This is an introduction to the science of human behavior and surveys topics including learning, motivation, physiological, personality, and abnormal psychology. This is basic to all succeeding courses in psychology. This is a three credit hour course.

This course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of Psychology and is a foundation for all succeeding Psychology courses. This course has transfer-ability to Universities and other colleges, but it is always advisable to check with the receiving four-year school.

Required:

Required: "Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications" by Nevid, Jeffrey S.
5th ed (2018) Cengage Learning

Suggested:

None

You can buy your books online at the NMJC Bookstore.

Students attending New Mexico Junior College will be evaluated according to the following grading scale:

						90 - 100%	=	A
						80 -  89%	=	B
						70 -  79%	=	C
						60 -  69%	=	D
					 	 0 -  59%	=	F

Students attending New Mexico Junior College will be evaluated according to the following grading scale:
Students can accumulate a total of 1000 points plus an extra 25 points for extra credit. Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A - 900 to 1000 points.
B - 800 to 899 points.
C - 700 to 799 points.
D - 600 to 699 points.
F - below 600 points.

The 1025 total points is based on the following:
7 Assignments @ 80 points each = 560 total points.
7 Discussion postings @ 20 points each = 140 total points. Mid-term exam @ 150 points. Final exam at 150 points. (There are no extensions on Exams). This equals 1000 points. An extra credit essay, worth 25 points is also available for those who find themselves needing the extra grade points. Students will have a choice of various assigned topics. To obtain your best grade make sure all work is submitted on time. Ten points will be deducted when assignments are submitted late.

Retrieving Grades from T-BirdWeb Portal
Go to the New Mexico Junior College T-BirdWeb Portal login page. Please enter your User Identification Number (ID), which is your Banner ID, and your Personal Identification Number (PIN). When finished, click Login.

Tips for Success in Online Courses:
1. Log in to class regularly.
2. Pay attention.
3. Take notes.
4. Keep up with readings and assignments.
5. Ask questions when you do not understand something.
6. Utilize your professor’s office hours and e-mail.
7. Read the text.
8. Adhere to the deadlines posted in the course outline.

New Mexico Junior College’s institutional student learning outcomes represent the knowledge and abilities developed by students attending New Mexico Junior College. Upon completion students should achieve the following learning outcomes along with specific curriculum outcomes for respective areas of study:

• Communication
• Comprehend information to summarize, analyze, evaluate, and apply to a specific situation.
• Communicate in an accurate, correct, and understandable manner.
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Define a problem and arrive at a logical solution.
• Use appropriate technology and information systems to collect, analyze, and organize information.
• Apply critical thinking, analysis, and problem solving to data.
• Self and Community
• Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and / or scientific issues.
• Communicate an awareness of a variety of perspectives of ethical issues.
• Interact with individuals and within groups with integrity and awareness of others’ opinions, feelings and values.

New Mexico Junior College’s Social/Behavioral Sciences Department endorses the core competencies as established by the State of New Mexico. Within our respective fields, as appropriate, students should

A. Identify, describe and explain human behaviors and how they are influenced by social structures, institutions, and processes within the contexts of complex and diverse communities.

B. Articulate how beliefs, assumptions, and values are influenced by factors such as politics, geography, economics, culture, biology, history, and social institutions.

C. Describe ongoing reciprocal interactions among self, society, and the environment.

D. Apply the knowledge base of the social and behavioral sciences to identify, describe, explain, and critically evaluate relevant issues, ethical dilemmas, and arguments.

Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:

1. List major developments in the history of psychology, including common modern perspectives of the field.

2. Explain common research methods used in psychology.

3. Explain the differences between physical, psychological, and social development across the lifespan.

4. Name and describe biological bases of behavior and mental processes.

5. Compare and contrast the explanations of the processes of sensation and perception.

6. Predict how altered states of consciousness in the areas of sleep, hypnosis, and drugs will affect a person’s behavior.

7. Explain common types of learning and how to apply them in real-world situations.

8. Identify the structure and processes of memory.

9. Predict what factors can improve or worsen memory.

10. Explain the differences between heuristics and algorithms in problem-solving.

11. Describe the elements of language.

12. Define intelligence and describe current controversies about the nature of intelligence.

13. Classify and describe common theories of motivation.

14. Explain common theories of emotion.

15. Recognize common sources of stress and how to apply coping strategies to maintain health and wellness.

16. Appraise major theories of personality.

17. Differentiate common psychological disorders from one another in real-life situations.

18. Categorize common psychological therapies from one another in real-life situations.

19. Describe and evaluate how social factors can affect behavior.

Student Requirements
If you have not already received login information for Canvas/T-BirdWeb Portal/E-mail, you will need to contact the Enrollment Management office at (575) 492-2546.

