Psychology Graduate Course Descriptions

Psychology Graduate Course Descriptions (credits)

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PSYC 510 RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course provides the essentials needed to read, understand and critically evaluate research reports. Students will also learn how to carry out the entire research process, starting with identifying the research problem and ending with a thesis or research report. Factorial analysis of variance and the major multiple correlational designs are explained.
Prerequisite: Undergraduate laboratory course in experimental psychology.

PSYC 520 HUMAN EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (4)
Students survey methods and topics in human experimental psychology by conducting, analyzing, and reporting on experiments on topics to be drawn from cognition, memory, language, perception, learning, sensation, and neuropsychology.
Prerequisite: PSYC 510.

PSYC 550 QUANTITATIVE AND STATISTICAL METHODS (3)
This course presents the theory and use of simple and factorial anova, regression, and covariance to analyze representative psychological data. The use of computer packages for analysis is included.
Prerequisite: An undergraduate psychology statistics course or equivalent.

PSYC 551 MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF HISPANICS (3)
This course will familiarize the student with the personal, social, cultural and institutional forces that affect the mental health of Hispanics and Hispanic Americans and how these impact on treatment issues. The course will explore the heterogeneity of the Hispanic groups in the United States and how these groups respond in unique ways to the various services offered in community mental health settings.

PSYC 552 GENERAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course surveys and analyzes the theoretical and empirical literature of modern social psychology. Among topics dealt with are the social psychology of the psychology experiment, attitude development and change, group processes and conflict, role theory, ecological psychology, socialization, organizations and work places, and a number of other themes and issues focused on the individual’s relationship to the larger social structure.
Prerequisite: Undergraduate work in psychology or sociology.

PSYC 554 PSYCHOLOGY OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY (3)
This course combines applied methodologies with content areas in Industrial Organizational Psychology. Emphasis on needs assessment and program evaluation of personnel and organizational behavior functions. Sampling techniques and quasi-experimental designs are applied to training, performance appraisal, employee attitudes, and organizational research activities.
Prerequisite: PSYC 550 or a comparable graduate level course in statistics.

PSYC 558 PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Psychological methods and knowledge are applied to the personnel functions of industry. Provides an understanding of the importance of psychometric properties in personnel selection. Emphasis is on relevant social, economic, and legislative changes which affect employment, including the impact of civil right judicial decisions on personnel functions.

PSYC 560 ADVANCED EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
A comprehensive treatment of the cognitive and affective characteristics of the learner and the processes of learning and teaching provide the framework for this course. Behavioral, cognitive and information-processing theory are presented and their applicability to instructional strategies and classroom dynamics is discussed. Other areas included are the origins of individual differences including heredity and environment, early childhood education, cultural differences, student motivation, classroom management, measurement and evaluation, exceptional children and other topics.

PSYC 561 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Philosophical, conceptual, theoretical and research issues pertinent to human development from prenatal life to adulthood are presented. The core conceptual issues of development, such as the nature-nurture controversy, the continuity-discontinuity issue,
and the issue of stability-instability, are discussed, and their relationships to the major theories in developmental psychology are examined.

PSYC 563 THEORIES OF LEARNING (3)
The aim of this course is to provide the student with an understanding of modern learning theory, its historical context, theoretical ideas, research, and applications. To this end, the theoretical ideas of the major schools of learning - behaviorism, gestalt, cognitivism, and information-processing - are reviewed.

PSYC 565 CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY (3)
This course emphasizes the diagnosis of psychological disorders usually first evident in infancy, childhood or adolescence. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to affective disorders, anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, substance abuse, sexuality/ gender identity disorders, pervasive developmental disorder and behavioral aspects of developmental disabilities. Students will be expected to understand DSM-IV categories. Each student is expected to be familiar with developmental psychology and personality development. Issues associated with evaluation, classification and diagnosis will be
discussed extensively. Guidelines for appropriate interventions will be provided.
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the Child/Adolescent Clinical program or departmental approval.

