Health Psychology (old)

Health Psychology (old)

  1. Course Title: Health Psychology
  2. Course Prefix/Number: PSYC 348
  3. Credit Hours: Three (3)
  4. Prerequisites: None
  5. Catalog Description :This course will explore the psychological influences on how people stay healthy, why they become ill, and how they respond when they do become ill. Topics include the links between stress and immune system function and disease, psychological factors that mediate reactions to stress, and behaviors that endanger health.
  6. Curricular Relationships:
    This course is offered to satisfy general education transfer requirements for many U.S. degree programs.
  7. Student Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course students will have:
    • The history of health psychology, as well as recent trends and future directions
    • How biological and psychological functioning interact to influence one’s mental and physical health. Especially Stress, its impact on the human body, and methods people use to cope with stress
    • The theoretical models that are used to understand and explain psychological influences on health.
    • How the field of Health Psychology is tied to many other fields within Psychology, and research methods used by Health Psychologists to examine influences on health.
  8. Content Outline:
    Week
    Topic
    Reading (Chapter)
    Week 1
    		 Topic 1: Introduction to Health Psychology,
    Health Research and Seeking Health care    		 Ch 1 to 3
    Week 2
    		 Tutorial – Chapter 1-3
    Week 3
    		 Topic 2: Medical Advice, Defining Stress, and Understanding Stress and Disease Ch 4 to 6
    Week 4
    		 Tutorial –Chapters 4-6
    Week 5
    		 Topic 3: Pain, Managing Stress & Pain, and Cardiovascular Disease Ch 7 to 9
    Week 6
    		 Tutorial –Chapters 7-9
    Week 7
    		 MidTerm Exam Ch 1-9
    Week 8
    		 Topic 4: Cancer, Chronic Illness, and Preventing Injuries Ch 10 to 12
    Week 9
    		 Tutorial – Chapters 10-12
    Week 10
    		 Topic 5: Smoking Tobacco, and Alcohol and Other Drugs Ch 13 to 14
    Week 11
    		 Tutorial – Chapters 13-14
    Week 12
    		 Topic 6: Eating & Weight, Exercising and Future Challenges Ch 15 to 17
    Week 13
    		 Tutorial – Chapters 15-17
    Week 14
    		 Final Exam Ch 10-17

     

  9. Course Procedures:Grading Scale: Your letter grade in this course will be determined by calculating your score on all assignments and exams as a percentage of the total possible score, on a standard grading scale:
    Your Letter Grade Your Score as % of Total
    A 90–100
    B 80-89
    C 70-79
    D 60-69
    F 0-59

    Students under the Associate Degree and Degree program will be required to attain at least a grade ‘C’.

    Assignments 40%

    There will be 6 assignments. The student is required to answer a series of short answer questions, taken from the text, and turn them into the instructor, in typed form, the following week. 100 points for each assignment and 40% of total grade.

    Assignment (Essay) 20%

    Students are also required to turn in an essay assignment. Please see Appendix A for instructions on the assignment to be submitted.

    Exams 40%

    There is mid-term (20%) and final exams (20%), consisting of essay questions and short answer questions. The exam will be based on material covered in the textbook readings and lecture notes.

  10. Required Readings:Health Psychology – An Introduction to Behavior and Health, 6th Edition, Linda Brannon, Jess Feist

    Textbook is required. The instructor will, however, refer to many sources, including other textbooks and references during the course.

  11. Any Issues Unique to this Course: N/A
  12. Additional Issues of the Department’s Choosing: N/A
  13. Syllabus Statement Regarding Course Adaptations or Accommodations: Refer to Coursework Policies
  14. Academic Conduct

    Intellectual honesty is essential to the success of the course and your studies in general. Plagiarism and any other kind of cheating will not be tolerated. If you have any questions about what is allowed and what is not allowed under the Academic Conduct policy, rather than guess please consult with the instructor or check the school catalog.
    As a student in this class, you acknowledge:

    Your responsibility for abiding by the Academic Conduct policies;
    Understand the policies apply to both individual and group assignments; and
    Your understanding of academic dishonesty and the penalties for academic dishonesty.