COURSE SYLLABUS
Psyc 102 SLU Spring 2012 Dr. Culver
Course Title: General Psychology
Office Hours
Monday Wednesday Friday
7:30 – 9:30 7:30 – 9:30 7:30 – 12:00
1:00 – 2:00 1:00 – 2:00
You can see me before or after class, or during office hours. It is best to e-mail me and make an
appointment if you are expecting to come in. Department meeting are usually held the first Friday of the
month. I will not be in my office during department meetings. My office is 220 in Southeastern hall. I also
can be reached by leaving a message in my box at the Psychology department or by e-mail at
FPSY1582@selu.edu.
Text: King, L. (2011). The Science of Psychology. Second edition.
Purpose: The course is the second semester of a two semester series in general psychology. This semester
will cover: 1) physiological psychology, sensation and perception, 2) consciousness, 3) memory, intelligence,
language and cognition, and 4) motivation and emotion.
Course Requirements: The final grade will come from four tests and extra credit points (not required). There
will be three regular tests worth 100 points each and a final worth 100 points. There are 400 total points
from the tests. The grading scale is listed below; cutoffs for grades are based on the sum of the three tests
and the final, i.e. 400 points. There are no fractional points in the course, and I do not “round” points if a
student’s total points are at a cutoff for a letter grade. There are extra credit points allowed in the course.
These points are there to deal with the error of measurement at cutoffs. An additional (not required) 12 extra
credit points can be earned. The regularly scheduled tests will be multiple choice. Make-up exams, by
department policy, must be short answer and essay. Students typically do better on the multiple choice tests
and are strongly advised not to take a makeup test unless it is absolutely necessary. Test dates below will be
unlikely to change. The actual material covered on each test is estimated below. You must attend class in
order to know the material covered on a specific test. Test content will come from reading material and
lecture. Because much of the content will come from lecture, attendance is important. There will be a sign
up sheet for each class to record attendance. You are responsible to mark your attendance at each class on
the sign up sheet. I usually drop freshmen and sophomores for whom I do not have record of having
attended at least one class when the 14 day class rolls are turned in. I do not drop other students for
nonattendance, and all students will receive a grade based on the cutoff scores below. Tests will not be
dropped, and make-up exams will require approval of the instructor before taking the test. You must inform
the instructor within one week after missing a test if you want to take a make-up exam. A written excuse is
usually good justification for a makeup test. Make-up exams are given in the psychology department office
on Thursday afternoons at 3:30 the week following the regularly scheduled test. Bring #2 pencils and NCS
answer sheets (B or D) for the regularly scheduled tests. Graduating seniors should contact the instructor if
you need to take the final examination early. If you are a qualified student with a disability seeking
accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to self-identify with the Office of
Disability Services, Room 111 Student Union. No accommodations will be granted without documentation
from the office of Disability Services. It is the university’s policy that the classroom is not a place for children,
and students are not to bring their family members for day care or baby sitting. It is the university’s policy
that only Southeastern’s e-mail addresses will be used.
Free discussion, inquiry, and expression is encouraged in this class. Classroom behavior that interferes with
either (a) the instructor’s ability to conduct the class or (b) the ability of students to benefit from the
instruction is not acceptable. Examples may include routinely entering class late or departing early; use of
beepers, cellular telephones, or other electronic devices; repeatedly talking in class without being
recognized; talking while others are speaking; or arguing in a way that is perceived as “crossing the civility
line.” In the event of a situation where a student legitimately needs to carry a beeper/cellular telephone to
class, prior notice and approval of the instructor is required. Classroom behavior which is deemed
inappropriate and cannot be resolved by the student and the faculty member may be referred to the Office of
Judicial Affairs for administrative or disciplinary review as per the Code of Student Conduct which may be
found at http://www.selu.edu/StudentAffairs/Handbook/.
