Curriculum - Psychology Degree
The curriculum for the BS in Psychology has been designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the field. The BS in Psychology consists of 182 quarter credits in the following areas: university requirements, psychology major requirements and advanced psychology electives required for graduation in conjunction with our Psychology Graduation Checklist. Click here to view the BS in Psychology graduation checklist.
Although some courses from the University catalog are only offered on-campus, the online Psychology program offers all required courses and electives necessary to fulfill graduation requirements in an online format. Course requirements may be satisfied in a number of ways including transfer credit, in-residence courses, AP credit, or online courses, but at least half the professional courses required for the major must be completed at Drexel. A minimum of 45 quarter credits must be completed at Drexel and the senior year must be spent at Drexel unless the academic dean of the college waives this requirement.
Free Electives (56 credits)
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University Course Descriptions
ANTH 101 - Cultural Diversity: Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Examines the diversity that exists in human culture. Uses lectures, films, and discussions to examine and illustrate the relationship between humans and their social/cultural systems.
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BIO 102 – Biology I: Cells and Tissues
Covers function of cells and tissues at the molecular, cellular, and organ level, with emphasis on human physiology.
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BIO 104 – Biology II: Growth and Heredity
Covers growth and development of selected lower and higher organisms, with emphasis on the replication, transmission, and regulation of genetic material.
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CHEM 101 – General Chemistry I
Covers fundamental principles of chemistry, stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding, states of matter, thermochemistry, and periodicity.
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CHEM 102 – General Chemistry II
Covers chemical equilibrium, including acid-base equilibria in solution; electrochemistry; organic chemistry; polymers; and petroleum.
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CS 16 1 - Introduction to Computing
Covers concepts of modern computing in the microcomputer context and programming techniques.
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ENGL 101 - Expository Writing and Reading
Develops students' abilities to read and write expository academic discourse. Teaches students how to read with understanding; how to access print and technological sources; how to research, plan, draft, revise, and edit academic essays and reports. Requires students to write expository essay and to keep a journal to express their responses to material read and study in the course.
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ENGL 102 - Persuasive Writing and Reading
(Pre-Requisites: ENGL 101)
Develops students' abilities to read and write persuasive academic discourse. Teaches students to think and read critically, to evaluate and use print and technological sources effectively, and to present a written argument effectively. Requires students to write persuasive essays and research papers and to keep a journal to express their responses to material read and studied in the course.
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ENGL 103 - Analytical Writing and Reading
(Pre-Requisites: ENGL 102)
Develops students' skills in critical and analytical reading and writing through a study of literature. Teaches students techniques to help them understand and appreciate literature. Requires students to read, analyze, and write essays and research papers about selected works of poetry, drama, and fiction and to keep a journal to express their responses to the literature studied.
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ENGL 200 WI – Classical to Medieval Literature
A survey of Greek and Roman literature (Homer, Aeschylus, Euripides, Virgil and Cicero), up to and including the Medieval period (Aquinas, Cavalcanti, Chaucer, and Dante). This is a writing intensive course.
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ENGL 201 – Renaissance to the Enlightenment
A survey of Western literature from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, focusing on works by Cervantes, Erasmus, Rabelais, Petrarch, Voltaire, Rousseau, Swift and Pope.
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ENGL 202 WI – Romanticism to Modernism
A survey of Western literature of the 19th and 20th centurie centuries focusing on the major periods of Romanticism (Blake, Coleridge and Keats), Realism (Balzac and Ibsen), and Modernism (Kafka, Borges and Woolf). This is a writing intensive course.
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ENG 203 – Post-Colonial Literature I
A survey of nonwestern literatures produced before the modern era in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, representing the more important periods and genres. This is a writing intensive course.
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ENG 204 – Post-Colonial Literature II
A survey of nonwestern literatures written in the 20th century by writers from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and focusing on the effects of social, aesthetic and contemporary events on artistic creation.
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Math 181 – Mathematics Analysis I
Covers set theory, coordinate systems and graphs, functions, linear programming (geometric approach), matrices and linear systems, and linear programming (algebraic approach).
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Math 182 – Mathematics Analysis II
Covers counting techniques, probability, statistics, and probability applications.
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Math 183 – Mathematics Analysis III
Covers limits, rates of change, derivatives, applications of differentiation, exponential and logarithmic functions, integrals, techniques of integration, applications of integration.
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PHYS 103 – General Physics I
Algebra-based course that covers force, motion, work, energy properties of matter, and wave motion and sound propagation.
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PHYS 104 – General Physics II
Algebra-based course that covers electricity and applications, magnetism, and optics.
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PSCI 100 - Intro Political Science
Studies the political process, which determines who gets what, when, and how in society.