Check first-time login page for instructions at www.nmjc.edu/distancelearning/coursescourseschedules/canvasinstructions.aspx.

Canvas Assistance

• Review the Canvas Student Orientation.
• Call the Canvas helpdesk at (575) 399-2199 for assistance and have your course CRN (ex. 10023) and/or student ID number available.

You must have access, on a regular basis, to a computer that supports the Canvas minimum specifications and has an active connection to the Internet. See the minimum computer specification requirements at www.nmjc.edu/distancelearning/coursescourseschedules/Canvasinstructions.aspx.

1) Modules for each week contain 1. weekly lecture notes highlighting the issues of each chapter.
2. Discussion topics will be presented wither by video or by a specific question.
Students are responsible for discussing the topics on the discussion board. Every effort should be made to avoid grammatical errors and make your response clear. The student will make original posts and comments. The teacher will participate in and monitor discussions, replying to each individual student.
3. Assignments will cover two chapters each. Assignment questions will range from fill in the blank to multiple choice answers.

5) There will be two examinations. The first exam will consist of 25 questions (chapters 1 - 8. The second exam will consist of 25 questions on chapters 9 - 14. You will have 60 minutes to complete each exam. There are no extensions for exams. Details are provided by announcement and again when exam is opened.

6) An "extra credit" essay will be provided toward the end of the course. If students need the extra grade points (25) they will be able to choose from a variety of assigned topics.
The essay should show critical thinking on the student's part and knowledge of the chosen topic. Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a grade of 0. Use citations when indicated.


If you have special needs or require special accommodations you should apply in the office of the Special Needs Counselor located downstairs in the Student Center. You should also let your online instructor know.

All assignments due will be graded as soon as possible, usually within a 48 hour period. The teacher will usually respond to emails within a 24 hour period. If an immediate response is required students should contact the instructor by phone or call the Canvas 24 hour hotline.

Students will be held responsible for the information on these pages.

Academic Honesty
Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in online academic and professional matters. The College reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or otherwise fails to meet these standards. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other College records. Cheating or gaining illegal information for any type of graded work is considered dishonest and will be dealt with accordingly.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information
Any student requiring special accommodations should contact the Special Needs Student Services Coordinator at (575) 492-2576 or by e-mail at krueda@nmjc.edu.

Attendance Policy and Participation Expectations
It is expected that you regularly log into class at least three times weekly and check your Canvas mail to ensure you have not missed any changes/updates. Students are expected to complete discussions/quizzes/tests/ assignments before deadlines expire.

Canvas Help
If you experience difficulty with Canvas you may reach the Canvas Helpdesk at canvashelpdesk@nmjc.edu, or by calling the 24 hour helpdesk phone at (575) 399-2199.

Netiquette
The professor is responsible for monitoring and evaluating student conduct and student behavior within the Canvas course. By registering for this class, the student is assumed to have entered into an agreement with New Mexico Junior College and the professor to log into the class regularly and to behave in an appropriate manner at all times. Disruptive behavior may result in the student being removed from the class and dropped for the semester. For comprehensive information on the common rules of netiquette and other online issues, please review the NMJC Online Student Handbook.

Online Learning Environment
By participating in an online class, you undertake responsibility for your own progress and time management.

• Pay attention to deadlines and do not forget them (keep a calendar if it helps).
• Carefully read and understand all assignments.
• Complete assignments according to posted instructions and notes. Do not just glance at an assignment before attempting to complete it (this is likely to result in a poor grade).
• Questions may be posed for clarification in the class discussion area or by sending an e-mail to your instructor.

Plagiarism
Offering the work of another as one’s own, without proper acknowledgment, is plagiarism; therefore, any student who fails to give credit for quotations or essentially identical expression of material taken from books, encyclopedias, magazines and other reference works, or from the themes, reports, or other writings of a fellow student, is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism violates the academic honesty policy and is considered cheating.

Tutoring Assistance
Free tutoring services are available to all NMJC students through Brainfuse and the Academic Success Center located in Mansur Hall room 123 and 124.

Withdrawal Policy
The instructor has the right to drop any student who has failed to log on to Canvas for two weeks or more, but it is not guaranteed that the instructor will drop you. If the student chooses to stop attending a class, he/she should withdraw from the class by accessing your student account in the T-Bird Web Portal at www.nmjc.edu, or submitting the required paperwork to the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2018. Failure to withdraw yourself from a course by this date may result in your receiving an “F” in the course. All students are encouraged to discuss their class status with the professor prior to withdrawing from the class.