Psychology

Faculty

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Chair

Linda Baker

Professors

Thomas Blass
A. Charles Catania
Lynnda Dahlquist
Marilyn E. Demorest
Carlo DiClemente
Kenneth I. Maton
Christopher Murphy
Robert R. Provine
Bernard M. Rabin
Shari Waldstein

Associate Professors

Anne Brodsky
Robert Deluty
Jonathan C. Finkelstein
Lowell D. Groninger
Steven C. Pitts
Susan Sonnenschein
Zoe S. Warwick

Assistant Professors

Shawn Bediako
John Borrero
Charissa Cheah
David M. Huebner
Lynanne McGuire
Thomas N. Robinson, Jr.
David Schultz
Sigurdur O. Sigurdsson
Laura Stapleton

Senior Lecturer

Karen Freiberg

Lecturers

Diane Lindwarm Alonso
Eileen O'Brien

Adjunct Professors

John Allen
Jeffrey Barnett
Alan Bellack
Maureen Black
Michael Cataldo
David M. Chavis
Terje Sagvolden
Lydia Temoshok
Douglas Teti

Adjunct Associate Professors

Mary Fox
Michael Glasgow
Ronald Herning
Doug Johnson-Greene
Leslie Katzel
Willen Kop
Leslie Parker
Julian Thayer

Adjunct Assistant Professors

Robert Anderson
Guillermo DeLeon
Barbara Deluty
Gerard Gioia
Louis Hagopien
David Haltiwanger
Brenda Hussey-Gardner
Sung Woo Kahng
David Kuhn
Stephanie Contrucci Kuhn
Patricia Kurtz
Peter Resta
Cindy Schaefer
Geoffrey Schoebaum
Keith Slifer
John Sollers, III
Cheryl Zwart

Affiliate Associate Professor

John Martello

Emeritus Professors

Stanley Feldstein
Leon Levy
Aron Siegman
Raymond H. Starr, Jr.

Emeritus Associate Professor

Mary Ann Metzger

Courses in this program are listed under PSYC.

UMBC's Department of Psychology provides an exceptional opportunity for students to see how basic laboratory research can be translated into treatments, interventions and policies that improve the quality of life. Interested undergraduates work with internationally recognized researchers at the cutting edge of science. In recent years, students have participated in studies of such issues as the neurological basis of laughter and yawning, how rats and people regulate eating, how infants 'bond' with their parents, how nonhuman species learn complex tasks, the relations between behavior and heart disease and what society can do to foster the social and academic success of disadvantaged youth. Psychology is an exciting discipline; at UMBC, undergraduates can share in that excitement.

Career and Academic Paths

The psychology major provides a firm foundation for students interested in graduate study and a range of careers and professions. Positions held by program graduates include clinical psychologist, counseling psychologist, school psychologist, industrial psychologist, research consultant, personnel administrator, university professor, social worker, lawyer, physician, dentist, optometrist and early-education or elementary school teacher. Each year, many of UMBC’s graduating seniors go on directly to graduate programs in psychology (M.A., Ph.D. and Psy.D.) and in related fields such as social work (M.S.W.). Many are admitted to some of the most highly rated programs in the United States. Students interested in pursuing graduate study should consult with their academic advisor upon declaring their major. UMBC offers doctoral programs in applied developmental psychology and human-services psychology, including behavioral medicine, clinical psychology and community-applied social psychology.

Academic Advising

All new freshmen, transfers and recently declared majors should meet with the department’s academic advisor, Debbie Wolff Sanford (410-455-2366, Math/Psych 321), their first semester of registration. Sanford also will assist students with a psychology minor and those students who may be considering psychology as a major. Additionally, she is available to answer questions about university requirements (such as academic policies, registration concerns and General Education requirements), academic support, transfer concerns, research opportunities and career options.

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor after his or her first semester as a psychology major. Students with interests in a specific area of psychology (e.g., biopsychology) may request that a particular faculty member be assigned as their advisor.
The departmental advising process is designed to give each student individual attention and guidance about curricular choices.

