Course Syllabus

Teaching and Learning form the mission of Bethany College

Systematic Psychology
Psychology 415

Credit hours: 3
Grading: ABCDF
Class meeting time(s): MWF 1:00 – 1:50pm
Prerequisite Course(s): Senior Status
LAC/Gen Ed designation: WI

If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development. -
Aristotle

Instructor(s): Diane Snyder

Contact Information: dsnyder@bethanywv.edu
412-916-1509
Office Location: 305 – Kirkpatrick Hall
Office Hours: M 3-4pm
T 12-2pm
W 3-4pm
Th 12-2pm

All office hours will be virtual. Virtual office hours are hosted via Zoom. My Zoom
meeting link is https://zoom.us/j/3123344795

Course Description (catalogue): This course is an examination of the systematic

positions and theories that have been important in the history of psychology. Major
figures holding each position are also discussed.

Rationale: This course serves an integrating function, organizing what one has learned
in previous psychology courses into a better conceptual understanding. As such, few
courses, if any, can offer as much as the history of psychology course can in terms of
an increased awareness of the roots of contemporary psychology. Indeed, the history
course offers the best foundation for understanding the present. Further, the history of
psychology course can teach us many lessons such as the continuity of ideas, the role
of the Zeitgeist in history, and the existence of psychology in the broader contexts of
science and society. In addition to an appreciation of our past and an understanding of

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Teaching and Learning form the mission of Bethany College

the present, you should learn some humility for your own views and increase your
tolerance for the views of others.

Course Delivery Mode and Structure: Course will be administered through Canvas.
We will meet virtually through Zoom 2 days a week, and there will be online activities 1
day a week.

Course Communication Plan: Communication will be managed through Canvas,

email, and Zoom. You are expected to check your Bethany email frequently for course
communication and updates. Be sure to check course announcements on Canvas.

Technical Requirements:

This course uses Canvas for the facilitation of communications between faculty and
students, submission of assignments, and posting of grades. The Canvas course site
can be accessed at https://bethanywv.instructure.com. Your Bethany College
username and password are used to access the system.

You are responsible for having a reliable computer and internet connection throughout
the term. Caution! You will be at a disadvantage if you attempt to complete all
coursework on a smartphone or tablet. It may not be possible to submit the files
required for your homework assignments.

The following list details a minimum recommended computer set-up and the software
packages you will need to have access to, and be able to use:

Feature Laptop
Screen Size 15” or smaller or portability
Operating System Windows 10 or Max OSX or higher
recommended; Windows 7 not
recommended
Base Memory 4 GB – minimum
8 GG – recommended
Hard Drive Storage 128 GB - minimum
256 GB - recommended
Optical Drive Optional
Network/Wireless 802.11 ac Wave 2 or 802.11ax
wireless – both connect at the 802.11
ac Wave 1 level, Ethernet port

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Mic and Camera Built-in microphone and webcam

Students should be able to use email, a word processor, spreadsheet program and
presentation software to complete this course successfully. All students have access to
Office 365 with their Bethany username and password. Students are reminded that
sharing their credentials with others or using the credentials assigned to others to
prepare or submit work, attend online classes, or view grades and assignments is a
violation of the student code of conduct as well as academic rules. Each student should
keep their password to Bethany’s services confidential. [Edit as needed for specific
courses.]

Technical Assistance:
If you need technical assistance with access to email, Self-Service, Canvas, or Office
365, you can submit a help request to hdesk@bethanywv.edu.

If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem
within Canvas (i.e. submitting an assignment, taking a quiz, etc.), you can submit a help
request to canvashelp@bethanywv.edu.

Learning Outcomes and Assessments

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course you will:
1. Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives,
empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2. Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research
design, data analysis, and interpretation
3. Use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and, when possible, the
scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
4. Apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.
5. Value empirical evidence, tolerate ambiguity, and act ethically, and reflect other
values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a science.

How to Succeed in this Course:

The learning process in this course will follow a lecture/reading/discussion/writing

format. The course contains a considerable amount of material and includes a strong
emphasis on group discussion and class participation. Because of this format, it is very
essential that you keep up with the reading and come to class well prepared for each

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session. Readings. Read the appropriate sections of your chapters before you come to
class, so that you are prepared to write and think about the material. After class, review
the chapter sections for what you don't know. Write down questions about information
you don't understand and ask those questions in the next class or via email.

