Scientific and Philosophical Studies of Mind (SPM) seeks to bridge the sciences and the humanities in the study of a common topic: the nature of mind. In order to provide a breadth of perspective as well as depth in an area of special interest, the SPM curriculum divides into two majors: Cognitive Science and Moral Psychology.

Cognitive science is concerned with how minds fit into the natural world. Nature is mechanistic; could the mind be a machine? Can other animals—or even computers or robots—think? What is the (neural?) basis for consciousness? How do minds and mental abilities develop as we mature?

Moral psychology is concerned with what it is for an individual to be a worthwhile and responsible moral agent, and with the psychological processes that lead people to engage in altruistic actions and to evaluate and punish others’ behaviors. Can we square our moral assessment of persons with a psychological understanding of the self? What does it take for a life to be significant or meaningful? Are humans primarily motivated toward good or evil? Is a moral sense innate or learned? To what extent do emotion and reason underlie moral judgments and actions?

Successfully bridging the sciences and humanities so as to answer these questions requires that students gain a broad background in both the content and methodology of philosophy and psychology; the courses in the “Core” of the program aim to provide this background. The needed depth is provided in the majors themselves, in which students further hone their skills of critical thinking and philosophical analysis in the context of the interpretation, assessment and even construction of empirical research. The SPM majors culminate in the Senior Research Seminar, in which students conduct research on a topic that combines both philosophical and scientific approaches to the study of a topic of their choosing. Students may also expand their senior thesis with the goal of presenting the project for departmental honors.

Each major offered as part of the SPM program consists of 12 courses. Of these, five courses are required as a part of a common core, and six courses are specific to each of the majors, designated below. Of these six courses, three must be in the sciences (at least one at or above the 300-level), and three must be in the humanities (at least one at or above the 300-level). The remaining course can be from either major or from the following list: ANT 330; BIO 330; BIO 343; CPS 222; CPS 337; ECO 350; PHI 213; PHI 217; PHI 381.

Students intending to major in SPM are encouraged to take SPM 100 in their first year.

Cognitive Science

Core: SPM 100: Minds, Machines, and Morals; PSY 300 (formerly 230): Design and Statistics; PHI 250: Philosophy of Mind; PHI 337: Philosophy of Natural Science; SPM 499: Senior Research Seminar.

Sciences: CPS 112: Computer Science II;  BIO 200: Integrative Biology; BIO 240: Neuroscience; PSY 320: Animal Behavior; PSY 351: Biopsychology; PSY 202: Developmental Psychology; PSY 305: Cognitive Psychology; PSY 306: Evolution of Mind and Intelligence; PSY 309: Social Psychology; PSY 310: Conditioning and Learning; PSY 203: Embodied Cognition; PSY 204: Emotion; PSY 450: Cognitive Development; PSY 453, Nature/Nurture; PSY 460: Advanced Quantitative Methods; CPS 367: Artificial Intelligence; PSY 452: History and Philosophy of Psychology; PSY 48x: Collaborative Research.

Humanities: LIN 101: General Linguistics; LIN 120: Sociolinguistics; LIN/PSY 207: Psycholinguistics; PHI 236: Knowledge and Reality; PHI 244: Symbolic Logic; PHI 331: Free Will; PHI 335: Belief and Knowledge; PHI 339: Philosophy of Language; PHI 342: Rational Choice; PHI 353: Phenomenology and Cognitive Science; PHI 351: Mind-Body Problem; PHI 352: Philosophy of Emotions.

Moral Psychology

Core: SPM 100: Minds, Machines, and Morals; PSY 300 (formerly 230): Design and Statistics; PHI 250: Philosophy of Mind; PHI 337: Philosophy of Natural Science; SPM 499: Senior Research Seminar.

