Open University validated as BA (HONS) Social Sciences: Psychology with Combined Studies
The Psychology major familiarizes the student with the main theoretical
approaches and content areas of contemporary psychology. It provides
perspective to a wide range of courses, including social, developmental
and experimental psychology, and the study of personality. The program
prepares students for graduate work, counseling, child guidance,
teaching and other educational and management careers. In addition
to completing a degree in psychology, students may also complete
the requirements for the Certificate in Psychology and Counseling
at the same time. The certificate is a pre-professional qualification
which will allow graduates easier access into professional training
programs in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy. The courses
for the certificate program will be found in the section on Minors
and other Programs.
Download Program Overview 
Degree Requirements
The Richmond Core Course Requirements (38-49 CREDITS)
Click here for more information.
LOWER DIVISION REQUIREMENTS (18 CREDITS)
One of the following:
MTH 118 (3 CREDITS)
Probability and Statistics I
An introductory statistics course dealing with descriptive statistics, elementary probability, random variables and probability distributions, mathematical expectation, correlation and regression. Only one of the following courses may be taken for credit: MTH 118, MTH 212, MTH/SCL 219.
Prerequisite: MTH 100 or mathematics placement test exemption.
MTH/SCL 219 (3 CREDITS)
Quantitative Methods for Social Scientists
Designed primarily for Social Sciences majors, this course covers descriptive statistics, elementary probability, discrete and continuous probability distributions, linear regression and correlation via training in the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Only one of the following courses may be taken for credit: MTH 118, MTH 212, MTH/SCL 219.
Prerequisite: MTH 100 or mathematics placement test exemption.
plus all of the following:
PSY 150 (3 CREDITS)
Introduction to Psychology
Introduces students to the major areas within the psychology discipline through current empirical research and theoretical debate. Topics include: scientific methodology, brain functioning, sensation and perception, evolutionary theory, consciousness, development, personality, social psychology, psychopathology, language, and learning. Students discover how psychological research is conducted and how research findings can be applied to understanding human behaviour.
PSY 202 (3 CREDITS)
Introduction to Psychology and Culture
Looks at the relationship between psychology and culture by investigating the philosophy and methodology of cultural comparisons. The course focuses on what we can learn from relating the study of culture to psychology; topics covered include: moral development, patterns of parenting, perception and memory, values, prejudice and stereotypes.
PSY 215 (3 CREDITS)
Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology
This course engages students in an overview of the main philosophical, scientific and social ideas that formulated psychology as we know it today. It covers conceptual and methodological positions underlying different paradigms and research trends in the study of human behaviour. It examines the following questions such as the nature of science and to what extend is psychology permeated by the characteristics of science; the extent of social and cultural construction in psychology; whether psychology can be morally or politically neutral and what can be learned from the history of psychology. In addition this course will address the issues involved in acquiring knowledge through various scientific methodologies, the critique of traditional methods in psychology, the relationship between facts and values and the significance of the standpoint from which values are understood. The course also discusses ethical issues in psychology, the moral underpinnings of theory, research and practice and how psychologists construct ethically responsible practices within a social environment.
Prerequisite: PSY 150.
PSY 251 (3 CREDITS)
The Biological Basis of Human Behavior
Exposes students to the relationship between biology and behavior. Students are expected to assess critically the extent to which biological explanations can be used to understand or explain human behavior. Topics covered are: motivational behavior, social behavior, sleep, perception, learning and memory. Special discussion topics include: sexual behavior, eating disorders, emotion and consciousness. In addition, the course also looks at perceptual and memory disorders.
plus one of the following:
PSY 205 (3 CREDITS)
Social Psychology
Focuses on the experiences and behavior of the individual in the social world of relationships, media influences, group pressures and prejudices and cultural and gender stereotypes. Students are introduced to major research findings in each area and are encouraged to discuss a range of explanations for social issues of personal and topical interest.
