Behavioral Health Sciences courses

Explore current theories about adolescents’ physical, mental, emotional, social and personality characteristics—from the onset of puberty to the beginning of adulthood. By examining research findings from growth studies in this and other cultures, you learn…

Address questions of how the human brain and nervous system produce our range of behaviors—sensation, emotions, sleep and dreams, reproductive behavior, language and memory—as you explore brain-behavior relationships with an emphasis on clinical examples.…

In a time when prescription drugs and their uses are in the headlines, explore the range of medications used in mental health practice as well as recognize their side effects and interactions. What can medications offer in the treatment of depression,…

Develop knowledge of past and present theories of human development as they relate to individuals aged 18–29. Learn to identify key characteristics of the emerging adulthood stage of human development. Apply course material through introspection,…

Explore the legal and ethical issues that health care professionals and health advocates face as a natural part of the clinical practice process. Examine the principles that guide ethical practice, the ethical dilemmas that exist in a variety of settings, and…

Understand the role that nutrition plays in human health and development through topics such as digestion and metabolism; variations in caloric and nutrient needs and calculations; recording of diet and evaluation of macro- and micronutrient content in…

Study the life-span developmental approach to developmental psychology, which includes ecological/systems and person-in-context theory approaches. You’ll gain perspective on biological, physical, cognitive, emotional, linguistic, sociocultural and spiritual…

From work in the public policy sector to private relationships, having insight into and the understanding of normal and abnormal behavior is both useful and practical. Learn to recognize abnormal behavior when it occurs, understand what promotes it and then…

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. In a sense, each of us is a psychologist; we are curious, we explore our surroundings, we observe ourselves and others, and we try to understand and explain our behavior. Psychology is a unique science; it…

Study the properties of human cognition and the principles that govern how it works. Explore how the mind perceives information from the environment and where it goes from there. Course content includes a balance of classic and recent findings in core topics…

This course provides a foundational understanding of data analysis, probability, statistical reasoning, and quantitative decision-making in real-world applications. Students will learn core concepts including descriptive statistics, probability distributions,…

Hear from mental health professionals working in the field as you investigate the required training and review the various professional licensing options available. You’ll also explore multicultural issues and theoretical orientations. Through assignments,…

The health and behavioral sciences commonly use several statistical methods (linear regression, ANOVA, logistical regression, survival analysis and nonparametric methods) to study biological problems. Gain the statistical skills to read scientific articles in…

Bioethics is the study of issues (ethical, social and legal) that arise in biomedicine and biomedical research. Bioethics includes medical ethics, which focuses on issues in health care; research ethics, which focuses on issues in the conduct of research;…

This course offers an exploration of the foundational methods and principles critical for investigating and controlling disease patterns within populations. The curriculum covers advanced study designs and statistical techniques, data analysis, and the…

One of the biggest challenges facing most nonprofit agencies is either finding or retaining staff talent in the areas of fundraising and volunteer management. Most staff and volunteers working in nonprofits today are motivated by the opportunity to help meet…

This course serves as an introduction to issues related to the role cultural diversity plays in health care advocacy. You will learn how characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, language preferences, religion and socioeconomic status can affect…

Understand how physical health and illness relate to lifestyle and psychological factors. Explore the interaction between mind and body in more than a dozen diseases and disorders. Your course curriculum focuses on symptomatology, epidemiology, etiology,…

Neuropsychology is the study of brain-behavior relationships, with a primary goal to assess and interpret the relationship between central nervous system functioning, cognition, emotion and behavior, and then apply this knowledge to individualized…

Get an overview of the fundamental principles of the organization, function and development of the human nervous system, including neural development and diseases. Examine experimental approaches from anatomy to molecular biology, and critically evaluate…

Gain an understanding of the academic field of positive psychology, which is the study of optimal human functioning. Although psychologists have traditionally focused on fixing what is wrong with people by understanding the roots of suffering, positive…

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution of disease and health in human populations. Learn the basic principles of epidemiology, their application to specific public health situations and criteria for critically evaluating epidemiology studies. Discuss…

Develop the knowledge and skills to become an effective communicator in your personal life and workplace. During the course, you explore basic communication theory and learn practical communication skills. You pay particular attention to the influence of…

When we say that someone acts a certain way because of their personality, what does that mean? Personality psychology, in contrast to abnormal and clinical psychology, is the study of normal and exceptional personalities, their assessment and development, and…

Gain an understanding of the scientific methods behind psychological research, and how research in psychology is planned, carried out, communicated and critiqued. Learn methods of designing, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data using examples from a…

You’ve completed half of the curriculum in the Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions, and you’ve decided that graduate school is in your future. So how do you apply to the school of your dreams? In this career seminar, get an…

Examine processes that occur both within and outside ourselves as we interact with others in a complex social world. Some of the topics covered include social cognition, attitudes, impression formation, social influence, persuasion, conformity, obedience,…

This course will explore topics in the sociology of health, illness and medicine, including the social causes and consequences of health and illness. This course will include the relationship between society and health including ethics, social inequality,…