Professors. J. Alexander, L. Benjamin, C. Berg, A. Fogel, D. Gelfand, S. Golding, D. Hartmann, R. Kesner, F. Rhodewalt, D. Sanbonmatsu, C. Sansone, C. Shimp, T. Smith, D. Strassberg, D. Strayer, C. Werner.  

Professors Emeriti. E. Beier, V. Cline, O.J. Gordon, W. Johnston, H.C. Nielson, P. Porter, D.C. Raskin, C.W. Taylor.  

Associate Professors. L. Aspinwall, L. Diamond, D. Dodd, P. Florsheim, F. Friedrich, T. Malloy, M. Pasupathi, B. Uchino, C. Wainryb, P White, D. Wiebe.  

Assistant Professors. J. Butner, S. Creem-Regehr, F. Drews, W. Hwang, E. Ingoldsby, K. Renshaw, Y. Suchy, J. Watson, P. Williams.  

Research Professors. E. Bigler, L. Cooper, R. Ellison, T. Schenkenberg.

Adjunct Professors. B. Brown, O. Gordon, W. Jenson, J. Kircher, M. Lambert, K. Light, J. Malouf, W. Thompson, S. Tiffany.  

Adjunct Associate Professors. N. Cantor, E. Clark, C. Currey, J. Gill, K. Gully, L. Haas, L. Huebner, R. Isabella, W. McMahon, A. Okifuji, A. Parker-Cohen, J. Poulton, K. Rathunde, S. Ross.  

Adjunct Assistant Professors. N. Cohn, B. Cooper, K. Critchfield, L. Czajkowski, J. DeWitt, E. Dekoeyer-Laros, L. Ellington, B. C. Etringer, D. Goldsmith, J. Grissom, L. Haggard, R. Hopkins, P. Jameson, N. Klein, J. Lainhart, J. Miller, G. Mooney, D. Nelson, J. Pompa, K. Rayls, J. Warburton, C. Wehl.  

Advisors. Psychology Advising Center, 507 BEH S, 581-6125. Department Chair, Frances J. Friedrich; Undergraduate Committee Chair, Monisha Pasupathi; Directors of Clinical Training, Tim Smith and Don Strassberg; Social Psychology Coordinator, Paul White; Developmental Psychology Coordinator, Alan Fogel; Cognitive and Neural Science Coordinator, Tom Malloy; Neuropsychology Coordinator, Fran Friedrich; Health Psychology Coordinator, Deb Wiebe; Family and Child Coordinator, Jim Alexander.  

Psychologists study human behavior and the behavior of nonhuman animals, with the goals of (1) understanding how people and nonhuman animals function in their respective natural worlds; (2) building a science of behavior based on that understanding, and (3) understanding, predicting, and alleviating behavioral and psychological maladjustment.

Students and faculty investigate how humans and animals adapt to the everyday problems that confront them, and how maladaptive everyday behavior creates various personal, interpersonal, cultural, and species difficulties, and how these difficulties can be avoided or removed. Psychology is one of the broadest fields of academic study and practical application. Some branches of psychology deal with personal behaviors, such as a single individual’s mental life and personal development, while other branches deal with more abstract and philosophical issues such as the nature of knowledge and how that knowledge depends on individual and cultural experience and on biological variables. Basic research overlaps biology (behavioral neuroscience, neuropsychology, comparative cognition, and behavioral ecology), medicine (e.g., health psychology, and cognitive and clinical neuropsychology), cultural anthropology (ethnographic and contextualist approaches), and in one way or another with virtually every academic department.

Special facilities include laboratory computers, videotaping and television systems for research and instruction, and psycho-physiological laboratories.

A more detailed description of the undergraduate programs available is contained in the Psychology Undergraduate Handbook, which can be obtained from the Psychology Advising Center. Information about the psychology major is also available at the department’s Web site, http://www.psych. utah.edu/advising/pac.html. Students considering study in psychology are encouraged to visit the Psychology Advising Center (PAC) in 507 BEH S where they can obtain advice in planning a course of study and referrals to appropriate faculty members for additional counseling.

