.gif "Visit the JMU Homepage")
Fall 2009 Registration Information
See http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/overridesexceptions.html for information about overrides and exceptions for Fall 2009 classes. Most Psychology courses are reserved for admitted Psychology Majors only, and declared but not yet admitted Psychology students cannot register for these courses. For information about admission to the Psychology Major see http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/declaring.html.
September 1, 2009 is the last day to add a semester or first block class without instructor permission, and the last day to drop a class without receiving a “W” grade.
Special Topics Classes & Course Notes
Psyc 200. Section 1. Companion Animal Behavior. This course provides an introduction to the basic principles of animal behavior through a detailed look at the behavior of the two most popular companion animals, cats and dogs. We will examine social behavior, communication patterns, evolutionary history, and learning/cognition in these two species. We will also examine the relationships between humans and these species through a variety of topics, including behavior problems of dogs and cats. This course is being offered by Dr. Suzanne Baker (568-7832; Miller 1125; bakersc@jmu.edu).
Psyc 200, Section 101 Preparing for Graduate School in Psychology. (First Block, 1 credit). This course will guide students through the graduate school application process. Graduate professors from various fields of psychology will discuss the different career opportunities available in various fields of psychology. Topics will include the importance of participating in research and field work experiences, preparing for and taking the GREs, and applying to graduate schools (including letters of recommendation, interviews, and writing curriculum vitae and personal statements. By the end of the 8-week course, students will have the majority of their applications completed. Offered by Dr. Bill Evans (evanswf@jmu.edu; 568-6373; Miller 1173).
Psyc 200, Section 201. Preparing for a Job in Psychology. (Second Block, 1 credit) . This course will guide students through the job application process for careers in psychology and related fields . Students will discuss what jobs will be available to them upon graduation with an undergraduate degree in psychology . Topics will include resume-building, how to write a cover letter, interview skills, and information on how to budget finances after college . By the end of this 8-week course, students will have completed several job applications. Offered by Dr . Bill Evans (evanswf@jmu.edu; 568-6373; Miller 1173).
Psyc 200, Section 3. Psychopathology and Crime. (3 credits). This course introduces students to various types of psychopathology, including state disorders, personality disorders, and organic mental disorders, as they relate to different types of crimes. Students consider the concept of abnormality, as viewed by society and the criminal justice system. This course is cross listed with JUST 319. No prerequisites. Offered by Dr. Jacqueline Buffington-Vollum (buffinjk@jmu.edu; 568-4340; Maury 207).
Psyc 200, Section 4. Sports Psychology. (3 Credits). Sport psychology is the application of the psychological, behavioral, social, humanistic perspective in psychology to sport. The course includes topics such as optimal performance, motivation, self-actualization, psych-behavioral techniques, self-efficacy, and the general health benefits of sport participation. Prerequisites: Gpsyc 101 or 160. Offered by Dr. Robert Harmison (568-7959; harmisrj@jmu.edu )
Psyc 250. Introduction to Abnormal Psychology. This course is not recommended for Psychology Majors or Psychology Preparation Students. Psychology students interested in this content should take Psyc 335, Abnormal Psychology. Credit cannot be earned for Psyc 335 by students who have previously taken Psyc 250. Psyc 250 is a course designed for non-psychology students who need a brief exposure to this content for their non-psychology academic program.
The list of courses that can satisfy BS or BA degree requirements is available at http://www.jmu.edu/registrar/BA_and_BS_Degree_Courses.shtml.
For Research and Service Learning Opportunities (Psyc 290 and 402) see http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/training.html .
Sociocultural Awareness Courses
Psychology Majors who started at JMU in August 2006 are required to complete at least one “Sociocultural Awareness” course as part of their academic program. The following courses being offered during the Spring 2009 semester fulfill this requirement:
- Psyc 220. Psychology and Culture
- Psyc 310. Psychology of Women and Gender
- Psyc 320. Diversity Issues in Psychology
- Psyc 460. Community Psychology in Developing Societies
Please note that starting with Fall 2009 sections, Psyc 402, Practicum: Counseling and Student Development Center will no longer meet the Psychology Major Sociocultural Requirement.
