PSY501 (Advanced Research Methods and Statistical Analyses for Psychology I): The course introduces some of the univariate and multivariate statistics used in psychology. In addition to theoretical concepts and assumptions regarding the analysis techniques such as ANOVA, ANCOVA, MANOVA, MANCOVA, Multiple Regression, and Factor Analysis, the demonstrations of actual analysis of data in the class and hands-on experience on conducting these analyses in the lab hours will be provided.
PSY502 (Advanced Research Methods and Statistical Analyses for Psychology II): The course introduces some of the advanced level multivariate statistics used in psychology. In addition to theoretical concepts and assumptions regarding the analysis techniques such as Moderated Regression, Logistic Regression, Structural Equation Modeling, Canonical Correlation, Discriminant Function Analysis, the demonstrations of actual analysis of data in the class and hands-on experience on conducting these analyses in the lab hours will be provided. The course aims to introduce conceptual knowledge on some of the advanced analysis techniques in psychology in addition to providing hands-on experience of carrying out these analysis techniques. At the end of each segment, the students will apply the knowledge in a lab session by conducting the analysis by themselves with the guidance of the instructor, and finally they will be provided a dataset to analyze and write a report of the results of the analysis without any guidance. By this way, it is aimed to ensure that the students gain the required skills in conducting and reporting the results of each of the analyses covered throughout the semester.
PSY 520 (Memory Processes): The course introduces an understanding of how human memory works. It covers a great deal of research in memory, in this sense the branches and the sub-branches of the memory system are introduced and discussed with the light of new evidence in memory literature.,
PSY 521 (Psychopharmacology): Psychopharmacology basically involves the study of how psychoactive drugs affect mind and behavior. The course introduces the basic principles of psychopharmacology: what drugs are and how they influence mental processes and behavior.
PSY 522 (Visual Cognition): This course covers theoretical approaches to vision. It focuses on color vision, visual attention, visual memory and imagery. The course also perception of parts, objects, surfaces, and scenes. Representation of shape and structure in the mind will be also discussed.
PSY 523 (Cognitive Neuroscience): The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of major topics in Cognitive Neuroscience including the methodology used, brain structures, brain functions such as attention, emotion, language. Moreover, current approaches to sleep will be explained. Each topic will be discussed from the perspectives of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience.
PSY 526 (Sleep and Cognition): The aim of the course is to review some of the leading theories of the function of sleep, the mechanisms behind the abnormal sleep, what happens when we do not sleep well, and what the cognitive and clinical consequences of an inadequate sleep. Furthermore, the course provides an overview about the neurobiology and electrophysiology of sleep.
PSY 527 (Neuropsychology and Neuropsychological Applications): This course introduces the field of neuropsychology and neuropsychological applications. First, the relationships among the nervous system, brain structures, and cognitive processes are introduced and then a variety of neuropsychological tests are introduced to assess mental processes such as selective attention, divided attention, short-term and long-term memory.
PSY 528 (Eye Tracking Methodology): This course covers theory and practice of eye tracking methodology. It focuses on visual attention, visual psychophysics, taxonomy and models of eye movements, and eye tracking techniques. The course also covers experimental design for eye tracking studies. Students will be given hands on experience on analyzing eye movement data.
PSY 529 (Functional Brain Imaging): This course covers basic principles of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) including MR contrast mechanisms and pulse sequences. It focuses on spatial and temporal properties of fMRI with an emphasis of signal and noise in fMRI. The course also covers image processing including preprocessing, single-subject analysis, and group analysis. The students will be given opportunity to design an fMRI study and conduct statistical analysis on fMRI data.
PSY 535 (Emotion and Cognition): The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the neural circuitry that underlies emotional and cognitive processing. Students will have knowledge about the neural basis underlying the synthesis of cognition and emotion. In addition, the course introduces cognitive impairments in several disorders including schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.
PSY 536 (Independent Study in Cognitive Psychology): In this course the student will first come up with a research topic. Related to this topic an in depth literature review will be conducted. As a result of this literature review, the student will determine the research question and correspondingly design the experiment, collect data, conduct the statistical analysis and report the results of the study. Finally the student will write a research article composed of the literature review, the definition of the research problem, the procedure, the statistical analysis, the results and the conclusion.
PSY 537 (Attention and Cognitive Control): This course is an introduction to attention and cognitive control. The topics of the course are covered both from a theoretical and an applied perspective. This course assists students to understand and measure and at the same time apply cognitive control to real life. The aim of this course is to accustom the students with theories and approaches to attention and cognitive control. This course will provide the students with advanced knowledge about theory and application of attention and cognitive control and their relation.
PSY 538 (Advanced Topics in Cognitive Psychology): This course will investigate the relation between attention and memory, intelligence and working memory. The topics of the course are covered both from a theoretical and an applied perspective. This course assists students to understand and relate attention to memory, intelligence and working memory. The aim of this course is to accustom the students with theories and approaches about the interrelatedness of attention, memory, intelligence and working memory. This course will provide the students with advanced knowledge about theory and application of attention, memory, intelligence, working memory and their relation.
PSY 539 (Programming for Experimental Psychology): The course aims to introduce basic conceptual knowledge on programming. This conceptual knowledge will be accompanied by lab sessions with the guidance of the instructor using Python as the programming language. It is aimed to ensure that the students gain the required skills in programming and carrying out experiments by using the skills they learned throughout the semester.
PSY 590 (Prothesis Seminar in Psychology): This is the final coursework requirement prior to beginning thesis work (PSY 599). In the beginning of the course, each student is assigned a seminar advisor. The aim is to guide the students in making an extensive literature review of possible thesis subjects, to choose a research topic and to formulate a thesis proposal. At the end of the course, students are expected to write and then present a comprehensive literature review of their area of interest and to formulate a thesis proposal.
PSY 599 (Master’s Thesis): The aim of the thesis is to have theoretical and practical knowledge in an expertise area of psychology. A thesis is a substantive, 100-200-page comprehensive and careful research, within a critical and theoretical framework, and professional presentation, based on directed, independent research. For the thesis work, students develop new ideas in psychology, design a research with these ideas, collect data and conduct related statistical analyses. On completion of the thesis, the student is required to submit it to a jury comprising of the supervisor and at least one internal and one external member, and to defend it in an oral exam; the jury may accept, reject, or suggest revisions to the thesis and extend time for the student to make changes accordingly, pending a subsequent decision.