Mar 29, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2020-2021 
    
USC Catalogue 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Psychology


Return to: USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences  

The Department of Psychology has five topical areas: 1) Brain and Cognitive Science focuses on understanding cognition, motivation, decision-making, computational modeling, emotion, and perception in terms of the underlying brain processes and manifested behaviors. Faculty work at the confluence of psychology, biology and neuroscience. 2) Clinical Science applies scientific theories and methods to examine psychosocial issues associated with significant societal problems including alcohol abuse, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, early identification of psychosis, family environments and risk and resilience in youth, bullying and peer victimization. Specialization is available in clinical-aging, child and family clinical, and adult clinical. 3) Developmental Psychology studies change in human behavior, cognition, language, neurological structure and emotions across the lifespan from childhood through early adulthood. 4) Quantitative Methods provides training in basic and advanced research methods and statistics used in psychometrics and measurement, longitudinal data analysis, behavior genetics modeling decision making, and methods for analyzing multivariate data. 5) Social Psychology studies the thoughts, feeling and actions of individuals as they are influenced by other individuals and by groups.

The department also participates in the Dornsife College’s interdisciplinary program in Neuroscience.

Research is integral to psychology; it enables the faculty to make contributions in the field and to be more effective teachers. Undergraduate students are encouraged to work with members of the faculty on research projects. The most direct way for students to participate in research is to enroll in a directed research course (PSYC 290  or PSYC 490 ), but it is also possible to take part in ongoing research in less formal ways. Further options for research training also includes the honors program for psychology majors. The department now offers two MS programs in Applied Psychology (MAPP) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Seeley G. Mudd Building 501
(213) 740-2203
FAX: (213) 746-9082
dornsife.usc.edu/psyc

Chair: Antoine Bechara, PhD

Faculty

University Professor and David Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology, Neurology and Philosophy: Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD

University Professor and Dana Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology and Neurology: Hanna Damasio, MD

University Professor and ARCO/William F. Kieschnick Chair in the Neurobiology of Aging and Professor of Gerontology, Psychology, Biological Sciences and Anthropology: Caleb E. Finch, PhD (Gerontology)

University Professor and Milo Don and Lucille Appleman Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Biological Sciences and Psychology: Larry W. Swanson, PhD (Biological Sciences)

Distinguished Professor and Orrin B. Evans Professor of Law and Professor of Law and Psychology: Elyn R. Saks, JD (Law)

Provost Professor of Psychology: Norbert Schwarz, PhD

Provost Professor of Psychology and Business: Wendy Wood, PhD

Dean’s Professor of Psychology and Professor of Psychology, Education and Communication: Daphna Oyserman, PhD

W.M. Keck Chair in Neurogentics and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology: Pat Levitt, PhD (Cell and Neurobiology)

Harold Dornsife Chair in Neurosciences and Professor of Psychology and Computer Science: Irving Biederman, PhD

Niki and Max Nikias Chair in Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Linguistics, Psychology, Neuroscience, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: Shrikanth (Shri) Narayanan, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Mendel Silberberg Professor of Social Psychology and Professor of Psychology: Stephen J. Read, PhD

Professors: Laura A. Baker, PhD; Antoine Bechara, PhD; Sarah Bottjer, PhD (Biological Sciences); Peter Carnevale, PhD (Business); Giorgio Coricelli, PhD (Economics); Gerald C. Davison, PhD*; JoAnn M. Farver, PhD*; Ernest Greene, PhD; Andrea Hollingshead, PhD (Communication); Laurent Itti, PhD (Computer Science); Richard John, PhD; David G. Lavond, PhD; Adam Leventhal, PhD (Preventive Medicine); Steven Lopez, PhD; Thomas D. Lyon, JD, PhD (Law); Franklin R. Manis, PhD*; Gayla Margolin, PhD*; Mara Mather, PhD (Gerontology); John J. McArdle, PhD; Beth E. Meyerowitz, PhD*; Lynn Miller, PhD (Communication); Carol A. Prescott, PhD; Dan Simon, SJD (Law); Elizabeth Sowell, PhD (Pediatrics); Arthur Stone, PhD; Steven Yale Sussman, PhD (Institute for Prevention Research); Suzanne Wenzel (Social Work); Rand Wilcox, PhD; Elizabeth Zelinski, PhD (Gerontology)

Associate Professors: Carl Andrew Castro, PhD (School of Social Work); Genevieve Dunton, PhD (Preventive Medicine); Duke Han, PhD (Family Medicine); Stanley J. Huey, Jr., PhD; Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, PhD (Education); Toben Mintz, PhD; Henrike Moll, PhD; John Monterosso, PhD*; Joseph Priester, PhD (Business); Darby Saxbe, PhD; David Schwartz, PhD; April Thames, PhD; David A. Walsh, PhD; Marian Williams, PhD (Pediatrics); Jason D. Zevin, PhD