Special Requirements. A minimum 2.8 GPA is required for acceptance into the psychology major and minor. Majors must take a minimum of 38 credits (10 total credits, 8 of which must be upper division, in residence for the major and 6 total credits, 3 of which must be upper division, in residence for the minor at the University of Utah Psychology Department); and 25 of the 38 major credits and 8 of the 16 minor credits must be at the 3000 level or higher. A grade of ‘C’ or better is necessary in any psychology course for it to fulfill departmental requirements. Students may repeat each of the major courses only once. PSY 4800 to 4899, 5820 are to be taken on a credit/no-credit basis as designed by the instructor. PSY 3900 to PSY 3905 can also be taken on a credit/non-credit basis. All other classes must be taken for a letter grade to fulfill major and minor requirements. Only six credits of experiential learning (PSY 4800 to 4899, and 6 credit hours of 4950) can count toward the 38-hour minimum, although additional experiential education credits may be applied toward University graduation requirements. With the exception of 1010 and 3000, classes taken over 10 years prior to graduation do not fulfill departmental requirements. Appeals for exceptions to requirements may be made to the Undergraduate Committee through the Psychology Advising Center. Lower division courses cannot satisfy core requirements. PSY 3220 and PSY 1220 cannot both be taken to count toward major or minor requirements.

Departmental Major. The departmental major is intended for students who wish to concentrate on understanding nonhuman and human behavior as they pursue a liberal education. In addition, the departmental major provides the background necessary for graduate study in psychology and related disciplines and an orientation for post-baccalaureate careers in fields which draw directly on psychological knowledge.

Pre-major. A student who officially declares an intention to major in psychology begins as a pre-major. This is accomplished during the admissions process.

Intermediate Major. A student who has completed 10 college credit hours, including PSY 1010 with a grade of ‘C’ or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher will be accepted as an intermediate major upon submission of a transcript or Degree Audit Report and an application to the Psychology Advising Center. Intermediate major status provides priority registration for PSY 3000 and 3010 and several Core classes.

Full Major. Upon completion of PSY 1010, 3000, and 3010, each with a grade of ‘C’ or better, and a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher, an intermediate major student is eligible to be admitted as a full major. This requires submission of a transcript or Degree Audit Report and an application to the Psychology Advisory Center. Major status provides priority registration for all other psychology classes below the 5000 level.

Course requirements. Majors must complete 38 credit hours in psychology. PSY 1010, 3000, and 3010 are required for all psychology majors. Majors must also take one class from four of the five core areas is also required: Developmental core (PSY 3215, 3220, 3230, 3250, 3260); Social core (3410, 3420, 3440, 3460); Clinical core (3250, 3320, 3400, 3460); Cognitive core (3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, 3150); and Behavior Neuroscience core (3140, 3150, 3711, 3712, 3713, 3714, 3715). No substitutions are permitted. Classes that are listed in more than one core fulfill only one of the core area requirements.

Modes of Learning Requirements. Majors must complete two one-credit mode of learning labs from among PSY 3900 (Research Methods—RM), 3901(Technological Literacy in Psychology—TL), 3902 (Psychology in Everyday Life—PL), 3903 (Collaborative Learning—CL), 3904 (Service Learning in Psychology—SP), and 3905 (Writing and Communication in Psychology—WC). These courses cannot be taken alone and must be taken concurrently with another class from the list of psychology courses offered each semester. The same mode of learning may be taken twice if taken with a different course. They require extra work and provide an enriched content for the particular class to which they are attached. Not all psychology courses or all sections of courses will allow you to take a mode of learning lab. Each semester the particular courses and sections which do allow concurrent enrollment with a mode of learning course will be indicated in the Class Schedule.

