Organizational Psychology

COM 253 Organizational Communication 3 Credits

Focuses on the ongoing communication processes in organizations. This course examines how and why organizations develop policies and procedures that both encourage and yet constrain creativity and autonomy in employees. It also introduces various management skills to balance the dynamic in organizations. Finally, the course introduces students to various communication technologies that enable communication processes in organizations. Students will also have opportunities to participate in creating organizational dynamics through role-playing exercises, case studies, and other kinds of experiential learning.

COM 290 Professional/Strategic Speech 3 Credits

Provides students with practical information necessary for effective communication in various business and professional settings. Covers communication processes, principles, and models in the modern organization. Class assignments are given with emphasis on developing a knowledge and practical understanding of informative, persuasive, and impromptu presentations. Limited to students enrolled in the College of Business Administration.

COM 350 Team & Group Communication 3 Credits

Examines the communication process as it relates to the small group. Theoretical constructs including motivation, group climate, attraction, leadership, decision making, problem solving and roles are analyzed. Utilizes group experience to study and evaluate the dynamics and effectiveness of interpersonal systems.

HRM 315 Employee Selection & Training 3 Credits

This course explains the processes involved in selecting and training employees. With regards to selection, specific examples include, evaluating applicant credentials, administering pre-employment tests and complying with equal employment opportunity legislation. With regards to training, topics include assessing the need for training, designing effective training programs, utilizing methods such as technology to deliver training, and evaluating the effectiveness of training programs.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 310.

HRM 316 Employee Compensation Systems 3 Credits

The goal of this course is to familiarize you with the common methods of compensation used by today’s organizations and how these methods could be used to increase motivation, job satisfaction, and performance in the workplace. To accomplish this, we will first discuss the bases of motivation in the workplace. Next, we will then talk about the various compensation options and techniques and the strengths and weaknesses of each in maximizing motivation and performance in an organization.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 310.

HRM 333 Employee Engagement 3 Credits

Employee Engagement is commonly described as a focused passion and enthusiasm that employees bring to their work that produces high-quality performance and positive organizational outcomes such as enhanced firm reputation, customer loyalty, and profitability. In this course, students will explore the concept and value of Employee Engagement, and strategies for energizing an organization's workforce. Projects and activities will focus on the role of the Human Resource function in measuring employee attitudes, designing relevant interventions, and influencing a culture of engagement.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 310.

MGT 201 Fund Management & Org Behavior 3 Credits

This course deals with the fundamentals of organizational behavior as they relate to management such as motivation, communications, and leadership. Behavior is examined at the individual, group, and organizational level. The management functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling are addressed. The effects of global operations and the requirements of ethical behavior on managers are also explored.

Prerequisite(s): minimum 30 credits completed.

MGT 310 Intro to Human Resource Mgmt 3 Credits

This course deals with the nature of human resource management, its functions, procedures, and practices currently found in profit, non-profit and public sector organizations. Topics covered include recruiting and selection, t raining, human resource development, equal employment opportunity, performance appraisal, diversity, job analysis, compensation, and employee rights and discipline.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 or PSY 210.

MGT 320 Managing Workforce Diversity 3 Credits

Demographic shifts, changing patterns of labor force participation, global competition, and a growing cultural emphasis on the celebration of difference have all contributed to the creation of diversity as a hot topic in management. This course explores the opportunities and challenges of the increasingly diverse workforce emerging in the United States today. We will address the knowledge and skills managers must develop in working with others who are different from themselves. Some of these differences are obvious- gender, race, age, and physical characteristics. Other differences are not as easily observed - family structure, educational level, social class, and sexual orientation. This class incorporates experiential learning techniques for personal growth.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 or PSY 210.

MGT 355 Team Management 3 Credits

This course prepares students to work in organizations that use teams as an integral part of their functioning-an increasingly common practice. The class involves intensive group interaction, focusing on individual growth in group settings. Working with other students in role-plays, exercises, and team assignments allows the student to develop better communication and leadership skills.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 or PSY 210.

MGT 490 Independent Research and Study 1-4 Credits

Topic to be approved in advance by supervising instructor, chairperson, and academic dean. Available for juniors and seniors. No more than 12 credits allowed toward graduation, and can be used as free elective or MGT major elective.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 or permission of instructor.

MSD 105 Quantitative Methods for Business 3 Credits

The aim of this introductory course is to acquaint students with a number of basic mathematical techniques that will enhance their ability to become effective decision-makers in a realistic business environment. Topics covered include linear equations and inequalities, linear programming, summation notation, geometric series, counting techniques, event probability and discrete random variables. Where appropriate, these tools will be illustrated with examples chosen from business settings.

Prerequisite(s): MSD 104 or a passing grade on the Math Placement Exam.

MSD 205 Business Statistics 3 Credits

This course is designed to provide students with fundamental concepts, knowledge and tools from statistics that may be useful in one's attempt to reach intelligent conclusions in real-world settings, particularly in business applications. The focus is on the normal random variable, sampling distributions, framework of estimation and hypothesis testing, as well as the one-way ANOVA and simple regression model.

Prerequisite(s): MSD 105.

PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology 3 Credits

This course covers major facts, principles and concepts about human and animal behavior and experience, research findings, major problems, basic vocabulary, methodologies, and contributions in the field. Topics include psychology as a science; human development; individual differences; intelligence and its measurement; special aptitudes and interests; personality and social behavior; motivation and emotion; frustration and personality deviations; and learning, thinking, remembering and forgetting.

PSY 102 Explorations in Psychology Honors 3 Credits

The course introduces the history of psychology, and demonstrates how the discipline is a science. It provides students with experience exploring the mind, behavior, and the relationship between the two, from multiple perspectives, including biological, behavioral, cognitive, developmental, humanistic, social, and abnormal. It tackles questions including (but not limited to) how different areas of the brain are involved in behavior and are affected by injury, how humans sense and perceive the world, how states of consciousness differ from one another, how humans learn, remember, communicate, and develop, what motivates humans to behave in particular ways, how social groups affect behavior and decision-making, and what happens when behavior and emotions deviate from what is typical.

PSY 105 Introduction to Research in Psychology 4 Credits

Students will be introduced to the basic research methods used in psychology including surveys, experiments, and observation. Students will collect data and learn to describe this data using basic tools of analysis including graphic display and statistical analysis. Students will read original psychological research and learn to write using the conventions of the American Psychological Association.

Prerequisite(s): a minimum grade of "C" in PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 110 Psychology:The Science of Well-being 3 Credits

This course uses theory and methods of psychology to examine the question: How to make a good life? Students will learn how psychology examines the ways that motivation, intellect, relationships, self-respect and a healthy lifestyle contribute to happiness, well-being, and flourishing. Students will learn how psychology examines human nature through observation and experimentation. Students will understand how psychology applies research to improve human well-being. Students will leave the course with a better understanding of themselves and their connection to others, and apply their self-knowledge to their personal goals and relationships. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Disciplinary Perspectives element of the CAS general education curriculum.

PSY 117 Psychology of Creativity 3 Credits

Is creativity reserved only for geniuses, or can ordinary individuals also be creative? Is it domain-specific or domain-general? How do we measure it? What is the connection between creativity and innovation? Can you and I become more creative, and if so, what factors influence creative thinking? This course surveys the modern theories of creativity and problem solving from a psychological perspective, and their applications to real-world challenges. Specific topics will focus on convergent and divergent thinking, the role of constraints, change, and motivation in creativity, social and personality factors, techniques such as brainstorming, design thinking, and creative problem solving, and innovation in organizations. You will apply what you have learned in hands-on activities that challenge you to propose creative solutions to real-world problems.

PSY 201 Statistics and Research Design 3 Credits

Introduces students to statistics and research methods in the behavioral sciences. Covers the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics, a variety of issues in research design, selected research designs including the case study, correlational and experimental designs. In addition, students will explore the literature in psychology in order to examine the use of statistics and research design in real research problems.

Prerequisite(s): grade of “C” in PSY 105.

PSY 210 Organizational Psychology 3 Credits

Focuses on issues related to human behavior in work settings. Topics include personnel issues such as hiring and promotion decisions, performance appraisals, and methods of on-the-job training. Issues of job satisfaction, motivation, productivity, and effective leadership styles are also examined. Finally, organizational structure as it relates to communication within organizations will be examined.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 212 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis 3 Credits

Presents a review of classical and operant conditioning, data collection and research design, data analysis and interpretation. In addition, assessment and treatment strategies in a variety of settings, contingency management in institution, classroom and home, systematic self-desensitization, and ethical consideration are discussed.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 215 Personality 3 Credits

A synthesis of the most recent research in the field of personality development. Topics include interplay of biological, cultural, and subjective personal processes; analysis of the broad trends in personality theories; and introduction to personality measurement.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 225 Learning Theory 3 Credits

This course provides students with a broad coverage of the fields of learning, memory, and cognition, while addressing their relevance and impact on human behavior. Various psychological perspectives used to understand learning, such as associationist, selectionist, and cognitivist, will be discussed, compared, and contrasted. Topics range from classical and operant conditioning to memory, concept learning, thinking, and problem solving.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 226 Cognitive Psychology 3 Credits

The study of the mind has been the focus of psychology since its inception in the 19th century. Today, the majority of psychological research focuses on the cognitive system and its biological basis. This course will provide an overview of knowledge regarding the components of the human cognitive system (e.g., attention, memory, executive processes) and how they form the basis for higher-order cognitive skills (e.g., language and decision making). The course will provide a history of the field and the methodologies that have been and are currently being used to study the human mind. Each section of the course will include an overview of basic and applied research to demonstrate how knowledge of the cognitive system can be used to enhance human functioning in applied settings and better understand human limitations and tendencies to commit certain types of errors.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 240 Social Psychology 3 Credits

Deals with the scientific study of human beings in social situations, focusing on reciprocal influence of the individual and the group, especially aspects of behavior that are socially determined. The nature of attitudes: their development and change; the nature of social influence; interpersonal perception and attraction; dynamics of social behavior; and social phenomena, such as prejudice and social movements, are covered.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 245 Stress, Health and Coping 3 Credits

This course will examine physical and psychological effects of stress including a discussion of the nervous system, and the various models of the stress/illness relationship such as General Adaptation, Cognitive Appraisal and Diathesis-Stress. Various ways of coping with/responding to stress will be considered along with the influence of personality and sociodemographic factors on differences in both the experience of stress and on coping mechanisms will be considered. Finally, this course will consider issues in the measurement of stress and coping as well as some of the noteworthy findings and methodological aspects of stress research.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131.

