DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Undergraduate Program in Psychology

A Major in Psychology

An undergraduate major in Psychology offers a student preparation for a variety of careers. It can provide the basis for service-oriented professions such as social work, counseling, and special education. Students who pursue graduate degrees often work in teaching and research or applied human services. In addition, Psychology provides knowledge and understanding of behavior that can be used in other professions, including medicine, law, and business.

The Undergraduate Program at Case

We offer the combined advantages of a strong liberal arts college and a major university. There are classes in all major areas of the Psychology field. We encourage close student-faculty relationships and offer many opportunities for individualized study and research. We also are able to offer extensive course work and research opportunities in the biological and social sciences, management, and computer technology. The Undergraduate Scholars Program allows students to combine Psychology with other disciplines to design their own baccalaureate program.

Qualified undergraduates are able to take selected graduate-level courses. We offer undergraduate seminars and practica in Child Psychology and Adult Psychopathology at several clinical facilities. The department also has laboratories which enable students to have contact with major research areas of Experimental Psychology.
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Requirements for a Psychology Major

Thirty hours of course work must be completed successfully to fulfill department requirements. Majors must take General Psychology I (PSCL 101) and Quantitative Methods in Psychology (PSCL 282). In addition, three of the following classes are necessary:

PSCL 315 - Social Psychology (3)
PSCL 352 - Physiological Psychology (3)
PSCL 353 - Psychology of Learning (3)
PSCL 355 - Sensation and Perception (3)
PSCL 357 - Cognitive Psychology (3)
PSCL 382 - Psychological Measurement (3)
PSCL 393 - Experimental Child Psychology (3)

The remaining 15 hours are taken from electives chosen by the student, in collaboration with his/her advisor. No more than nine hours of practicum courses (PSCL 334, 335, and 336) may be used toward a Major in Psychology.
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Requirements for a Psychology Minor

Students who wish to minor in Psychology must take General Psychology I (PSCL 101), plus a minimum of four other Psychology courses, for a total of 15 hours. The classes are chosen by the student in collaboration with his/her advisor. Practica and independent study are available, but may not be used to satisfy the Minor requirement.
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Engineering Core

Students who are completing the Engineering Core take a Psychology sequence which emphasizes either the Biological or Social/Personal aspects of the field. Variations to these sequences will not be allowed, except in extreme cases and then not by more than one course. Permission from the Psychology Chair should be obtained in advance. In addition to General Psychology I (PSCL 101), those completing the Engineering Core choose two courses from one of the following groups:

Personal and Social Behavior

PSCL 102 - General Psychology II
PSCL 230 - Child Psychology
PSCL 300 - Psychological Perspectives on the Meanings of Life
PSCL 313 - Psychology of Personality
PSCL 315 - Social Psychology
PSCL 317 - Health Psychology
PSCL 321 - Abnormal Psychology
PSCL 325 - Psychotherapy and Personality Change

Psychology as a Biological Science

PSCL 352 - Physiological Psychology
PSCL 353 - Psychology of Learning
PSCL 355 - Sensation and Perception
PSCL 357 - Cognitive Psychology
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Declaring a Major or Minor

To declare a major or minor in Psychology, please see the department chair Dr.Greene in room 124 of the Mather Memorial Building. The best way to do this is to send your advisor an e-mail suggesting three or four times you might be available. If, after you have spoken to your advisor, you have unanswered questions your advisor may be able to tell you to whom to speak. If not, make an appointment with the Chair of the Department by e-mailing some potential times you can meet.
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Undergraduate Curriculum

There are three levels in the undergraduate curriculum: An Introductory level that is a prerequisite for most other departmental courses; An Intermediate level covering the main areas of psychology, and an Advanced level that offers opportunities for specialized and/or individualized work.

*Important note: The Department of Psychology currently does not provide a proficiency test for PSCL 101, General Psychology. We currently have three acceptable ways to attain credit for PSCL 101:  course credit for PSCL 101 at Case, a 4 or a 5 on the AP test taken in conjunction with a high school AP course, or approved transfer credit from another university. 

Regularly scheduled courses (and their number of credits) are:

PSCL 101. General Psychology I (3) - Covers methods, research, and theories. Includes basic findings from areas such as psychophysiology, sensation, perception, development, memory, learning, psychopathology and social psychology.

