Student Learning Objectives

Psychology General Education Course (PSYC 1110: Introduction to Psychology): Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

The Department follows NM HED Area IV and UNM Area 4 Competencies for Social and Behavioral Sciences. Introduction to Psychology sets three goals for our students:

Students will demonstrate acquisition of both factual knowledge and the ability to conceptualize and apply this knowledge to their own behavior, to ways of interacting with others, and to their roles in culture and society.

  • SLO 1: Learning will be demonstrated by performance on multiple quizzes, tests, and exams that cover the basic issues in Psychology: methodology, neuroscience, sensation and perception, consciousness, learning, memory, thinking, language, intelligence, motivation and emotion, sexuality, gender and diversity, development, personality, stress and health, disorders, treatments, and social considerations.
  • SLO 2: Students will demonstrate their abilities to apply what they have learned regarding the basic issues in Psychology (see above) to factual, practical, theoretical, and philosophical issues by participating in lectures using student response devices (iClickers).
  • Addresses HED/UNM Area IV/4, Competencies 1, 2, 3, & 4

Students will understand and be able to apply principles of the scientific method and critical thinking.

  • SLO 1: Learning will be demonstrated by performance on multiple quizzes, tests, and exams that cover the basic issues in Psychology: methodology, neuroscience, sensation and perception, consciousness, learning, memory, thinking, language, intelligence, motivation and emotion, sexuality, gender and diversity, development, personality, stress and health, disorders, treatments, and social considerations.
  • SLO 2: Students will demonstrate their abilities to apply what they have learned regarding the scientific method and critical thinking to theoretical, philosophical, and practical issues by participating in lectures using student response devices (iClickers).
  • Addresses HED/UNM Area IV/4, Competencies 1, 2, 3, & 4

Students will be able to summarize and interpret scientific journal articles and explain how reported findings may affect themselves, as well as their communities, culture, and society.

  • SLO 1: Students will be graded on their ability to summarize, interpret, and comment upon scientific journal articles. (Alternatively, they will participate in the collection of psychology data by participating in ongoing research sponsored by the Department.)
  • Addresses HED/UNM Area IV/4, Competencies 3 & 4

Psychology Degree Programs: Student Learning Outcomes

B.A. Degree:

  • A.1. Students can identify how we become aware of ourselves, how we learn to interact with others, and how we influence others and how they influence us.
  • B.1. Students can identify how psychologists study human behavior and how this knowledge can be used to explain, predict, and influence behavior.
  • C.1. Students identify and critically evaluate psychological research methods.
  • C.2. Students analyze empirical data.
  • C.3. Students assess the significance and importance of research reports.
  • D.1. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a written format.

B.S. Degree:

  • A.1. Students can identify how we become aware of ourselves, how we learn to interact with others, and how we influence others and how they influence us.
  • B.1. Students can identify how psychologists study human behavior and how this knowledge can be used to explain, predict, and influence behavior.
  • C.1. Students identify and critically evaluate psychological research methods.
  • C.2. Students acquire and analyze empirical data.
  • C.3. Students assess the significance and importance of research reports.
  • D.1. Students communicate clearly and effectively in a written format.