American University College of Arts & Sciences

About the School

The College of Arts and Sciences at American University offers you a challenging liberal arts education within a vibrant and diverse community of students from all 50 states and 150 countries. The College of Arts and Sciences faculty includes nationally and internationally noted artists, scholars, and teachers committed to innovative approaches to instruction and excellence in research and creative endeavors. Every year, world leaders, distinguished scholars from other institutions, and well-known practitioners in their fields come to campus to encourage open debate on current issues and to expose students to cutting-edge developments in their fields. Whether you choose an established undergraduate major or field of graduate study or design your own interdisciplinary degree, you will engage in serious intellectual inquiry in the classroom. You will benefit from the wide range of internships and community service activities in the arts, education, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences in Washington, D.C., and have the opportunity—on your own or in collaboration with a member of the faculty—to participate in research and creative endeavors as well as in the many clubs, student activities, and service organizations on the AU campus. Your experiences inside and outside of the classroom will create the broad vision and understanding you will need to be successful in your future career and to become an educated and responsible citizen of the world.

Curriculum

Clinical Psychology

PSYC-502 History and Systems of Psychology (3)
PSYC-550 Psychological Research (3)
PSYC-551 Psychopathology: Theory and Research (3)
PSYC-618 Principles of Neuropsychological Assessment (3) or assessment course approved by the department
PSYC-630 Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice (3)
PSYC-633 Psychological Assessment I (3)
PSYC-652 Assessment of Intellectual Function and Personality (3)
PSYC-680 Experiential Psychotherapy Practicum I (3)
PSYC-681 Experiential Psychotherapy Practicum II (3)
PSYC-710 Behavior Therapy Practicum (3)
PSYC-791 Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Practicum I (3)
PSYC-792 Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Practicum II (3)
One course in Biological Bases of Behavior from the following:
PSYC-501 Physiological Psychology (3)

PSYC-513 Neuropharmacology: The Biochemistry of Behavior (3)

PSYC-518 Advanced Human Neuropsychology

One course in Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior from the following:
PSYC-530 Conditioning and Learning (3)

PSYC-575 Advanced Memory and Cognition (3)

One course in Individual Bases of Behavior from the following:
PSYC-505 Advanced Personality Psychology (3)

PSYC-560 Advanced Child Psychology (3)

One course in Social Bases of Behavior from the following:
PSYC-521 Ethnic and Minority Issues (3)

PSYC-540 Advanced Social Psychology (3)

PSYC-545 Psychology of Sex Differences (3)

6 credit hours from the following:
PSYC-798 Doctoral Dissertation Seminar (3)

PSYC-799 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1–9)

6 credit hours of statistics
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Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience

6 credit hours of PSYC-598 Neuroscience Seminar (3)
18 credit hours from the following:
PSYC-501 Physiological Psychology (3)

PSYC-513 Neuropharmacology (3)

PSYC-518 Advanced Human Neuropsychology (3)

PSYC-530 Conditioning and Learning (3)

PSYC-551 Psychopathology: Theory and Research (3)

PSYC-560 Advanced Child Psychology (3)

PSYC-575 Advanced Memory and Cognition (3)

PSYC-618 Principles of Neuropsychological Assessment (3)

Other courses focusing in the neurosciences may be taken with approval of the student’s advisor and the Graduate Curriculum Committee.

6 credit hours from the following:
PSYC-798 Doctoral Dissertation Seminar (3)

PSYC-799 Doctoral Dissertation Research (1–9)

6 credit hours of statistics
12 credit hours of electives
24 credit hours of lab research

Facilities