Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Mark Twain

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Barcelona F12 Course Offerings - Psychology


 PSYCH 1A – General Psychology
(3 units)                          (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade)
Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100, College Reading and Writing, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area D - Behavioral Sciences; CSU GE Area D - Social Science; IGETC Area 4 - Social & Behavioral Sciences
This is an introductory course in Psychology. Typical topics covered include elements of psychological process such as memory, sensation, perception, thinking and learning as well as an overview of brain function, various psychological disorders and treatments. This course would be taught through the lens of the study abroad experience, taking into account the culture, art, architecture and history of Spain and Western Europe. Students will be afforded the opportunity to learn experientially by applying the academic material covered in the classroom to their day to day lives. Field trips will be used to extend the classroom. Trips to churches, galleries and architectural sites will be followed by discussions that will consider the work in context and the impact of that work on the students. Personal reflection, through a weekly journal assignment will ask students to discuss their daily experiences of life and study abroad, the art and architecture, culture, history and religious traditions of the host country.

PSYCH 5 – Abnormal Psychology
 (3 units)                                                                       (Letter Grade)
Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100, College Reading and Writing, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area D - Behavioral Sciences; CSU GE Area D - Social Science; IGETC Area 4 - Social & Behavioral Sciences
This course looks at the nature of abnormal behavior and the various psychological disorders that are often the focus of treatment in the field of mental health. The course will look at abnormality through the study of artists and their works, the portrayal of mental illness through art and literature and explore the interplay between creativity and madness. Students will be asked to look at the lives and work of key cultural figures such as Cervantes, Goya and Dali and create psychological case studies as a way to put the classroom learning into action. In addition, through field trips as well as guest speakers, we will look at the mental health system of Spain, the theories, practices and treatments both historically and in current day and compare those to the system in the United States.

PSYCH 30 – Social Psychology
(3 units)                            (Pass/No Pass or Letter Grade)
Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100, College Reading and Writing, or equivalent
CSU/UC; AA/AS Area D - Behavioral Sciences; CSU GE Area D - Social Science; IGETC Area 4 - Social & Behavioral Sciences
This course looks at the interplay between the person and the social environment. Students will learn to identify how social, environmental, and cognitive factors shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Typical topics include: attraction, aggression, conformity, and pro-social behavior. Particular attention will be given to Spanish history and culture. Students will be asked to consider the impact of the Spanish culture, history and religious traditions on the behavior of its people. Because this class will be taught abroad, students will have the advantage of observing and testing theories learned in class in a foreign environment. In this sense, the community becomes the laboratory for the class. Through the use of a weekly written personal reflection, students will be expected to consider how their study abroad experience impacts them, how they grow and change in relation to their experiences. Field trips will be utilized to enhance the material learned in the classroom.

SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE
Instructor: Suzanne Maggio-Hucek
Suzanne Maggio-Hucek, LCSW, has been teaching Psychology at SRJC and Sonoma State University for five years. A licensed clinical social worker, she has worked in community organizations for more than 25 years. Suzanne earned her MSW from Sacramento State University and her BA in English literature from Boston College.
The granddaughter of Italian immigrants, Suzanne has travelled to Europe many times and spent her junior year abroad at the University of Exeter in England. It will be her pleasure to share with all of you her energy and expertise on location in Barcelona, Spain. One of the advantages of study abroad, she says, is the opportunity to put into practice many of the concepts learned in the classroom. Experiences such as learning a new language, trying a new food, finding one's way around an unfamiliar piazza (plaza) or interacting with new classmates all offer the student an opportunity to learn through doing, thereby creating an environment that has the potential for profound personal and academic growth. “Stretching beyond our comfort zone, far away from the safety and security of the familiar encourages us to challenge ourselves in new ways,” she explained. “Psychology is a field that offers us a window into that process; an opportunity to look at how we respond and why and a chance for us to get to know ourselves in a profound and life changing way.”


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