Sociocultural Awareness Courses

Psychology Majors are required to complete at least one "Sociocultural Awareness" course as part of their academic program. The following courses being offered during the Fall semester fulfill this requirement:

• Psyc 220. Psychology and Culture
• Psyc 310. Psychology of Women and Gender
• Psyc 325. Counseling Psychology
• Psyc 410, Psychology of the Workplace

Capstone Courses

The prerequisites for all capstone courses are two courses from the Social Science Content core and two courses from the Natural Science Content core. Email ugpsyc@jmu.edu if you are having trouble registering for your final semester coursework.

Psyc 497, Section 1. Motivation in Education.  Why do some students thrive in school while others struggle? What truly motivates people to learn, achieve, and keep going when things get tough? And how can we use psychological science to create better learning environments—for ourselves and others? In this senior seminar, we’ll dig into the big questions behind human motivation. You’ll explore classic and contemporary theories, critically evaluate what the research actually tells us, and examine how that research is being used in real-world educational settings—from federal policy to local classrooms. We’ll challenge assumptions, wrestle with complex ideas, and connect the science of motivation to your own experiences—in school, work, and beyond. Expect lively discussions, thought-provoking readings, and plenty of opportunities to apply what you learn in meaningful ways. If you're curious about what makes people tick—and how to use that knowledge to make a difference—this course is for you. This course is offered by Dr. Kenn Barron.

Psyc 497, Section 2. Choice Behavior. Choice Behavior will survey modern ideas in choice behavior, with attention to the historical origins of this work, its development as a specialty within psychology, and its impact on our everyday lives. With a focus on psychology, students will learn to rely on empirical information to understand situations under which choice behavior is often irrational – yet predictable. Students will also learn to apply their understanding of the various factors that influence choice behavior to everyday contexts. This course is offered by Dr. Dan Holt.

Psyc 497, Section 3. Neuroscience of Memory. Our memories shape how we describe and understand ourselves and they can alter our personality, emotions, and cognition. In short, memory is central to our everyday experiences. The purpose of this course is to explore memory, particularly memory dysfunction and Alzheimer’s disease, from the perspective of neuroscience. We will base class discussions around empirical articles and other literature which examine different types of memory, how we quantify memories, and the effect disruptions of memory have on our brain and behavior. In addition, this course will focus on integrating information from other psychology courses with the neuroscience perspective presented in the course. You will be required to integrate information from courses such as research methods, biopsychology cognition, learning, social, and others, likely including courses outside of psychology. Because many of you will have different backgrounds, you will each be able to contribute unique information to our discussions. This course is offered by Dr. Janna Taft Young.

Psyc 497, Section 4. Scientific Literacy. Scientific Literacy will focus on developing and refining the skills necessary to engage in vetting information of all kinds including science (e.g., empirical research), popular media (e.g., news outlets), organizational content (e.g., FDA guidance), and other sources of information (e.g., social media). Through the process of practicing scientific literacy, we will consider and discuss various scientific, ethical, and social issues. Empirical work, theoretical content, and other sources will be used in conjunction with knowledge and skills garnered as psychology majors to engage in the process of vetting information to further understanding across a variety of domains. This course is offered by Dr. Jessica Irons

Psyc 497, Section 5. Sleep and Circadian Rhythms. For most humans, sleep is an activity that occupies approximately one-third of their lives. Despite this prominent position among human behaviors, most know little about what happens during sleep and the significance of sleep for psychological and physiological functioning. This course will survey the contemporary scientific literature on the science of sleep, emphasizing normal functioning, mechanisms involved in sleep and wake, the methods of investigation using human and animal approaches, and basic understanding of sleep disorders. Additionally, students will gain familiarity with the science of biological rhythms, aka chronobiology, and how these two disciplines overlap. Students will be familiar with sleep assessment to include basic scoring from polysomnographic recordings and will evaluate several sleep and chronobiology articles. This seminar is heavily discussion based and students should expect teaching and writing opportunities. This course is offered by Dr. Jeff Dyche.

Psyc 497, Section 6. Health Behavior Change.  This course will include exploration of empirical and theoretical work related to health behavior change with particular focus on health-risk behaviors. Behavior change will be considered at individual, group, and epidemiological levels and across demographic characteristics most relevant to health. This course is offered by Dr. William Riley.