Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• CAS PS 324: Experimental Psychology: Developmental
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 101; PS 241; either PS 211, PS/NE 212, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116 . ; 1st Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - This course is designed to provide students with the skills necessary for designing, conducting, evaluating, and communicating developmental science research. The class is a combination of lecture and discussion of research issues and methods, activity- based sessions, and implementation of individual and class research projects. Students conduct their own research project in collaboration with the Early Education Learning Lab and write an empirical paper as the final project. By the end of this course, students should be able to think and write like research psychologists. Please note that students will not receive credit for more than one of the following experimental psychology courses: PS 324, PS 325, PS 326. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS PS 325: Experimental Psychology: Personality
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS101; PS251; either PS 211, PS/NE 212, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116.; 1st Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Systematic approaches to the study of personality. Experimental and observational investigations of selected aspects of personality. Demonstration of experimental procedures; student participation in laboratory and field studies. Please note that students will not receive credit for more than one of the following experimental psychology courses: PS 324, PS 325, PS 326. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS PS 326: Experimental Psychology: Social
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS101; PS261; either PS 211, PS/NE 212, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116. ; 1st Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Supervised experience in formulating, carrying out, interpreting, and critically evaluating social-psychological research. Students conduct research on such topics as attraction, impressions and stereotypes, helping, aggression, conflict, etc. Variety of research techniques examined. Please note that students will not receive credit for more than one of the following experimental psychology courses: PS 324, PS 325, PS 326. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS PS 327: Experimental Psychology: Perception
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS101; PS222; either PS 211, PS/NE 212, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116. - Introduces psychophysical methods and their use in the study of perceptual processes: Students learn to think critically about the relation between theory and experiment, conduct perception experiments, and write experimental reports. Also offered as CAS NE 327.
• CAS PS 328: Experimental Psychology: Memory & Cognition
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS336 or PS339/NE202 or instructor consent; either PS 211, PS/NE 2 12, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116. - An overview of standard experimental paradigms and computational modeling approaches used in the study of memory and cognition. Methods are illustrated in the laboratory where students perform experiments using themselves as subjects and analyze and model their data using computers. Also offered as CAS NE 328.
• CAS PS 329: Experimental Psychology: Cognitive Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS231 (or instructor consent); PS339/NE202; either PS 211, PS/NE 2 12, or CAS MA 115 and MA 116;1st Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Laboratory course in human cognitive neuroscience. Emphasis on large-scale neural mechanisms of visual cognition using electrophysiological measurements of brain activity. Students critically engage with theories in psychological science, conduct cognitive neuroscience experiments, and learn to write experimental reports. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS PS 332: Behavioral Medicine
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: two principal courses in psychology, education, or a health-related di scipline, or consent of instructor. - Examines applications from the social and behavioral sciences and allied health professions as they are integrated in the practice of traditional medicine. Examples of interventional strategies, treatments, and procedures, including biofeedback and hypnosis.
• CAS PS 333: Drugs and Behavior
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPS 231 or CASNE 101. - Comprehensive survey of drug influences on behavior; introduces a neuroscience approach to behavior. Several classes of drugs discussed, including abused and addictive substances and psychoactive and therapeutic agents.
• CAS PS 336: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - Provides an introduction to basic topics and research issues relevant to cognitive psychology. Emphasis placed on understanding how we perceive, attend, and remember information. Related topics include language, problem solving, and intelligence.
• CAS PS 337: Memory Systems of the Brain
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS231 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE101) or consent of instructor. - Survey of investigations into the brain systems and neurobiological mechanisms of memory. Includes experimental studies of amnesia in humans and experimental models of amnesia in animals. Focus on evidence for multiple forms of memory and distinct brain systems that mediate them. Also offered as CAS NE 337.
• CAS PS 338: Neuropsychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS231 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE101) - Survey of theoretical aspects and major empirical findings in human neuropsychology, including memory, language, spatial function, attention, emotion, and abstract thought. Emphasis is on the relation between brain disorders (resulting from head injury, stroke, degenerative disease, etc.) and abnormal behavior. Also offered as CAS NE 338.
• CAS PS 339: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: : CASPS 231 or CASNE 101 - Cognitive neuroscience seeks to understand the brain basis of cognition. This course introduces research methods and human neuroanatomy, and provides a survey of topics including learning and memory, attention, perception, language, social cognition, and executive function.
• CAS PS 354: Psychology and Criminal Justice
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - The psychological perspective in understanding the offender and the offense and in dispositional planning, with special emphasis on the young adult offender. Concepts, realities, and problems in working at the interface of law and psychology.
• CAS PS 361: Racism, Sexism, and Prejudice
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS261) and junior or senior standing. - Similarities and differences in racism and sexism examined as prejudice, cognitions, self-image, and group relations. Tactics, strategies, and programs of changing issues in schools and industry. Student projects.
• CAS PS 370: Psychology of the Family
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101 OR CASSO205) and PS junior or senior standing. - Survey of psychological issues related to the family. Includes examination of psychological research and data on the individual's experience in the family, with special emphasis on developmental and clinical issues.
• CAS PS 371: Psychopathology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS101) - A thorough review of psychopathology and related clinical issues are examined. The etiology, clinical characteristics, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of all major categories of adult psychopathology, as well as evidence-based methods to promote psychological health, are covered.
• CAS PS 401: Senior Independent Work
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS senior standing, one experimental course, and approval of the Honor s Committee. - Supervised independent research in some area of psychology.
• CAS PS 402: Senior Independent Work
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS senior standing, one experimental course, and approval of the Honor s Committee. - Supervised independent research in some area of psychology.
• CAS PS 471: Special Topics in Psychopathology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS371) and PS senior standing, or consent of instructor. - Selected special topics in clinical psychology are be covered, such as the nature and treatment of specific psychological disorders in children or adults, novel treatment approaches, and/or current approaches to promote health and wellness.
• CAS PS 472: Family Violence: Theories and Research
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASPS370 OR CASPS371) and PS junior or senior standing. - Studies family violence, particularly child and spouse abuse. Students learn various theories while examining epidemiologic, cross-cultural, and clinical data. Through demonstrations, students also learn basic preventative and intervention techniques.