PSCL 102. General Psychology II (3) - How psychology is applied to normal adjustment problems, considered from an empirical perspective. Topics include stress, anxiety, depression, communication, sex, marriage and divorce, parenting, substance abuse, and anger/impulse control.

PSCL 230. Child Psychology (3) - Explores facts and principles of psychological development from the prenatal period through adolescence. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 231. Child Psychology Practicum (1) - This course is a lab for PSCL 230 where students augment their theoretical knowledge with three hours per week of experience at the Church of the Covenant Day Care Center or the Mental Development Center School. An orientation to child development in the context of a pre-school program is followed by two weeks of briefings and observations. Students then work with children in individual and group activities under the guidance of pre-school teachers. Prerequisite: PSCL 101. Co-requisite: PSCL 230.

PSCL 282. Quantitative Methods in Psychology (3) - An introduction to the theory and application of basic methods used to analyze psychological data. Noncredit for students who have satisfactorily completed STAT 201 or ANTH 319.

PSCL 300. Interdisciplinary Psychology: Perspectives on the Meanings of Life (3) - Considers how individuals find and sustain ways for life to make sense. The approach draws mainly on Social Science knowledge about human behavior. Topics include happiness; suffering; work; religion; love and family life; identity crises; sexuality; death, and suicide.

PSCL 313. Psychology of Personality (3) - The development and organization of personality are explored. Theories of personality and assessment methods are discussed, as well as personal adjustment problems.

PSCL 315. Social Psychology (3) - Human responses to situations are examined through empirical studies. Includes first impressions, attitude change, effects of cash incentives, behavior in emergencies, interpersonal attraction, impression management, crowding, stress, and vices. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 317. Health Psychology (3) - Examines psychological processes that affect physical health. Covers physiological factors affecting the immune system, chronic physical disorders, pain, stress and coping, patient-physician interactions, treatment compliance, and psychological aspects of hospital and health-care systems. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 321. Abnormal Psychology (3) - Explores major syndromes of mental disorders using their main symptoms, dynamics, etiology, and treatment. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 325. Psychotherapy and Personality Change (3) - Therapy techniques and how personality change happens are considered from the behavioral, psychoanalytic and client-centered perspectives. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 329. Adolescence (3) - Psychological perspectives on physical, cognitive, and social development from the pre-teen to young adult years. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 344. Developmental Psychopathology (3) - The focus of this course is on the interplay of biological, psychological, familial and social determinants of disorders. Prerequisites: PSCL 230 and PSCL 321, or instructor's consent.

PSCL 350. Behavior Genetics (3) - Examines the impact of nature and nurture on human behavior using current family, twin and adoption studies of personality, intelligence, alcoholism, criminality, and psychopathology. Basic quantitative genetic methods are covered. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 352. Physiological Psychology (3) - Study of the nervous system as it relates to behavior. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 353. Psychology of Learning (3) - Explores basic methods and major theories in the study of the learning process in humans and lower animals. Prerequisite: Psychology 101.

PSCL 355. Sensation and Perception (3) - Psychological and physiological processes of perception are considered. The role of learning in perceptual functioning also is a focus. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 357. Cognitive Psychology (3) - How individuals encode, store, organize and use information. Topics include pattern recognition, attention, memory and problem solving. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.

PSCL 369. Adult Development and Aging (3) - Provides an overview of concepts and research using the life span perspective. Normal and pathological aging are considered, with emphasis on cognitive deterioration. Prerequisite: PSCL 101.\

PSCL 370. Human Intelligence (3) - Surveys individual differences in intellect, theories and models of intelligence, and the roles of heredity and environment. The relationships of cognitive abilities to intelligence and human vs. artificial intelligence are examined. Construction and administration of intelligence tests also is explored.

PSCL 375. Research Design and Analysis (3) - Considers conceptual and methodological issues confronted by behavioral scientists conducting research. Covers major experimental designs and statistical procedures, with emphasis on intuitive understanding of the mathematical operations. Prerequisite: PSCL 282.

PSCL 382. Psychological Measurement (3) - This course is an advanced study of problems and methods of measuring behavior. Scaling theory, ratings, and the theoretical basis of psychological testing are examined. Prerequisite: PSCL 282 or equivalent.

PSCL 388. Human Sexual Behavior (3) - Sex is approached as a form of personal and interpersonal behavior. Social Psychology theories are used to explain human sexual behavior and are evaluated using recent research studies. Topics include sexual relationships, evolution of sexual motivations, promiscuity, prostitution, pornography, rape, sexual risk-taking, choosing partners, sexual identity and orientation, cultural influences, gender differences, and love. Prerequisites: PSCL 101 and PSCL 315.