PSY 221 (3 CREDITS)
Developmental Psychology
Explores the child’s experience of the world. Major theories and issues in development from conception to adolescence are examined with a particular emphasis on the nature-nurture issue and cross-cultural studies. Topics covered include: fetal development, physical development, cognitive development, social development and personality development. Students are encouraged to actively participate in class discussion and use their own experiences to help understand theoretical issues.
Prerequisite: PSY 150.
UPPER DIVISION REQUIREMENTS (37-39 CREDITS)
SSC 304 (3 CREDITS)
Research and Writing Methods
The course is a requirement for all Social Science and Humanities majors. It differs from the other courses in the department in that students primarily work independently and meet for a weekly individual tutorial of their drafts. Students also work in peer group pairs, reading and commenting on each other's work. Students learn a series of important specific skills useful for postgraduate study and work: how to formulate a thesis on a topic of their choice in their discipline, draft, revise and complete a literature review and a proposal for their project. Students are also required to present their research orally according to conference standards taking into consideration the interdisciplinary nature of the class. The work done in the class serves as a preparation for the expansion of the project into the Senior Essay.
Prerequisite: Junior status and ENG 215.
PSY 307 (4 CREDITS)
Experimental Methods in Psychology
This course covers experimental design and testing methodology in the study of human behaviour. We will first discuss the different research methods used and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. Then we will move on to examine experimental studies in different areas of psychology such as memory, social influence, attention, language, emotion, human factors etc. This examination sheds light to the major findings in these areas. Most importantly, we will focus on the usefulness and appropriateness of different research methods for the examination of various phenomena. Special emphasis will be placed on the applications of theories through experimentation and the critical evaluation of these. Also we will discuss ethical issues in psychological research and the way we report and present studies in psychology. Moreover, the laboratory class will complement the lectures, whereby students are required to collect, analyze and interpret data on a topic of their choice. This is an extended project to be presented to publication standards and at the Experimental Psychology poster session at the end of the semester.
Prerequisites: PSY 150; MTH 118 or MTH/SCL 219; and PSY 308.
PSY 308 (3 CREDITS)
Quantitative Methods in Psychology
The course introduces students to experimental design, statistics, and methodology in psychology. This is a laboratory class, and students will carry out experiments, collate data, perform statistical analyses, and write laboratory reports. Students will also learn how to evaluate empirical research critically.
Prerequisites: PSY 150 and MTH 118 or MTH/SCL 219.
PSY 315 (3 CREDITS)
Theories of Personality
Provides an introduction to some of the major figures in personality research, such as Freud, Jung, Eysenck, Mischel, Rogers and Kelly. Differences in the way these figures have described the nature and structure of personality, as well as the wide range of research methods they have employed, emphasizes that theories take shape in the context of an individual’s biography, time and culture. Students are encouraged to examine how each theory provides a way of explaining and understanding human behavior, and to ask, ‘What makes a good theory? How do these theories develop and change? How can they be compared and criticized?’
Prerequisite: PSY 150 or permission of instructor.
PSY 340 (3 CREDITS)
Cross-cultural Psychology
Provides students with an understanding of cognitive processes as understood from the perspective of cross-cultural research. Students are introduced to contemporary research findings and models in the area of cognitive psychology as well as current cross-cultural research. Students are expected to develop a critical knowledge of the cognitive approach in psychology as well as an understanding of cognitive processes. In addition, the focus on research methodology and issues of reliability and validity is used to encourage students to critically evaluate emic and etic aspects of cognitive processes. Topics covered include: cognitive development, perception, language, memory and problem-solving.
Prerequisite: PSY 150 or PSY 201.
PSY 400 (3 CREDITS)
Theories and Systems in Psychology
Looks briefly at the history and epistemology of psychological theories with a view to making critical comparisons of four of the main schools of thought: Behaviorism, Cognitive Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Phenomenology. Seminar topics and discussion include: the mind-body debate, the free-will vs. determinism debate, artificial intelligence, the integration of Western and Eastern psychological theories, cultural assumptions in psychology, etc. Students are expected to have a thorough grounding in basic psychological theories and concepts before taking this course. This capstone seminar course should only be taken by graduating seniors, preferably in their final semester.