Assignments and Expectations:

Writing Assignments:

This course fulfills your upper division writing intensive requirement. As such, there are
significant writing assignments in the course:

Biography Paper
You will be asked to prepare a paper on an important figure in psychology’s history This
paper will be at least 2000 words (approx..8 pages) long and not more than 12 pages.
This paper will be prepared in stages:
• Stage 1: Tutorial on APA style. (5 points) Your paper will need to be in APA style
and thus it will be of benefit to have a basic understanding of APA style. You will be
required to go through the tutorial. The link is available on Canvas.
• Stage 2: A one to two sentence description of your topic. All topics must be
approved before you can proceed to the next step. You will need to find a topic and
submit it in Canvas.
• Stage 3: A detailed outline of your paper and a list of references. This outline will
contain explanations of the different sections of your paper. You will also provide a
complete list of 5 sources you will be using.
• Stage 4: First draft. Submit the first draft of your paper. This draft will undergo peer
revision. This draft is worth 50 pts.
• Stage 5: The final draft of your paper. This will be submitted on the due date noted
in the Course Schedule below. Score will be based on the rubric on Canvas.

Other Voices Paper:

As was the case in American history, during the development of psychology, women
and minorities were restricted from educational opportunities. Yet, despite these
setbacks, women and minorities had an important place in the development of the
science of psychology. For this assignment you will choose an underrepresented group
and discuss their influence in the field of psychology. Some examples of
underrepresented groups include: women, people of color, and the

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gay/lesbian/transgender community. You must include 3 different people to represent

your chosen group, provide biographical information on those people, and discuss their
contributions to the field of psychology. You are to examine and analyze the historical
context in which this group has influenced psychology. Consider larger social issues
such as the civil rights movement, and the women’s movement, the Vietnam War, and
how those may have shaped psychology.

This paper will be at least 2000 words (approx..8 pages) long and not more than 12
pages. This paper will be prepared in stages:
• Stage 1: A one to two sentence description of your topic. All topics must be
approved before you can proceed to the next step. You will need to find a topic and
submit it in Canvas.
• Stage 2: A detailed outline of your paper and a list of references. This outline will
contain explanations of the different sections of your paper. You will also provide a
complete list of 5 sources you will be using.
• Stage 3: First draft. Submit the first draft of your paper. This draft will undergo peer
revision. This draft is worth 50 pts.
• Stage 4: The final draft of your paper. This will be submitted on the due date noted
in the Course Schedule below. Score will be based on the rubric on Canvas.

Presentation:

Each student will prepare a 10 – 15 minute powerpoint presentation and present in

class. You may choose the topic of either paper as your presentation topic. You may
work with a partner on your presentation. Score will be based upon the rubric available
on Canvas. Everyone is strongly encouraged to consider submitting their presentation
to the Scholarship Symposium that will happen in April.

Exams:

There will be both a midterm and final exam in the course. Exams will consist of a
combination of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Each exam will
cover all the assigned readings in the course, even if the readings were not
discussed in class. A study guide will be posted on Canvas one week before the
exam.

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Online Activities:

There will be online activities to complete. This mostly involves writing a brief reaction
to videos that you watch.

Attendance, Grading, and Late Work Policy

The course grade will be determined as follows:

1). Biography Paper 150 points

2.) Other Voices Paper 150 points
3). Presentation 100 points
4). Midterm Exam 100 points
5) Final Exam 100 points
6) Online Activities (20 points each) 140 points

Late Work Policy:

Late materials will be penalized 10% per day late.

Online Learning Plan for Distance Delivery

This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be a mixture of Zoom
classroom sessions with Canvas activities. This will not change, even if the College
goes entirely online.

Academic Honesty
Each student in this course is expected to abide by the Bethany College Policy on
Academic Honesty (see College Catalogue section on Academic Honesty). Any work
submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work.

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Behavioral Expectations, Classroom Etiquette

It is expected that students attend class regularly, meet deadlines, and communicate
with respect.

Title IX Disclosure

Your instructor is a mandated reporter of suspected discrimination. Please do not share

anything regarding sexual harassment or discrimination if you wish to keep it expressly

confidential. Please see the College’s Title IX policy in Volume VII of the Policy Manual.
A hard copy can be obtained in the Office of Student Life, or an electronic copy can be
found on the College’s website (http://www.bethanywv.edu/students/title-ix/).

Accommodations for students with disabilities

It is my goal to create a learning experience that is as accessible as possible for all
students. If you anticipate any issues related to the format, materials, or requirements of
this course, please meet with me outside of class time to discuss potential options. If
you are a student with a disability, or think you might have a disability, you are welcome
to begin a conversation with Heather A. Taylor, Director of the McCann Learning Center
(htaylor@bethanywv.edu). Ms. Taylor works with students with disabilities and
instructors to identify reasonable accommodations. If you have already been approved
for accommodations through the McCann Learning Center and have your
accommodation letter, please meet with me so we can develop a plan of
implementation. All discussions will remain confidential.

Anti-Racism Pledge

As a member of the Bethany College faculty, I pledge to continually work to be anti-

racist, to be an active ally for and create safe spaces for my BIPOC students,
colleagues, and community members.

Drop/Add and Withdrawing from the Course

It is the student’s responsibility to understand when they need to consider dropping (first
week of courses) or withdrawing (second week to prior to final) from a course. Refer to
the Bethany College Academic Calendar for dates and deadlines: Bethany College
Calendar.