PSCL 390. Seminars in Psychology (1-3) - Surveys of special subject areas utilizing small-group discussions. Topics vary in response to faculty and student interests. Prerequisites: Depend on course content.

PSCL 397. Independent Study (1-3) - Individual study involving specific programs of reading, research and special projects in collaboration with a faculty member. (A list of faculty members' research interests is on Page 7).
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Special Programs

The Program consists of PSCL 375 and PSCL 395 and begins in Spring Semester of the junior year, when students receive instruction in research design and methodology. This provides the foundation for students to work under close supervision with a department faculty member in the fall of their senior year. At the end of that semester, the research project is written in scholarly form, and presented for consideration of graduation with Honors in Psychology.

Junior majors with a minimum 3.25 average in Psychology and a 3.0 overall GPA may apply. The Honors Program requires a great deal of work, and only students with a serious interest in Behavioral Sciences should apply.

An important part of the Honor's Program is selection of the faculty advisor.  A student should select a faculty advisor with interests as close as possible to the area the student intends to research (please see the Faculty Webpage for a list of faculty members and their interests).  Make an appointment with the faculty member or email them to inquire about the possibility of doing an honor's thesis with them.  You may either suggest an idea of your own or ask the advisor for a project that you might carry out.  In either case, there should be a firm understanding of what will be accomplished (preferably written) before the student registers for the honor's program. 

The IGS enables qualified undergraduates to complete the academic work for a Bachelor's degree and a Master of Arts degree within four years. It provides particularly good preparation for further graduate work in psychology or related fields such as medicine, social work, special education, sociology, biology, and management. Students accepted into the program must plus complete at least 27 credit hours of graduate course work during their senior year, plus a Master's thesis or comprehensive exam for a Master of Arts in Psychology degree.

The minimum standards for acceptance are: An overall GPA of 3.2, completion of the university's distribution requirements, 90 hours of undergraduate credit, and completion of a Psychology Major with at least a 3.2 grade point average. Students should apply during Spring Semester of their sophomore year, or as early as possible during their junior year. Participation in the IGS does not preclude involvement in the department's Honors Program. For more information consult the university's General Bulletin or contact Dr. Robert Greene at rlg2@po.cwru.edu, phone 368-6473.

Rather than majoring in one academic area, Undergraduate Scholars design their own program of study, in collaboration with their faculty advisors. It must have a definite goal which cannot be achieved through a traditional major. Psychology classes may be combined with additional course work, independent study, research, and/or field work in areas such as biology, chemistry, sociology, anthropology, engineering, and computer technology. Students must apply during the Spring Semester of their sophomore year. Application information and a brochure about the program may be obtained from the Office of Collegiate Affairs.
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Research Opportunities

We strongly urge that all undergraduate psychology students become involved in research activities. There are at least five ways this can be done. 1) Volunteer with a faculty member (please see next paragraph). 2) Get a regular or work study job with someone doing research (listings of job opportunities can be found here. 3) Take an independent study course with a faculty member that includes research, 4) Do an Honor’s project, or 5) participate in the Integrated Graduate Studies Program. One of the strengths of Case is that you can work directly with a faculty member. If you don’t take advantage of this opportunity, you are not getting your money’s worth from your CWRU education.

The Psychology Department has an international reputation for its extensive research activities. There are labs which study Neuroscience (Dr. Demaree), Cognition (Dr. Short), Behavior Genetics (Dr. Thompson), Psychology of Religion (Dr. Exline), Human Memory (Dr. Greene), Cognitive Assessment (Dr. Detterman), Aging and Clinical Psychology (Dr. McCallum), Human and Machine Perception (Dr. Gilmore), Perceptual Development (Dr. Fagan), Personality Disorders (Dr. Overholser), Adult Psychopathology (Dr. Strauss), and Childhood and Creativity (Dr. Russ). Research opportunities can be found here, or by contacting the individual faculty members.

Research also is conducted at nearby medical centers and psychiatric institutions. There are a limited number of paid research assistant jobs available in the department. Students interested in doing research should discuss the possibilities with their advisors, who can help them contact appropriate faculty members.
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Faculty

For information on our faculty, please visit the faculty webpage.
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