Prerequisite: PSY 150 or permission of instructor.
PSY 406 (3 CREDITS)
Senior Projects in Psychology
Capstone course for graduating psychology majors, providing students with the opportunity to conduct an extended piece of empirical research in an area and topic of their choice. Students independently research, design, conduct, analyze and report their research with guidance from the course tutor.
Prerequisites: PSY 307 and senior status or permission of instructor.
SSC 410 (3 CREDITS)
Senior Seminar/Senior Essay
The Senior Seminar/Senior Essay is the capstone course for all Social Science, Humanities and Communications majors. It differs from the other courses in the department in that students primarily work independently and meet for a weekly tutorial with the aim of developing a substantial thesis driven research paper ( 6000-8000 words) related to a topic in their major. Students are also required to orally present their research according to conference standards taking into consideration the interdisciplinary nature of the class. The Senior Seminar team is facilitated by three faculty members from different disciplines - the idea being to stress interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary issues in the department. The course serves as a platform for postgraduate research as well as for professional outcomes.
Prerequisite: SSC 304 and Senior Status.
plus one of the following:
PSY 310 (3 CREDITS)
Phenomenological Psychology:The Psychology of Personal Experience
Takes the phenomenological insight that we live in ‘an interpreted world’ in which we construct a personal understanding of events and applies it to a wide range of psychological topics including: the puzzle of visual illusions, the changing and multiple concept of the self, the phenomena of dreams and altered states of consciousness and, in particular, the problems of the search for an authentic and meaningful life. The philosophical background to the phenomenological methods of inquiry is studied and students are encouraged to use the method as a way of reflecting on their own personal and cultural experiences.
Prerequisite: PSY 150 or PHL 203 or permission of instructor.
PSY 384 (3 CREDITS)
Mind and Language
This is an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to current research and debates in the areas of language and communication. Whereas similar courses have focused on the relationship between language and mind, this course aims to address a relatively neglected aspect of psychology: the relationship between language and self. Beginning with an overview of the biological basis of language and a review of the developmental research on language acquisition, the course will also examine the relation between gesture and language. Clinical models of communication will be covered, focusing on pathological forms of communication such as schizophrenia and autism. The second part of the course will examine structuralist and poststructuralist approaches to language, linguistic interpretations of psychoanalytic theory, narrative communication and narrative identity, as well as theories of reading and writing.
Prerequisite: PSY 150 or permission of instructor.
plus one of the following:
PSY 351 (3 CREDITS)
Cognitive Science
Acquaints students with cognitive processes by focusing on three main areas: attention, perception and memory. Students are presented with theories, models and empirical studies for critical evaluation in all of these areas. Several cognitive phenomena are covered, including: action slips and absentmindedness, agnosias, visual illusions, amnesia, explicit and implicit memory, etc. This course emphasizes issues such as structure, function, ecological validity and cross-cultural variation.
Prerequisites: PSY 150 and at least one other psychology course.
PSY 385 (3 CREDITS)
Childhood, Socialization and Culture
Explores the impact of ‘culture’ on aspects of child development. Traditional theories will be evaluated with reference to cultural influences. Areas of child development covered include cognitive, gender and personality development. Discussion topics include the effects of different child rearing practices, social structure and individualism vs. collectivism. Readings will be taken from both anthropological and psychological sources. Students will be expected to reflect on their own knowledge and experiences. Familiarity with the psychology of child development will be an advantage.
Prerequisite: PSY 221.
plus one of the following:
(Note: IF PSY 413 is taken as a developmental studies option, the student must also take PSY 412)
PSY 412 (3 CREDITS)
Psychoanalysis
Examines the development of psychoanalytic theory and practice. Beginning with Freud’s early studies in hysteria, the course reviews Freud’s seminal ideas on the unconscious, sexuality and the transference; as well as Klein’s contributions to psychoanalytic practice and Fairbairn’s object-relations theory. Influential approaches to child development are also examined, particularly the works of Winnicott and Mahler. Students will also review the clinical insights of Kernberg and Kohut on borderline conditions and narcissism, as well as Lacan’s radical re-reading of Freud’s works.