PSYC 568 PSYCHOLOGY OF GROUP DYNAMICS (3)
This course presents theories of group dynamics and illustrative application to understand personal, marital, political, industrial and professional life. Personal participation by the student in a group interactive process is required. The course is designed especially to help group leaders understand the complex underlying dynamic forces that influence our behavior in groups.
Prerequisite: Open to all graduate Psychology majors only.

PSYC 571 ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course examines the psychological aspects of organizational behavior. Emphasis on the organization effected by individual psychological processes and behavior. Areas covered include social norms, group and team processes, leadership and power, motivation, job attitudes and satisfaction, and organizational change.

PSYC 573 BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE (3)
The physiological bases of normal and abnormal behavior with emphasis on the anatomy, physiology , and pathology of the human nervous system are discussed. Starting with the nerve cell, the course progresses through the receptors, spinal cord, cortical and subcortical structures, psychosurgery, biofeedback, and other topics.

PSYC 574 INDIVIDUAL INTELLIGENCE TESTING (3)
Students learn how to administer, score and interpret individual intelligence tests. Theories of intelligence and the appropriateness of the tests to specific populations are discussed. Students administer and report on the three Wechsler Intelligence Scales and the Stanford-Binet (4th Edition), Development Achievement Scales, Adaptive Behavior
Scales, and other cognitive assessment techniques.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and approved certification candidacy in the School Psychology program, the Bilingual Clinical Concentration, or Child/Adolescent Clinical program.

PSYC 575 PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES I (3)
The basic instruments of projective testing, particularly the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test, DAP, HTP, TAT, TEMAS, and Sentence Completion Tests are studied. Students will also understand how cultural diversity impacts on assessment. Instruments are reviewed from the standpoints of basic research and the mechanics of administration and scoring.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and approved certification candidacy in the School Psychology program, the Bilingual Clinical Concentration, or Child/Adolescent Clinical program.

PSYC 576 PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES II (3)
This course involves advanced theoretical aspects and practical application of projective tests. Students are required to administer and score tests, and to analyze individual cases, including supervised cases at the University Psychoeducational Center. An introduction to report writing is provided. The major emphasis is on the Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test, and projective drawings. Other assessment instruments are also included.
Prerequisites: PSYC 574 and 575, and departmental approval, and approved certification candidacy in the School Psychology program, the Bilingual Clinical Concentration, or Child/Adolescent Clinical program.

PSYC 578 PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS (3)
This course surveys the theory, construction and application of psychological tests. Topics include the statistical concepts underlying measurement; reliability and validity; critical analyses of selected intelligence, ability and personality tests; evaluation and interpretation of test data in practical situations; and the role of testing in clinical, educational and remedial settings.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and an undergraduate psychology statistics course or equivalent.

PSYC 582 BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION (3)
This course reviews applications of conditioning principles to changing human behavior in clinical, educational, occupational and community settings. Selected topics include operant and classical conditioning, social learning theory, token economies, experimental design, cognitive behavior modification, aversive control, cognitive restructuring, biofeedback, and ethical issues in behavior modification. The course is designed to enable students to construct and implement behavior modification programs.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and an undergraduate course in learning or the equivalent.

PSYC 592 GRADUATE SEMINAR IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY (3)
The theoretical, empirical, and clinical aspects of Health Psychology will be explored and discussed. The relation of Health Psychology with other areas of Psychology and various scientific disciplines will be discussed. The historical development of the field, its research methodologies, theoretical models and exemplary interventions will be described. A specific emphasis will be placed on applications in regards to education, industry and other organizations as they relate to the various master's programs offered by the Department of Psychology.
Prerequisite: A graduate research methods course, and at least one other graduate psychology course, or departmental approval.

PSYC 593 CLINICAL INTERVIEWING (3)
This course integrates the theory and practice of clinical interviewing. The goals of this course are to facilitate the development of the student’s listening, diagnostic, and therapeutic interviewing skills.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and 12 graduate credits in psychology or related fields.

PSYC 611 INTERNSHIP IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY (4)
Students attend a one-semester seminar to review the research process, develop individual project proposals for investigation of a problem in an applied setting under the supervision of faculty, present their proposals to the seminar, implement their proposals after approval by a faculty committee, report their completed work in a written report for the M.A. degree, and take an oral examination upon completion of the project. Students normally attend the seminar in a semester preceding registration for this course.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and permission of internship advisor.