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Incomplete Policy
Under emergency/special circumstances, students may petition for an incomplete
grade. Circumstances must be documented and significant enough to merit an
incomplete. If you need to request an incomplete for this course, contact the instructor
for approval as far in advance as possible.

Course Materials and Copyright Statement

Course material accessed from the Bethany College Canvas site is for the exclusive
use of students who are currently enrolled in the course. Content from these courses
cannot be reused or distributed without written permission of the instructor and/or the
copyright holder. Duplication of materials protected by copyright, without permission of
the copyright holder is a violation of the Federal copyright law.

COVID-19 Statement

Bethany College has established specific requirements to create a safe in-person

learning environment for all students, faculty, and staff. My role as an instructor is to
ensure that these requirements are followed to support equal opportunities for learning
and respectful treatment of all individuals present in an instructional area. Anyone who
does not comply with these requirements will not be permitted to enter or will be asked
to leave any in-person instructional area. The ramifications for not following these
expectations as stated in Bethany College’s COVID-19 Policy
(www.bethanywv.edu/student-life/health-wellness) are as listed below.

• First Violation: written warning and education sanction

• Second Violation: loss of housing and, when possible, continued education at
home with forfeiture of housing cost.

Requirements:
1. Before class
a. Complete a daily self-check of your temperature and any new or different
COVID-19 symptoms and report this information using the designated
Canvas monitored by the Student Health Center. Any student who has a
temperature of 100.4 °F (37.8 °C) or higher, or has one or more symptoms of
COVID-19 should stay in their residence and contact the Health Center. Please
inform your instructor by email prior to the beginning of class if your screening
indicates that you need further evaluation and that you will not be able to attend
in-person class.

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b. Hand hygiene – All members of the Bethany community should regularly wash
their hands with soap and water, or use a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and also avoid eating until you are
sure that your hands are properly cleaned.
2. During class
a. Face masks - Cloth face masks (multiple layers of material recommended) that
completely cover your nose and mouth are required in public campus spaces and
instructional areas to reduce the transmission of viruses from person to person
through the air. If you have obtained permission to not wear a face covering, the
wristband bracelet must be clearly visible when entering an instructional space and a
face shield is recommended.
b. Social distancing – Social distancing (keep at least 6 ft. away from others) is
required in public campus spaces and instructional areas. Social distancing reduces
the risk that viruses will transmit through the air or by direct contact between people.
Certain laboratory or studio experiences may require brief periods of contact where
6 ft. of distance cannot be maintained, but these interactions should be made as
minimal and infrequent as possible.
3. After class
a. Maintain hygiene – All members of the Bethany community should regularly
wash their hands with soap and water, or use a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and also avoid eating until you are sure
that your hands are properly cleaned.
b. Disinfect your space – Ensure that your workspace and belongings (desk, face
mask, phone, keyboard, etc.) are properly cleaned using a disinfecting wipe, soap
and water, or other CDC-recommended disinfectant as appropriate.

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Course Schedule:

Date Topic Text Assignment

Week 1
Aug. 17, 19, 21 Introduction Chapter 1
Aug. 21 Discussion 1 Due
APA Tutorial Due

Week 2
Aug. 24, 26 Ancient World/Rome Chapters 2,3
Aug. 28 Online Discussion 2 Due
Paper Topic Due
Week 3
Aug. 31, Sept. 2 Renaissance/Empiricism Chapters 4, 5
Sept . 4 Online Discussion 3 Due

Week 4
Sept. 7, 9 Rationalism/Existentialism Chapters 6, 7
Sept. 11 Paper Outline Due
Week 5
Sept. 14, 16 Early Approaches Chapter 9
Sept. 18 Online Discussion 4 Due

Week 6
Sept. 21, 23, 25 Evolution/American Psych Chapters 10, 11
Sept. 25 First Draft Due

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Week 7
Sept. 28, 30 Peer Reviews/Exam Review
F Oct. 2 Midterm Exam (Chs 1-11)

Week 8
Oct. 5, 7, 9 Behaviorism Chapters 12 & 13
Oct. 9 Biography Paper Due

Week 9
Oct. 12, 14 Gestalt Chapter 14
Oct. 16 Online Discussion 5 Due

Week 10
Oct. 19, 21 Mental Illness Chapter 15
Oct. 23 Online Paper Topic Due
Discussion 6 Due
Week 11
Oct. 26, 28, 30 Psychoanalysis Chapters 16
Oct. 30 Paper Outline Due

Week 12
Nov. 2, 4 Humanistic Chapter 17
Nov. 6 Online First Draft Due
Discussion 7 Due
Week 13

Nov. 9, 11, 13 Peer Reviews/Presentations

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Week 14
Nov. 16, 18, 20 Presentations

Week 15

Wednesday, Nov. 25 10am FINAL EXAM/FINAL PAPER DUE

Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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