Allied Work Requirement. All majors must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in related departments beyond University general education requirements. At least six of these allied hours must be upper-division (courses numbered 3000 or above). All courses must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or better. The goal of this requirement is to foster a broader educational base for psychology majors, consistent with the general aims of a liberal arts degree. Allied hours are any course taken in the following departments: Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Computer Science, Economics, Educational Psychology, Ethnic Studies, Family and Consumer Studies, Gender Studies, Geography, Gerontology, Health Promotion and Education, Mathematics, Philosophy & Cognitive Science, Political Science, Social Work, Sociology, Special Education, Urban Planning, and Writing.  For students completing a second major, this requirement is waived because second majors fulfill the same goals of fostering a broader educational base for psychology majors.

Graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to visit the Psychology Advising Center two or three semesters before their intended graduation date to ensure that all requirements for graduation have been met. Students must be updated to full major status before applying for graduation.

Preparation for Graduate School. Students who plan to pursue graduate studies in psychology are encouraged to take at least one course from each departmental area (clinical, cognitive, developmental, neuroscience, social) in order to ensure adequate breadth of knowledge. While all students are encouraged to gain research experience by taking research hours (PSY 4800 to 4806) and to apply for the Senior Thesis Program (see below), students who plan to go to graduate school are especially encouraged to do so.

Transfer Students. Procedures for updating status differ for transfer students who have not attended the University of Utah. These procedures are as follows:

Updating to Intermediate Major: Transfer students who: (1) have taken PSY 1010 or its equivalent at another school and passed with a grade of ‘C’ or better and (2) have a transfer GPA of 2.8 or higher may update to intermediate status. This may be done by submitting a Summary of Transfer Credit and an application to the Psychology Advising Center.

Transfer students who do not meet the 2.8 GPA requirement or who have not taken more than 10 transfer hours must complete 10 credit hours at the University of Utah and attain a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher at the University in order to apply for intermediate status. In this case, the student needs to submit a current University of Utah transcript or DARS, and an application to the Psychology Advising Center for acceptance as an intermediate psychology major.

Transfer students should meet with the Psychology Advising Center upon entrance to have transfer classes evaluated for the Psychology major or minor requirements.

Senior Thesis Program. In fall semester of their junior year, majors may apply for the Senior Thesis Program which allows students to plan and conduct an original year-long project in collaboration with a faculty advisor. Students in the program enroll in PSY 4900, 4901, and 4902. This opportunity is only available to a limited number of students each year.

Requirements for the Major
Total Psychology Hours: 38, of which 25 are to be upper-division
Allied Hours: 13, of which 6 are to be upper-division

PSY 1010 (4) [BF]
Intermediate Major
PSY 3000 (4) [QB, QI]
PSY 3010 (4) [CW, QI]

Full Major
One course must be taken from four of the five core areas.

Developmental Core:
PSY 3215 Development in Infancy and Early Childhood [BF]
PSY 3220 Childhood and Adolescent Development
PSY 3230 Adult Development and Aging
PSY 3250 Abnormal Child Psychology
PSY 3260 Social and Personality Development
(PSY 3250 may count as either Developmental core or Clinical core, but not both)

Social Core:
PSY 3410 Social Psychology
PSY 3420 Environment and Behavior
PSY 3440 Personality Theories
PSY 3460 Health Psychology
(PSY 3460 may count as either Social core or Clinical core, but not both)

Clinical Core:
PSY 3250 Abnormal Child Psychology
PSY 3320 Survey of Clinical Psychology
PSY 3400 Psychology of Abnormal Behavior
PSY 3460 Health Psychology
(PSY 3460 may count as either Clinical core or Social core, but not both, and 3250 may count as either Clinical core or Developmental core, but not both)

Cognitive Core:
PSY 3110 The Animal Mind in Nature, the Laboratory, and in Human Society
PSY 3120 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 3130 Mind and Nature [QI, BI]
PSY 3140 Cognitive Neuropsychology
PSY 3150 Sensation and Perception
(PSY 3140 and 3150 may count as either Cognitive core or Behavior Neuroscience core, but not both)