Sciences: SOC 220: Social Psychology; SOC 301: History of Sociological Theory; PSY 202: Developmental Psychology; PSY 206: Personality Psychology; SPM 208: Psychopathology; SPM 309: Social Psychology; PSY 311: Origins of Moral Thought; PSY 201: Cross-Cultural Psychology; PSY 205: Health Psychology; SOC 320: Criminology; SOC 480: Sociology of Law; PSY 460: Advanced Quantitative Methods; PSY 452: History and Philosophy of Psychology; PSY 48x: Collaborative Research.

Humanities: PHI 220: Moral Theory; GOV 241: Classical Political Theory; GOV 242: Modern Political Theory; PHI 319: 20th- Century Continental Philosophy; PHI 331: Free Will; PHI 360: Concept of a Person; PHI 361: Moral Psychology; PHI 362: Love and Friendship; PHI 363: Respect, Responsibility, and Ethics; RST 384: Soul in Search of Selfhood.

Off-Campus Study Programs Most Frequently Attended by Cognitive Science and Moral Psychology Majors:

• Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science (fall semester)
• F&M in Denmark: Child Development in Cultural Context (Summer Travel Course)
• IFSA direct-enroll semester university programs (Australia - Macquarie University and University of Melbourne; New Zealand - University of Auckland; Ireland - University College Dublin)
• DIS Copenhagen (semester)

A list of regularly offered courses follows. Please note the key for the following abbreviations: (A) Arts; (H) Humanities; (S) Social Sciences; (N) Natural Sciences with Laboratory; (LS) Language Studies requirement; (NSP) Natural Science in Perspective; (NW) Non-Western Cultures requirement; (WP) World Perspectives requirement.

Note that courses below marked with an asterisk (*) have prerequisites that do not count toward the major.

SPM 100. Minds, Machines, and Morals.
This course provides an introduction to the central problems, concepts, and methods of cognitive science and moral psychology. We will analyze questions addressing the nature of intelligence, the relationship between minds and bodies, and the basis of moral beliefs and behaviors. These explorations will bridge the sciences and humanities by taking a fundamentally interdisciplinary perspective.     
Helm

PSY 300. Design and Statistics.
Descriptive and inferential statistics. Research design as reflected in statistical methods. Analysis of variance designs for independent groups and for repeated measurements. Statistical power and comparison techniques. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or BIO 101/110. Previously PSY 230.   
Bashaw, Batres, Roth, Ryan

PHI 250. Philosophy of Mind. (H)
A general introduction to the philosophy of mind, addressing four key philosophical issues: the nature of psychological explanation; the mind-body problem; the possibility of artificial intelligence; and the nature of persons. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or psychology or SPM.     
Helm

PHI 337. Philosophy of Natural Science. (H) (NSP)
No longer offered.  For now, this requirement can be met by taking either PSY 452: History and Philosophy of Psychology or PHI 273: Philosophy of Psychiatry.

SPM 499. Senior Research Seminar.
Intensive research and writing on a topic of the student’s choice. Permission of the instructor is required. Offered every Fall. Prerequisites: PHI 250 and PSY 230.    
Cuffari

1. Sciences

200. Integrative Biology. (N)
This course will examine how structure and function in multicellular organisms is integrated. We will explore how a single cell develops into the complex, integrated systems of an organism in which groups of differentiated cells perform specific tasks. We will study specialized cell functions in the context of organismal physiology, and including signaling, metabolism, and transport. Using diverse examples from multiple kingdoms, we will explore how tissues, organs, and organisms have adaptations optimized for their environments, in order to utilize resources and to maintain homeostasis despite environmental stresses. Prerequisites: BIO 101 and BIO 102. Offered every semester.    
Gotsch, Thompson

BIO 240. Neuroscience. (N)*
Principles of nervous system function from the molecular through the organ system level as illustrated by the vertebrates and invertebrates. Approximately one half of the course will cover basic cellular principles of nervous system organization, development and physiology. The remaining lectures will consider the role of functionally identified neural networks in behavior control. Prerequisite: BIO 220 or BFB/PSY 302. Offered every Spring. Same as BFB/PSY 240.    
Jinks