All students must meet with an advisor at least once per semester. Advising appointments can be made by signing up outside the advisor’s office. Please arrive on time with a transcript and any other relevant paperwork.

Major Programs

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology

The B.S. in Psychology will consist of 69 credits distributed as follows:

A. General requirements (21 credits)

PSYC 100
Introduction to Psychology [4]
PSYC 331
Experimental Psychology I [4]
PSYC 332
Experimental Psychology II [4]
PSYC 210
Psychology of Learning [3]
PSYC 335
Physiological Psychology [3]
PSYC 370
Sensation and Perception [3]

B. General requirements (6 credits)
Choose two of the following:

PSYC 200
Developmental Psychology [3]
PSYC 285
Abnormal Psychology [3]
PSYC 340
Social Psychology [3]
PSYC 380
Personality [3]

C. Approved electives in psychology (12 credits)
Additional upper-level PSYC courses:
At least three PSYC credits at the 400 level. May not use PSYC 340, 380 or 306. May use either PSYC 317 or PSYC 360

May also use one of the following BIOL courses:
BIOL 303 [3], BIOL 305 [3], BIOL 442 [3], BIOL 451 [4], BIOL 453 [4], BIOL 454 [4], BIOL 466 [4], BIOL 483 [4]

D. Research experience, via one or more of the following options (for a total of 6 credits):

PSYC 397
Research Experience
PSYC 490
Independent Research
PSYC 498-499
Honors Thesis

E. Interdisciplinary coursework requirements (24 credits):

BIOL 100
Concepts of Biology [4]
AND
BIOL 100L [2]
BIOL 301
Ecology and Evolution [3]
BIOL 302
Genetics [4]
MATH 150
Pre-calculus [4]

CHEM 101
Principles of
Chemistry I [4]
AND
CHEM 102
Principles of
Chemistry II [3]

CHEM 123
Introduction to
General Organic and
Biochemistry I [4]
AND
CHEM 124
Introduction to
General Organic and
Biochemistry II [3]

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology

The B.A. in Psychology will consist of at least 33 credits distributed as follows:

A. General requirements (12 credits)

PSYC 100
Introduction to Psychology [4]
PSYC 331
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis I [4]
PSYC 332
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis II [4]

B. Distribution requirements (12 credits)
Two courses each from:
Group I

PSYC 210
Psychology of Learning [3]
PSYC 335
Physiological Psychology [3]
PSYC 317
Cognitive Psychology [3]
PSYC 360
Psychology of Motivation [3]
PSYC 370
Sensation and Perception [3]

Group II

PSYC 200
Developmental Psychology [3]
PSYC 285
Abnormal Psychology [3]
PSYC 340
Social Psychology [3]
PSYC 380
Personality [3]

C. Approved electives in psychology (9 credits)
At least nine credits at the 300 and 400 levels, other than PSYC 306 and the courses listed under Group I and Group II in the distribution requirements. At least three credits in psychology must be at the 400 level. Independent study courses do not count toward this requirement (PSYC 397, 398, 399, 490, 498, 499). Students double majoring in PSYC and SOWK may apply up to three credits of approved 300-level courses in the program (e.g., SOWK 388) to fulfill the approved electives requirement in psychology. Students who are double majoring in PSYC and SOCY may use one of the following SOCY courses in place of one of the PSYC 300-level electives: SOCY 332, 333, 341, 351, 353, 355, 357, 430, 451, 458; ANTH 312, 314.

No course in which a student earns a grade below “C” may count toward the major, and all prerequisites must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.

Psychology majors must complete at least 16 credits in psychology at UMBC, unless an exemption is granted by the Department of Psychology Undergraduate Studies Committee. Psychology majors are urged to take PSYC 331-332 in the sophomore or junior year; PSYC 332 is a prerequisite for 400-level electives. All qualified psychology majors are offered the opportunity to do independent laboratory, library or field research; students should check course descriptions for PSYC 397 and PSYC 490. This work must have advance approval from a member of the faculty.

