West Texas A&M University: 1999-2000 Academic Year
Department of Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Gary Byrd, department head
Old Main, Room 432, 651-2590


Faculty: Beckley, Byrd, Fairchild, Harland, Johnson, Kunz, Picha, Ramakrishnan, Weimer.

    The  includes the disciplines of psychology, sociology and social work with majors in each area. Psychology's scientific study of behavior and mental processes includes application of psychological principles to human conditions. Sociology is the systematic study of human society and the influences of social systems on human behavior. The professional program in social work prepares students in helping individuals, groups and communities enhance or restore social functioning.
    Studies in behavioral sciences offer diverse perspectives to students who want to learn more about individual and group behavior. Fundamentals of the disciplines are stressed, and students learn the importance of developing problem-solving and research skills. They learn ways of relating to issues confronting individuals and society. Behavioral sciences provide relevant preparation for many different vocations. Graduate study and a career in psychology, sociology or social work may also be the ultimate objective.

 University Core Curriculum Requirements, 49 hours total
NOTE: Students majoring in agriculture are required to select from these courses to meet University Core Curriculum requirements.


Major in Psychology (Major Code: 119)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)/Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Requirements (May be either depending on option selected.)
NOTE: Psychology majors are urged to consult closely with departmental advisers regarding electives in the department. This is equally true for students planning to seek employment after earning baccalaureate degrees and for students planning graduate study in psychology.

Psychology Core Requirements

Required Courses from Other Departments Prerequisite for Advanced Work

Major in Social Work (Major Code: 131)
Students must take PSY 201, SOCI 201, BIOL 101 and 102 from core requirements.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)/Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Requirements
NOTE: The social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The principal educational objective of the program is to prepare students for employment as beginning, entry-level generalist practitioners. Preparation of students for graduate education is a secondary objective. Social work majors are urged to consult closely with program advisers to assure proper sequencing of courses and in selection of appropriate electives.

Social Work Requirements

Required Courses from Other Areas Criteria for Admission into Social Work Program
    All students registering as social work majors will be considered premajors before they are officially admitted into the social work program.
  1. Completion of the University's core curriculum courses, including BIOL 101 and 102.
  2. Completion of the three beginning-level social work courses, SOWK 201, 210 and 301. A student must have earned a grade of "C" or better in the above three courses.
  3. An overall cumulative grade point of 2.25.
  4. An application for admission to the social work program accompanied by at least two letters of reference from people who can attest to the student's desire and commitment to helping people.
  5. Filing of a degree plan with the dean, College of Education and Social Sciences.
Prerequisite for Advanced Work

Major in Sociology (Major Code: 122)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)/Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Requirements
NOTE: Sociology majors are urged to consult closely with departmental advisers regarding electives in the department. This is equally true for students planning to seek employment after earning baccalaureate degrees, for students planning graduate study in sociology and for students who are double majors in social work or criminal justice.

Sociology Core Requirements

Required Courses from Other Departments Prerequisite for Advanced Work

Course Descriptions

Psychology (PSY)
(Numbers in parentheses indicate semester, lecture and lab hours.)
[Courses in brackets indicate Texas Common Course Numbering System equivalents.]

 201. General Psychology [PSYC 2301]. Introduction to psychology as a science. (3 3 0)

 204. Human Development [PSYC 2314]. Psychological aspects of growth and development with emphasis on childhood. (3 3 0)

 210. Human Behavior and Personal Adjustment. Individual and social factors which influence behavior, emphasis on prevention of maladjustment. Same as SOWK 210. (3 3 0)

 290. Psychology Seminar. Selected high-interest topics in psychology with emphasis on recent advances, emerging trends and contemporary perspectives. May enroll up to three times when subject matter varies. (1 1-0 0-2)

 302. Social Psychology. Review of theories and research relating to individual behavior in the social environment. Same as SOCI 302. (3 3 0)

 304. Introduction to Statistics. Organization of data, measures of central tendency, variability and relationship. (3 3 0)

 305. Experimental Psychology. Prerequisite: 304. Experimental methods of psychology and use in study of psychological processes. (3 2 2)

 342. History and Systems of Psychology. Survey of history and major systems of psychology. (3 3 0)

 373. Physiological Psychology. Physiological mechanisms underlying basic psychological functions. (3 3 0)

 375. Psychology of Learning. Current research and issues on reinforcement, punishment, extinction, generalization, discrimination learning, transfer and retention. Concurrent human and animal laboratory exercises. (4 3 2)

 376. Cognitive Processes. Basic cognitive processes: attention, memory, concept formation, reasoning and information processing. (3 3 0)

 390. Psychology of Adolescence and Youth. Psychological growth and development from adolescence through early maturity. (3 3 0)

 395. Psychology of Adulthood. Theoretical and practical issues in adulthood, including aging and death. (3 3 0)

 398. Current Issues in Psychology. Topics such as psychology of religion, psychobiology, community psychology or behavioral medicine. May be repeated once for credit when subject matter varies. (3 3 0)

 423. Abnormal Psychology. Personality abnormalities; description, causation and treatment. (3 3 0)

 425. Theories of Personality. Major theories of personality development. (3 3 0)

 430. Psychology of the Emotionally Disturbed Child and Youth. Dynamics and management of emotionally disturbed children. (3 3 0)

 469. Introduction to Psychological Testing. Administration and interpretation of representative tests of mental ability, achievement, interests, aptitudes and personality. (3 2 2)

 477. Behavior Modification. Prerequisite: 375 or permission of instructor. Basic techniques and procedures of behavior analysis and modification. (3 3 0)

 480. Drugs and Behavior. Prerequisite: 201. Introduction to the field of psychopharmacology with emphasis on relationships between drugs, their mechanisms of action in the nervous system and human behavior. (3 3 0)

 488. Theories of Counseling. Major counseling theories and related techniques and introduction to current ethical and professional issues for the beginning human services worker. Same as SOWK 488. (3 3 0)

 490. Problems in Psychology. Prerequisite: 3.0 GPA in all work completed in psychology and approval of department head. Production of a creditable problem of research in a psychological field of value to the student. May be repeated with approval of instructor. (3 0-3 0-6)

 496. Practicum in Psychology. Prerequisite: 3.0 GPA in all work completed in psychology and approval of department head. Supervised field experience under person with background and primary training in psychology. May be repeated once with approval of instructor. (3 0 0)

Social Work (SOWK)
(Numbers in parentheses indicate semester, lecture and lab hours.)

 201. Introduction to Social Work. Survey and analysis of social welfare and the social work profession. Philosophy, history, fields of service, practice settings, professional roles, current issues and future directions of social work. (3 3 0)

 210. Human Behavior and Personal Adjustment. Individual and social factors which influence behavior. Emphasis on prevention of maladjustment. Same as PSY 210. (3 3 0)

 282. Practicum in Social Work. Prerequisite: 201, permission of instructor. Supervised volunteer experience in social agencies. Successful completion will be noted on student's record by a grade of "S," indicating hours credit with no grade points. Course is not a substitute for Field Instruction I or II. (3 0 0)

 297. Independent Study. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Individual study designed to meet needs and interests of the student. (1-3 0 0)

 301. Social Welfare: Structure and Process. Historical and social forces and their impact on the social welfare institution in the United States. (3 3 0)

 362. Statistics for the Social Sciences. Introduction to statistical techniques most commonly used in social sciences. Emphasis on nonparametric tests, correlation, sampling techniques and use of SPSS. Same as POSC 362, SOCI 362 and CJ 362. (3 3 0)

 380. Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Integrated understanding of processes which influence development of individuals through the life cycle. Enables understanding of people with problems as individuals, members of groups and members of communities. (3 3 0)

 381. Social Policy and Planning. Prerequisite: SOCI 212 or permission of instructor. Institutional nature of social welfare and its relationship to other institutions in society. Skills and tasks required in policy. (3 3 0)

 383. Social Work Methods. Prerequisite: 380, 381 or permission of instructor. Introduction to principles, values and methods of social work including social casework, case management, social group work and community organization. (3 3 0)

 384. Field Instruction I. Prerequisite or concurrent enrollment: 2.25 overall GPA, 383 and permission of instructor. Beginning experience in social agencies, under faculty supervision, involving direct practice activities of the social work student with individuals, groups and community. Successful completion will be noted on the student's record by a grade of "S" indicating hours credit with no grade points. May be repeated once with approval of instructor. (1-6 0 0)

 397. Independent Study. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Individual study designed to meet needs and interests of the student. (1-3 0 0)

 403. Social Services for Children and Families. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Child welfare service including historical perspective; supportive services such as family service and child-guidance clinics; supplementary services such as day care, homemaker and protective; substitute services such as foster-family adoption and child-care institutions. (3 3 0)

 405. Social Services and the Aging. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Survey of social and economic conditions of the aged in America; physical and mental aspects of aging; institutional care, governmental policies and social-service delivery systems. Same as SOCI 405. (3 3 0)

 408. Community Resources in Corrections. Introductory study of the role of the community in corrections, community programs for adults and juveniles, administration of community programs, legal issues and future trends in community treatment. Same as CJ 408. (3 3 0)

 410. Group Processes. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Understanding the nature of groups, process of group development and relevance of group work in different settings. Same as SOCI 410. (3 3 0)

 441. The Community. Prerequisite: SOCI 212 or permission of instructor. Community organizations and problems. Development of the community, its population and occupational structure, institutions and social values, and trends in American community development. Same as SOCI 441. (3 3 0)

 445. Health Care Policy and Planning. Comprehensive overview of major issues in health care practices and policy in the United States. Same as SOCI 445. (3 3 0)

 462. Social Research. Logic and techniques of social research. Relationship of social theory and method. Same as SOCI 462. (3 3 0)

 484. Field Instruction II. Prerequisite: 2.25 overall GPA, 383, 384 and permission of instructor. Fieldwork in social agencies under supervision as prescribed and arranged by the staff. Translation and extension of social work knowledge in professionally supervised practice with individuals, groups and communities. Successful completion will be noted on the student's record by a grade of "S" indicating hours credit with no grade points. May be repeated once with approval of department head. May be repeated once with approval of instructor. (1-6 0 0)

 488. Theories of Counseling. Survey of major counseling theories and related techniques and introduction to current ethical and professional issues for the beginning human services worker. Same as PSY 488. (3 3 0)

Sociology (SOCI)
(Numbers in parentheses indicate semester, lecture and lab hours.)
[Courses in brackets indicate Texas Common Course Numbering System equivalents.]

 201. Introduction to Sociology [SOCI 1301]. Fundamental concepts of sociology and introduction to analysis of social problems in both collective and individual aspects. (3 3 0)

 212. Social Problems [SOCI 1306]. General survey of major social trends and contemporary social problems in American society. (3 3 0)

 302. Social Psychology. Review of theories and research relating to individual behavior in the social environment. Same as PSY 302. (3 3 0)

 306. Penology. Corrections in the criminal justice system, organization of correctional systems, correctional roles, institutional operations, alternatives to institutionalization, treatment and rehabilitation, current and future issues. Same as CJ 306. (3 3 0)

 310. Prisons in America. Role and philosophy of imprisonment in both juvenile and adult corrections including special problems of inmate subculture. Same as CJ 310. (3 3 0)

 315. Women and the Criminal Justice System. Evolution and impact of women's participation in the justice system as victims, offenders and professionals. Same as CJ 315. (3 3 0)

 341. Public Opinion. Nature of public opinion, factors involved in its formation and measurement, techniques of modern propaganda and social controls influencing public-opinion formation. Same as POSC 341 and MC 341. (3 3 0)

 342. Juvenile Delinquency. Causes and manifestations of delinquency and the problem of the juvenile offender, agencies for delinquency adjustment, evaluation of penal methods. (3 3 0)

 362. Statistics for the Social Sciences. Introduction to statistical techniques most commonly used in social sciences. Emphasis on nonparametric tests, correlation, sampling techniques and use of SPSS. Same as POSC 362, SOWK 362 and CJ 362. (3 3 0)

 397. Independent Study. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Individual study designed to meet needs and interests of the student. (1-3 0 0)

 398. Current Issues in Sociology and Social Policy. Prerequisite: 201. Sociology of poverty, sociology of medicine, sociological foundations of social policy, sociology of education and sociological issues in addictive lifestyles. May be repeated once for credit when subject matter varies. (3 3 0)

 402. Criminology. Crime as a social problem, theories concerning the nature and causes of crime and treatment of the criminal, programs and facilities for crime prevention. (3 3 0)

 404. Community Corrections. Survey of origins, functioning and effectiveness of probation and parole with emphasis on the problem of pre-sentence/pre-release investigations and supervision. (3 3 0)

 405. Social Services and the Aging. Survey of social and economic conditions of the aged in America; physical and mental aspects of aging; institutional care, governmental policies and social service delivery systems. Same as SOWK 405. (3 3 0)

 410. Group Processes. Provides an understanding of the nature of groups, process of group development and relevance of group work in different settings. Same as SOWK 410. (3 3 0)

 411. Contemporary Families. Families as a social institution, changes in family structure and their impact on family members, family organization and disorganization, future of the family and home. (3 3 0)

 415. Population Studies and Trends. Prerequisite: 201. Population trends as reflected in census and other demographic studies, trends in the quantity and growth of populations, population changes as factors in society. (3 3 0)

 421. Racial and Cultural Minorities. Characteristics and distribution of ethnic and other culture minorities in modern societies; nature and causes of conflicts arising from group contacts and interaction; problems of minority adjustment and assimilation. (3 3 0)

 422. Social Classes in Modern Society. Incidence and characteristics of social-economic classes and status groups; forces which give rise to class groups and problems of mobility of individuals among them; patterns and process of conflicts and accommodation among classes; influence of social stratification on personality and group behavior. (3 3 0)

 425. Sociology of Gender Roles. Male and female gender roles in American society, evolution of gender roles, contemporary challenges to traditional roles in society. (3 3 0)

 430. Sociology of Education. Social origins of goals and curricula, theories of change and control, nature of achievement in education and educational policy. (3 3 0)

 441. The Community. Prerequisite: SOWK 201 or SOCI 212 or permission of instructor. Community organizations and problems. Development of the community, its population and occupational structure, institutions and social values, and trends in American community development. Same as SOWK 441. (3 3 0)

 445. Health Care Policy and Planning. Comprehensive overview of major issues in health care practices and policy in the United States. Same as SOWK 445. (3 3 0)

 451. Sociology of Religion. Nature of religious movements and the role of religion in society. (3 3 0)

 461. Sociological Theory. Basic concepts and theories of modern sociology and examination of assumptions which underlie them. (3 3 0)

 462. Social Research. Logic and techniques of social research. Relationship of social theory and method. Same as SOWK 462. (3 3 0)

 484. Practicum in Sociology. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Internship in social agencies, under supervision, as prescribed and arranged by the staff. Focus on translation and extension of sociological knowledge in professionally supervised practice with individuals, groups and communities. May be repeated once with approval of instructor. (1-6 0 0)

 485. Sociology of Law. Social control functions of law and legal institutions with attention to present-day legal procedures in civil, criminal, family and social welfare laws. (3 3 0)

 491. Readings and Research. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Directed individual and group readings and investigations in areas of sociology not covered in available courses. May be repeated once for credit with permission of instructor. (3 0 0)

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