Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Online

What is Introduction to Psychology I?

Introduction to Psychology I is the gateway course of the online B.A. in Psychology, establishing the scientific orientation and conceptual vocabulary that every upper-level course in the program builds on.

The B.A. in Psychology online at the University of Mount Saint Vincent is designed to provide a foundation for people-focused careers, allowing students to explore pathways in psychology, counseling, and social work. This course establishes the conceptual and scientific vocabulary that makes that exploration meaningful. You will begin developing the ability to analyze human behavior using established psychological theories and research methods, one of the core graduate outcomes of the program. Graduates go on to careers including Human Resource Specialist, Medical and Health Services Manager, Career Counselor, and Market Researcher.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Master terms, names, concepts, scientific experiments, and theories vital to the understanding of psychology as a science

• Demonstrate understanding of theories and concepts from major content areas of psychology including memory, learning, development, social psychology, personality, and abnormal psychology

• Develop the ability to analyze and solve problems from a psychological perspective in everyday life, and communicate these ideas effectively

• Adopt and understand values of the APA ethics code, particularly in reference to human subjects research

What is Introduction to Psychology II?

Introduction to Psychology II is where the B.A. in Psychology program makes the turn from describing human behavior to explaining it scientifically, developing the empirical reasoning and biological literacy that every subsequent course requires.

Psychology is an empirical science, and this course is where students in the B.A. in Psychology program develop the research and biological literacy that makes the rest of the degree more meaningful. Learning to design, interpret, and evaluate research using statistical reasoning and data-informed approaches is a graduate outcome of this program, and the methodological foundation built here runs through every upper-level course. This scientific orientation is equally valuable in people-focused careers like Market Researcher, Career Counselor, and Medical and Health Services Manager.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to apply psychological principles, concepts, and theories

• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills and a mastery of basic elements of APA style

• Demonstrate knowledge of how ethical principles inform all facets of professional psychology, especially human subjects research

• Demonstrate ability to use information literacy skills, scientific reasoning, and critical thinking to investigate psychological phenomena

What is Psychological Statistics?

Psychological Statistics is the quantitative methods course of the B.A. in Psychology, developing the data literacy and analytical judgment that allow you to evaluate research critically and conduct original analysis.

Designing and interpreting research using statistical reasoning is one of the explicit graduate outcomes of the B.A. in Psychology program. This course is where that capability is built in practice. You will apply statistical methods to real psychological data sets, developing both the computational skills and the judgment to evaluate whether a finding is meaningful in context. This quantitative foundation supports the people-focused careers the program prepares graduates for, including Market Researcher, Medical and Health Services Manager, and Human Resource Specialist.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Differentiate between descriptive, inferential, and correlational statistics

• Determine which statistical methods to apply to different research questions

• Calculate, interpret, and report with and without statistical software (SPSS): measures of central tendency, inferential tests (t-test), correlation, and chi-square

• Understand and interpret statistical analyses reported in empirical research and other media/publications

What is Research Methods in Psychology?

Research Methods in Psychology is the applied science course of the B.A. program, where you design and conduct actual studies and develop the methodological rigor that distinguishes credible psychological inquiry from casual observation.

Applied research projects are a defining feature of the B.A. in Psychology at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, designed to bridge theory and practice. You will design studies, collect data, and engage with the ethical standards that govern research involving human participants, developing the evidence-based reasoning skills that are directly relevant across the program's career outcomes. Graduates heading into roles as Market Researchers or Medical and Health Services Managers, or continuing their education, apply this research literacy from day one.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Identify, explain, and evaluate major types of behavioral research methods

• Locate and critically evaluate research presented in scientific publications

• Design, conduct, and analyze original research

• Report original research in clear, accurate, and professional scientific reports

• Develop the ability to communicate ideas about research in small groups and in formal presentations

• Understand and apply ethical principles of research

What is Social Psychology?

Social Psychology is the course in the B.A. program that explains human behavior in context, examining the social forces that shape how people think, feel, and act in ways that individual psychology alone cannot account for.

Applying principles of interpersonal effectiveness and ethical practice in supportive, professional, and service-oriented environments is one of the graduate outcomes of the B.A. in Psychology. Social psychology research provides much of the scientific foundation for that capability. Understanding how social perception, attribution, and group dynamics shape behavior is directly relevant to people-focused careers in human resources, health services, counseling, sales, and community service, all of which appear in the program's career outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to apply social psychological principles, concepts, and theories

• Communicate effectively through writing

• Demonstrate knowledge of processes that lead to prejudice and discrimination

• Demonstrate understanding of how social psychological principles may vary across cultures

• Demonstrate competence in evaluating how empirical evidence is used to determine validity of social psychological theories and concepts

What is Psychology of Childhood?