Prerequisite: Senior Status in Psychology.
PSY 413 (3 CREDITS)
Developmental Psychopathology
The course examines the psychological forces that divert development from its typical channels and either sustain the deviation or even foster a return to typical development. Using a comparative developmental framework, the psychopathologies to be covered will be arranged in chronological order from infancy to childhood and adolescence. Thus autism, insecure attachment and oppositional-defiant disorder will be examined in relation to typical development in infancy and early childhood, while ADHD and learning disabilities will be studied in the context of the preschool years. Other topics included: anxiety disorders in middle childhood, child and adolescent suicide, conduct and eating disorders, as well as the risks incurred by brain damage, child maltreatment and social victimization. The course will also cover alternative models of child psychopathology, assessment procedures, and approaches to intervention and prevention. Students will have the opportunity to conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice, and to think critically about the case material.
Prerequisite: Senior Status in Psychology.
plus at least two courses from one area of specialization:
Psychology and Business
MGT 301 (3 CREDITS)
Organizational Behavior
This course explores the structure and nature of organisations and the contribution that communication and human behaviour makes to organisational performance. The course will address not only macro level issues relating to the environment and context within which organisations operate, but also the micro level influences of people as individuals and groups, their motivations and operating styles. The management of people for successful organisational performance will be emphasised by considering work environmental factors that facilitate or impede organisational success.
Prerequisite: Completion of The Richmond Core, MGT 205, 220, ACC 202, or Permission of Instructor.
MKT 302 (3 CREDITS)
Consumer Behavior
This course will focus on the study of what it means to be a consumer in a global, information-oriented (technologyoriented, market-oriented) culture. Examines behavioral science concepts, processes and approaches that inform marketing strategy as to what, how, when, where and why people consume. Provides a managerial oriented understanding of the ubiquity of consumption in post-modern life. Examines the influences upon and the behavior of consumers, both in groups and as individuals.
Prerequisite: MKT 301.
PSY 303 (3 CREDITS)
Psychological Testing
An applied psychology course providing a practical consideration of the measurement of personality, creativity and intelligence. Principles of psychometrics are examined, such as questionnaire design, scoring, reliability and validity; and students gain experience in using tests, such as the 16PF, EPQ, WISC, WAIS and Myers-Briggs type indicator, which are widely used in the professional fields of occupational, clinical and educational psychology. An awareness of both the strengths and limitations of testing is encouraged, with a particular focus on gender and crosscultural issues.
Prerequisites: MTH 118 or MTH/SCL 219.
PSY 386-399 (3 CREDITS)
Special Topics in Psychology
An advanced course on a topic of current interest or in a faculty member's specialty.
Clinical Psychology
PSY 302 (3 CREDITS)
Psychopathology
Combines lectures, case studies and audiovisual sessions to introduce students to the field of clinical psychology, psychiatry and mental health work. An examination of the symptoms and treatment options for a range of mental and emotional disorders, including anxiety, depression, mania and the schizophrenias, raising a number of important issues for discussion. These include: cultural variations in the definition and diagnosis of disordered states, the social psychological problems of the move from asylums to community care and criticisms of the medical model of abnormality.
Prerequisite: PSY 150.
PSY 303 (3 CREDITS)
Psychological Testing
An applied psychology course providing a practical consideration of the measurement of personality, creativity and intelligence. Principles of psychometrics are examined, such as questionnaire design, scoring, reliability and validity; and students gain experience in using tests, such as the 16PF, EPQ, WISC, WAIS and Myers-Briggs type indicator, which are widely used in the professional fields of occupational, clinical and educational psychology. An awareness of both the strengths and limitations of testing is encouraged, with a particular focus on gender and crosscultural issues.
Prerequisites: MTH 118 or MTH/SCL 219.
