Psychology
3105 South Dearborn
Suite 252
Chicago, IL 60616
312.567.3500
psychology@iit.edu
humansciences.iit.edu/psychology
Chair
Michael Young
Associate Chair
Frank Lane
Faculty with Research Interests
For information regarding faculty visit the Department of Psychology website
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The Department of Psychology offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Psychology, Applied Analytics, Behavioral Health and Wellness, and Consumer Research, Analytics, and Communications.
Designed for highly motivated, career-oriented students, the degree programs offered by the Department of Psychology emphasize the integration of applied research with faculty, practical experience in professional settings, and traditional classroom activities. The programs are characterized by faculty mentorship, individual advising, and group activities with faculty, graduate students, and other undergraduate students.
The B.S. in Psychology offers a distinctive research-based, human-behavior-oriented undergraduate education with an emphasis on applications of psychology. Students benefit from the strengths of faculty in the highly successful graduate programs in clinical psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and rehabilitation and mental health counseling.
Interdisciplinary degrees provide career-focused training that spans academic departments. These degrees combine coursework and hands-on experience in the multiple fields, including psychology, political science, sociology, communication, and business. Interdisciplinary training prepares students to succeed in the modern workplace, which increasingly relies on cross-functional teams with diverse expertise.
The B.S. in Behavioral Health and Wellness provides students with a broad understanding of how lifestyle choices impact health, and how health professionals design programs to promote healthy lifestyle choices. The degree prepares graduates for a wide range of health/wellness professions in private business and industry, community organizations, and healthcare environments.
The B.S. in Consumer Research, Analytics, and Communication trains students as integrated social/behavioral scientists who can apply the theory, research, and tools of the social and behavioral sciences to practical problems of government policy and business strategy and can work with decision makers in both cultures.
The Department of Psychology also offers accelerated programs that combine undergraduate and graduate professional education. The degrees offered by the department may be used as the basis for the combined undergraduate-graduate professional degree programs in law (B.S./J.D.), business (B.S./M.B.A.), public administration (B.S./M.P.A.), rehabilitation and mental health counseling (B.S./M.S.), or personnel and human resources development (B.S./M.S.) offered by the university.
Scholarship Opportunities
Psychology students have access to a wide range of scholarships. One program—the David J. Vitale Scholarship—is earmarked only for undergraduate psychology students.
Recipients typically receive $2,000–$5,000 per year. This award is only applicable to a student’s first four years of study at the university.
Degree Programs
- Bachelor of Science in Applied Analytics
- Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health and Wellness
- Bachelor of Science in Consumer Research, Analytics, and Communication
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology
- Bachelor of Science in Biology/Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Minors
Minors consist of at least five courses (minimum 15 credit hours) and are optional and frequently cross-disciplinary. Since they provide a coherent set of ideas, concepts, and educational experiences in a variety of areas, students may find that they enhance potential for professional development. Students who wish to pursue a minor must consult with advisers in their respective major departments.
The Department of Psychology offers minors in Human Resources, Psychology, and Rehabilitation Services. Students pursuing a degree in psychology can minor in Rehabilitation Services.
Human Resources
A minimum of 15 credit hours is required for this minor.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 221 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 |
| PSYC 301 | Industrial Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 310 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| Select a minimum of two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Occupational Health Psychology | 3 | |
| Psychological Testing | 3 | |
| Development and Evaluation of Training in Organizations | 3 | |
| Groups and Leadership at Work | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Psychology
A minimum of 15 credit hours is required for this minor, including the following two required courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 203 | Undergraduate Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 3-4 |
| or PSYC 320 | Applied Correlation and Regression | |
| PSYC 221 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 |
Rehabilitation Services
A minimum of 15 credit hours is required for this minor.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 410 | Introduction to Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 411 | Medical Aspects of Disabling Conditions | 3 |
| PSYC 412 | Multicultural and Psychosocial Issues in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 583 | Rehabilitation Engineering Technology I: Survey of Interdisciplinary Application of RET | 3 |
| PSYC 590 | Psychiatric Rehabilitation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Optional Programs
Advanced Standing Programs
The Department of Psychology offers combined, accelerated undergraduate and graduate programs and graduate advanced standing programs. These flexible programs give students solid professional credentials in more than one field, improving their marketability and expanding their career options.