CPS 112. Computer Science II.*
A second course in computer science and computational thinking, focusing on data structures and advanced programming. Topics include implementation and applications of data structures such as stacks, queues, linked lists, trees and graphs. Also introduces performance analysis of algorithms. Has a required lab, but does not satisfy the Natural Science with Laboratory requirement.  Prerequisite: CPS 111.      
McDanel, Wilson, Weaver

CPS 367. Artificial Intelligence.*
An introduction to some of the core problems and key ideas in the field of artificial intelligence from a computational perspective. The course will focus on exploring various representational and algorithmic approaches to the problem of creating artificial agents that know things, can reason about the world, and that make good decisions. Key topics: heuristic search, adversarial search, reinforcement learning, constraint satisfaction, logical inference, probabilistic inference. Prerequisites: CPS 222 and CPS/MAT 237. Corequisite: MAT 216.          
Wilson

PSY 202. Developmental Psychology.
An examination of the relative contributions of nature and nurture on children's behavioral, cognitive, and perceptual development from the prenatal period through adolescence. Topics include the development of language, concepts, intelligence, socialization, motor abilities, and emotional understanding, with discussion informed by current and classic primary reading. Research activities and analyses integrated into course work. Prerequisite: PSY100, SPM 100, or a prior philosophy course. Previously PSY 304. (not offered in 2022-2023)    
Howard

PSY 203. Embodied Cognition. (NSP)
Embodied Cognition studies mind as the dynamic, adaptive, meaning-creating activity of bodies in environments. Surveying the foundations of this framework (e.g. ecological psychology, robotics, phenomenology, cognitive linguistics, and social interaction), we will explore the entangled evolutionary histories of agents, environments, and their transactions (including language). Through activities and discussions we will investigate how bodies being bodies together give rise to value, reasoning, action, and experience. Prerequisite: PSY100, SPM100, or a prior philosophy course. Previously PSY 312.    
Cuffari

PSY 305. Cognitive Psychology.
IIn this course we will ask how some familiar human behaviors—seeing, classifying, remembering, speaking, reasoning—are possible. We will learn how cognitive scientists go about answering these questions and what some of the classic answers are. The idea is both to introduce some key findings in cognitive psychology and to develop the skills to understand and critically evaluate cognitive psychology research. In addition to lectures, the course will include hands-on experiments and demonstrations; student presentations of individual journal articles; and debates about the broader implications of some cognitive psychology research. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100 or permission. Corequisite: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210. (not offered in 2022-2023)  
Howard, Iricinschi
 

PSY 309. Social Psychology.
This course involves the student in exploration of some of the basic topics in experimental approaches to social psychology, such as cognitive and motivational perspectives on social phenomena, the role of affect and emotion in social action and current uses of the concept of self. Issues explored in this context include self-affirmation processes, regulation of social action and the relationship between affect, cognition and action. Research activities and analyses integrated into coursework. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100. Corequisite: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210. (not offered in 2022-2023) 
Knowles

PSY 310. Conditioning and Learning.
An introduction to the process by which human and animal behavior changes as a function of experience. Examines basic mechanisms for learning (including habituation, sensitization and classical and operant conditioning) and explores the scientific and practical application of these mechanisms to explain and predict behavior. Discusses the extent to which learning mechanisms are consistent across species and how the physiology, natural environment and social systems of individual species interact with basic learning processes to produce different behavioral outcomes. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100. Corequisite: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210. Same as BFB 310.
Lacy

PSY/BIO 320. Animal Behavior with Lab. (N)
An integrative approach to animal behavior from the perspectives of ethology, behavioral ecology, and comparative psychology. The structure, function, development, and evolution of behavioral adaptations including orientation, foraging and predation, communication, social organization, and reproductive strategies. Observational and experimental research required. Outside class time to work on independent research project. Prerequisites: BIO 101/110 and permission of instructor.  Corequisite: either BIO 210 or PSY 300/230, or permission of the instructor. Same as BFB 320. Previously PSY 250.
Roth