II. Majors with Optional Areas of Concentration

The psychology department also offers the following specialized curricula, or areas of concentration:

Personnel and Industrial Psychology
Biopsychology
Developmental Psychology
Human Services Psychology

These specialized curricula are designed to prepare students interested in bachelor-level careers with skills that can enhance their occupational opportunities and provide students broad, yet in-depth training for advanced studies in these and allied areas.

Personnel and Industrial Psychology Concentration

Minimum credits for the concentration: 57
This concentration fulfills the requirements for the Certificate in Personnel and Industrial Psychology.

A. Conceptual core (28 credits)

ECON 101
Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 102
Principles of Macroeconomics
PSYC 100
Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 210
Psychology of Learning
PSYC 340
Social Psychology
PSYC 380
Personality
PSYC 446
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
ECAD 310
Human-Resource Management
ECAD 489
Seminar in Management and Administration

B. Skills core (23 credits)

PSYC 320
Psychological Assessment
PSYC 324
Introduction to Interviewing Techniques
PSYC 331*
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis I
PSYC 332*
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis II
EDUC 471
Principles of Training and Development

ENGL 391
Intermediate Exposition
OR
ENGL 393
Technical Writing

IS 101
Introduction to Computer-Based Systems
OR
CMSC 100
Introduction to Computers and Programming

* OR approved equivalents for students not majoring in psychology (e.g., SOCY 300 and 301, or MATH 151 and ECON 320, or GEOG 300 and 301)

Students majoring in psychology (B.A.) and completing the certificate should note that only one Group I course (PSYC 210) is included among the requirements; a second Group I course must be selected.

C. Elective (3 credits)

AFST 271
Introduction to Community Involvement
ECAD 360
Business Law
ECAD 385
Law, Business, Ethics and Society
ECAD 425
Marketing
ECON 352
Industrial Relations
GEOG 330
Location of
Economic Activity
GEOG 435
Geography of Manufacturing
IS 303
Human Factors in Computer System Design
IS 440
Office Automation
IS 325
Introduction to Management Science
POLI 354
Public Management and Personnel Systems
POLI 432
Civil Rights
PSYC 387
Community Psychology
SOCY 310
Organizational Theory and Management
SOCY 360
Sociology of Work
SOCY 365
Sociology of the Labor Force and Occupations
SOCY 432
Work and Retirement
SOWK 395
Alcohol Problems and Alcoholism

Students in the certificate program are urged to seek internships, cooperative education and other applied experiences relevant to their interests in personnel and industrial psychology.

The Shriver Center can provide guidance in locating appropriate placements. The Department of Psychology offers PSYC 398: Applied Psychology Internship and PSYC 399: Cooperative Education in Psychology as a means of integrating the work at the placement site with academic work at UMBC.

Biopsychology Concentration

Minimum credits for the concentration: 42
A. Major requirements for B.A. (must include PSYC 335) or B.S. degree
Note: Core and elective courses for the concentration may be used to fulfill the psychology requirements.

B. Biology area of concentration requirements

BIOL 100
Concepts of Biology
BIOL 100L
Concepts of Biology Lab
BIOL 301
Evolution and Ecology
BIOL 302
Molecular and General Genetics

C. Upper-level electives (9 credits)
One upper-level elective must be from the following:
PSYC 355, PSYC 356, PSYC 375, PSYC 385, PSYC 390, PSYC 448*, PSYC 450*, PSYC 463*, PSYC 470.*

May substitute one of the following as electives: BIOL 303, BIOL 305, BIOL 442, BIOL 451, BIOL 453, BIOL 454, BIOL 466.
*Counts as 400-level PSYC elective.

Developmental Psychology Concentration

A. Major requirements for the B.A. or B.S. degree.
Note: Core and elective courses for the concentration may be used to fulfill the psychology requirements.

