The emphasis in sports is available for psychology majors who are interested in pursuing careers related to sports or who want to enhance their own athletic performance. While this emphasis does not lead to a specific profession, it aims to equip students with psychological knowledge pertinent to sports-related topics.
Psychology majors opting for the sports emphasis will fulfill the requirements of the psychology major and complete an additional 15 credit hours from the selected courses listed below.
Additionally, non-psychology majors can enroll in courses within this emphasis as free electives. However, they must complete PSY 105 before registering for any of the emphasis courses.
Psy 105 Introduction to Psychology
A survey of the main fields of psychology: the history and methods of psychology, the nervous and endocrine systems, sensation, perception, consciousness, learning, memory, higher cognitive processes, developmental psychology, motivation, emotion, stress, personality theory, sexuality, intelligence, psychological testing, abnormal psychology, psychotherapy, social psychology, and applied psychology.
Psy 270: Cognitive Psychology
An in-depth survey of the fields of cognitive psychology: physiological, sensation, perception, learning, memory, language, and cognition.
Psy 300: Developmental Psychology
A study of human growth and development from conception to death. The course deals with physical, social, emotional, intellectual, moral, and personality development at all age levels, and the respective theories; the effects of heredity and environment on the developmental process.
Psy 350: Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal psychopathology, including mental disorders, their treatment, models accounting for psychopathology, and community health programs.
Psy 365: Personality Theory
An examination of the most prominent personality theories in terms of their origins, influence on contemporary psychological thought, and relevance to psychology as a human science.
Psy 380: Biopsychology
An overview of the structure and function of the human nervous system as it affects human processes such as memory, emotions, learning, and psychopathology; also covered are the effects of brain damage on behavior.
Psy 405: Research Methods
An introduction to the scientific method and the various types of research. Students will develop research proposals.
Psy 406: History and Systems of Psychology
Begins with psychology’s origins in philosophy and covers various schools of psychology, the development of experimental psychology, the influence of psychoanalysis on psychology, and trends in humanistic psychology. Recommended: Psy 105 and junior/senior status.