Psychology Professional Issues Proseminar
PY 321
Spring 2012
Instructors:
Beverly Thorn
348 Gordon Palmer Hall, 348-5024
Edward Merrill
195 Gordon Palmer Hall, 348-1932
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Description: This is a one-hour elective offered to undergraduate psychology majors. Psychology is a broad and dynamic field. This course orients psychology majors to career opportunities for psychology majors terminating with a BA/or BS, as well as those students moving on to post-graduate work. The importance of professional skills-building will be emphasized in this seminar and students will have the opportunity to do experiential learning activities throughout the semester in order to learn about opportunities for employment and post-graduate employment and graduate school.
Class Meetings: Mondays, 11-11:50 a.m.
Text: Text: Morgan, Betsy L., Korshgen, Ann J. (2006) Majoring in Psychology? Career Options for Psychology Undergraduates, Third Edition, Pearson: Boston
Prerequisites: Psychology Major or pre-major; PY 101 or PY 105
Overall Class Objectives: The objectives of this seminar are
a) to learn about career options for Psychology majors;
b) to understand how to tailor the undergraduate psychology major to fit the student’s interests and talents;
c) to understand the importance of psychology as a science;
d) to learn about options for faculty mentorship through research participation;
e) to learn to think deeply about, and plan for a career, rather than a “job” in psychology;
f) to learn how to develop a professional resume;
g) to learn how to find and apply for a job or graduate school;
h) to learn how to participate in a personal interview for jobs and graduate school;
i) to adopt a life-long learning perspective in the area of psychology.
Learning Outcome Objectives:
1. Students will be able to understand the importance of the psychology major as a career-building tool.
2. Students will be able to master and articulate how tailoring their undergraduate degree to their talents and interests will maximize their career success.
3. Students will demonstrate personal engagement in their major and critical thinking skills via a variety of successful reaction papers.
4. Students will develop a working resume.
5. Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in face-to-face mock interviews for psychology-related jobs and graduate school.
Outline of Topics
date / name / title1 / Jan 23 / Dr. Thorn/Dr. Merrill / Pre-class questionnaire/getting to know you/syllabus
2 / Jan 30 / Beverly Thorn / What can you do with a B.A. in Psych?
3 / Feb 6 / Tiffany Goodin / Career Center
5 / Feb 13 / Beverly Thorn / The A Game – tips for academic success
6 / Feb 20 / Joshua Eyer / Stress and Coping
7 / Feb 27 / Dr. Lynn Snow / Writing Skills
8 / Mar 5 / Ed Merrill / Developing a Resume
Mar 12 / SPRING BREAK / No Class
9 / Mar 19 / Beverly Thorn / Undergraduate research opportunities
10 / Mar 26 / Faculty Reps / Areas of concentration in UA PY department
11 / Apr 2 / Ed Merrill / Undergraduate service opportunities
12 / Apr 9 / Beverly Thorn / Beyond graduation – career building and job interviewing
13 / Apr 16 / Ed Merrill / Graduate school
14 / Apr 23 / Merrill/Thorn / Questions and wrap-i[
15 / Apr 30 / Final Exam / 8-10:30 a.m.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is expected and will be taken at all classes. Three absences will be permitted without penalty. After the three absences, students will be penalized 2% of the course grade per absence. Students who have work schedules or travel commitments that interfere with class attendance may not be able to meet course requirements and should see the instructor immediately.
Course requirements
A. Readings and Preparation: Read all assignments as scheduled and be prepared for each assignment. If it appears that students are not keeping up with assigned readings, I will give pop quizzes. Should quizzes become necessary, quiz grades will replace ½ of the attendance and participation points in the grading statement outlined below.
The beginnings of each class meeting will be reserved in part for students to comment on assigned content as well as on anything else that they have seen or heard that relates to the class content. Students are also encouraged to bring in reports of relevant newspaper stories, music videos, personal knowledge, or excerpts from television shows or films.
B. Exercises. A personal explorations workbook will be included as part of the class.
C. Final Examination.
A comprehensive final examination will be given in finals week, the week of April 30, 2012.
D. Grading.
Class attendance and Participation: 30%
Reaction papers: 40 %
Final examination: 30%
E. Policy on missed exams and course work
Students who miss the final examination for medically excused reasons will be given either an hour-long individual oral examination on the course material or a substitute exam, the choice being at the discretion of the instructor. All make-ups must be completed by the end of finals week unless otherwise arranged.
F. Policy on Academic Misconduct
All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student.
The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
G. Disability Statement
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary. If you have a disability, but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call 348-4285 or visit 133-B Martha Parham Hall East to register for services. Students who may need course adaptations because of a disability are welcome to make an appointment to see me during office hours. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services, 133-B Martha Parham Hall East, before receiving academic adjustments.
H. Severe Weather Protocol
In the case of a tornado warning (tornado has been sighted or detected by radar, sirens activated), all university activities are automatically suspended, including all classes and laboratories. If you are in a building, please move immediately to the lowest level and toward the center of the building away from windows (interior classrooms, offices, or corridors) and remain there until the tornado warning has expired. Classes in session when the tornado warning is issued can resume immediately after the warning has expired at the discretion of the instructor. Classes that have not yet begun will resume 30 minutes after the tornado warning has expired provided at least half of the class period remains.
UA is a residential campus with many students living on or near campus. In general classes will remain in session until the National Weather Service issues safety warnings for the city of Tuscaloosa. Clearly, some students and faculty commute from adjacent counties. These counties may experience weather related problems not encountered in Tuscaloosa. Individuals should follow the advice of the National Weather Service for that area taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety. Whenever the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management Agency issue a warning, people in the path of the storm (tornado or severe thunderstorm) should take immediate life saving actions.
When West Alabama is under a severe weather advisory, conditions can change rapidly. It is imperative to get to where you can receive information from the National Weather Service and to follow the instructions provided. Personal safety should dictate the actions that faculty, staff and students take. The Office of Public Relations will disseminate the latest information regarding conditions on campus in the following ways:
Weather advisory posted on the UA homepage
Weather advisory sent out through Connect-ED--faculty, staff and students (sign up at myBama)
Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA at 90.7 FM
Weather advisory broadcast over Alabama Public Radio (WUAL) at 91.5 FM
Weather advisories are broadcast via WUOA/WVUA-TV, which can be viewed across Central Alabama. Also, visit wvuatv.com for up-to-the-minute weather information. A mobile Web site is also available for your convenience.
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