B. Required core courses.

PSYC 200
Developmental Psychology
PSYC 210
Psychology of Learning
PSYC 304
Adolescent Psychology
PSYC 320
Psychological Assessment
PSYC 330
Child Development and Culture
PSYC 407
Advanced Child Psychology

C. Research/internship requirement

PSYC 397
Research Experience in Psychology
OR
PSYC 398
Appied Psychology Internship
OR
PSYC 490
Independent Research
OR
EDUC 400 or 401 or 406
Internship in Secondary, Elementary, or Early Childhood Education
Three-credit minimum, approved by advisor

D. Electives. (any two)

PSYC 205
Before We Were Born
PSYC 305
The Exceptional Child
PSYC 307
Psychology of Aging
PSYC 308
Child Maltreatment
PSYC 357
Psychology of Women
PSYC 382
Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
PSYC 393
Special Topics (with advisor’s approval)
PSYC 400
Seminar in Developmental Psychology
PSYC 409
Development and Education
PSYC 448
Developmental Neuroscience

Human Services Psychology Concentration

A. Major requirements for the B.A. or B.S. degree.
Note: Core and elective courses for the concentration may be used to fulfill the psychology requirements.

B. Required core courses.

PSYC 210
The Psychology of Learning
PSYC 285
Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 320
Psychological Assessment
PSYC 335
Physiological Psychology

PSYC 340
Social Psychology
OR
PSYC 380
Personality

C. Research/internship requirement
Three-credit minimum, approved by advisor

PSYC 397
Research Experience
OR
PSYC 398
Internship
PSYC 399 Cooperative Education in Psychology
OR
PSYC 490 Independent Research
OR
SOWK 480
Field Instruction

D. Electives: populations (two required)

PSYC 304
Adolescent Psychology
PSYC 305
The Exceptional Child
PSYC 307
The Psychology of Aging
PSYC 356
Psychology of Sex and Gender
OR
PSYC 357
Psychology of Women
PSYC 382
Child/Adolescent Psychopathology
Appropriate seminar
(with advisor approval)

E. Electives: Social topics (one required)

PSYC 308
Child Maltreatment
PSYC 324
Introduction to Interviewing Techniques
PSYC 342
The Psychology of Aggression and Antisocial Behavior
PSYC 387
Community Psychology
PSYC 406
Advanced Behavior Pathology
Appropriate seminar
(with advisor approval)

F. Electives: health topics (one required)

PSYC 385
Health Psychology
PSYC 390
Neuropsychopharmacology
PSYC 463
Eating: Normal and Abnormal
Appropriate seminar
(with advisor approval)

G. Electives: social context (one required)

ANTH 314
Psychological Anthropology
PSYC 230
Psychology and Culture
SOCY 201
Social Problems in American Society
SOCY 210
Class and Inequality in the United States
SOCY 220
Urban Sociology
SOCY 321
Race and Ethnic Relations
SOCY 341

The Social Psychology of Social Problems
As an alternative to the human-services psychology concentration, students interested in a bachelor degree-level career in human services may want to consider a dual-major in psychology and social work. A flyer detailing the dual-major requirements is available in the departmental office.

Minor Program

Students not choosing to major in psychology may, nevertheless, find a background in psychology useful and important. Such students may choose a minor in psychology. Students interested in psychology as a minor should consult the department advisor, Debbie Wolff Sanford (room 321), in choosing their courses.

Requirements for the Minor in Psychology

The minor in psychology will consist of a minimum of 19 credits.

A. PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology [4]

B. Two courses each from Group I [6]

PSYC 210
Psychology of Learning
PSYC 335
Physiological Psychology
PSYC 317
Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 360
Psychology of Motivation
PSYC 370
Sensation and Perception

Group II [6]

PSYC 200
Developmental Psychology
PSYC 285
Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 340
Social Psychology
PSYC 380
Personality

C. An upper-level psychology course (except 306) [3]

No course in which a student earns a grade below “C” may count toward the minor. Psychology minors must complete at least nine credits in psychology at UMBC.

Honors Program

The departmental honors program is open to qualified students who wish to pursue advanced independent research in psychology. Students interested in going to graduate school in psychology are particularly encouraged to become honors candidates because research experience is given considerable weight by admissions committees. Students who complete the honors sequence of courses (PSYC 498 and PSYC 499) and have a GPA in psychology of 3.5 or above are eligible to receive the B.A. or B.S. degree with departmental honors.