Psychology of Childhood is the foundational developmental course of the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online program, tracing how biology, environment, and relationships interact to shape the person across the earliest and most formative years of life.

A working knowledge of child development theory and its practical implications is directly relevant to several of the career paths that graduates of the B.A. in Psychology pursue, including roles in childcare, health services management, and human resources. This course examines how biological, environmental, and relational factors interact across the developmental domains of childhood, building the analytical perspective that practitioners working with children and families apply in professional settings.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Examine physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development from conception through infancy, toddlerhood, early childhood, and middle childhood through the scientific and theoretical perspectives of developmental psychology

• Show the relevance of the topics covered to real life issues such as infant/child interventions and programming, parenting, and social policy

• Develop an understanding of how, along with genetic influence, various environmental characteristics and contexts impact infant and child development

• Foster the development of oral and written communication and critical thinking skills, both necessary to evaluate developmental research as a science and as presented in popular media

What is Abnormal Psychology?

Abnormal Psychology is the course in the B.A. program that examines psychological disorders through a scientific lens, developing the clinical and ethical framework needed to understand mental health conditions in practice.

The online B.A. in Psychology provides an interdisciplinary foundation for people-focused careers that include supporting individuals in health, social, and organizational contexts. Understanding psychological disorders, their causes, and the treatment approaches that research supports is relevant across many of those careers, from medical and health services management to correctional treatment and career counseling. This course develops the informed, ethical perspective on psychological health and illness that graduates carry into professional environments where they work with diverse populations.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major psychological disorders, as well as knowledge regarding etiology, treatment, and history of these disorders

• Demonstrate the effective use of scientific/statistical reasoning and information literacy skills, including examining peer-reviewed sources, to draw conclusions about issues in the field of abnormal psychology

• Demonstrate an understanding of the APA ethics code, major ethical considerations, and ethical challenges, as they relate to the treatment and management of psychopathology

• Learn how they can apply ethical concepts and principles to real world scenarios

• Demonstrate effective communication skills as it relates to how they communicate (either through written assignments or direct discussion with others) key concepts in the area of abnormal psychology

What is Multicultural Psychology?

Multicultural Psychology is the course in the B.A. program that develops cultural competency as a professional and ethical skill, examining how identity, context, and power shape psychological experience across diverse populations.

Demonstrating socially responsible decision-making informed by cultural awareness and ethical standards is one of the graduate outcomes of the B.A. in Psychology program. This course is where that outcome is most directly addressed. You will examine how cultural identity, social context, and historical experience shape psychological processes, developing the cultural competency that is professionally relevant across the full range of the program's career outcomes. The University of Mount Saint Vincent's authentically inclusive environment provides meaningful context for this learning.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Master the concepts and theories used to understand multiculturalism and diversity from a psychological perspective

• Increase awareness of the self as a cultural being in a diverse society

• Enhance knowledge and understanding of the worldview(s) and experiences of ethnic minority or culturally different groups

• Develop an understanding of the operation of racism, oppression, and privilege

• Apply and communicate concepts and theories of multicultural psychology and diversity to the study and oral presentation of a local community organization that works toward social change

What is Cognition?

Cognition is the upper-level science course of the B.A. program that examines how the mind processes information, bringing the rigor of experimental cognitive science to questions about attention, reasoning, memory, and decision-making.

Analyzing human behavior using established psychological theories and research methods is the foundational graduate outcome of the B.A. in Psychology online, and cognitive psychology is one of the most rigorous demonstrations of how that analysis works. This course examines the experimental evidence behind current models of attention, reasoning, and decision-making, building the depth of scientific understanding that distinguishes graduates who can evaluate evidence critically from those who rely on intuition. This analytical perspective is valuable in human resources, market research, health services management, and career counseling roles.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Compare and contrast major theories in perception, attention, language processing, knowledge representation, decision making, and problem solving

• Apply cognitive principles and theories to examples of behavior

• Select and evaluate appropriate empirical sources to answer questions about cognition

• Integrate information from empirical sources to answer questions about cognition

What is the Capstone Seminar?

The Capstone Seminar is the culminating experience of the B.A. in Psychology, where self-directed inquiry and original research demonstrate the full depth of what your degree has built.

The hands-on capstone experience is a defining feature of the B.A. in Psychology at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, designed to bridge theory and practice as students complete their degree. In this self-directed seminar, you will identify a meaningful area of inquiry, engage with current research literature, and produce a final project that demonstrates the graduate outcomes the program has been building. This culminating work reflects what it means to be Mount Made.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Use existing empirical research to evaluate a theory or hypothesis

• Evaluate strength and quality of existing empirical evidence

• Analyze, interpret, and classify research studies

• Identify and apply principles from the major perspectives in psychology

• Locate and evaluate peer-reviewed sources relevant to a specific topic

• Communicate effectively through professional writing and presentations

What is Psychology of Adulthood and Aging?

