Course Description
This course will focus on an introduction to psychology across a variety of sub-disciplines, including clinical, neuropsychological, developmental, cognitive, biological, and experimental. The course will focus on how psychology began with a philosophical perspective and how it has developed into a multidisciplinary science. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Upon completion of the course, the students will be able to:
- Understand the historical basis of Psychology.
- Understand how Psychology is studied as a Science, including key ethical aspects associated with psychological experimentation.
- Appreciate the biological underpinnings that contribute to psychology.
- Know basic anatomy of our sensory systems and be able to apply this knowledge to the notion that that sensation leads to perception.
- Know how psychology explores and explains different levels of consciousness.
- Understand and appreciate the relationships between learning and memory and be able to apply them to language and cognition.
- Explain how psychologists describe and define intelligence.
- Describe the developmental time course over a lifetime.
- Understand the difference between moods and emotion and be able to apply this knowledge to the understanding of stress, coping, health, and motivation.
- Explain how health influences psychological well-being.
- Know that humans are social, interactive, thinking beings and be able to apply this knowledge to descriptions of social behavior.
- Know the basics of psychological disorders and courses or action for treatment of disorders.
General Education Outcomes (GEOs)
Please check the applicable GEOs for this course, if any, by outcomes at GEO Discipline Search.
Course Activities and Grading
Assignments | Points | Weight |
Discussions (40 pts per unit; 8 units) | 320 | 32% |
Written Assignments (40 pts per unit; 8 units) | 320 | 32% |
Quizzes (10 pts per unit; 8 units) | 80 | 8% |
Midterm Exam (Week 4) | 100 | 10% |
Final Exam (Week 8) | 180 | 18% |
Total | 1,000 | 100% |
Required Textbooks
(Available through Charter Oak’s online bookstore)
- Gazzaniga, Heatherton and Halpern. Psychological Science. 5th edition. (2016). WW Norton. ISBN-13: 9780393250909 (Looseleaf Version)
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1, 2 | Unit 1: Scientific Study with Psychology
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2 | 3, 4 | Unit 2: The Biological Basis of Behaviors, Sensation and Perception
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3 | 5,6 | Unit 3: Learning about Learning and Exploring Consciousness
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4 | 6,7 | Unit 4: Attention, Memory, Language & Intelligence
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Midterm Exam | |||
5 | 8 | Unit 5: Development across the lifespan
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6 | 9, 10 | Unit 6: Emotion, Motivation, Health and Well-being
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7 | 11 | Unit 7: Personality and Social interactions
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8 | 12 | Unit 8: Exploring Psychological Disorders and Treatments
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Final Exam | |||
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.