Department of Psychology

Psychology website

Mission

The primary goal of the UW-Platteville Psychology Department is to prepare students for professional human service roles and/or graduate study in psychology and related fields. Our program fosters (1) the requisite core of knowledge about the discipline, (2) an exposure to applied aspects of the field and (3) a greater awareness of self, others and sociocultural influences. This goal serves the institution's mission of broadening students' perspectives, increasing their ethical sensitivity and preparing them for their ultimate roles as competent professionals.

Student Learning Outcomes for the Psychology Major

The department adopts as objectives the ten guidelines developed by the American Psychological Association Task Force on Undergraduate Major Competencies.

Student learning outcomes specific to the discipline are:

1. Graduates will demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2. Graduates will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation.
3. Graduates will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry and, when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
4. Graduates will understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social and organizational issues.
5. Graduates will be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.

Student Learning Outcomes Fulfilled As Part of a Liberal Arts Education and Enhanced in the Psychology Program:

1. Graduates will demonstrate information competence and the ability to use computers and other technology for many purposes.
2. Graduates will be able to communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
3. Graduates will recognize, understand and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.
4. Graduates will develop insight into their own and others' behavior and mental processes and apply effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.
5. Graduates will emerge from the major with realistic ideas about how to implement their psychological knowledge, skills and values in occupational pursuits in a variety of settings.

About the Department and Major

Psychology is the empirical and theoretical study of behavior and mental life. It is a science that investigates the causes and dynamics of behavior patterns, and it is a profession that applies knowledge, skills and techniques to the solutions of individual and social problems.

A psychologist may be either a scientist, a practitioner or both, who specializes in the study of behavior and the treatment of behavior-related problems. Educational and professional experiences help the psychologist to understand normal human developmental patterns and how people normally perceive, think and behave in a wide variety of environments and under many different conditions. The scientist conducts research to add to the ever-expanding font of knowledge available to colleagues and the general public. The practitioner is trained to provide professional assistance to children, adolescents and adults, as well as to couples, families and groups and may also provide services to schools, agencies, organizations, industries and institutions.

Students major in psychology for a variety of reasons:

1. as preparation for graduate work in psychology;
2. as a liberal arts preparation for employment in a wide variety of semi-professional or psychology-related fields, including management and personnel work, sales and services, and social service work;
3. as a second major in support of a more vocationally-oriented major. Many psychology majors also major in criminal justice, business and other related fields.
4. a significant number of students major in psychology as pre-professional undergraduates in preparation for law, clergy or medicine, or to complete a bachelor's degree for nursing. Others have no more specific goal in mind than to obtain a high quality liberal arts education

In cooperation with the Department of Criminal Justice, undergraduate psychology majors may complete the course work needed for the State of Wisconsin Social Worker Training Certificate.

General Requirements

Total for Graduation: 120 credits

General Education: 44-58 credits

Major Studies: 36 credits

Psychology Major (36 credits)

All majors will complete the required sequence of courses. Majors are advised to select either the human services emphasis or the applied business emphasis, or to pursue a career-related minor or second major.

Core Courses

• PSYCHLGY 1130 General Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 2230 Introduction to Experimental Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3960 Behavioral Research I 2 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3970 Behavioral Research II 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4330 History and Systems of Psychology 3 cr
• MATH 1830 Elementary Statistics 3 cr*
• ENGLISH 3000 Technical Writing 3 cr

* Does not count toward the 36 credits for the major.

Elective Category 1: Applied Courses (6 credits)

• PSYCHLGY 3130 Child Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3230 Adolescent Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3990 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4030 Theories of Personality 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4830 Psychology and the Law 3 cr

Elective Category 2: Experimental-Content Courses (6 credits)

• PSYCHLGY 3000 Cognitive Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3030 Learning and Behavior 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3430 Physiological Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3530 Social Psychology 3 cr

Elective Category 3: Clinical Courses (6 credits)

• PSYCHLGY 4430 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4840 Substance Abuse I: Theory and Assessment 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4850 Substance Abuse II: Intervention and Special Populations 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4930 Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy 3 cr

Electives (4 credits):

(Select additional courses from the above elective categories or from the following courses.)