Psychology of Adulthood and Aging extends the developmental perspective of the B.A. program beyond childhood and adolescence, examining the psychological changes and challenges that define the majority of human life.

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online prepares graduates for people-focused careers across individual, organizational, and social settings. A significant portion of those settings involve working with adult populations, making a developmental perspective on adulthood and aging professionally relevant. This course builds the analytical and interpersonal frameworks needed to understand how identity, cognition, and social behavior change across the adult lifespan, skills applicable to roles in healthcare services management, human resources, career counseling, and community service organizations

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of principles, concepts, and theories related to adult development

• Demonstrate ability to apply the biopsychosocial model to identify the physical/neurological, psychological, and social consequences of various age-related life changes and challenges in adulthood

• Demonstrate improved oral presentation and writing abilities

What is Learning and Memory?

Learning and Memory is the course in the B.A. program that examines how humans change through experience, bridging behavioral and cognitive approaches to explain the mechanisms behind skill development, knowledge retention, and behavioral modification.

Understanding how people acquire and retain knowledge is foundational to several of the people-focused careers that graduates of the B.A. in Psychology pursue. This course develops theoretical depth in the mechanisms underlying behavioral change, habit formation, and memory, knowledge that has direct professional application in human resource development, childcare, health services management, and career counseling. The applied research component of the program gives students opportunities to connect these theories to real-world contexts.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of major theories of learning and memory processes

• Demonstrate understanding of research methods and explain learning and memory processes using empirical evidence

• Accurately apply principles and theories of learning and memory to own behavior

• Clearly and accurately report own investigations into learning and memory in writing and informal in-class presentations

What is Brain and Behavior?

Brain and Behavior is the biological science course of the B.A. in Psychology online program, connecting the psychological phenomena you study throughout your degree to their neurological foundations.

Demonstrating socially responsible decision-making informed by cultural awareness and scientific understanding is among the graduate outcomes of the B.A. in Psychology. The biological and neurological literacy developed in this course is part of that scientific foundation. Understanding how the brain shapes cognition, emotion, and behavior informs the evidence-based perspective that graduates bring to people-focused roles in health services management, human resources, correctional treatment, and career counseling.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Possess basic knowledge of the structure and function of the nervous system and gain basic knowledge of the common techniques used to study brain anatomy and function

• Gain a basic knowledge of the underlying neural mechanisms of behavior

• Gain an understanding of neuroplasticity and ways in which the structure and function of the brain is affected by behavior and the environment

• Discuss how genetics, the environment, social factors, and biological factors interact to affect brain structure and function

• Develop awareness of common disorders and diseases that affect the brain and nervous system and be able to discuss the underlying neuropathology, behavioral symptoms, and treatments

• Compare and contrast different methods and treatments for studying the brain and brain disorders

• Apply their knowledge of the connection between brain and behavior in community outreach to have a positive impact on others

What is Psychology of Adolescence?

Psychology of Adolescence focuses on one of the most consequential and complex periods of human development, building the theoretical and empirical grounding needed to understand and effectively work with adolescent populations.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Become proficient with extant theory and empirical research on adolescence and emerging adulthood through the scientific and theoretical perspectives of developmental psychology

• Show the relevance of the topics covered to real-world applications such as interventions, programming, clinical practice, parenting, and social policy

• Develop an understanding of how individuals and contexts interact in these age periods; in particular, how sociocultural group memberships, such as nation, income, gender, and racial/ethnic group are related to adolescent development

• Develop skills in developing and communicating knowledge and critical/original thought about these age periods, including discussing, writing, and presenting, which is necessary to evaluate developmental research as a science and as presented in popular media

What is Personality?

Personality is the course in the online psychology program that examines what makes people distinctively themselves, engaging the major theoretical traditions and empirical evidence behind how character forms and how it shapes behavior across contexts.

Understanding personality development and its role in social, professional, and organizational contexts supports several of the people-focused careers that graduates of the B.A. in Psychology pursue. This course develops the theoretical and empirical literacy needed to analyze how personality forms, how it functions across different environments, and how it interacts with culture and context. These perspectives are relevant to graduates working in human resources, health services, sales, and career counseling roles.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major theories of personality and applied personality

• Demonstrate the effective use of scientific/statistical reasoning and information literacy skills, including examining peer-reviewed sources, to draw conclusions about issues in the field of personality psychology

• Demonstrate understanding of the APA ethics code, major ethical considerations, and ethical challenges, as they relate to the treatment and understanding of personality disorders

• Demonstrate effective communication skills as it relates to how they communicate (either through written assignments or direct discussion with others) key concepts in the area of personality psychology