Career and
Professional Perspectives in Psychology
Spring 2007
Mondays
Instructor: Dr. Kelly Charlton
Office: 323 Education Center
Phone: 521-6459
e-mail: kelly.Charlton@uncp.edu (this is the best way to reach me)
Home Page: www.uncp.edu/home/charlton
Office Hours: TR
Text: Kuther, T. L. (2006).
The psychology major’s handbook (2nd ed.).
Recommended Text if you are
thinking about graduate study: Keith-Spiegal, P. & Wiederman, M.
W. (2000). The complete guide to
graduate school admission: Psychology,
counseling, and related professions (2nd ed.).
Course Objectives (from the 06-07
course catalog)
“This course is intended for majors and will examine
psychology as a discipline and a profession. Students will be introduced to
career options in psychology at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level.
Strategies for job searches and graduate school admission will be
discussed.”
POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS
Exams:
There will be two exams during this course. They will be all multiple choice questions
and will cover the text and lecture.
Individual Projects:
You will receive a list of possible individual projects that
you may choose from. Each project is
worth 5 points and you will be required to choose 5 of them. I’ll provide a handout with the individual
project possibilities. Your projects
will be turned in at the end of the semester in a portfolio. All projects should be typed,
any handwritten project will not be graded. Though these are due at the end of
the semester, don’t wait until the end of the semester complete them!
Group Presentations:
Throughout the semester we’ll have presentations to class by different groups, as noted on the course calendar. I’ll randomly assign people to small groups of 2 or 3. I’ll provide a handout with a list of possible group projects, additionally if you’d like to do a group activitiy other than what I provide, just clear it with me at least 2 weeks in advance of your presentation day. A tangible product must be turned in as part of the activity (this may include the handout(s) you are required to provide to your classmates). Whatever format your group project takes when at all possible it should be related to the readings given on the day you present.
Portfolio:
Throughout the course you’ll complete assignments related to
a career in psychology. You’ll be
expected to keep these assignments in a portfolio that you’ll turn in on the
last day of class. In addition, you’ll
be required to keep any other materials that we use in the course for use in
the portfolio. In addition to the
individual projects, you should also have a section for notes that you’ve taken
and other materials that you’ve collected throughout the semester. Essentially, your portfolio should be a well
organized package of materials that you will be able to use as a reference in the
future (throwing all your notes and handouts haphazardly into a folder is
inadequate). Points will be allocated
for usefulness, neatness and completeness.
Attendance and participation:
I will take attendance in this course, you are expected to be here and participate. Your attendance/participation points will be based on the percentage of class meetings you attend and whether or not you bring the small assignments listed in the course schedule. The best way to learn this information is to talk about it, think about it, and ask questions. Exam material may come from both the book and/or from lecture and activities in class and if you are not in class you may miss vital information.
Grading:
The points in the class will be allocated
Attendance/participation 25 total possible
Exam 1 15 points
Exam 2 15 points
Group presentation 10 points
Individual
projects 25 points
Completed
Portfolio 10 points
Total Points Possible 100
Your letter grade will be assigned according to the percent of total points you earn in the class:
A = 93 - 100% B- = 80 - 82% D+ = 67 - 69%
A- = 90 - 92% C+ = 77 - 79% D = 63 - 66%
B+ = 87 - 89% C = 73 - 76% D- = 60 - 62%
B = 83 - 86% C- = 70 - 72% F = 0 - 59%
Timeliness and Make-up Exams:
Here’s the deal, and read this carefully. You can take ONE make up if you missed an exam. It doesn’t matter why you missed, could be you were abducted by aliens, could be you had a bad hair day, but you get one make up. All make-up exams will take place during the final time.
Your portfolios are due at the beginning of the class on the due date listed in the course schedule. Extensions for the portfolios will not be given. Instead, portfolios received after the due date will have 2 points deducted for each day it is late (this means that after 5 days the portfolio itself will have no point value remaining, though the individual projects would).
Handouts for your presentation are due on your presentation day.
Ethics:
Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to looking at someone's exam during a test, looking at notes during the test, turning in someone else's work as your own, or plagiarizing from a printed article (this means that copying information from the internet is plagiarism). If you are in doubt about whether a behavior you intend to do will be viewed as suspicious, talk to me before you do it. You should read further about the Academic Honor Code and the consequences of academic dishonesty in UNCP's Student Handbook.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first class week) as possible. All discussion will remain confidential. Sometimes note takers are needed to assist students with disabilities. Students who are interested in serving as paid note takers in any course should contact the Office for ADA Services as soon as possible. The syllabus is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services, DF Lowry Building, 521-6695
Cell Phone
Policy:
Unfortunately it seems I must make a policy specifically to cover the use of cell phones in the classroom. While I shouldn’t have to do it, here goes: Folks, turn off and put your cell phones away while in class, don’t play on them, txt message on them, talk on them, or even glance their way. The world will continue to exist if you don’t return a txt message in 10 seconds flat. If the world does get sucked into a black hole because you’ve put away your cell, your friend probably used their last seconds before being sucked into the black oblivion, into which you will soon follow, to attempt to warn you of your impending doom. Then, the text message will cease to matter, so will your phone. (disclaimer: if you have a legitimate reason to have a cell phone on in class just let me know).
Course Calendar
Date Topic What to read What
to turn in or do
1/8 Welcome
1/15
1/22 Introduction to the Psychology Major Chapters 1 and 2
1/29 Organizational
day Meet with groups
pick topic & day
2/5 Active role in education Chapter 3 Group present
2/12 Study tips Chapter 4 Group present
**Bring
your favorite study tip to share with classmates
2/19 Writing a literature review Chapter 5 Group present
**Bring
a copy of the first two pages from any article you find in a Psychology Journal
2/26 Exam 1 (Chapters 1-5) Take the exam
**Spring Break**
3/12 Writing an empirical paper Chapter 6 Group present
3/19 What can you do with a Bachelor’s? Chapter 7 Group present
3/26 Guest Speaker
4/2 What can you do with a graduate degree? Chapter 8 and 9 Group present
4/9 Guest Speaker – UNCP Service Agency Program
4/16 Applying to Graduate School Chapter 10 Group present
**On
this day you should find one application to graduate school of your choosing
online, print it out and bring it to class to share what they ask for with your
classmates.
4/23 Exam 2 (Chapters 6-10) Take the exam
Turn in Portfolios
5/2 11:00am (regularly scheduled final time) Make-up exams / Pick up Portfolios
**Note:
The calendar is subject to change.
(in terms of the exact dates we cover specific
topics and the chapters on exams).
However, you may consider the exam dates to be quite firm (the only time
we would change an exam date is if the university is officially closed. In this case, the exam would take place on
the next regularly scheduled class period).