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SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology
Examines principles underlying human interaction in simple technological societies, including learning and development of social roles; development and meaning of culture and social organizations; and special institutions in the society, such as the family, class structure, and power structure.
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Psychology Course Descriptions
PSY 101 General Psychology I
Reviews the fundamental principles, concepts, and methods of psychology, with emphasis on the concepts of motivation, learning, and perception, and their psychological foundations.
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PSY 120 Developmental Psychology
Examines the nature of developmental processes-perceptual, intellectual, emotional, and social-and the factors influencing and limiting them.
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PSY 140 - Approaches to Personality
Discussed are the major concepts of Freud, neo-Freudians, behaviorists, humanists, trait theorists, and others. Understanding the self and others, for psychotherapy and research, is emphasized.
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PSY 150 - Intro to Social Psychology
Examines theoretical and research findings in personal experiences of interacting with others in family and group settings, and with society in general.
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PSY 212 - Physiological Psychology
Reviews neural foundations of behavior, including the study of nerve activity and brain function.
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PSY 213 - Sensation and Perception
Examines the structure and function of the senses, including vision, hearing, touch, temperature, pain, olfaction, gustation, time, and kinesthesia. Considers interaction of the senses and their role in determining behavior.
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PSY 222 - Psychological Problems of Modern Youth
Examines psychological problem areas frequently encountered by young adults in today's society, including identity crisis, family conflict, the new sexuality, drugs, and the search for intimacy.
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PSY 230 - Psychology of Learning
Introduces basic principles of the science of learning. Emphasizes I. P. Pavlov's classical conditioning, B. F. Skinner's operant conditioning, and applications to counseling and therapy.
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PSY 240 Abnormal Psychology
Offers advanced course in the general study of personality. Focuses on the way our society defines, explains, and handles behavior perceived as deviant and "normal." Requires field trip. This is a writing intensive course.
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PSY 250 - Industrial Psychology
Covers theories, experiments, and problem-solving efforts of behavioral scientists in industrial settings for students interested in interpersonal relations, management, leadership, personnel, and applied psychology. This is a writing intensive course.
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PSY 252 - Death and Dying
Explores death and dying from various perspectives, including the philosophical, psychological, sociocultural, and personal.
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PSY 254 - Psychology of Sexual Behavior
Examines psychology of the individual coping with the sexual aspects of life.
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PSY 260 - Psychological Research I
This course provides an introduction to the issues, techniques and methodologies associated with conducting psychological research. Topics to be covered include the logic of research in psychology, important issues in deciding how to study various psychological phenomena, ethical issues and guidelines in conducting psychological research, design and analysis of psychological research, assessing threats to internal and external validity, methods used in the interpretation of psychological data, and writing research reports in the style used by research psychologists.
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PSY 310 - Drugs & Human Behavior
Covers the fundamentals of drug effects on the nervous system and behavior, with emphasis on abused substances and drugs used in the treatment of behavioral.
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PSY 320 - Educational Psychology
Covers role and relevance of psychology in the teacher-learner relationship, with independent application of research techniques in an individual field study. This is a writing intensive course.
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PSY 330 - Cognitive Psychology
Covers human thought processes, including perception and pattern recognition, learning and memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making.
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PSY 340 - Psychology Test & Assessment
Enables the student to gain an understanding of the proper uses and applications of psychological evaluation by focusing on psychometric properties and reviewing selected tests and evaluation procedures commonly employed by psychologists in research and clinical practice.
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PSY 360 - Experimental Psychology
Provides a study of the basic scientific fundamentals of the experiment with emphasis upon the critical thinking this method represents in establishing psychological principles. Contrasts are made to such modern pseudosciences as parapsychology. A final experiment is required of all students in this course.
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PSY 364 - Computer-Assisted Data Analyst I
Covers data analysis using a mainframe statistical package covering basic elementary techniques of data reduction, manipulation, and statistical analysis.
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PSY 365 - Computer-Assist Data Analyst II
Covers more advanced statistical techniques, such as regression, correlation, analysis of variance, and multiple regression.
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PSY 370 - Forensic Psychology
This course describes the psychological processes involved in the legal system. The material delves into the growing field of psychological study and application in the legal field.
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PSY 401 - History Systems Psychology
Examines the historical foundations of modern psychology, with emphasis on the growth, contributions, and decline of major systems and theories.
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PSY 410 - Neuropsychology
Provides a study of the relationship between human brain function and behavior. Examines basic anatomy of the brain and focuses on principles of human neuropsychological functioning. Studies cortical and "higher cognitive functioning" in depth through a focus on both normal and brain-injured individuals.
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