Capstone Courses
The prerequisites for all capstone courses are two courses from Area A and two courses from Area B. Overrides are routinely given for these courses, if space is available, if a student is completing their final semester of coursework before graduation; submit an override request if you are in that situation. Please register for no more than ONE senior seminar during the first round of registration; submit override requests for additional seminars but don’t register for more than one until after everyone has had to take at least one seminar.
Psyc 402. History of Psychology. The history of psychology as reflected through the individuals, theories and experimental investigation of the discipline. Special emphasis is placed upon relating the current state of psychology to its historical development. This course is offered by Dr. Bryan Saville (568-2277; Miller 1143; savillbk@jmu.edu).
Psyc 497, Section 1. Environment, Health and Behavior. This course will examine the effects of toxins on the nervous system, inequities in exposure patterns that place particular populations at higher risk for harm, toxicant-induced illnesses that receive psychological diagnoses (e.g., endometriosis), attitudes toward environmental quality, and the emerging fields of ecopsychology and ecotherapy. This course is offered by Dr. Pam Gibson (568-6195; Clev-202; gibsonpr@jmu.edu ).
Psyc 497, Section 2. Addictive Behavior. This course will give students the opportunity to apply and integrate their experiences and knowledge in psychology to the study of the initiation, maintenance, prevention and treatment of addictive behaviors. The course will explore biological, learned, cognitive and socio-cultural factors that contribute to, maintain and impact the treatment of addictions. This course is offered by Dr. Monica Reis-Bergan (568-4365; Miller 1145; reisbemj@jmu.edu).
Psyc 497, Section 3 . Brain Damage. The purpose of this course is to have Senior Psychology majors examine three major types of brain damage; structural, as found in traumatic brain injury (TBI); functional or pharmacological damage often caused by substance abuse and psychological alteration of brain substrate cause by extreme stress. For examples of these types of cases, the class will examine a full range of literature sources, including peer-reviewed scientific literature; popular magazines, case studies and personal accounts. Alcohol- induced brain damage will be used as an example of pharmacological alteration that results in brain damage and also psychological trauma as reported by refugees and/or survivors of genocide. Prerequisites: Psyc 385, Biopsychology. This course is being offered by Dr. Cheryl Talley (568-8199; Miller 1175; talleyce@jmu.edu).
Psyc 211 Prerequisite for Area Courses
If space is available, the following Psychology Area Class may permit selected students to complete Psyc 211 concurrently. (An override is necessary to apply. Please submit an online override request form available at http://psyc.jmu.edu/ug/overridesexceptions.html .):
- Psyc 330. Personality
- Psyc 335. Abnormal Psychology (Juniors and Seniors only)
- Psyc 345. Social Psychology
- Psyc 365. Developmental Psychology
- Psyc 380. Cognitive Psychology
- Psyc 385. Biopsychology
- Psyc 390. Learning (Students who have completed Psyc 180 with a B or better only.)
BA Degree Requirement Changes
Foreign Language Placement Test. Foreign language placement scores expire two years after you take the exam. Retake the exam if you want to start to take foreign language courses two or more years after you take the placement examination.
GPHIL 120. Starting with the 2008-09 undergraduate catalog, students who entered the university beginning summer/fall 2008, can no longer use GPHIL 120 to satisfy the additional philosophy course requirement for the BA degree. Any student who entered the university prior to summer/fall 2008, may use GPHIL 120 to satisfy the additional philosophy course requirement for the BA degree.
Also of Possible Interest
HHS 490. Interprofessional Practice: Collaboration in Early Intervention. Recommended practices in early intervention require knowledge of INTERPROFESSIONAL work, including FAMILY-CENTERED and CULTURALLY SENSITIVE approaches to help-giving. The ability to engage in productive SELF-REFLECTION helps assure the professional is responsive and attuned to the needs of the family and child. While federal legislation mandates professionals assessment and interventions be conducted in a multi-disciplinary manner, students in training rarely have an opportunity to learn together in an interprofessional context. This dual – level (undergraduate and graduate) course is designed to introduce students to the principles and experience of interprofessional practice in the field of early intervention (birth to 3 years). For more information contact Dr. Anne Stewart (stewaral@jmu.edu; 568-6601) or Dr. Emily Akerson (akersoek@jmu.edu; 568-6120).