A specialization in psychology may be used as the basis for the combined undergraduate-graduate professional degree programs in law (B.S./J.D.), business (B.S./M.B.A.), public administration (B.S./M.P.A.), or personnel and human resources development (B.S./PHRD) offered by the university. Students earning a B.S. in Psychology degree can apply for advanced standing in the M.S. in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program.
For undergraduate psychology majors, it is possible to earn a Master of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling with Advanced Standing or a Master of Science in Personnel and Human Resources Department (PHRD) in one-and a-half years instead of the normal two years. By taking psychology courses that apply to the rehabilitation and mental health counseling or PHRD program, graduate program coursework can be reduced by up to 15 credit hours, or one full-time semester.
Students wishing to participate in these options must indicate this as early as possible. With the consent of the Department of Psychology chair, undergraduate psychology students may enroll in some graduate-level psychology courses. Close communication with advisers is required for students to reach their target completion dates for accelerated programs. Students must also meet the minimum graduate program admission criteria, apply, and be accepted into the graduate program they wish to enter.
M.S. Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling with Advanced Standing
The mission of the Counseling and Rehabilitation Sciences Division is to prepare students to assume vital roles as counselors fully qualified to help in the clinical mental health, rehabilitation, vocational, educational, and personal adjustment of people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and/or mental and emotional issues.
The rehabilitation and mental health counseling education program, fully accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education since 1975, and dually accredited for Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), is designed to prepare students to function as rehabilitation and/or clinical mental health counselors for persons with a variety of needs including mental health issues impacting the individual and/or family, and persons with physical or mental disabilities who need psychosocial and vocational readjustment. The program is grounded in a strengths-based philosophy of client empowerment where the counselor’s role is to assist individuals to realize their optimum level of mental health and personal wellness, including vocational adjustment and independent living. This is done through the use of a variety of therapeutic interventions, including individual, group and/or family counseling, diagnosis, case management, the provision or coordination of evaluation, physical restoration, training, placement, and follow-up services. The demand for rehabilitation and clinical mental health counselors has exceeded the supply in recent years, in public, private, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors.
Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Courses
Undergraduate students who complete the equivalent of the first semester’s required courses may qualify for admission with advanced standing to the Master of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. Admission with advanced standing may reduce the courses required for the M.S. degree by up to 15 credit hours, and allow the candidate to complete the Master of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling degree in one-and-a-half years (three semesters). The regular master’s program in rehabilitation and mental health counseling requires 60 credit hours post bachelor’s degree usually completed over the course of two years. However, undergraduate students who meet the criteria for regular admission to the master’s program can consider completing their master’s degree more quickly by effective use of their electives. In the junior and senior years, qualified students begin taking graduate courses after admission into the program.
Students in the accelerated program may take the following courses as part of required or elective courses for the B.S. in Psychology. If taken as an undergraduate student, the courses listed below do not have to be repeated for the Master of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. A grade of "B" or better is required for courses to be used toward a graduate degree.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 410 | Introduction to Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 411 | Medical Aspects of Disabling Conditions | 3 |
| PSYC 412 | Multicultural and Psychosocial Issues in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 513 | Assessment in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| PSYC 523 | Introduction to Theories of Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSYC 562 | Job Placement | 3 |
| PSYC 563 | Human Growth and Career Development | 3 |
| PSYC 583 | Rehabilitation Engineering Technology I: Survey of Interdisciplinary Application of RET | 3 |
| PSYC 590 | Psychiatric Rehabilitation | 3 |
B.S./M.S. Personnel and Human Resources Development
The M.S. in Personnel and Human Resources Development degree is for individuals interested in careers in highly dynamic environments such as management consulting, human resources management, industrial relations, and consumer behavior.
Housed within the Industrial/Organizational Psychology Division, the personnel and human resources development program is based on a scientist/practitioner model and the guidelines of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Division 14, of the American Psychology Association.
Personnel and Human Resources Development Courses
Students in the accelerated program may choose to take five of the following courses as part of required or elective courses for the B.S. in Psychology. If taken as an undergraduate student, the courses listed below do not have to be repeated for the graduate personnel and human resources development program. A grade of "B" or better is required for courses to be used toward a graduate degree.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 502 | Social Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 503 | Learning and Cognition | 3 |
| PSYC 504 | Individual and Cultural Differences | 3 |
| PSYC 529 | Personnel Selection and Evaluation | 3 |
| PSYC 545 | Graduate Statistics I | 3 |
| PSYC 546 | Graduate Statistics II | 3 |
| PSYC 556 | Organizational Psychology | 3 |
Illinois Institute of Technology/College of DuPage Dual Admission 2+2 Program
Students who meet the requirements of the Dual Admission Program (DAP) may enroll simultaneously at the College of DuPage (COD) and Illinois Institute of Technology. Students accepted into the DAP will have access to advising and other services from both institutions. Students who successfully complete the institutional course requirements of both institutions under the DAP will be awarded an associate’s degree from COD and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from IIT.