PSY 351. Biopsychology with Lab. (N)
Behavioral and mental processes as viewed from a biological perspective with particular emphasis upon the role of neurochemical and endocrine factors in central nervous system function. Topics covered will include reproduction and gender, chemical senses and ingestion, emotion, learning, sleep and psychopathology. A neuropharmacological approach to the study of the nervous system will be emphasized.Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100 or BIO 101/110; and PSY 300/230 or BIO 210. Same as BFB351. Previously PSY302.     Roth

PSY 450. Cognitive Development. 
In a matter of months, a zygote goes from a collection of cells to a thinking, feeling, learning baby…who quickly goes on to be a walking, talking, problem-solving toddler…who soon after is a reading, writing, socially-aware child. It’s breathtaking! This advanced, discussion-focused seminar explores the foundations of cognitive processes and developmental mechanisms that underpin our fantastic human cognitive growth. As we survey major topics in cognitive development, our focus will be primarily on birth through early childhood, asking the question: How do infants and children make sense of the myriad people, ideas, and objects around them? Prerequisite: PSY 304 or PSY 305 or PSY 311.  (not offered in 2022-2023)   
Casler

PSY 452. History and Philosophy of Psychology. (N)
The historical origins of contemporary psychology in European philosophy, physiology and biology and  subsequent  development  of the schools of structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt, behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Emphasis on identifying the goals, implicit assumptions and potential contributions of scientific psychology. Prerequisite: Senior psychology major status or permission of instructor. Offered every Fall. Same as STS 452. 
Cuffari

PSY 453. Nature/Nurture. (NSP)
One of the most enduring disputes in the field of psychology concerns the degree to which psychological traits are learned or innate. Are genes or socialization responsible for heightened rates of aggression in men? How do biological and environmental factors interact to produce language? Is culture an evolved adaptation? Does it make any sense at all to partition the causes of thinking and behavior into “nature” and “nurture” – or is this a wholly false dichotomy? Throughout this course, we will draw upon cutting-edge research to evaluate a range of theoretical perspectives on the interplay of nature and nurture. We will also discuss the myriad sociopolitical ramifications of this fundamental debate. Prerequisites: PSY 230 and (PSY 301 or PSY 302 or PSY 303 or PSY 304 or PSY 305 or PSY 306 or PSY 307 or PSY 308 or PSY 309 or PSY 310 or PSY 311 or PSY 312 or PSY 313 or PSY 314 or PSY 315 or PSY 317 or  PSY 319).  (not offered in 2022-2023)
Rottman

PSY 460.  Collaborative Research: Advanced Quantitative Methods. (N)
An examination of complex univariate and multivariate statistical techniques as applied in the context of psychological research. The course will focus on techniques including complex analysis of variance, multivariate regression and correlation, factor analysis, and power and effect size. We will examine published research and conduct research projects to explore the relationship between hypotheses, experimental designs and these statistical techniques. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210 and one 300-level PSY course. (not offered in 2022-2023)
Bashaw

PSY 464. Evolution of Mind and Intelligence.
What is intelligent behavior, what is it for, and how did it evolve? We will attempt to answer these questions and understand the nature and development of Mind from a comparative perspective. We will do so by investigating learning, perception, memory, thinking, and language in animals and humans. Research activities and analyses integrated into course work. Prerequisites: BIO 210 or PSY 300/230; and BIO 336, BIO 337, PSY 203, PSY 311, or PSY 320. Previously PSY306.  (not offered in 2022-2023)

480. Collaborative Research: Animal Behavior and Models. (N, CR)
Students will work in teams to generate a research question, design a study, earn institutional ethics approval, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings on questions focused on non-human animals. Projects may aim to better understand the animals themselves or use animals as models for human behavior. Research areas within this collaborative course may include any aspect of animal behavior in the field or in the laboratory. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210; and  PSY 203/312, PSY 310, PSY 320/250, PSY 351/302, PSY 357/303, or PSY 464/306; or permission. Same as BFB/SPM 480. (not offered in 2022-2023)

