The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Butler University

PO386, Black Political Thought: Students
will develop a historical understanding of
political thought that is reflective of the black
experience. We will explore black political
theorists of Africa, America and other contexts
of the African diaspora. (U/G)(3). Occasionally.
PO400, 401, 402, Independent Study: Offers
the qualified student of political science the
opportunity to pursue a topic of individual
interest. Open only to seniors, by permission
of the instructor. (U)(1, 2 or 3). As needed.
PO403, 404, 405, Internship: Offers the
qualified student the opportunity for supervised
work experience in a setting pertinent to political
science. Prerequisite: Permission of the department
chairman. (U)(2, 3, or 6). Fall and spring.
PO407, 408, 409. Student Apprenticeship in
Political Science: Students work with faculty
mentors on their teaching or their research. In
teaching apprenticeships, students work with
the professor in the development and discussion
of the classroom experience. In research apprenticeships,
students work with a faculty mentor
on his or her current research. Prerequisites:
Junior standing, two courses in political science.
By application only. (U)(1, 2 or 3). As needed.
PO490, Seminar in Political Science: A
particular subject in political science will be
studied each semester. Writing intensive.
Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission
of the instructor. (U/G)(3). Every semester.
PO499. Honors Thesis: (U)(3). As needed.
Psychology Department
Administration
Kathryn A. Morris, Ph.D., department chair
Professors
John Neil Bohannon III, Ph.D.; Robert H. I.
Dale, Ph.D.; Kathryn A. Morris, Ph.D.
Associate Professors
Tara T. Lineweaver, Ph.D.; Joel Martin, Ph.D.;
Robert J. Padgett, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors
R. Brian Giesler, Ph.D.; Amanda C. Gingerich,
Ph.D.; Alison L. O’Malley, Ph.D.
cognition as established by scientific methods.
Students majoring in psychology study the core
content areas of psychology in preparation for
graduate study and later professional pursuits
in psychology or related fields.
Why Study Psychology at Butler?
Students in our program develop an understanding
of psychological science through
instruction in the classroom and hands-on participation
in research projects. The classroom
portion of the curriculum is structured so that
students first receive a general overview of the
topics and methods in psychology, followed by
a more thorough exploration of specific content
areas. We emphasize a broad and stable base
of content; every psychology major studies the
same basic core of psychology. Further, each
psychology student has the opportunity to add
depth to that knowledge by studying particular
content areas more specific to his or her interests.
Participation in student-faculty collaborative
research is the hallmark of our program. We
encourage students to become involved in
research projects with one or more professors
during their undergraduate years. Research
involvement is structured so that students
evolve from apprentices to collaborators by
taking progressively greater responsibility for
the design and execution of psychological
research projects. Some students complete an
Honors Thesis, a year-long research project.
They routinely make presentations at the Butler
Undergraduate Research Conference and at
national professional meetings such as the
annual convention of the Association for
Psychological Science.
Students benefit from participating in
student-faculty collaborative research in several
ways. They have the opportunity to apply the
concepts, theories and ideas learned in the
classroom. They also learn how to think like
psychologists and how to conduct scientific
research. No amount of reading about psychology
or listening to instructors can replace the
experience of conducting research in behavioral
science.
Because a career as a professional psychologist
requires a graduate degree, the knowledge and
skills students acquire through coursework and
research experience in our program prepare
them for graduate study. About one-third of
our students attend graduate school immediately
after completing our program. Another third
Why Study Psychology?
The goal of an undergraduate psychology
program is to introduce students to knowledge
of the principles of emotion, behavior and
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The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences