Spring 2026
General Psychology
Approved: Initials/date PSYC 2301 (3C1) CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 hours lecture, 0 Lab hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Face-to-Face PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: TSI Complete for Reading COURSE DESCRIPTION An introductory survey of the major areas of psychology such as learning, personality, social, testing, developmental, and physiological. Emphasis is on psychology as the scientific study of behavior and includes both human and animal behavior. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology. Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology. Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology. Use terminology unique to the study of psychology. Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation. Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human behavior CORE OBJECTIVES MEASURED Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication. Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information. Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS) - manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions. Social Responsibility (SR) - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Chelsea Lee Email: clee3@lit.edu Office Phone: Office Location: TC 206 Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday: 9am – 10:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm