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School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Psychology


 
Mission Objectives Assessment Faculty Student Work

Departmental Learning Goals and Objectives

 
Goal I: [Written Communication] To write effectively, using appropriate writing styles (including APA style).

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 300, 301L, 302L, 303L, 304L, 310L, 312L, 315L, 316L, and other psychology courses with suitable writing assignment.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to create papers and reports that communicate ideas clearly, and are well-organized and free from major writing errors;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to use all elements of APA style appropriate to the form of writing, including APA-formatted reference citations in the text and entries in the reference list;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to respond to essay questions on exams with clear, well-organized presentations appropriate to the topic.

Criterion: Ability to produce clear, organized writing that is free of major writing errors and that is, when appropriate, in APA style.

Examples of Evidence: Copy of research paper or proposal, literature review, critical analysis paper, application paper, and essays from exams.


Goal II: [Oral Communication] To communicate effectively in face-to-face situations.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 291, Behs 311, Psyc 320, 321, Psych Club or Psi Chi activities, and conference
 
Objective A: The student should be able to give a speech or presentation for five minutes or longer on a psychology-related topic;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to facilitate a group to attain defined group goals;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to communicate ideas and opinions effectively as a group member or in a dyadic situation.

Criterion: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in interpersonal and group situations.

Examples of Evidence: Outline of speech; audio- or videotape of speech or of group/dyadic interaction such as an interview ; listener or participant feedback; description of activity.


Goal III: [Interpersonal Skills] To work effectively with others.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 291, Behs 311, Psyc 320, 321, 396, 496, 497, 498, Psych Club or Psi Chi participation as officers or in some other responsible capacity.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to Work cooperatively as a member of a team or dyad to accomplish common goals;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to Demonstrate the ability to establish an appropriate and effective relationship with people in one’s work, educational, and personal activities.

Criterion: Evidence of working cooperatively and constructively with others.

Examples of Evidence: Summary of human corps or other applied experience; feedback from members or advisor of an organization such as Psi Chi or Psych Club; feedback from those tutored or taught.


Goal IV: [Cultural Awareness] To understand and be aware of differences among people.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 291, 312, 315, 320, 321, 340, 442.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to Work effectively with someone who is different in gender, age, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, or physical, emotional, or cognitive ability;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to Describe the perspectives of those different in gender, age, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, or physical, emotional, or cognitive ability.

Criterion: Demonstrate the ability to understand, work with, and be sensitive to those with perspectives different from one’s own.

Examples of Evidence: Paper that demonstrates understanding and sensitivity; report of experiences that demonstrate understanding, sensitivity, and effectiveness.


Goal V: [Technology] To use technology effectively.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 300, 301L, 302L, 303L, 304L, 310L, 312L, 315L, 316L, research experience.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to use word processing programs;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to use e-mail;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to search electronic databases such as PsychInfo, search the Internet, and be able to distinguish between primary vs. secondary sources and empirical vs. other sources;
 
Objective D: The student should be able to use a statistical package such as SPSS to analyze data and interpret the output;
 
Objective E: The student should be able to use a graphics package such as Cricket to create graphical presentations of data.

Criterion: Demonstrated ability to use each of these technologies.

Examples of Evidence: Papers which demonstrate the use of such technological approaches.


Goal VI: [Methodology] To understand the role of research methods in psychology.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 300, 301L, 302L, 303L, 304L, 310L, 312L, 315L, 316L.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to devise useful operational definitions of variables;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to develop valid empirical tests of hypotheses;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to distinguish between methodologies that do and do not yield conclusions about cause and effect relationships;
 
Objective D: The student should be able to plan valid statistical tests of hypotheses and distinguish between outcomes that do and do not support hypotheses.

Criterion: Evidence from research reports, exams, and other sources that demonstrates the understanding of and ability to use research methodologies common to psychology.

Examples of Evidence: Papers and/or exam answers.


Goal VII: [Logical Reasoning] To use psychological research and theory to reach conclusions.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 300, 301, 301L, 302, 302L, 303, 303L, 304, 304L, 310, 310L, 312, 312L, 315, 315L, 316, 316L, 429, research experience.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to Justify and, where appropriate, challenge conclusions in published research articles on the basis of research design and procedures used;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to Explain and reconcile real and apparent disagreements among several published research studies on the same topic;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to Identify and explain logically appropriate and logically inappropriate assertions associated with at least one theory in the traditional experimental fields of psychology and at least one theory in the traditional human behavior fields of psychology;
 
Objective D: The student should be able to State, explain, and illustrate the implications for real world phenomena of at least one theory from traditional experimental fields of psychology and at least one theory from traditional human behavior fields of psychology.

Criterion: Demonstrated ability to understand and evaluate research findings and the links among theory and research.

Examples of Evidence: Papers and/or exam answers.


Goal VIII: Theory: To understand and apply psychological theories and principles.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 301, 301L, 302, 302L, 303, 303L, 304, 304L, 310, 310L, 312, 312L, 315, 315L, 316, 316L, 429.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to explain and distinguish among the major theoretical approaches in at least three of these areas of psychology: biological, psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to accurately identify, define, and provide illustrations for important concepts and principles associated with at least one theory from traditional experimental fields of psychology and at least one theory from traditional human behavior fields of psychology;
 
Objective C: The student should be able to state, explain, and illustrate the differing implications for real world phenomena of at least two major theories that address the same topic.

Criterion: Demonstrated ability to understand and apply major psychological theories.

Examples of Evidence: Papers and/or exam answers.


Goal IX: [Self-Understanding] To understand oneself.

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 291, Behs 311, Psyc 320, 321, 340, 421, and the Personal Statement prepared for the Portfolio.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to describe his or her personal values and how those values affect his or her life;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to use psychological theories, principles, and concepts to provide insight and understanding into his or her behavior and experiences.

Criterion: Ability to develop and utilize a set of personal values and to understand oneself from the perspectives of psychological theories, principles, and concepts.

Examples of Evidence: Student summary; papers that apply psychology to personal experiences.


Goal X: [Ethics] To understand and apply ethical principles, particularly those stressed by the "Ethical Principles of Psychologists."

Primary Courses and Experiences: Psyc 291, 300, 301L, 302L, 303L, 304L, 310L, 312L, 315L, 316L, 396, 429, 481, 496, 497, 498.
 
Objective A: The student should be able to summarize the ethical principles that guide psychological research and practice;
 
Objective B: The student should be able to prepare a research proposal that addresses the ethical guidelines for psychological research;
 
Objective C: Objective C: The student should be able to understand and adhere to the APA’s "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" that deal with competence, integrity, respect, and responsibility.

Criterion: Evidence that the student understands and has formulated an operative set of ethical standards in the conduct of psychological research and in professional interactions with others

Examples of Evidence: Research report illustrating ethical considerations; student summary; feedback from supervisors of applied experiences.