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 world views 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.

Individuals are often influenced by others and by the social situations in which they find themselves. Students in this course examine the basic concepts and applications of social psychology, including attitudes, beliefs, and behavior; stereotyping; prejudice and discrimination; interpersonal relationships; group behavior; and the effect of environmental stress on behavior. They also learn how bias can sway objective conclusions as well as how ethical factors influence research in social psychology. Students apply principles and theories presented in the course to case studies and situations in daily life, including instances of stereotyping and discrimination. They also use these theories to understand strategies for helping others and reducing aggressive behavior.

This course is an introduction to the theoretical approaches to understanding personality. Students examine key theorists and theories including psychoanalytic, neopsychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, biological, behaviorist, and social-cognitive approaches. Perspectives on personality are applied to personal and social issues.

A hallmark of science is the use of numbers to convey research findings; understanding these numbers has both practical and academic value. In this course, students examine basic statistical principles and vocabulary, differentiating methods of data analysis, and interpreting statistical results. The goal of the course is for students to better understand the importance of statistics in research.

A variety of factors may cloud judgment when interpreting experiences. In this course, students learn about research methods that psychologists use to test hypotheses in an objective and systematic manner to minimize biases, providing a framework for more accurate conclusions. Students examine experimental and non-experimental methods, issues related to the validity and reliability of measurement, dependent and independent variables, sampling, and ethical concerns related to psychological research.