Eligibility for the Program
Students applying to the program must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 either in high school or at COD to be eligible for admission to the DAP. Students must make satisfactory academic progress at COD, as defined by COD and IIT, to remain in the program.
Application Process
Applicants must complete a Statement of Intent Form which permits the exchange of academic, admission, and advising information between IIT and COD. Applicants must also complete the application process at both COD and IIT in order to be admitted to both institutions. The IIT application may be submitted only for a B.S. in Psychology degree. Admission to other IIT programs may have additional requirements that are outside the scope of this program.
Academic Program Requirements
Students must follow each institution’s policies regarding admission, course enrollment, transfer hours, probation, dismissal, and reinstatement. Transcripts must be sent to the IIT Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs each semester for each student attending COD and enrolled in the DAP. IIT will provide COD with major and course updates, course prerequisites, and program requirements for the psychology program.
Graduation Requirements
Students enrolled in the DAP must follow the COD catalog to satisfy requirements for the associate’s degree and the requirements set out in the IIT Undergraduate Bulletin in effect at the time of admission into the DAP for the bachelor’s degree.
Certificate in Industrial Training
This certificate is designed to help individuals learn methods of knowledge delivery in industrial training settings and is only available to students enrolled in a degree program at Illinois Institute of Technology. This certificate program does not qualify for federal financial aid.
Program of Study
The American Society of Training and Development has a certificate with topics and courses similar to this certificate program. We ensure that our students will receive training on par with ASTD specifications. An introductory psychology course or basic knowledge of the field is recommended for this program.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 301 | Industrial Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 423 | Learning Theory | 3 |
| PSYC 455 | Development and Evaluation of Training in Organizations | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Human Motivation and Emotion | 3 | |
| Topics in Psychology 2 | 3 | |
| Topics in Psychology 2 | 3 | |
| Psychological Testing | 3 | |
| Cognitive Science | 3 | |
| Groups and Leadership at Work | 3 | |
| Undergraduate Psychology Seminar | 3 | |
| 1 | These courses cannot be counted toward the certificate if they are a required course for a degree program. |
| 2 | Topic must be approved by the adviser. |
Course Descriptions
Students will: 1) introduce an overview of concepts in psychology; 2) develop professional direction for academic career at IIT; 3) demonstrate psychology information literacy; 4) demonstrate effective communication using a variety of formats; and 5) demonstrate professional competence both within and outside of IIT.
The objectives of this course are to develop skills in using statistical data analysis commonly used in the behavioral sciences (e.g. descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression, correlation, and meta-analysis). At the end of the course students should be able to comprehend statistical research findings, run basic statistical analysis, as well as make inferences from the results.
Introduction to experimental, survey, and field study methodology, including: ethics; research design; collection, preparation, analysis of data; and writing research reports.
Psychologists use the scientific method to understand the behavior and mental processes of individuals. Their investigations into understanding the behavior of individuals span multiple areas including perception, learning, cognition, language, development, motivation, personality, psychological disorders, social, health, and industrial/organization. In addition to the variety of fields, psychology examines behavior at multiple levels such as biological, behavioral, and cultural. This course will: 1) introduce the field of psychological science; 2) explore the research methods psychologists use to answer questions; 3) use research and theory to introduce psychological processes in multiple fields; and 4) to apply psychological theories to mass media.
Didactic and applied approach to professional skill development in the areas of oral communication, conflict management and interpersonal dimensions of the work setting.
A survey of historical and contemporary theories, concepts and complexities associated with leadership. Emphasis will be placed on application of theories to practical experiences of leadership.
Survey of practical applications of psychology to problems of business and industry: work attitudes and behavior; employee selection; morale; safety; turnover; absenteeism; and training.
Overview of various cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disorders, focusing on diagnostic criteria, causal factors, and treatment, and emphasizing scientific, research-oriented perspectives.
