Psychology is a science that seeks to understand behavior and mental processes and a profession that applies empirical knowledge to improve the lives of people. It is a broad discipline. Psychologists study the intersection of two critical relationships: one between brain function and behavior, and one between the environment and behavior. Because it is a scientific discipline, psychologists follow scientific methods, using careful observation, experimentation, and analysis. In 2002, the Psychology Department voted to adopt the recommendations for Goals and Objectives for the Undergraduate Psychology Major developed by the Education Directorate of the American Psychological Association. These became the goals for the Psychology Major at ISU. The grid listed below provides a map between these goals and specific 300-level courses offered by the Psychology Department at Illinois State University.

Objectives	Courses
1. Theory and Content of Psychology	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
1.1 Use the concepts, language, and major theories of the discipline	x	x	x	x	x	x		x	x
1.2 Explain the major perspectives of psychology: behavioral, biological, cognitive, humanistic, evolutionary, psychodynamic, and sociocultural	x	x	x	x	x	x
1.3 Describe psychology in relation to other disciplines or interdisciplinary fields of study		x	x	x	x	x
1.4 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding in theory and research in learning and cognition, individual differences, biological bases of behavior, and developmental changes; the history of psychology; overarching themes in psychology; applications of psychology; APA Code of Ethics	x	x			x	x				x
2. Research Methods	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
2.1 Explain different research methods used by psychologists	x	x	x		x	x		x	x
2.2 Evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions presented in psychological research	x	x	x	x		x		x		x
2.3 Design basic studies to address psychological questions using qualitative and quantitative research methods									x
2.4 Execute appropriate ethical safeguards in the treatment of human and nonhuman participants in the design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of psychological research			x					x	x	x
2.5 Generalize research results appropriately	x	x	x					x	x	x
3. Application of Psychology	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
3.1 Describe the major applied areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, industrial, school, forensic, human factors, health, etc.)		x	x		x
3.2 Explain how psychological theories and principles relate to everyday life	x	x	x			x		x
3.3 Articulate how psychological principles can be applied to public policy issues	x	x	x		x	x
3.4 Generate socioculturally appropriate solutions to problems or issues encountered in real-world settings		x	x			x
3.5 Recognize that ethically complex situations can develop in applications of psychology and pursue resolutions of ethical conflicts that reflect personal integrity	x		x					x	x
3.6 Transfer knowledge from classroom learning and research findings to applied situations	x	x	x	x					x	x
4. Values in Psychology	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
4.1 Recognize the necessity for ethical behavior in all aspects of the science and practice of psychology	x	x	x		x			x	x
4.2 Demonstrate reasonable skepticism and intellectual curiosity by asking questions about causes of behavior	x	x	x	x		x		x	x
4.3 Seek scientific evidence to evaluate behavioral claims	x	x	x					x	x
4.4 Adopt psychological explanations as a foundation for understanding and problem solving	x	x	x			x		x	x
4.5 Tolerate ambiguity and assume behavioral explanations will be complex	x	x	x		x	x		x	x
4.6 Recognize and respect sociocultural diversity	x	x	x	x		x			x	x
4.7 Engage actively in service learning activities to promote health and human welfare in specific contexts (e.g., family, local community, state, national, and international settings)
5. Career Planning and Development	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
5.1 Apply knowledge of psychology (e.g., decision strategies, life span process, types of psychological careers) to formulating career choices
5.2 Distinguish types of academic experience and performance that will facilitate entry into the work force, post-baccalaureate education, or both			x			x
5.3 Define preferred career paths based on accurate self-assessment of abilities, achievement, motivation, and work habits
5.4 Develop skills and experiences relevant to achieving selected career objectives								x
5.5 Demonstrate understanding of the importance to career development and professional growth of pursuing lifelong learning and maintaining currency in one's field			x
6. Information Competence, Technology, and Computers	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
6.1 Demonstrate information competence at each stage in the following processes: formulate a researchable topic; develop a keyword search strategy, restating it in narrower or broader terms as needed; identify relevant sources of information; locate appropriate sources by searching electronic and/or traditional databases; differentiate between and judge the value of primary versus secondary sources, empirical versus non-empirical sources, and peer-reviewed versus nonpeer-reviewed sources; read and comprehend psychological literature; evaluate the appearance, appropriateness, accuracy, quality, value, and potential bias of identified sources; select sources from several media, including data and perspectives outside traditional psychology and Western boundaries					x			x
6.2 Organize and report information by using appropriate software to produce understandable reports of the psychological literature, methods, and statistical and qualitative analyses in APA or other appropriate style, including graphic representations of data								x
6.3 Use information and technology ethically and responsibly			x					x
6.4 Demonstrate computer skills: creating files; using word processing, database and data analysis programs; search the World Wide Web; use e-mail, incorporate emerging technologies into existing practices						x		x
7. Critical and Creative Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem Solving	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
7.1 Use critical thinking effectively	x	x	x		x	x		x	x
7.2 Engage in creative thinking		x	x			x		x	x
7.3 Use reasoning to recognize, develop, defend, and criticize arguments and other persuasive appeals	x	x	x		x	x		x
7.4 Approach problems effectively		x	x					x	x
8. Sociocultural and International Awareness	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
8.1 Work and communicate effectively and sensitively with people from diverse backgrounds and multicultural perspectives
8.2 Examine the major sociocultural components that have influenced individuals' identities	x	x				x
8.3 Explain how individual identities influence beliefs, values, and interactions with others and vice versa	x	x	x			x
8.4 Relate how privilege, power, and oppression affect prejudice, discrimination, and inequity		x		x	x	x
8.5 Recognize prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior in themselves and other				x
9. Communication Skills	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
9.1 Demonstrate effective writing skills in various formats (e.g., essays, correspondence, technical papers) and for various purposes	x		x	x	x	x		x	x	x
9.2 Demonstrate effective oral communication skills in various formats and for various purposes				x	x			x	x
9.3 Interpret and construct graphs, tables, images, maps, and so on								x	x	x
9.4 Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills				x				x
10. Personal Development and Relationship Building	301	302	303	305	320	326	327	331	333	334
10.1 Reflect on experience and find meaning in it
10.2 Demonstrate the application of psychological principles to promote self-improvement
10.3 Demonstrate appropriate, effective relationships with others in diverse settings, such as work, family, and other social environments
10.4 Assess their personal and professional development with respect to civic, social, and global responsibilities and engagements				x
10.5 Display high standards of personal integrity to promote trust with peers and colleagues				x