Behavior Neuroscience Core:
PSY 3140 Cognitive Neuropsychology
PSY 3150 Sensation and Perception
PSY 3711 Brain and Behavior
PSY 3712 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
PSY 3713 Neuroplasticicity Across the Lifespan
PSY 3714 Neurobiology of Psychopathological States
PSY 3715 Evolution of the Neural Basis of Behavior
(PSY 3140 and 3150 may count as either Behavior Neuroscience core or Cognitive core, but not both)

Two modes of learning must be taken (attached to concurrent courses): PSY 3900 Modes of Learning: Research Methods
PSY 3901 Modes of Learning: Technological Literacy
PSY 3902 Modes of Learning: Psychology in Everyday Life
PSY 3903 Modes of Learning: Collaborative Learning
PSY 3904 Modes of Learning: Service Learning
PSY 3905 Modes of Learning: Writing and Communication in Psychology

Electives
Choose from among all psychology undergraduate course offerings to complete the 38 credit-hour requirement.

Allied Work Requirement. All majors must complete a minimum of 13 credit hours in related departments beyond University general education requirements. At least six of these allied credit hours must be upper-division (courses numbered 3000 or above). All courses must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or better. Allied hours may be taken from any course in the following departments: Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Computer Science, Economics, Educational Psychology, Ethnic Studies, Family and Consumer Studies, Gender Studies, Geography, Gerontology, Health Promotion and Education, Mathematics, Philosophy & Cognitive Science, Political Science, Social Work, Sociology, Special Education, Urban Planning and Writing.

Departmental Minor. The departmental minor requires students to complete PSY 1010 and 3000 and complete at least 16 credit hours in psychology, 8 of which must be upper-division courses. Only two hours of experiential education (PSY 4800 to 4899, and 4950) may be counted toward the departmental minor, although additional experiential education credits may be applied toward University graduation requirements. A student must satisfy the requirements for a major in another department to earn the departmental minor. A grade of ‘C’ or better is required in all psychology classes to fulfill departmental requirements. Students may repeat each of the psychology courses counted toward the minor only once. Classes taken over 10 years prior to graduation, with the exception of 1010 and 3000, do not fulfill departmental requirements. Students must have an overall GPA of 2.8 to achieve minor status in psychology.

Requirements for the Minor
Total Hours: 16, of which 8 are to be upper-division

Minor Required Courses
PSY 1010 (4) [BF]
PSY 3000 (4) [QB, QI]
Electives (including at least four credits at 3000-level or higher) (~8)

Graduate Program

Degree. M.A., M.S., Ph.D. in psychology; M.Stat. with a specialization in psychology. For additional information, see the Graduate Information section of this catalog. Applicants are admitted only to work toward the Ph.D. degree, although they may earn a master’s degree during the course of their studies. 

Areas of Specialization. Clinical, social, cognition and neural science, and developmental psychology. Joint programs are available in cross-cultural, child clinical, neuropsychology, and health. Students may also pursue interests in quantitative psychology. The graduate program in clinical psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Master’s Degrees. Approval of a master’s program by the student’s supervisory committee is necessary.

During the first and second years, all students are expected to complete a core- course program.

A nonthesis M.A./M.S. option requires completion of a research project. Nine credit hours of PSY 6950, Individual Research Projects, substitute for the usual nine hours of thesis research.

Ph.D. Degree. A program approved by the student’s supervisory committee is necessary.

Satisfaction of core course requirements, as described for the master’s degree, and passage of preliminary examinations, usually taken in the third year, are requirements for doctoral degrees.

Psychological Training Clinic. The Psychological Training Clinic provides training for qualified graduate students in assessment and therapeutic techniques under close personal faculty supervision. Patient referrals are accepted from campus agencies and the community according to the training needs of the clinic.

PSY Course Descriptions