Description and analysis of behavior and experience as determined by social conditions. Includes social issues, human relations, prejudice, and leadership.
This course will provide a broad overview of major theories of human motivation, both historical and contemporary. After learning about these theories, students will explore how researchers have applied these principles in health care, sports, management, education, and virtual/gaming environments.
This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to apply correlation and regression analysis to the study of human behavior. Emphasis will be placed on practical issues associated with these statistical techniques and significant attention will be paid to running analyses and reporting results.
Health psychology applies psychological principles to health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness. The goal of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of the key concepts and theories important to health psychologists and the skills to think analytically and critically about health issues. The course will cover a broad range of topics including stress, coping, and behaviors that promote health and prevent illness. The course will also cover specific health problems such as HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, eating disorders, and substance abuse and critically examine the underlying biological, psychological, and social factors influencing the onset, course, and outcomes of these diseases.
People differ in the identities they hold across dimensions like race, religion, gender, sexuality, age, ability and socioeconomic status. These identities can be stigmatized within the larger group and have profound effects on people. In this course, we will consider the function and costs of prejudice and stigma for members of both stigmatized and majority (nonstigmatized) groups as well as review research aimed at reducing prejudice and stigma. This course aims to give students the skills necessary to critically understand contemporary instances of prejudice and stigmatization from a social psychological perspective. Another course objective is for students to draw parallels across stigma and prejudice processes while also understanding nuances for each group. A final objective is to give students the opportunity to reflect on personally held beliefs about diverse groups.
This course will provide an overview of prominent approaches to personality psychology.
This course is designed to familiarize you with a wide range of topics in cross-cultural psychology. The ability to understand the influence of culture is essential for success in an increasingly diverse and global society. This course will expose you to a variety of topics such as cross-cultural communication, diversity in the workplace, personality and national traits and happiness across cultures. The aim is to provide a framework for appreciating the cultural context of psychological phenomenon in order to facilitate better navigation of diverse societies and workplaces.
This course will provide an overview of psychological testing and assessment and psychotherapy and professional activities of clinical psychologists. This course will provide an in-depth examination of the concepts and methods of clinical psychology, document the many activities of clinical psychologists, and highlight the trends in the filed that are likely to shape the field in upcoming years. Students will gain an increased understanding of the psychological services and information about clinical psychology as a future career goal.
In this course, students will explore the major psychological theories related to sport and exercise behavior. The course is designed to introduce students to the field of sport and exercise psychology through a combination of classroom discussion and exercise application. This course will provide students with a broad overview of major topics including: the history of sports and exercise psychology; foundations of personality, self-concept, self-esteem, motivation, and other psychological characteristics related to participation and performance in sports; coaching and leadership in sports; gender and cultural issues; team dynamics; performance enhancement strategies; and sports as recreation.
This course is designed to familiarize you with a wide range of topics in occupational health psychology (OHP). Understanding the relationship between work and health is vital in the face of increasingly demanding and complex work. This course will expose you to topics that examine how work affects our health and vice versa. These include work organizational factors (organizational justice, dark workplace behaviors such as incivility, shift-work, work-family interface) and their impact on employee health and well-being (stress, emotions, job-burnout, recovery experiences).
An investigation into a topic of current interest in psychology. The specific topic will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
An investigation into a topic of current interest in psychology. The specific topic will be announced by the instructor when the course is scheduled.
Historical development of influential psychological systems: structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and Gestalt psychology. Requires 12 hours of psychology.
This course is designed to introduce you to psychological testing and assessment. After completing this course, you will be familiar with the test development process, testing techniques, and different types of tests. Further, you will learn about the use of tests in educational, organizational, and clinical/counseling settings. In this course, you will learn the underlying principles of psychological testing and measurement including test construction and scale development.
Historical, philosophical, ethical, and legal bases of rehabilitation and mental health counseling. Includes a study of professional roles, functions, and responsibilities as well as service delivery systems and practices such as vocational, independent living, and public and private rehabilitation and mental health counseling.
Survey of human organ systems, medical terminology, unique characteristics of disabling conditions, including severe disabilities. Vocational consequences, environmental impact and implications for the rehabilitation process. One of a two course sequence.
Review of diversity issues in rehabilitation and mental health counseling including culture, disability, gender, aging, socio-economic status, and spirituality and religion. Includes theories of multicultural counseling and the counselor's role in the promotion of self-awareness and social justice; a study of individual and family adaptation and coping processes following disability; psychological and sociological consequences of disability; attitudes toward persons with disabilities; and the impact of social and environmental barriers.
