaining to the behavioral sciences. Expanding on previous coursework, this course deepens and narrows the student’s original research topic and inquiry into scholarly literature while developing skills in critical thinking, organization, synthesizing information, and evaluating different research methods. With an emphasis on these skills, students conduct an in-depth inquiry and examination of scholarly literature within a gap area of knowledge in a behavioral science topic area. Related diversity issues are considered throughout the course, as well as integrating a Christian worldview and ethical standards.

Prerequisite: PSYC 670.

PSYC 690 · Graduate Psychology Culminating Experience   3 Credits

Opportunity for the graduate student to demonstrate applied and integrated knowledge of psychological concepts, theories, and practices. Students demonstrate proficiency of learning through experiences or research in psychology settings including business, government, education, or social organizations. Instructor permission to remain registered will be granted upon formal approval of capstone proposal by instructor.

Prerequisites: STAT 280 with a grade of C- or better, PSYC 510, PSYC 550, PSYC 670, PSYC 680, and all concentration courses; or assistant dean permission.