482. Collaborative Research: Human Behavior Through a Social or Evolutionary Lens. (N, CR)
Students will work in research teams to generate a research question, design a study, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings. Research areas include experimental social psychology and/or evolutionary psychology. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 204/319, PSY 206/307, or PSY 309; or permission.  
Knowles, Staff

483. Collaborative Research: Human Cognition in Context. (N, CR)
Students will conduct experimental research to shed new light on the manifold manifestations of human cognition. This will involve an in-depth consideration of empirical and theoretical issues in cognitive science and cognitive psychology, including embodied and enactive approaches. Research topics will be chosen based on student interest. Techniques for designing, conducting, analyzing, and presenting empirical research will be discussed, practiced, and implemented. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 202/304, PSY 203/312, PSY 305, or PSY 311; or permission. 
Cuffari, Iricinschi

486. Collaborative Research: Human Physical and Mental Health. (N, CR)
Students will work in research teams to generate a research question, design a study, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings. Research areas include psychopathology, health psychology, public health, and/or community psychology. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Projects use a variety of methods - including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 205/317, PSY 208/308, or PSY 357/303; or permission.
Penn

2. Humanities

LIN 101. Introduction to Linguistics. (H)
Through course readings, class discussions, problem solving and group work, students will explore the core components of human language; speech sounds, word formation, sentence structure, and meaning. Provides numerous opportunities for students to use theoretical knowledge and apply it to analyzing the structure of other languages.            
Armstrong

LIN 120. Sociolinguistics. (H)
An exploration of the relationship between language, culture and society. Special attention will be paid to language variation (styling and codes, dialects, creoles and pidgins) and language in society (multilingualism, language prejudice, identities). Readings, films, discussions and group work will prepare students for field work.            
Armstrong

LIN/PSY 207. Psycholinguistics.
This course explores language in the mind and brain, including: How do children learn their first language(s) and why is it such a different experience for an adult to learn a language? What are language disorders? Is spoken language processed differently from written language? What about sign languages? Class will include discussions, presentations, and hands-on analysis of language data. Prerequisite: LIN 101 or PSY 100. Same as LIN 207. Previously PSY 340.
Cox 

PHI 236. Knowledge and Reality. (H) (ME)
This class is an advanced, but accessible, introduction to two central branches of philosophy: epistemology and metaphysics. Epistemology, loosely characterized, is the study of knowledge. Metaphysics, even more loosely characterized, is the study of the general features of reality. We’ll work through some of the central topics that fall under these two studies.            
Kroll

PHI 244. Symbolic Logic. (H)
Deductive reasoning, emphasizing primarily symbolic techniques; some discussion of issues in the philosophy of logic.        
Kroll

PHI 331. Free Will. (H)
An examination of contemporary theories concerning the nature of free choice. Special attention is given to the nature of moral responsibility and the relationship between free choice and determinism.   (not offered in 2022-2023)       
Kroll

PHI 335. Belief and Knowledge. (H)
Investigation of some issues in contemporary epistemology, including the competing analyses of the concept of justification, the case for skepticism, and the analysis of the concept of knowledge.  Prerequisite: One prior philosophy course or permission.   (not offered in 2022-2023)       

PHI 339. Philosophy of Language. (H)
Investigation, based on contemporary writings, of the diverse functions served by language, of its conceptual presuppositions, and of its relationships to other symbolic media. Prerequisite: One prior Philosophy course or permission.  (not offered in 2022-2023) 
Kroll

PHI 342. Rational Choice. (H)
An introduction to decision theory; topics include the rationality of the policy of nuclear deterrence, the rationality of pursuing self-interest in every situation, the impossibility of devising a democratic voting procedure, the irrationality of accepting all that is probable, and others. Less frequently offered. Fulfills the ME requirement for the Philosophy major. (not offered in 2022-2023)       
Ross

PHI 351. Mind-Body Problem. (H)
A philosophical examination of the apparently problematic relationship between the mind and the natural world. Prerequisite: One prior Philosophy course or permission.    
Helm

