Psychology

This course familiarizes students with the various theoretical aspects, research issues and professional practices which define contemporary forensic psychology. It introduces students to three prominent and interrelated areas of psychology: forensic, abnormal, and clinical psychology.  The course provides students with a systematic framework through which selected major psychological disorders are examined in detail. Students explore contemporary clinical approaches to mental health problems with a particular emphasis on evidence based psychiatric and psychological treatments. At the end of the course, students present their key research findings which have practical relevance to prominent areas of professional forensic psychology, and distinguish between major psychological disorders using internationally recognized diagnostic systems. 

This course introduces students to organizational psychology and wellbeing (brief history). It provides a definition and understanding of models and constructs of wellbeing. The course stresses the importance of workplace wellbeing for both the organization and the individual employee, a psychological perspective. 

Other topics that are included in this course are: Organizational process and procedures that enhance wellbeing are covered in this course, Leadership styles and wellbeing, Vertical and horizontal organizational communication and its impact on wellbeing, theoretical overlap of Social psychology and organizational psychology in wellbeing theory,  Organizational culture and wellbeing, Social norms within the organizational culture that enhance wellbeing, Individual psychology and wellbeing, and Measurements of employee wellbeing 

This course introduces students to the study of child health and wellbeing through the presentation and critical examination of some contemporary topics in the field. These topics are based around two key themes: (i) risk and resilience and (ii) children’s perspectives on health & illness. Lectures provide a stimulating, interactive context in which to consider theoretical, research-based, and applied perspectives from psychology and related disciplines.

Humanity is facing an unprecedented ecological crisis for which it is the main driving force. Although globally, people report high levels of concern for climate change and a high willingness to act, this concern is often not reflected in people's actual behavior. What can explain this gap between people's reported desire to protect the environment and the lack of collective action around the environmental crises? This course explores the many factors that can act as barriers to climate action, such as people's tendency to favor short-term outcomes over long-term outcomes, the tension between seeking a high social status and reducing one's carbon footprint, the feeling that it may be too late to act, or the feeling that taking action is only worth it if others are also taking action.

This course introduces students to global mental health from a critical perspective, with a particular focus on contextual constructions of mental illness, mental health programming in low resource and humanitarian settings, and for marginalized populations. The course covers global differences in definitions and incidence of psychiatric disorders, the validity and effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions, and the wider role of power and inequity in shaping national mental health policies and international guidelines. 

This course examines the science of what enables individuals to operate at the peak of their potential, including the conditions that are thought to give rise to optimal motivation, emotional agility, resilience, and other factors that support wellbeing and performance. It explores skills and pathways for cultivating wellbeing while giving consideration to relevant individual differences and cultural factors. The content draws on a variety of disciplines, including psychology, education, philosophy, sports science, and organizational science. It covers the historical and philosophical views of wellbeing, motivation, and performance; the paradigm shift from problem-focused to strengths-based approaches; and the evolution from individual- to system-level perspectives of what contributes to wellbeing. 

This course examines key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.

This course introduces students to the field of social psychology and the principles underlying group and individual interaction.  It presents the historical and philosophical roots of social psychology in the context of the current state of the discipline.  Students become acquainted with debates and tensions between different schools within social psychology and are presented with critiques of the discipline. The course presents the richness, complexity, and variety of human social behavior and the discipline that studies it in a conceptually integrated way. 

This course examines conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues at the center of current debates in the field of cognitive neuroscience. It explores how brain-behavior relationships are identified and used to inform models of cognition; methods of measuring and influencing cerebral activity; the neural mechanisms underlying a wide range of mental processes, such as attention, perception, and memory; and the implications of advances in our knowledge of the brain for psychiatric and neurological populations and society at large.

Developmental psychology is the scientific study of age‐related change and consistency across the spectrum of human growth. This course builds on students' prior knowledge and introduces them to longstanding and current issues. The focus is on presenting the key elements of each perspective under scrutiny and then inviting students to critically review, examine, and evaluate the available information. Topics include: Stressed out kids? The over-scheduling debate. Prejudiced from preschool? The development of stigma in childhood. Decision-making in pediatrics: How should child patients get involved? Are children reliable and credible witnesses? Impressionable young minds? Screen time & child outcomes.