The Universities at Shady Grove

The UMBC psychology department is represented at the Universities at Shady Grove,, an off-site location in Montgomery County that is home to 8 of the 11 institutions from the University System of Maryland (USM). The UMBC Psychology Program at Shady Grove is intended to provide junior- and senior-level classes to students in Montgomery County who have transferred to the program from either a two-year or four-year institution. The program is equivalent in course material and content to the program at the home campus, and all psychology students, upon graduation, receive a B.A. in Psychology from UMBC. For more information about the program at the Universities at Shady Grove, see the UMBC@SG Web site at www.umbc.edu/shadygrove.

Human Services Program

Combined B.A./M.A. Program in Applied Behavior Analysis

The program is designed to be completed in five years. The program requires a total of 141 credits, of which at least 30 must be at the graduate level. Our collaboration with the Kennedy Krieger Institute makes it difficult to arrange for more than three courses per semester in the fifth (master’s) year, so students in this program should plan to take 123 credits, including at least 12 graduate credits, by the end of the senior year.

One tuition constraint should be noted:
Students may not take more than nine graduate credits at the undergraduate rate, so three of the 12 senior-year credits (one course) must be paid for at the graduate rate. (Students would pay at the graduate rate anyway if they deferred these credits past the senior year.)

To be admitted into graduate courses, students must apply for admission to the graduate portion of the program during their junior year, and their applications will be reviewed by the Human Services Program Applied Behavioral Analysis Admissions Committee that also reviews standard applications to the Applied Behavioral Analysis M.A. Program. Students also must maintain an average of “B” or better in the program courses to continue in the program.

Requirements:
(These exceed the minimum psychology major by three courses):
PSYC 100 and PSYC 331
332

From Group I:
PSYC 210 and PSYC 370

From Group 2:
PSYC 200, PSYC 285 and
PSYC 340
BIOL 100 and 100L. BIOL
301 and one other biology
course are also strongly recommended.

At least three of the following 300-level courses or parallel courses at the 400 level or higher:
PSYC 305, PSYC 308, PSYC 316, PSYC 320, PSYC 324, PSYC 382, PSYC 390.

At least one of the following 400-level courses or a 600 level elective:
PSYC 407, PSYC 410, PSYC 463.

The following 12 required graduate credits are recommended for the senior year:
Six credits of practicum (Fall, Spring)
Three credits from the behavior analysis core preferably PSYC 695:
Methods (Fall)
Three credits from the Human Services Program core preferably PSYC 604: Biological Bases (Spring)

The following 18 required graduate credits are recommended for the fifth (M.A.) year:
Six credits from the behavior analysis core (preferably PSYC 715: Measurement and PSYC 601: Advanced Topics)
Six credits from the HSP core (preferably PSYC 605: Learning and PSYC 686: Ethics)
Six credits of intervention research and evaluation (capstone courses: PSYC 793 and PSYC 794) The graduate courses above differ from the regular master’s program in substituting undergraduate-level electives for the graduate elective and in providing social core coursework at the undergraduate level.

Graduate Courses

Many graduate courses in applied developmental and human services psychology are open to qualified undergraduates under the conditions specified in the academic regulations chapter of this catalog. Complete course descriptions may be found in the Graduate Catalog.

Special Opportunities

There are a variety of opportunities for undergraduates to gain applied and research experience. Students regularly obtain internships and co-op education experiences through the department and UMBC’s Shriver Center. Similarly, a large number of students secure hands-on research experience by collaborating with psychology faculty members. Many undergraduate researchers have had the opportunity to co-author publications and present professional conference papers.

Student Organizations

Psi Chi
The department sponsors Psi Chi, the national honorary society for psychology. Psi Chi meets regularly and discusses such issues as graduate school preparation, job and internship resources, research opportunities and student-faculty relationships. Psi Chi membership criteria include completion of at least three semesters and a minimum of nine semester hours of psychology courses, declaration of the major or minor in psychology, and both a cumulative and a psychology course GPA of at least 3.0.