Special Topics in Psychology

Curriculum Guideline

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Course
PSYC 2901
Discontinued
No
Course Code
PSYC 2901
Descriptive
Special Topics in Psychology
Department
Psychology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15 Weeks
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours

Weekly Distribution:

  • Lecture/Seminar: 4 hrs. per week / semester
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Learning Activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:

  • Lecture
  • Audio-visual materials
  • Small group discussion
  • Problem-based learning
  • In-class research projects
Course Description
This course examines a special topic or emerging questions in the field of psychology of direct relevance for students in a wide range of disciplines. Readings and topical content will be approachable to students with no prior coursework in psychology and will include theory, critical debate, and applications relevant to the specific topic.
Course Content

The general framework of a lower-level special topics course in psychology can be represented as below:

  1. Historical Context
  2. Theories
  3. Mechanisms and Processes
  4. Applications
  5. Remaining Questions

A specific example of topics for a course on Decision Making:

  1. The origins and limits of human rationality
  2. Assumptions of rationality in humanities and sciences, utility theory, prospect theory, two-system theory, somatic marker hypothesis
  3. Evidence of biases and fallacies in judgement and decision making
  4. Observing and exploiting/compensating for human decision-making tendencies
  5. Individual and cultural differences, neural mechanisms, implications for artificial intelligence
Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:

  1. Identify and describe relevant theoretical influences on current scholarship relating to the specific topic of the course.
  2. Define key terms and concepts relating to the specific topic of the course.
  3. Recognize and apply concepts from the course in/to real world situations.
  4. Locate and leverage appropriate sources of information relating to the specific topic of the course, such as peer-reviewed papers.
Means of Assessment

The course evaluation will be in accordance with Douglas College and Psychology Department policies. Evaluations will be based on the course objectives. The specific evaluation criteria will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

  • Weekly reading quizzes 10%
  • Small group assignments 10%
  • Term project paper 20%
  • Midterm exams 40%
  • Final exam 20%
Textbook Materials

Example text (for topic Decision Making): Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking Fast and Slow. Kahneman, D. Macmillan.  

Additional readings may also be curated by the instructor and students.

Prerequisites

Courses listed here must be completed prior to this course:

  • No prerequisite courses
Corequisites

Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:

  • No corequisite courses
Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses