This course provides a general overview to the concepts and theories of psychology. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing how psychology operates in the real world and learning how to think critically about Psychology. Classical approaches will be tied in with current research to provide a holistic understanding of human behaviors.
After completing this course, students will be able to:
Students will engage with the course concepts via Discussions and Weekly Papers. The final assessment will include a proctored exam.
Weekly Paper Topics:
Week 1: Thinking Critically About Psychology
Week 2: How Social Media Affects the Brain
Week 3: Application of Lifespan Development Theories
Week 4: How Stress Leads to Negative Health Outcomes
Week 5: Applying Social Psychology – Create an Anti-Vaping Campaign
Week 6: Applying Personality Theory – Criminal Analysis
Week 7: Diagnosing a Mental Disorder
Week 8: Treating Mental Illness
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Week | Assignment | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Introduction Discussion | 3 |
1 | Discussion - What is psychology and how is it used? | 4 |
1 | Paper: Thinking Critically About Psychology | 6 |
2 | Discussion - what is consciousness? | 4 |
2 | Brain Function Worksheet | 4 |
2 | Paper: How Social Media Affects the Brain | 6 |
3 | Discussion -What are the impacts of social media? | 4 |
3 | Paper: Application of Lifespan Development Theories | 6 |
4 | Discussion - Hierarchy of needs | 4 |
4 | How Stress Leads to Negative Health Outcomes | 6 |
5 | Discussion - How does the presence of others influence behaviors? | 4 |
5 | Applying Social Psychology - Create an Anti-Vaping Campaign | 6 |
6 | Discussion - Personality tests | 4 |
6 | Paper: Applying Personality Theory | 6 |
7 | Discussion - Explanations of mental illness | 4 |
7 | Paper: Diagnosing a Mental Illness | 6 |
8 | Discussion - Self-reflection | 4 |
8 | Paper: Treating Mental Illness | 6 |
8 | Final Exam | 13 |
TOTAL | 100 |
Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Week | Topic | Assignments | Due Dates |
1 | What is Psychology? |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
2 | Biology of Behaviors and the Conscious Mind |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper and worksheet are due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
3 | Developmental Psychology and Learning |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
4 | Emotions, Motivation, and Stress |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
5 | Social Psychology |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
6 | Psychology of Personality |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
7 | Mental Disorders |
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Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
8 | Treatment for Mental Illness |
|
Initial Discussion Post: Saturday 11:59pm ET Response Posts: Tuesday 11:59pm ET Paper is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET Final Exam is due Tuesday 11:59pm ET |
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies. Questions? Email: prehealth@une.edu.
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
Your student service advisor monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you - they will monitor course progression and provide assistance or guidance when needed. Please don’t hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, course materials, billing, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Submit your student support request.
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
The Student Lounge Discussion Forum is a designated support forum in which students may engage with each other and grapple with course content. Feel free to post questions, seek clarification, and support each other, but be mindful of UNE's Academic Integrity Policy.
Your instructor will monitor this forum. However, if you are seeking specific and timely answers to questions about course content or your personal grades, please contact your instructor via course messages. For questions about course materials, program policy, and how to navigate and proceed through the course, please contact your Student Service Advisor through the Student Portal.
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted. Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded. Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Your course may have proctored exams. Please see your course for full details, access, testing requirements, and guidelines.
Students must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
Students will receive two attempts at all proctored examinations. The higher score of the two attempts will be calculated into the final grade.
All students are encouraged to use a second attempt on their exams in order to improve their overall performance in the course.
Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.
Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 8 weeks.
Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact PreHealth@une.edu with any questions.
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. Contact support with any questions.
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.
Your course may have proctored exams. Please see your course for full details, access, testing requirements, and guidelines.
Students must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
Students will receive two attempts at all proctored examinations. The higher score of the two attempts will be calculated into the final grade.
All students are encouraged to use a second attempt on their exams in order to improve their overall performance in the course.
Discussion topics cover events or materials related to this course that contribute to a deeper understanding of key concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates and the instructor. Each discussion topic may require you to conduct internet research, read additional materials, visit a specific webpage, AND/OR view a short video before writing a response following the specific guidelines in the discussion topic prompt.
To earn full credit you will need to post a response to the discussion topic, respond to the original posts of other students, and then contribute meaningfully to an ongoing discussion. You may need to post your initial response before you will see any posts from your classmates. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.
Please see Brightspace for a full description, along with specific guidelines, for each discussion topic. Discussion board assignments should be completed, along with all other assignments in the course, in the order that they appear. Due to the course design, you may be unable to take a proctored exam if you do not complete all assignments that appear prior to that exam.
Please also refer to the Grading Policy/Grade Breakdown section of the syllabus to learn the percentage of your grade that each discussion is worth.
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus. This is, however a self-paced course and you can complete the course in less time.
Please visit the enrollment page to review the withdrawal and refund policies.
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. View the incomplete grade policy..
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.
Generative AI (GenAI) applications (like ChatGPT) have proven to be powerful and effective tools, and students are encouraged to become familiar with and use them. However, as with any tool, students must use GenAI in ways that support learning, not replace it. Learning to use AI responsibly and ethically is an important skill in today’s society.
In their courses, students are not allowed to use advanced automated tools, such as generative AI tools, on assignments unless explicitly directed to do so. Each student is expected to complete each assignment, including labs and quizzes as applicable, without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools.
Using AI-content generators to complete assignments without proper attribution violates academic integrity. By submitting assignments in UNE courses, you pledge to affirm that they are your own work and you attribute use of any and all tools and sources.
Unauthorized use of AI is treated as a violation of academic integrity.
If permitted, students should indicate and cite any use of AI tools.
Instructors should clearly reiterate, using UNE Online’s Policy, how students can use AI tools in their courses, and communicate this policy to students at the beginning of the semester.
Students must follow the academic integrity policy of the University of New England.