Complete Your B.A. in Psychology

The psychology degree completion program offers a balance of courses that includes a basic core series followed by concentrations in experimental, clinical/counseling, and developmental psychology. You learn the nature of psychological inquiry and the psychological approach to various issues you encounter in other fields and courses in your curriculum.

This program prepares you for a wide range of opportunities, including graduate study, agency work, and work in related fields or businesses.

All psychology and required core courses are scheduled for Saturday mornings 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoons 1 to 5 p.m.

This program is based on you having earned at least 60 credits from your associate's degree program.

The bachelor's degree program requires 120 credits. You can transfer in a maximum of 78 credits from Holyoke Community College and other regionally accredited colleges. A minimum of 42 credits must be earned through Elms College.

All Elms College core and program requirements must be met.

Course Descriptions

HCC courses are distinguished by a letter following the course number.

ART COURSEWORK

ART 215 Art History II (3)
This survey course focuses on the art of Western Europe from the early Renaissance through the rise of modernism, and includes contemporary trends in Europe and the United States. A special emphasis is placed on painting and sculpture and the relationship of art to social and political currents. Students will compare these works with examples of arts from non-Western cultures.

ENGLISH COURSEWORK

ENG 133 Critical Approaches to Literature (3)
An introduction to literary forms and genres and the critical methods used in their study. Analysis of representative texts, discussion of central themes, and exploration of theoretical methodologies. May be taken to satisfy the core literature requirement.

HISTORY COURSEWORK

HIS 102(C) History of Western Civilization II (3)
A survey of the history of Europe from the beginning of the 18th century to the present, stressing political, social, cultural, intellectual and economic developments, as appropriate.

HIS 112(C) History of the United States II (3)
A survey of the political, economic, social, and cultural developments of the United States from the end of the Civil War until the present, including such topics as Reconstruction, industrialization, immigration, the Great Depression, the New Deal, the world wars, and the Cold War.

PHILOSOPHY COURSEWORK

PHI 101(C) Introduction to Philosophy (3)
A basic introduction to central questions in Western philosophy: Does God exist and how are we certain one way or the other? Does science provide reliable evidence about the way the world works? Do people have minds, souls, or are they just bodies? What makes an act the right thing to do? What is the difference between good art and bad art? Does life have no, one, or many meanings? Such questions are addressed reading classical texts in philosophy, and by arguing about these views.

PHI 103(C) Clear Thinking/Sound Reasoning (3)
Students will learn how to improve their ability to think and reason, to better understand the basis for their opinions, and to build convincing arguments in discussions and debates. By discussing controversial moral and political topics and examining scientific studies, opinion polls, and newspaper editorials students will learn ways one should not argue (by using what philosophers call fallacious reasoning) and then learn how to make more effective arguments.

PHI 110(C) Comparative Religions (3)
A comparative study of the major world religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, and Taoism, emphasizing their spirituality, beliefs, traditions, and rituals, as well as their historical development. Also critically examines selections of their scriptures.

PSYCHOLOGY COURSEWORK

PSY 202 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)

This course is a critical component of the psychology major's research training. To this end, basic descriptive and univariate inferential procedures are covered, including measures of central tendency variability, relative standing, correlation, hypothesis testing, normal distribution, t-tests, ANOVA, and Chi-square. Additionally, basic issues in research design and methodology are covered, and the link is continually made between research design and the relevant statistical procedures.

PSY 222(B) Research Methods in Psychology (3)
An introduction to research methods in psychology or related fields. Covers literature reviews, critical evaluations of articles in professional journals, the design of research studies, and use of a computer-based statistical package to analyze data. Independent research focuses on the procedures involved in conducting studies and writing research reports. Group laboratory exercises are included. Prerequisite: PSY 110 General Psychology and PSY 142 Statistics for Psychology and Social Science.

PSY 240 Stress and Coping (3)
Students will learn about the nature of stress and its relationship to health and coping. Emphasis will be on assessment and prevention strategies aimed at reducing stress-related symptoms.