Humanitarian Affairs Minor. The interdisciplinary Humanitarian Affairs minor provides students with a global perspective on the major issues facing the human community today. Students will investigate the impacts of natural disasters, disease, poverty, conflict, and local, national, and international policies on the welfare of human communities around the world. They will also explore solutions to various humanitarian crises and some of the organizations that address these crises. Finally, students will acquire knowledge and skills that prepare them for careers in governmental or non-profit organizations that address humanitarian issues such as poverty, hunger and malnourishment, conflict, human rights violations and natural disasters. Potential links: Justice Studies, International Affairs, Africana Studies, Sociology, Geographic Science, Health Sciences, Psychology, Social Work, Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication and Political Science majors and Nonprofit Studies minors. For more information about this 18 credit hour minor contact Dr. Mary Tacy (tacymb@jmu.edu; 568-6722).
Chronic Illness Minor. The Nursing department will be offering a new interdisciplinary minor in chronic illness beginning fall 2009. It will be 18 credits and open to students in any major. In addition to the minor, the department will be offering additional elective courses with a chronic illness focus. Dr. Monty Gross (grossmd@jmu.edu) will be the coordinator of this new minor program.
Writing Courses. Starting this fall, the new subject code for TSC and WRIT courses is WRTC (Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication). WRTC courses can be excellent electives for psychology majors.
WMST 495. Gender Issues In Science. This is an interdisciplinary course for students in all academic areas designed to look at the scientific process, science practitioners, and students of science from several perspectives. We ask three basic questions: 1) How does our educational system and culture contribute to the academic and career attainment of women scientists? 2) How is science and knowledge of our natural world influenced by who asks the questions and who funds the work? 3) What does a feminist critique have to say about the scientific process? Students read and discuss literature, lead class discussions, perform simple experiments, and analyze both the data and the processes to address the three questions. Prerequisite: WMST 200 or consent of instructor. This course is being offered by Dr. Louise Temple (templelm@jmu.edu) and Alysia Davis (davis4am@jmu.edu).
SOCI 395. Belief And Unbelief In Modern Society. The development of world religions (900 B.C.E to 200 B.C.E. for Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, and the first eight centuries of the Common Era for Christianity and Islam) took place at a time when most societies lived under pre-modern, material conditions. Religion provided a way of knowing the world and of organizing individual and social life in relation to gods, goddesses or supernatural beings. Tradition dictated how life was supposed to be lived. Modern life, on the other hand, presupposes a post-industrial, scientific approach to reality: supernatural events or miracles are replaced by the secular world and society no longer exists to please the gods, but to support the material and cultural needs of its members. As life became relatively more predictable, stable, and safe, there was a massive shift in the way we understood reality. It did not mean that human beings stopped believing in god or supernatural events, but that our common life was no longer organized by tradition or faith. Most social institutions – the economy, the workplace, politics, the criminal justice system, education, the health care system, the military, transportation and communication systems, and sports and entertainment – operate on the basis of what works in the “here-and-now,” of instrumental efficiency. So modern life does not dismiss faith, but “brackets” it from everyday activities: it’s possible to go to the movies, eat out, check into the clinic, cash a check, play a pickup game, or go to school without dealing with one’s eternal destiny, the condition of one’s soul, or the need to grow spiritually. Life is lived in the “here and now.” This course gives you a chance to understand how secular society developed and its consequences for the practice of faith. It explores how religious practices are affected by social forces (secularization, modernization, and rationalization) and how faith operates under secular conditions, how it informs or “enchants” the world of its modern followers, and how people cope with a secular reality without giving up their pursuit of ultimate meaning in life. This course will be offered by Dr. Keo Cavalcanti (cavalchb@jmu.edu).
