Psychology

Chair: Peter S. Kaplan
Program Assistant: Kimberly Hill
BA and Minor Undergraduate Advisor: Mitchell Handelsman
BS Undergraduate Advisor: David Albeck
Director of Undergraduate Studies: David Albeck

Office: North Classroom, 5002
Telephone: 303-556-8565
Fax: 303-556-3520

Faculty

Professors:
Evelinn Borrayo, PhD, University of North Texas
James Grigsby, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder
Mitchell M. Handelsman, PhD, University of Kansas
Peter S. Kaplan, PhD, Indiana University
Kevin S. Masters, PhD, Brigham Young University

Associate Professors:
David Albeck, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder
Elizabeth Sandlin Allen, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Richard Allen, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Joy L. Berrenberg, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder
Michael Zinser, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Assistant Professors:
Sondra Bland, PhD, University of Texas
Edward Dill, PhD, University of Kansas
Benjamin Greenwood, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder
Kristin Kilbourn, PhD, University of Miami
Erik Oleson, PhD, Wake Forest University
Krista W. Ranby, PhD, Arizona State University

Professor, Clinical Teaching Track:
Barbara Walker, PhD, The Ohio State University

Associate Professor, Clinical Teaching Track:
Kevin Everhart, PhD, University of South Carolina

Assistant Professor, Clinical Teaching Track:
Joan Bihun, PhD, Wayne State University

Senior Instructors:
Bethann Bierer, PhD, University of Denver
Vivian Shyu, PhD, University of Denver

Emeritus Professors:
Rick M. Gardner, PhD, University of Nevada

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior, consisting largely of the following major areas of study: experimental psychology, biopsychology, animal behavior, clinical psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, personality, industrial/organizational psychology and abnormal psychology. The requirements for the major are designed to introduce the student to the spectrum of psychology, including an early exposure to research methods and statistics.

The psychology major prepares students for employment and for graduate study in psychology and related fields. The psychology department also offers a PhD in clinical health psychology.

Curriculum Goals and Essential Learning Outcomes

Goal 1: Knowledge Base of Psychology

Students will recognize, explain, and distinguish the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in Psychology.

Essential Learning Outcome: The development of Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World

Goal 2: Research Methods in Psychology

Students will demonstrate the statistical, organizational, writing, and analytical skills necessary to interpret and conduct meaningful and valid research in Psychology.

Essential Learning Outcomes: The development of Intellectual and Practical Skills, including Quantitative Literacy, Information Literacy, and Inquiry and Analysis skills.

Goal 3: Critical Thinking Skills

Students will use skeptical inquiry and scientific thinking skills to interpret and solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.

Essential Learning Outcomes: The development of Intellectual and Practical Skills, including Critical Thinking skills.

Goal 4: Application of Psychology

Students will apply psychological principles to solve personal, social, and/or organizational problems.

Essential Learning Outcomes: The development of Intellectual and Practical Skills, including Problem Solving skills.

Goal 5: Values in Psychology

Students will evaluate evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, recognize and respect diversity, and/or reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline.

Essential Learning Outcome: The development of Personal and Social Responsibility, including Ethical Reasoning and Intercultural Knowledge and Competence.

Undergraduate Information

Click here to learn about the requirements for the BA in Psychology.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the BS in Psychology.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Minor in Psychology.

Honors

There are two ways in which a student graduating with a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology can graduate with honors. First, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) awards the honor of graduating “with distinction” primarily based on the student having a high overall grade point average. See the CLAS school specific information section on Undergraduate Policies and Procedures, Academic Honors, in the current catalog for further information.

The second form of honors, “Latin honors,” is awarded by individual departments within CLAS, including psychology. The CU Denver Department of Psychology has approved a very rigorous set of requirements for Latin honors. Successful completion of an honors project is at least a year-long, multi-faceted process in which the student makes a contribution to our knowledge in psychology. A student who satisfies these requirements will have truly earned a noteworthy academic achievement of which they rightfully should be proud.

Students interested in research are encouraged to pursue opportunities as early in their academic career as possible. These early research experiences can be useful in helping formulate research ideas and hypotheses that can form the basis of an honors thesis project. Listed below are the policies and requirements for completing an honors project.

An honors thesis can take one of the following forms:

1. An original empirical study designed and carried out by the student. The experimental design must be substantially complex to warrant honors. Honors students may collect their own data for this project or may use archival data for the purposes of answering their own original question. A research question is considered to be substantially complex enough if the analyzed data would be of high enough quality to be presented at a local research meeting.

2. A substantive, integrative literature review in an area approved by the honors committee, culminating in a high quality review article which includes proposed research directions designed by the student to gather knowledge lacking in the current scientific literature.

3. A substantive, integrative critical analysis of a major theoretical issue in the field of psychology approved by the honors committee and culminating in a high quality theoretical paper.

Eligibility

Students interested in earning honors should consult with the psychology faculty during their junior year. More information about honors projects can be found on the Psychology Department web site.

Graduate Information

Please go to the Graduate catalog to read about our graduate programs.