PHI 352. Philosophy of Emotions. (H)
Detailed philosophical investigation of the emotions, focusing on the implications the study of emotions has for the mind-body problem, the nature of consciousness and intentionality, and the nature of rationality. How are emotions related to other mental states like beliefs, desires, and bodily sensations? What distinctive contribution, if any, do the emotions make to our mental lives? Prerequisite: one prior Philosophy course.    (not offered in 2022-2023)       
Helm

PHI 353. Phenomenology and Cognitive Science. (H)
In-depth study of phenomenology, covering both its history and contemporary debates, and phenomenology-inspired research in cognitive science and psychology. Prerequisite: One prior Philosophy course and one prior Psychology course. Same as PSY 353.    
Käufer

3. TOPICS COURSES IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE EXPECTED TO BE OFFERED IN 2022-2023

• PHI 171. Better Reasoning.
• PHI 371. Philosophy of Psychiatry.

​See program chairperson for information on what major requirements particular special topics offerings satisfy.

1. Sciences

201. Cross-Cultural Psychology.
Cross-Cultural Psychology serves as an introduction to the relationships among cultural processes, human consciousness, human health and human development. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100.  Same as AFS 201. Previously PSY 315. 
Penn

PSY 202. Developmental Psychology.
An examination of the relative contributions of nature and nurture on children's behavioral, cognitive, and perceptual development from the prenatal period through adolescence. Topics include the development of language, concepts, intelligence, socialization, motor abilities, and emotional understanding, with discussion informed by current and classic primary reading. Research activities and analyses integrated into course work. Prerequisite: PSY100, SPM 100, or a prior philosophy course. Previously PSY 304. (not offered in 2022-2023)  
Howard  

205. Health Psychology.
This course explores the complex factors that affect human health, specifically examining how health and health-related behavior is influenced by the interrelationship of multiple environmental and individual factors ranging from individual personality to health policy.  This course also examines the fundamental principles and theories of Health Psychology and how theoretical and empirical findings are applied to improve the health of individuals and groups.  Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100 or BIO 101/110.  Same as PBH 205.  Previously PSY 317. (not offered in 2022-2023)
Abbott  

PSY 206. Personality Psychology.
This course provides an evaluative and comparative overview of major models of personality selected to illustrate psychodynamic, trait, cognitive, humanistic, physiological, and learning approaches. The course will emphasize the testability of the models and their connection with current research. Research activities and analyses integrated into course work. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100. Previously PSY 307. (not offered in 2022-2023)
Staff  

PSY 208. Psychopathology.
This course will serve as an introduction to descriptive and theoretical approaches to the study of psychopathology. In addition to the study of disease-related processes, special emphasis will be placed upon developing an understanding of those biological, psychological and social conditions that are essential for healthy psychosocial functioning across the life span. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100. Previously PSY 308.
Penn

PSY 309. Social Psychology.
This course involves the student in exploration of some of the basic topics in experimental approaches to social psychology, such as cognitive and motivational perspectives on social phenomena, the role of affect and emotion in social action and current uses of the concept of self. Issues explored in this context include self-affirmation processes, regulation of social action and the relationship between affect, cognition and action. Research activities and analyses integrated into coursework. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM 100. Corequisite: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210. (not offered in 2022-2023)  
Knowles

PSY 311. Origins of Moral Thought.
Moral values define us, unite us, and give meaning to our lives. How have we come to hold our particular moral convictions? We will examine this question on three different timescales: millennia (human evolution), centuries (cultural dynamics), and years (child development). Students will evaluate and synthesize insights from psychology, philosophy, biology, anthropology, economics, and history in order to understand the manifold origins of moral beliefs and behaviors, thus challenging existing values and cultivating improved abilities to create a better future. Prerequisite: PSY 100 or SPM100 or placement. Corequisite: PSY 300/230.     (not offered in 2022-2023)
Rottman

