Cognitive psychology, like all branches of psychology, is about the study of behavior. Specifically, it is the study of what are generally considered higher mental functions and how we think. These functions include perception, memory, language, attention, decision making, and consciousness. In this course, students learn about the experimental studies that have been performed to try to understand these functions and consider how these mental processes relate to their daily lives.

Psychological disorders form the basis of diagnosis in psychology. In this course, students examine a wide variety of common psychological disorders, including mood, thought, anxiety, substance abuse, sexual, personality, and dissociative disorders. Students also explore underlying causes, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. They examine concepts of normal and abnormal as related to psychology, methods used in the process of diagnosis, and the measurement of psychological functioning. Students also differentiate among disorders and learn limits to effective diagnosis. Applying concepts and theories learned in the course, students demonstrate their understanding through practical application and case study assignments.

Contemporary life requires the ability to relate to people who are different. In this course, students will explore major areas of psychology in light of culture’s influence, challenging their own worldviews and unconscious biases in order to develop greater sensitivity to the impact of cultural differences on interactions in a variety of settings. Topics include definitions and approaches to understanding culture, the role of psychology in understanding bias, cultural aspects of cognition and intelligence, emotion, motivation, development and socialization, disorders, and applications of cross-cultural psychology.

This concentration course is designed to give you a general understanding of how a developmental approach can add to your knowledge of psychopathology that can occur in children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Specific diagnostic categories, assessment tools, and treatment approaches will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the etiology and treatment of atypical development through research and theory. Case studies will also be used to better understand specific forms of psychopathology. This course will help to increase your understanding of how societal factors influence developmental disorders, and how you can advocate for youth with atypical development.

Are leaders made or born? This question has been debated for decades. Building on requisite comprehension of psychology, such as understanding development and behavior, mental processes, and how people interact, students apply this knowledge in consideration of what makes a leader. They examine theories and principles of leadership and leader development. Students engage in coursework focused on leadership styles, characteristics and qualities of effective leaders, cultural issues, empowerment and development, ethics and values, and global leadership. They apply leadership concepts and principles to personal experiences to contextualize theory and further examine the leadership role.