These are courses that are taught regularly or periodically at Penn State Altoona. Ask the department chair about specific, future course offerings.
Courses
PSYCH 100 (GS): Introductory Psychology (3)
Introduction to general psychology; principles of human behavior and their applications.
PSYCH 212 (GS): Introduction to Developmental Psychology (3)
Developmental principles; physical growth; linguistic, intellectual, emotional, and social development from infancy to maturity.
PSYCH 221 (GS): Introduction to Social Psychology (3)
Research and theory on topics including interpersonal attraction, aggression, helping, attitudes, attribution, cooperation, competition, and groups, from a psychological perspective.
PSYCH 238 (GS): Introduction to Personality Psychology (3)
Past and recent conceptualizations of key issues and root ideas of personality psychology.
PSYCH 243 (GS): Introduction to Well-being and Positive Psychology (3)
Applying psychological knowledge to develop and maintain effective personal adjustment and well-being and positive social relations.
PSYCH 256 (GS): Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (3)
Introduction to study of such higher mental processes as thinking and reasoning, imagery, concept formation, problem-solving, and skilled performance.
PSYCH 260 (BB H 203): Neurological Bases of Human Behavior (3)
An introduction to biopsychology, emphasizing the structure and function of the human brain.
PSYCH 261 (GS): Introduction to Psychology of Learning (3)
A general survey of the learning area, including animal and human experiments, with the applicability of learning principles being discussed.
PSYCH 269: Evolutionary Psychology (3)
Survey of evolutionary perspectives in current psychological research.
PSYCH 270: Introduction to Abnormal Psychology (3)
Overview of assessment, causes, and treatments of psychological disorders.
PSYCH 295: Field Experience in Psychology (3)
First exposure in a Psychology-related professional setting. Prerequisite: PSYCH 100 and PSYCH 212 or PSYCH 270, depending on the proposed experience. Offered at student request and with faculty permission.
PSYCH 301W: Basic Research Methods in Psychology (4)
Introduction to methods of psychological research, with special attention to hypothesis formation and testing, threats to validity, and data presentation.
PSYCH 415: Topics in Developmental Psychology (3)
Various topics offered.
PSYCH 416 (HD FS 445): Development Throughout Adulthood (3)
Processes of development and change of behavior from early adulthood through old age, emphasizing theory, method, and empirical research.
PSYCH 420: Advanced Social Psychology (3)
In depth study of selected research areas in human social behavior.
PSYCH 438: Personality Theory (3)
Personality theories and their application to social and personality development and personality dynamics.
PSYCH 439: History and Systems of Psychology (3)
Historical antecedents to scientific psychology; development of contemporary psychological theories and research areas from the formal establishment of psychology.
PSYCH 441: Health Psychology (3)
Overview of the field with an emphasis on how psychological research contributes to an understanding of health and behavior.
PSYCH 445: Forensic Psychology (3)
Relations between psychological theory and research and the law, legal processes, and social policy.
PSYCH 452: Learning and Memory (3)
General survey of learning and memory processes as revealed in experimental work with animals and humans.
PSYCH 456: Advanced Cognitive Psychology (3)
In depth study of complex mental processes: thinking, problem-solving, imagery, symbolic behavior, information-processing, attention, artificial intelligence, and language.
PSYCH 461: Advanced Conditioning and Learning (3)
An examination of basic learning processes that have been determined within the context of classical, instrumental, and operant learning situations.
PSYCH 470: Abnormal Psychology (3)
Causes, dynamics, symptoms, and treatment of neuroses, psychoses, personality disorders, and other psychological disorders of adulthood.
PSYCH 475: Psychology of Fear and Stress (3)
Description and evaluation of major trends in research on stress and fear in humans and other animals.
PSYCH 481: Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3)
Diagnostic procedures, treatment approaches, occupational settings, and ethical considerations relevant to the profession of the clinical psychologist.
PSYCH 490: Senior Seminar in Psychology (3)
Capstone experience for senior psychology majors; review of current research literature; topics vary.
PSYCH 493: Senior Thesis (3)
Supervised senior thesis research in psychology. Offered at student request and with faculty permission.
PSYCH 494: Research Projects (1-12)
Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis. Offered at student request and with faculty permission.
PSYCH 495: Internship (1-18)
Supervised off-campus, non-group instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required. Offered at student request and with faculty permission.
PSYCH 496: Independent Studies (1-18)
Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. Offered at student request and with faculty permission.