PSY 452. History and Philosophy of Psychology. (N)
The historical origins of contemporary psychology in European philosophy, physiology and biology and  subsequent  development  of the schools of structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt, behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Emphasis on identifying the goals, implicit assumptions and potential contributions of scientific psychology. Prerequisite: Senior psychology major status or permission of instructor.  Same as STS 452.
Cuffari         

PSY 460. Collaborative Research: Advanced Quantitative Methods. (N)
An examination of complex univariate and multivariate statistical techniques as applied in the context of psychological research. The course will focus on techniques including complex analysis of variance, multivariate regression and correlation, factor analysis, and power and effect size. We will examine published research and conduct research projects to explore the relationship between hypotheses, experimental designs and these statistical techniques. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210 and one 300-level PSY course. (not offered in 2022-2023)             
Bashaw

PSY 480. Collaborative Research: Animal Behavior and Models. (N)
Students will work in teams to generate a research question, design a study, earn institutional ethics approval, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings on questions focused on non-human animals. Projects may aim to better understand the animals themselves or use animals as models for human behavior. Research areas within this collaborative course may include any aspect of animal behavior in the field or in the laboratory. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230 or BIO 210; and  PSY 203/312, PSY 310, PSY 320/250, PSY 351/302, PSY 357/303, or PSY 464/306; or permission. Same as BFB/SPM 480. (not offered in 2022-2023)     Staff

PSY 482. Collaborative Research: Human Behavior Through a Social or Evolutionary Lens. (N)
Students will work in research teams to generate a research question, design a study, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings. Research areas include experimental social psychology and/or evolutionary psychology. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 204/319, PSY 206/307, or PSY 309; or permission.     
Knowles, Staff

483. Collaborative Research: Human Cognition in Context. (N)
Students will conduct experimental research to shed new light on the manifold manifestations of human cognition. This will involve an in-depth consideration of empirical and theoretical issues in cognitive science and cognitive psychology, including embodied and enactive approaches. Research topics will be chosen based on student interest. Techniques for designing, conducting, analyzing, and presenting empirical research will be discussed, practiced, and implemented. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 202/304, PSY 203/312, PSY 305, or PSY 311; or permission. 
Cuffari, Iricinschi

486. Collaborative Research: Human Physical and Mental Health. (N)
Students will work in research teams to generate a research question, design a study, collect and analyze data, and disseminate their findings. Research areas include psychopathology, health psychology, public health, and/or community psychology. Research topics will reflect student interest and the expertise of the course instructor. Projects use a variety of methods - including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Laboratory research required. Prerequisites: PSY 300/230; and PSY 201/315, PSY 205/317, PSY 208/308, or PSY 357/303; or permission.
Penn

SOC220. Social Psychology.*
Study of the relationship between self and society, as seen through sociological social psychology. Examination of the genesis of the social psychological framework in both psychology and sociology, and consideration of its applications within sociology today. Emphasis on symbolic interaction and related theories. Topics include the study of language and talk; the relationships between role, identity and self; sociology of emotions; socialization and the role of all of these in the creation, maintenance, and change of social structures. Prerequisite: SOC100.           
Cannon

SOC 301. History of Sociological Theory.*
A critical examination of the development of social thought from the Enlightenment to the early Twentieth Century. The main focus is on past attempts to explain the nature of capitalism and its attendant transformation of family, work, and community. In addition, the course probes the question of how shared ideals and divisive interests affect both the internal coherence of human society and the study of human society as well. Prerequisite: SOC100.     
Singer

SOC 320. Criminology.*
Surveys theoretical and empirical efforts to study crime, crime causation, and punishment. Special attention paid to the historical origins and development of notions of criminal responsibility, trial defenses, and the courtroom division of labor. Sociological, psychological, and biological explanations of criminal behavior are examined along with research attempts to study the development of delinquent and criminal careers. Prerequisite: SOC100.  (not offered in 2022-2023)              
Staff

