Course Descriptions

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 8. This course provides an introduction to the various systems of government used around the world. Students will compare the processes and institutions of both industrialized and underdeveloped nations and explore how cultures and histories have affected the development of those political systems.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 8. This course is an introduction to the field of global and international politics, with an emphasis on the history, structure and processes of global relations. Students will study the role of state and non-state actors such as nations, international conflict, war, global economic relations and international organizations.

Meets MnTC Goals 2 and 5. This course introduces methods and concepts used in the research process in the social sciences and related fields. Topics covered include the application of the scientific method to social and behavioral research, definitions and measurements of variables, research design, experiential methods and survey techniques. The use of literature reviews and the importance of critically evaluating research will be emphasized. Common descriptive and inferential statistics used in social science disciplines also will be introduced. This course is identical to SOC 2950 and PSYC 2950 and is cross-listed with both of those courses. Students may choose to enroll in the course with the prefix most appropriate to their transfer and career goals.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 2 and 5. This is an introductory course emphasizing practical applications of psycho-social concepts, with specific emphasis on personality development, human relations and motivation. This course is applicable for students in occupational and health-related fields or general education.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 9. This is a comprehensive introductory overview of psychology that studies human behavior and mental processes. Topics include (but are not limited to) research methods, the history of psychology, neuroscience and behavior, developmental psychology, sensation and perception, motivation and emotion, health psychology, learning and memory, personality, social psychology, psychopathology and treatments, and states of consciousness such as sleep and dreams.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and resources to enter practice as a Mental Health Behavioral Aide II. Students will achieve entry-level competencies in providing therapeutic and rehabilitative care for children and adolescents with emotional disturbances. This course is not an MnTC Goal Area 5 course and may not be used as a replacement for a Goal Area 5 course. This course is designed for students enrolled in the Mental Health Behavioral Aide II certificate program.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 5. This is a comprehensive introductory course to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Students will gain a general understanding of the history, etiology, characteristics and assessment of ASD. This course will highlight current research regarding neurodevelopmental issues in autism, the diagnostic criteria used to identify children with ASD, and collaborative and interdisciplinary models of service delivery that ensure family-centered and culturally-competent approaches to assessment and intervention.

This course will provide students with an introduction to the etiology, assessment and treatment of common behavioral and emotional health disorders in children and adolescents. The framework of developmental psychopathology will be used to examine how childhood psychopathology arises in different contexts and developmental transitions within the self, family, school, community and culture. Students will achieve entry-level competencies in providing therapeutic and rehabilitative care for children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional disturbances. In addition, this course will provide students with the knowledge and resources to enter practice as a mental health worker (e.g., mental health behavioral aide).

This course uses a holistic approach to understanding health and resiliency, exploring and emphasizing the substantive research and clinical evidence demonstrating how to strive for and attain mental and physical health. Students will explore concepts such as stress, personality, happiness, purpose and work-life balance. This course is beneficial for students across career fields such as education, fire, health and law enforcement.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 9. This course includes different aspects of health psychology, humanistic psychology and positive psychology with emphasis on the integration of psychological, biological and physical factors and the consequences for health and well-being. The course starts with the body's systems, psychological theories behind well-being and positive emotions, which are followed up by work methods and interventions to improve public health, well-being and a healthy work life. Gender and cultural perspectives will be considered throughout the course. Scientific methodology and the design for the study of positive psychology are also included in the course.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 5. This course is an introduction to the diagnosis, etiology and treatment of maladaptive behavior. The course will include historical and theoretical approaches, prevention and community resources.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 9. This course is a study of human development from the lifespan perspective, including theories, stages and influences of development. The course views the individual from conception to death through physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 5 and 7. This course is designed to cover the issues and themes current in the field of social psychology. Examples of such issues include relational and physical aggression; the role of technology in group relations; stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination; and how group identification influences thinking and behavior. A range of psychological theories and concepts will be examined and compared historically as well as across multiple social contexts.

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 2, 5 and 10. This course is an exploration of the scientific study of human behavior and its interrelatedness with the environment. This course describes and explains the acquisition, maintenance and change of behavior with an emphasis on human application within a variety of environmental contexts. This course uses critical thinking on the principles and procedures used to understand and change the environment and human behavior.

Meets MnTC Goal Area 5. This course examines historical and current theoretical perspectives of personality, including psychoanalytic, humanistic, behavioral/social-learning, cognitive, biological and trait theories. This course is designed to examine the methods involved in personality psychology research, the ways in which humans differ with regard to personality, the variables that influence personality and how personality might influence behavior, as well as the development and assessment of personality.