PSY 315 Psychological Tests 3 Credits

Examines the history of psychological testing. Issues concerning the construction of psychological tests are discussed, including concepts concerning reliability, validity, and item analysis. The rationale and structure of the major tests of intelligence, aptitude, and personality are reviewed, including the Rorschach, WAIS, TAT, MMPI, and Bender- Gestalt. In the last section of the course, students are given hands-on experience in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of a standard test battery.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 329 Research Methods in Organizational Psychology 4 Credits

This course covers general area of research methods such as experimental and non-experimental methods, measurement, statistics, and preparation of reports for presentation and publication. In addition, research topics common in the area of organizational psychology such as worker motivation, job satisfaction, stress and burnout, communications in the workplace, productivity, decision-making, leadership style, and organizational structure will also be discussed. Students gain hands-on experience conducting empirical research.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 30 credits and a minimum grade of "C" in PSY 201 or MSD 205.

PSY 329L Research Methods in Organizational Psychology 0 Credits

This course covers the general areas of research methods such as experimental and non-experimental methods, measurement, statistics, and preparation of reports for presentation and publication. In addition, research topics common in the area of organizational psychology such as worker motivation, job satisfaction, stress and burnout, communications in the workplace, productivity, decision-making, leadership style, and organizational structure will also be discussed. Students gain hands-on experience conducting empirical research.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY110 or PSY 131) and 30 credits and a minimum grade of "C" in PSY 201 or MSD 205.

PSY 345 Health Psychology 3 Credits

This course focuses on the biopsychosocial model of health in which biological, psychological and social factors contribute to health and wellbeing, as well as illness and disease. After a brief introduction to systems of the body, i.e. nervous, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, immune, this course will examine health-enhancing behaviors such as exercise and nutrition, as well as health-compromising behaviors such as drug abuse and other reckless behaviors, along with models that explain behavior maintenance and change. Additionally, attention is devoted to a discussion of how health psychology can function in shaping health care policy.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 367 Creativity and Innovation 3 Credits

What is creativity, and how do we measure, study, and enhance it? This course will survey the modern theories of creativity from a psychological perspective, with an emphasis on the processes that underlie creative thinking and the variables that influence creative idea generation. Specific topics will include: convergent and divergent thinking, the role of the unconscious in creative ideation, flow and mindfulness, individual and group creativity, techniques such as brainstorming and creative problem solving, the neuroscience of creativity, the role of motivation, and creativity and innovation in organizations. Discussions of theoretical findings will be complemented by in-class activities and assignments that highlight applications to day-to-day living and to larger-scale challenges that require creativity and innovation.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 379 Psychology and Law 3 Credits

Introduces students to a study of selected topics in psychology and law. Topics include eyewitness testimony, jury selection, and decision-making.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 383 Psychology and Culture 3 Credits

Students enrolled in this course will critically examine the intersection of culture and psychology. Topics covered include cultural influences on: identity, the perceptions and manifestations of mental illness, and treatment-seeking.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 384 Positive Psychology 3 Credits

Historically, the field of psychology has placed great attention on the question of, “What is wrong with people and how do we fix it?” This course will focus on the question of, “What is right with people and how can we build on that?” We will explore this by examining empirical research centered on the nature of happiness and psychological well-being. Positive psychology is the rigorous study of what is right and positive about people and institutions. Positive psychologists call for as much focus on strength as on weakness, as much attention on positive emotions as negative emotions, as much interest in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst, and as much attention to promoting the fulfillment of lives of healthy people as to healing the wounds of the distressed. This course will first present an introduction to the core assumptions and research findings associated with human strengths and positive emotions, then move on to explore interventions and applications informed by this perspective in counseling and psychotherapy, as well as in domains personally relevant to the lives of students such as school, work, family and other close relationships. PSY 384 is cross-listed with PSY 584.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 45 credits.

PSY 400 Senior Seminar 3 Credits

This capstone course will provide a synthesis and evaluation of important critical issues in psychology, such as the role of modern psychology in solving social problems, the scientific vs. human services perspectives on behavior, emotion, and cognition; and the nature of mental illness and well-being. Students will be expected to draw broadly from their education in psychology; to grapple with conflicting points of view; and produce professional-quality writing, oral or multimedia presentations.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and 75 credits.

PSY 490 Independent Study: Research and Creative Expression 1-4 Credits

Provides students with an opportunity to design and carry out original research in an area of their choice. Students designate a faculty supervisor and work closely with him/her during the semester. All students must have approval from the department and the dean to register for PSY 490.

Prerequisite(s): (PSY 100 or PSY 102 or PSY 110 or PSY 131) and PSY 201 and 75 credits.