Assistant Professors: Christopher Beam, PhD; Morteza Dehghani, PhD; Teal Eich, PhD (Gerontology); Leor Hackel, PhD; Hok Chio (Mark) Lai, PhD; Shan Luo, PhD (Medicine); Carol Anne McCleary, PhD (Nuerology)

Professor of the Practice of Psychology: Ellen Leggett, EdD

Professors (Research): Margaret Gatz, PhD; Jonathan Gratch, PhD (Computer Science)

Associate Professors of the Practice of Psychology: Meredith Lepley, PhD; Jonathan Tarbox, PhD; Steven Westberg, PhD

Associate Professor (Teaching): Ann Renken, PhD

Associate Professor (Research): Orest Boyko, MD

Assistant Professors of the Practice of Psychology: Samantha Broitman, PhD; Lauren Shapiro, PhD; Patricia Tan, PhD

Assistant Professors (Teaching): C. Miranda Barone, PhD; Jorge Barraza, PhD; Clayton Stephenson, PhD

Assistant Professors (Research): Assal Habibi PhD; Jonas Kaplan, PhD; Gale M. Lucas, PhD (Computer Science)

Lecturers: William Breland, PhD; Sule Guney, PhD; Canan Ipek, PhD

Emeritus: Elaine Anderson, PhD; Michael A. Arbib, PhD (Computer Science); Kathleen Chambers, PhD; Norman Cliff, PhD; Michael Dawson, PhD; William W. Grings, PhD; Jerald Jellison, PhD; Albert R. Marston, PhD; Norman Miller, PhD; Robert Rueda, PhD (Education)

*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.

Undergraduate Programs

Minor in Critical Approaches to Leadership

See the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies .

Honors Program

The department offers an honors program for outstanding students in the BA, Psychology major who desire advanced research training in preparation for graduate work in the social sciences or in professional schools. The primary focus of the honors program is the completion of a research study under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Students are admitted to the program in the fall semester of their junior year and enter the program in the spring of their junior year by enrolling in PSYC 380 . To be eligible for admission, a student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 at the time of application to the program. This program is not available to students majoring in Social Sciences with an emphasis in Psychology. Students in the honors program complete all major requirements, including PSYC 380 Junior Honors Seminar  during the spring semester of their junior year and PSYC 480 Senior Honors Seminar  during the spring semester of their senior year. Students complete an honors thesis proposal as part of the Junior Honors Seminar and must submit a completed senior honors thesis by April 1 of the senior year. Students are also expected to have an overall GPA of at least 3.5 at the time of graduation. For further information, contact the undergraduate adviser or the director of the program, Dr. JoAnn M. Farver.

Psi Chi

Psi Chi is the national honor society in psychology. Membership is open to graduate and undergraduates who meet the minimum qualifications. Psi Chi is a member of the Association of the College Honor Societies and is an affiliate of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society.

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Psychology offers an MS in Applied Psychology, an MS in Applied Behavior Analysis and five programs of study that to the PhD degree: (1) clinical science, including specializations in adult clinical, clinical-aging and child and family; (2) developmental psychology, including child and adolescent development and adult development and aging; (3) brain and cognitive science, including cognitive neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, clinical neuroscience and behavioral genetics; (4) quantitative methods; and (5) social psychology. All five specialty PhD areas provide training for careers in research, teaching and applied work. 

Admission Requirements

Psychology courses required for admission to the PhD program include the following courses: Introduction to Psychology, Statistics, Research Methods or Experimental Psychology; and at least one course from each of the following lists: (1) comparative psychology, physiological psychology, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation, and emotion; and (2) developmental psychology, social psychology, abnormal psychology, personality and history of psychology. Additional courses are desirable, as is work in the biological, physical and social sciences, in mathematics and in philosophy. Students with less background in psychology but outstanding undergraduate records in related fields are also encouraged to apply.

Students are selected on the basis of their undergraduate records, scores on the Graduate Record Examinations General Test, course background, letters of evaluation, personal statement of interests and goals and evidence of research skills or interests (e.g., publications or participation in research projects).

The faculty of each specialty area select the students to be admitted to that area. Therefore, applicants should designate the specialty area to which they seek admission.

Application for admission in psychology is completed online and all materials must be submitted by December 1 for admission to the following fall semester.

Degree Requirements

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation  section and The Graduate School  section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

Minor

Master’s Degree

Dual Degree

Doctoral Degree

Courses

Psychology

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