Course Syllabus

 

Course Description

This course presents an overview of the field of psychology, a field that emphasizes the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. Topics include history, methodology, biopsychology, life-span development, sensation and perception, consciousness and altered states, learning and memory, thought and language, intelligence, motivation and emotion, personality, psychopathology and therapy, stress and health, and social and cultural influences. ADVISORIES: English 1A or 1AH. (A, CSU-GE, UC, I) (C-ID PSY 110)         3 Units

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Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Differentiate between scientific psychology and pseudoscience. (e.g., demonstrate information competency through analysis of the self-correcting nature of scientific psychology).
2. Demonstrate an understanding that psychology is a broad discipline with many subspecialties and theoretical perspectives.
3. Analyze human beings as integrated physiological, social, and psychological organisms with data and theories from related disciplines.

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Course Objectives

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Textbook

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!
Psychology 2e from OpenStax, ISBN 978-1-975076-45-0

You have several options to obtain this book:

• Read directly from Pages within each Module
• View online (Links to an external site.)
• Download a PDF (Links to an external site.)

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Course Policies and Expectations

Communication Policy

My preferred method of communication is email, ideally through Canvas, though you may contact me at krista.hall@maderacollege.edu. I will respond to your emails generally within 24 hours, between 6pm and 9pm on Monday through Thursday and between 3pm and 8pm on Sunday. If you do not hear back from me within 24 hours, assume I did not get your email and resend it.

Our class is asynchronous, meaning we do not have set days/times to meet. I will hold virtual office hours using Zoom on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30pm. This is a great time to connect with me about course content, clarification on assignments, challenges, etc.

Finally, I will use weekly Announcements to provide you with an overview of what is expected that week and to keep everyone updated on any changes in course content and progress. Be sure to set your Canvas notifications (Links to an external site) so that a copy of the announcements goes to your email account.

Regardless of the method of communication, I expect students to practice good online behaviors, such as using professional language, asking questions for clarification, keeping an open mind, respecting the opinions of others (even if you disagree with them), and thinking critically. If you post rude, inconsiderate, or harsh comments on Canvas, you will be asked to revise your comments.

Attendance and Drop Policy

Success in an online class requires engagement in a variety of academic activities each week. There is considerable flexibility in working on class assignments as long as the assignments are completed by the due dates, which will generally be Sundays by 11:59pm. 

However, to establish enrollment in this course the first week, you need to complete ALL assignments in the Getting Started Module by Saturday, February 26 by 11:59pm. You will be dropped from the course if you fail to complete these three assignments by that deadline:

• Introduce Yourself Discussion Board
• Syllabus Quiz
• Critical Thinking and You Discussion Board

Subsequent attendance is based on participating in a weekly designated discussion board by Friday night at 11:59pm and any required replies to other students' posts by Sunday night at 11:59pm. Logging into Canvas is not enough; you must demonstrate your knowledge of the material being covered for that week. Remember, you are expected to spend, on average, nine hours a week on reading, instruction, assignments, discussions, and quizzes in this course.

It is your responsibility to drop this course through Web Advisor if you decide not to complete the course.  Before you drop my class, you may want to contact me and/or your counselor to discuss your options. Also, make sure your drop will not negatively affect any financial aid that you receive.

Important Drop Dates:

• Last day to drop for a full refund: January 21
• Last day to drop without a “W” in person: January 28
• Last day to drop without a “W” on WebAdvisor: January 30
• Last day to change Class Grading Basis to/from Pass/No Pass: February 11
• Last day to drop with a “W”: March 11

Late Work Policy

I expect students to take full responsibility for their experience in this class by completing course work on time. However, I understand that illness, emergencies, technical challenges, etc., may sometimes interfere with this. Consequently, late work will be accepted with a reduction in points as follows:

• Assignments may be submitted up to one week after the posted due date with a 5% reduction in points for each day late.
• Discussions can be completed up to 48 hours after the posted due date with a 10% reduction in points.
• Quizzes can be completed up to one week after the posted due date with a 10% reduction in points.

If you ever experience a hardship that might impact your progress in this course, please email me as soon as possible so that we can work out an extension or other accommodation.

Course Grading Policy

Your grade in the course will be based on completing a series of graded events in each Module. See the Course Schedule below. Graded events include discussion boards, writing assignments and activities, chapter quizzes, and a research project.  Posting attendance each week is crucial, but it is not enough to pass the course. You must engage in the various academic activities each week. Final grades should be available on Canvas Monday, May 23, 2022.

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Important Notes

• If you have a verified need for an academic accommodation or materials in alternate media (e.g. Braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) per the Americans with Disabilities Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact the DSP&S Office and me early so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible.

• “Because cheating, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest activities erode the integrity of the college, each student is expected to exert an entirely honest effort in all academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty in any form is a very serious offense and will incur serious consequences” (RC 2018-2019 Catalog page 49). Basically, work independently on all quizzes and assignments. Any student suspected of cheating or plagiarism will receive a grade of zero for that exam or assignment and referred to the Dean of Students for proper disciplinary action. 

• Any students who need additional support should contact Student Services.

• If you are having trouble getting your Canvas account to work, please contact the Student Help Desk at 559-499-6070. You can also check out the Canvas Student Guide  (Links to an external site).

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Student Success

The following are my suggestions for a successful experience in psychology:

• Read the syllabus and complete the Syllabus Quiz
• Read my emails and weekly Canvas Announcements
• Email me if you have questions
• Use online guides and resources
• Read the textbook as assigned each week
• Complete weekly writing assignments on time
• Take weekly quizzes
• Participate fully in Discussion Boards and respond to classmates’ postings
• Have fun

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Course Schedule

This Course Schedule is a flexible document.  I will make every effort to keep to this schedule; however, you should expect that some modifications may be made to this schedule during the semester as needed.