SOC 480. Sociology of Law.*
Application of sociological theory and methodology to the study of law and its relationship to the social order. Examination of conditions under which nonlegal norms and values become reinforced within the legal institutions of a society. Topics covered include the role of law in social change, the interface of law and psychiatry, and the study of law as a profession. Prerequisite: SOC100 or permission of the instructor.   (not offered in 2022-2023)      
Staff

2. Humanities

GOV 241. Classical Political Theory. (H)
Examination of important texts in classical Greek and Roman political thought, including the writings of Plato, Aristotle, and other relevant authors. Explores how ancient political theory sheds lights on contemporary politics, including issues of democracy, citizenship, globalization, and international relations.                                 
Hammer

GOV 242. Modern Political Theory. (H)
Examination of the political theories of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, and one contemporary thinker, with emphasis on alternative views of the social contract, liberalism, and radicalism.                    
Datta

PHI 220. Moral Theory. (H)
A careful study of classic texts in moral philosophy, with an emphasis on questions about the foundations of ethics and the objectivity of moral judgement.  (not offered in 2022-2023)
Merli

PHI 319. 20th-Century Continental Philosophy. (H)
Close examination of emergence of modern phenomenology and hermeneutics. with particular attention to Heidegger’s Being and Time. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy or permission of the instructor.   (not offered in 2022-2023)          
Käufer

PHI 331. Free Will. (H)
An examination of contemporary theories concerning the nature of free choice. Special attention is given to the nature of moral responsibility and the relationship between free choice and determinism.  (not offered in 2022-2023)
Kroll

PHI 360. Concept of a Person. (H)
A careful examination of what it is to be a person, as an autonomous moral agent whose life can be meaningful and of what distinguishes persons from the “lower” animals. Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor.    
Helm

PHI 361. Moral Psychology. (H)
Moral psychology is the study of human moral agency. As such, it is constrained by, and must cohere with, the facts about human psychology; but its primary focus is on human good, an evaluative notion. Central questions include: What are reasons and what role do they play in action? What is character and how is it related to virtue? What is free will, can we have it and how do we best explain weakness of the will? Prerequisite: one prior course in philosophy, or permission of the instructor.  (not offered in 2022-2023)
Helm

PHI 362. Love and Friendship. (H)
Investigation of philosophical aspects of love and friendship, examining a variety of accounts of what they are as well as questions concerning their justification, their bearing on the autonomy and identity of the individual, and the place their value has within a broader system of the values, including moral values. Prerequisite: one prior Philosophy course.   (not offered in 2022-2023)   
Helm

PHI 363. Respect, Responsibility, and Ethics. (H)
Recently many philosophers have argued that certain interpersonal emotions, such as resentment, indignation, guilt, gratitude, and approbation, are fundamental to a host of interconnected issues in ethics, including the nature of respect, dignity, freedom and responsibility, and the origins of moral values. This class will closely examine these claims and arguments with the aim of understanding more clearly how moral psychology and metaethics intersect. (not offered in 2022-2023)  
Helm               

RST 384. Soul in Search of Selfhood: The Writings of St. Augustine. (H)
This course will be an intensive study of some of the major writings of Augustine with a view toward obtaining a basic understanding of the main lines of his thought on human existence, free will, justice, the state, and the nature of God. We will focus on his intellectual and spiritual struggles, his mature conceptions of the Christian religion, and his integration of the cultural achievements of Mediterranean antiquity into Christianity. The emphasis will be on understanding Augustine's individual life and thought against the background of his own culture and times.  (not offered in 2022-2023)              
Cooper

3. TOPICS COURSES IN MORAL PSYCHOLOGY EXPECTED TO BE OFFERED IN 2022-2023

• PHI 273. Philosophy of Psychiatry.
• PHI 373. End of Life Ethics.

See program chairperson for information on what major requirements particular special topics offerings satisfy.

Special Topics.
See program chairperson for information on what major requirements particular special topics offerings satisfy.

490. Independent Study.
Independent study directed by the SPM staff. Permission of the chairperson required.