Psychology

Description of the Major. The understanding of human behavioral and mental function is basic to human life. Students interested in exploring or applying this knowledge should major in psychology.

The sequence of courses in the psychology major involves three tiers or levels of study. The first tier provides the theoretical and methodological foundation. The second tier is composed of central content courses that survey the main areas within the discipline. The third tier, or capstone experience, consists of practicum, or research. Students who intend to pursue an applied field of psychology should take practicum. Those who expect to pursue graduate school are encouraged to take research and possibly practicum, depending on their interests.

Distinctive Features. The department provides several types of training and opportunities to enrich students’ academic and professional development and help them achieve their career goals. Students can experience the kind of work they may wish to pursue in the practicum. Psychology majors at Westmont can also engage in original research with professors. Summer research opportunities are often available with some financial support. Part-time positions assisting professors are available. Professionals from the psychological community present their research and insights at regularly-scheduled colloquia. Students are encouraged to present their research and attend psychological conferences. The G. Eugene Walker Award for Outstanding Achievement in Psychology provides financial support to students who attend a psychological convention, meeting or training session. The Westmont college chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, sponsors speakers, professional activities, and service to the community. Finally, the department presents the Willard F. Harley Outstanding Student Award to a graduating senior and the Psychology Alumni Award, a scholarship, to a continuing student.

The Psychology Department encourages students who are prospective majors to participate in an off-campus program before the end of the junior year. In addition, the department urges such students to complete at least a year of college-level foreign language in order to take greatest advantage of travel and study in another culture.

Off-campus experiences may include participation in a Westmont-sponsored program like Europe or England semester, or Israel, Europe, or Sri Lanka Mayterm, in which the student completes general education requirements and electives. Another option is to enroll in the Urban Program in San Francisco. A third option is to spend a semester at a university in another country, taking a combination of psychology, general education, or elective courses. Students should work closely with their academic advisors when planning for a semester away from the Westmont campus so they can complete their graduation and major requirements in the proper sequence and in a timely manner.

Career Choices. A bachelor’s degree in psychology is desirable for anyone whose interests involve human behavior. Positions in teaching, ministry, law and law enforcement, social work, public relations, youth work, personnel management, communications, recreation, rehabilitation, emergency services, advertising, administration, and the health industries are open to psychology majors.

The major also provides the essential foundation for graduate work. Career opportunities at this level broaden to include counseling, teaching, consulting, and doing research in areas like social, developmental, cognitive, or physiological psychology, psychological testing, behavioral medicine, industrial/organizational, sports, or health psychology, just to name a few.

Requirements for a B.A. Major: 48 units

Required Lower-Division Courses: 12 units

(To be completed by the end of the sophomore year.)

Recommended: Courses from related fields; biology, anatomy and physiology; sociology; additional statistics or mathematics; computer science.

Required Upper-Division Courses: 36 units

Requirements for a B.S. Major: 60 units

Required Lower-Division Courses: 12 units

(To be completed by the end of the sophomore year.)

Required Upper-Division Courses: 32 units

Required Courses from Other Disciplines: 16 units

Requirements for a Minor: 24 units

Required Lower-Division Courses: 8 units

Required Courses: 16 units

Additional requirements from above two sections: 8 units

Lower-Division Course Descriptions

PSY 1 General Psychology (4) Survey of major areas of psychology with emphasis on basic concepts, theories, and facts of behavior.

PSY 13 Experimental Psychology (4) Prerequisites: PSY 1; MA 5. The logic of scientific investigation with an examination of research principles, designs, and reports; experimentation with human and animal subjects; and an original research project.

Upper-Division Course Descriptions

PSY 111 History and Systems of Psychology (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1, junior standing or permission of instructor. Background of modern psychology, development of various schools, and appreciation of the complexity of the discipline today.

PSY 115 Child Development: Infancy through Adolescence (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1. Human development from conception through adolescence. Considers social, psychological, cognitive, and biological processes.

PSY 120 Cognitive Psychology (4) Prerequisites: PSY 1; MA 5; PSY 13. Theory and research on the nature of memory, concept formation, language production and comprehension, and problem solving. Laboratory section required.

PSY 121 Psychology of Learning (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1; MA 5. Theories and research in classical and operant conditioning. Laboratory section required.

PSY 122 Social Psychology (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1. Theory and research on social bases of behavior. Topics of personal and social relevance: social cognition, attitudes, prejudice, aggression, group influence, conformity, authoritarianism, and obedience.

PSY 124 Sensation and Perception (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1; MA 5. Research and theories of audition, vision, taste, smell, and somesthesis; speech, music, pain, time, color, space, and motion perception. Laboratory section required.

PSY 125 Behavioral Neuroscience (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1; PSY 13. Analysis of behavior as a function of neurological and physiological processes. Laboratory section required.

PSY 131 Abnormal Psychology (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1. Mental and emotional disorders, their symptomatology, etiology, classification, and methods of treatment.

PSY 135 Psychological Testing (4) Prerequisites: PSY 1; PSY 13. Principles of measurement and evaluation. Development, administration, and interpretation of a variety of psychological assessment devices.

PSY 140 Personality (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1; junior standing or permission of instructor. Scientific definition and assessment of personality; major theories and current research areas.

PSY 141 Fundamentals of Clinical and Counseling Psychology (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1, 131. Foundations and principles of individual and group helping processes.

PSY 150 Topics in Psychology (2-4) Prerequisite: PSY 1 and consent of instructor. Content as announced.

PSY 175 Psychology of Religion (4) Prerequisite: PSY 1; junior standing or permission of instructor. Theory and research on the psychological understanding of religion. Topics: religious development, conversion, intrinsic-extrinsic religious orientation, special groups and religions, social compassion, and mental health.

PSY 190 Individual Internship in Psychology (1-4) Prerequisites: PSY 1 and consent of instructor. Psychology-related field work in local or San Francisco area placements (see IS 190 for description of San Francisco Urban Program internship opportunities). May not be taken concurrently with PSY 196; Urban Program placements must be pre-approved.

PSY 192 Individual Research in Psychology (1-4) Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Laboratory or field research with a faculty member. Students may be involved in any or all of the following: conduct literature reviews, carry out research procedures, analyze data, or write up results.

PSY 196 Capstone Senior Practicum in Psychology (4) Prerequisites: PSY 1, 131, 141 senior standing or permission of instructor. Field work in local mental health facilities, schools, probation and social service agencies, or research facilities.

PSY 197 Capstone Senior Research in Psychology I (2) Prerequisites: PSY 1, 13; senior standing or permission of instructor. Development of a professional research proposal that likely includes preliminary data collection. In-depth training in doing literature searches and reviews, applying research ethics, selecting experimental designs, and thinking critically in research.

PSY 198 Capstone Senior Research in Psychology II (2) Prerequisites: PSY 1, 13, 197; senior standing or permission of instructor. Continuation of PSY 197 with a focus on carrying out the research project proposed in PSY 197, and writing and submitting a professional level report for presentation. (If required by his or her program, a student may petition to take PSY 198 for 4 units.)