• PSYCHLGY 2010 Careers in Counseling and Human Services 1 cr
• PSYCHLGY 2030 Psychology of Personal Adjustment 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY/WS 2530 Psychology of Women 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3630 Psychology of Human Sexuality 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3830 Psychology and Religion 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4020 Contemporary Issues in Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4660 Cooperative Field Experience *1-8 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4730 Independent Study in Psychology 1-3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4940 Advanced Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4950 Human Service Work with Groups and Organizations 3 cr

*Four credits of Cooperative Field Experience may count toward the 36 credits required for the major; up to 8 credits may count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

Departmental Writing Requirements:

In addition to the completion of 36 credits in psychology, all psychology majors must also successfully complete the following writing requirements:

1. Completion of English 1130, 1230 and 3000 with a mini- mum grade of "C", or verification of testing-out of 1130 by the department of humanities (English)
2. Satisfactory completion of papers in those courses in which papers are required, which are evaluated for ability to communicate in written form as well as knowledge of psychological concepts.
3. Satisfactory completion of the junior writing exam. During the first semester of a student's junior year, each major will write an essay which will be evaluated for writing competence and psychological content.

Course Grade and Prerequisite Requirements:

1. A grade of "C" or better must be earned in all psychology courses that contribute to the 36 credit requirement for a psychology major.
2. A grade of "C" or better is required in PSYCHLGY 1130 General Psychology.
3. A grade of "C" or better is required in PSYCHLGY 2230 Introduction to Experimental Psychology in order to enroll in PSYCHLGY 3960 Behavioral Research I and PSYCHLGY 3970 Behavioral Research II.
4. Elementary Statistics (MATH 1830) must be successfully completed ("D" or better) before taking Behavorial Research I (PSYCHLGY 3960).

Requirements for students declaring a psychology major once they are already students at UWP:

1. Completion of General Psychology 1130 with a grade of "C" or better.
2. An overall GPA of at least 2.00.

Psychology Emphases

Emphases within the major: Completion of an emphasis, a career-related minor or a second major is strongly recommended.

Human Services Emphasis

This includes appropriate selection of electives from the elective categories of the psychology major plus additional courses, requiring 15-18. credits beyond the minimum 36 for the major. The coursework in this emphasis is recommended by the psychology department to students interested in pursuing a career in the human service professions.

Required courses:

• PSYCHLGY 4430 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4840 Substance Abuse I: Theory and Assessment 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4930 Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4940 Advanced Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy 3 cr or
• PSYCHLGY 4950 Human Service Work w/Groups and Organizations 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4660 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr or above

Plus six credits in applied coursework

Please see your advisor for details.

Substance Abuse Counseling Emphasis

The coursework in this emphasis is recommended by the UW-Platteville Psychology Department for students interested in pursuing a career in substance abuse counseling.

Required courses:

• PSYCHLGY 3430 Physiological Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4430 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4660 Cooperative Field Experience 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4840 Substance Abuse I 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4850 Substance Abuse II 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4930 Techniques of Counseling 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4940 Advanced Techniques 3 cr
• * Students are encouraged to register for these courses under criminal justice to avoid exceeding the 48.-credit rule (see above)

Electives (6 credits)

Please see your advisor for details.

Psychology Minor (24 credits)

• PSYCHLGY 1130 General Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 2230 Introduction to Experimental Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 3130 Child Psychology 3 cr or
• PSYCHLGY 3230 Adolescent Psychology 3 cr
• PSYCHLGY 4030 Theories of Personality 3 cr or
• PSYCHLGY 4430 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr

The remaining 12 credits must be selected from other psychology courses offered by the Department of Psychology. A grade of "C" or better must be earned in all psychology courses that contribute to the psychology minor.

Social Sciences Comprehensive Major

Students may complete a social sciences comprehensive major with an emphasis in psychology, economics, geography, history, political science or sociology. Please refer to the catalog section Social Sciences Comprehensive for details.