PSYC 658 SEMINAR IN INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course covers the most recent advances, issues and problems in Industrial and Organizational Psychology through relevant professional journals, technical literature, legislation and judicial decisions, advanced research techniques, and consulting practice in order to prepare students for continued education or applied practice of their field. Students critique professional journals and review the development of topics in their field.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and matriculation in the Industrial and Organizational Psychology concentration, and completion of specialization courses.

PSYC 659 SPECIAL TOPICS SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course provides an in-depth view of important theoretical and methodological issues in various areas of psychology. It is designed to permit faculty with particular interests and expertise to provide students with a comprehensive analysis of a selected contemporary issue (or issues) in psychology.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and completion of 15 or more credits in one’s program.

PSYC 660 CURRENT TOPICS IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
Several important contemporary theoretical, applied and methodological issues in various areas of educational psychology are selected by the class for inclusion in the course. Seminar discussions focus on the critical evaluation of the recent literature in the
areas selected.
Prerequisites: PSYC 510 and 561, and graduate Psychology majors only.

PSYC 663 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1 - 3)
The student conducts an individual project under the supervision of a professor in the department.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

PSYC 667 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course focuses on theoretical models and selected research in psychopathology. Topics include contemporary nosology, diagnostic problems, schizophrenia, anxiety and affective disorders, social deviance, somatoform and psychophysiological syndromes, and therapeutic intervention.
Prerequisite: PSYC 561.

PSYC 668 CONSULTATION METHODS IN PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL SETTINGS (3)
This course is designed to provide students with theory and practice about the consultation process. The course will identify a collaborative, problem-solving model of consultation in psychoeducational settings and define the intrapersonal, interpersonal and systemic factors associated with successful consultation. Students will locate consultation cases and function under direct supervision and monitoring. Cross listed with Curriculum and Teaching, SPED 668.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

PSYC 670 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOTHERAPY (3)
This course surveys theories, research and practices in individual and group psychotherapy, and introduces the student to various treatments for emotional maladjustment and behavioral pathology.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

PSYC 679 FAMILY SYSTEMS AND CHILDHOOD DISORDERS: A MULTICULTURAL APPROACH (3)
This course will use a multicultural lens to examine the various family therapy approaches such as structural, Bowenian, behavioral, strategic and paradoxical approaches and their corresponding techniques. Special emphasis will be placed on applying these approaches to the prevailing childhood DSM diagnoses (e.g., Childhood Depression and Anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, ADHD, developmental disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder). A segment of the course will focus on special topics and their relevance to family functioning (e.g., trauma, incest/sexual abuse, domestic violence, illness/death, poverty and parental psychopathology).
Prerequisite: PSYC 565 or PSYC 667.

PSYC 680 EXTERNSHIP IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (3)
This course is a supervised, two semester, clinical experience designed to provide the skills necessary for professional practice in Mental Health Clinics or other settings where there is a significant Hispanic clientele. On-site supervision will take place under the direction of a fully licensed clinical psychologist (the field-based supervisor) in close cooperation with the Bilingual Clinical Program Director at Montclair State. The student will also meet with a Montclair State faculty supervisor on a weekly basis. At least one of the supervisors will be a bilingual/bicultural individual. A contract will be signed between the student intern, field-based supervisor and the Montclair faculty supervisor before the start of the internship.
Prerequisites: Departmental approval, and matriculated status in the Clinical Psychology for Spanish/English Bilinguals Concentration and permission of the program director.

PSYC 698 MASTER'S THESIS (4)
Independent research project done under faculty advisement. Students must follow the MSU Thesis Guidelines, which may be obtained from the Graduate School. Students should take PSYC 699 if they don't complete PSYC 698 within the semester.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

PSYC 699 MASTER'S THESIS EXTENSION (1)
Continuation of Master's Thesis Project. Thesis Extension will be graded as IP (In Progress) until thesis is completed, at which time a grade of Pass or Fail will be given.
Prerequisite: PSYC 698.