PSY 321 (4 CREDITS)
Counseling Theory and Practice I
Combines theoretical studies of counselling with practical and experiential work. Students are introduced to an integrative, multi-cultural approach to counseling which draws on a wide-range of theoretical perspectives, including; psychodynamic, existential, Gestalt and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Selected major issues are discussed via case examples and videos, and with guest lectures from visiting professionals. An important part of the course is the weekly group session led by a trained group facilitator, in which class members meet to reflect on their personal development in a private and confidential setting. The course is assessed via participation, presentations and essay work.
Prerequisite: PSY 150.
PSY 322 (4 CREDITS)
Counseling Theory and Practice II
Gives students the opportunity to build on the basic understanding and skills developed in PSY 321, Counseling Theory and Practice I. Students choose to focus on two approaches from a wide range, including; psychodynamic, existential, Gestalt and cognitivebehavioral approaches. Current trends in counselling training and practice are discussed, and issues are examined via the analysis of case studies helped by videos and guest lectures from visiting professionals. Advanced aspects of the counseling skills model are practiced in classroom exercises, and students continue to participate in a facilitated group for self-development and reflection. The course is assessed via participation, presentations and essay work.
Prerequisite: PSY 321 or permission of instructor.
PSY 386-399 (3 CREDITS)
Special Topics in Psychology
An advanced course on a topic of current interest or in a faculty member's specialty.
Developmental Studies
(Note: IF PSY 413 is taken as a developmental studies option, the student must also take PSY 412)
PSY 351 (3 CREDITS)
Cognitive Science
Acquaints students with cognitive processes by focusing on three main areas: attention, perception and memory. Students are presented with theories, models and empirical studies for critical evaluation in all of these areas. Several cognitive phenomena are covered, including: action slips and absentmindedness, agnosias, visual illusions, amnesia, explicit and implicit memory, etc. This course emphasizes issues such as structure, function, ecological validity and cross-cultural variation.
Prerequisites: PSY 150 and at least one other psychology course.
PSY 366 (3 CREDITS)
Human Sexuality
Explores the role of sexuality in psychological processes. A variety of theoretical approaches are evaluated, including the biological, social learning, and psychoanalytic perspectives. Topics covered including sexual development, sexual identity and sexual orientation. Readings will include material from a range of social science disciplines.
PSY 385 (3 CREDITS)
Childhood, Socialization and Culture
Explores the impact of ‘culture’ on aspects of child development. Traditional theories will be evaluated with reference to cultural influences. Areas of child development covered include cognitive, gender and personality development. Discussion topics include the effects of different child rearing practices, social structure and individualism vs. collectivism. Readings will be taken from both anthropological and psychological sources. Students will be expected to reflect on their own knowledge and experiences. Familiarity with the psychology of child development will be an advantage.
Prerequisite: PSY 221.
PSY 386-399 (3 CREDITS)
Special Topics in Psychology
An advanced course on a topic of current interest or in a faculty member's specialty.
PSY 413 (3 CREDITS)
Developmental Psychopathology
The course examines the psychological forces that divert development from its typical channels and either sustain the deviation or even foster a return to typical development. Using a comparative developmental framework, the psychopathologies to be covered will be arranged in chronological order from infancy to childhood and adolescence. Thus autism, insecure attachment and oppositional-defiant disorder will be examined in relation to typical development in infancy and early childhood, while ADHD and learning disabilities will be studied in the context of the preschool years. Other topics included: anxiety disorders in middle childhood, child and adolescent suicide, conduct and eating disorders, as well as the risks incurred by brain damage, child maltreatment and social victimization. The course will also cover alternative models of child psychopathology, assessment procedures, and approaches to intervention and prevention. Students will have the opportunity to conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice, and to think critically about the case material.
Prerequisite: Senior Status in Psychology.
Downloads :
Degree Planner/GCL form - for students who started in September 2009 or later.
Degree Planner/GCL form - for students who started in September 2008 or later.
Degree Planner/GCL form - for students who started in September 2007 or later.
Degree Planner/GCL form - for students who started in September
2006 or later.
Degree Planner/GCL form - for students who started in September
2005 or later.
Graduation
Check List - for students who started in January
2004 or later.
Transition
Graduation Check List - for students who started in September
2003 or earlier.