PSY 302 History and Systems (3)
Students will study the development of psychology from its antecedents to its current "schools" or "systems," including topics such as the origins of behavioral, cognitive, and psychoanalytic perspectives. An emphasis is placed on connecting the historical aspects of psychology to current day practices and developments. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology and PSY 202 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences.

PSY 304 Forensic Psychology (3)
This course will promote an understanding of the relationship between psychology and the law by showing how psychological research and theory inform the legal system. Topics include psychologists in the court, ethics in practice, criminal profiles, and assessment and rehabilitation approaches for criminal offenders. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology.

PSY 306 Educational Psychology (3)
This course is a study of the application of psychology to educational problems. It considers factors affecting learning and provides a theoretical background to help students evaluate and use educational methods properly. Topics of study include social, emotional,
and cognitive development, learner differences, cultural diversity, motivation, and standardized and classroom assessment. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology.

PSY 307 Psychological Testing (3)
The major techniques used to measure psychological attributes, such as intelligence, motivation, attitudes, interests, and personality will be introduced. Test construction, reliability, and validity will also be presented. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology and PSY 202 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences.

PSY 308 Cognitive Psychology (3)
Students will be introduced to the theory and research of mental processes from the initial sensation of information to the complex utilization of that information. Topics for study include sensation, perception, memory systems, comprehension, language, concept formation, and problem solving. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology.

PSY 313 Psychology of Behavioral Management (3)
This course provides the student with an introduction to the theories and principles of behavior modification. Students will learn the fundamentals of behavioral analysis and treatment. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology.

PSY 325.DE Personality Theory (3)
Students will be introduced to the field of personality. Major theories of personality will be covered, including those of Freud, Jung, Horney, Dollard and Miller, Wilson, Maslow, and Rogers. Contemporary applications and Internet resources will be integrated with historical perspectives in this fully on-line course using streaming audio lectures with PowerPoint slides, online discussions both live and asynchronous, web research, and online testing. Prerequisite: PSY 101 General Psychology.

PSY 401 Psychology Seminar (3)
The primary objective of this capstone course is to explore current issues in psychology, especially those that are of interest to students. Students will read, analyze, and discuss original research. A final project of a research paper and formal presentation is required. This course is designated as "communication intensive" and fulfills that core requirement. Seniors only.

SOCIOLOGY COURSEWORK

SOC 209 Social Deviance (3)
Nonconformist behavior - its causes, consequences and the social reaction - is the area of study. Definitions of deviance, analysis of social structure, social change, and social control will be analyzed in order to expand the student's knowledge of what society considers deviant behavior to be. Topics surveyed include crime, violence, suicide, family disorganization, alcoholism, drug addiction, and newly recognized deviances such as school violence and terrorism.

SOC 214(B) Social Problems (3)
A sociological examination of the nature, causes and consequences of, and potential solutions for, social problems. Attention will be focused on problems of deviant behavior, structural problems, problems of inequality, institutional problems, and global survival problems. Prerequisite: SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology.

SOC 304 Sociology of Marriage and Family (3)
Students will study the family as a major social institution. Considerations of how family is defined, relationships within families and between families, and larger social forces will be included. A realistic appraisal of marriage and family in contemporary American society is a goal of the course.

SOC 316 Racial and Ethnic Groups (3)
Students will examine the relationships between dominant and subordinate groups in the United States. Concepts of cultural and racial pluralism, immigrant experiences, and adaptation will be included. Selected groups will be studied in depth.

THEATER COURSEWORK

THE 110(C) Fundamentals of Acting (3)
Introduces acting fundamentals, which include improvisational techniques, actor relationships to the audience, voice and diction work, script analysis, and character development. Exercises to increase self-confidence and to enhance communication skills are stressed.

THE 235(C) Topics in Communication, Media, and Theater (3)
Each semester the course focuses on a different area literature: theory, or performance, or a combination in Communication, Media, or Theater Arts. A specific era, a particular practitioner, a genre, or an "ism" may be focused. A detailed study is made of each special topic with particular emphasis on literary and/or performance. Prerequisite: ENG102, previously or concurrently.