An introduction to the biological bases of behavior with an emphasis on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of sensory and central nervous systems.
Learning plays an important role in psychology and the general processes and mechanisms that underscore learning are utilized in a number of fields including neuroscience, clinical science, education, and cognitive science. We will examine several theoretical perspectives on learning including, but not limited to, functionalistic, associationistic, cognitive, social, and neurophysiological. We will also examine how factors such as motivation, artificial intelligence, technology, disability, and intelligence play a role in learning.
The goal of this course is to understand how the mind works. Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that draws on experimental psychology, computer science, linguistics, animal behavior, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, among others.
Developmental psychologists examine behavioral and biological changes as they occur over the entire lifespan. Their investigations into mechanisms of developmental change span biological, behavioral, and cultural levels of organization. Students will be able (1) to identify the major milestones of development in various domains (e.g. perceptual, motor, cognitive, social) and (2) use research and theory to understand the mechanisms by which developmental change occurs.
Explores processes and changes in cognitive, social, physical and emotional functioning across adult life. Requires 9 hours of psychology.
Seminar and supervised fieldwork experience in a rehabilitation setting with disabled individuals. Emphasizes service delivery, interviewing techniques, and caseload management.
The goal of this course is to provide the learner with a systems perspective to training in organizations. Through readings, discussions, in class exercises and project work students will learn to identify organizational issues that can be solved using a training intervention and develop appropriate training. The focus of the course will primarily be on knowledge application. Students will learn about the various steps involved in designing a training program including needs assessment, influence of learner characteristics, transfer of training and training evaluation. Through project work students will gain skills in implementing these steps.
Theory of human physical and psychological abilities as they relate to design of transportation, housing, workplace, defense and recreational systems. Topics include theories relating to psychophysiology, anthropometry, communications, man-machine interactions, training, maintainability, safety, and engineering evaluation.
This course focuses on the major disorders that are evident in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. A developmental psychopathology approach will be used in which major influences on both normal and abnormal child development will be examined. Students will be exposed to the contextual and socioemotional factors that impact children's development, followed by an in-depth discussion of the various disorders.
Students will learn about theories of behavior and apply scientific principles used to promote behavior change. Major topics will include stages of change, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral techniques, and contingency management (reward and punishment). Emphasis will be given to altering pathological behaviors and to promoting healthy lifestyle changes in the context of one on one or small group settings.
The course will review a system's model of groups and will discuss developmental stages of groups as they relate to communication behaviors. It will also review various approaches to leadership including individual, contingency, and relationship. The course engages students in various activities to help them become aware of themselves as team members and team leaders.
An introduction to applied research in psychology. Includes a didactic review of basic and current issues in psychological research as well as an experiential component. Students actively participate in ongoing faculty research programs and are exposed to all areas of research.
An introduction to applied research in psychology. Includes a didactic review of basic and current issues in psychological research as well as an experiential component. Students actively participate in ongoing faculty research programs and are exposed to all areas of research.
The Psychology Capstone Project is an independent study that consists of a formal project and may include a research component, a literature review component as well as a data analysis component or may include an internship or fellowship experience as discussed by you and your project advisor. The project should incorporate and expand upon the depth of knowledge gained from previous years of study and include predetermined deliverables which may include a final thesis or poster. The project should focus on an area of psychology that is of interest to you as a means to expand your knowledge on the subject and to solidify your future goals.
Continuation of the Psychology Capstone Project. This is an independent study that consists of a formal project and may include a research component, a literature review component as well as a data analysis component or may include an internship or fellowship experience as discussed by you and your project advisor. The project should incorporate and expand upon the depth of knowledge gained from previous years of study and include predetermined deliverables which may include a final thesis or poster. The project should focus on an area of psychology that is of interest to you as a means to expand your knowledge on the subject and to solidify your future goals.
A synthesis of issues and areas in psychology. Requires 21 credit hours in psychology.
Seminar integrating seminal and cutting edge psychological writings both empirical and conceptual to address key issues in contemporary psychology. Requires 24 credits in psychology.
Reports and discussion of current problems and issues in psychology.
Independent study involving compilation and analysis of data bearing on a significant problem. **Instructor permission required.**
Advanced research for BSMP students.
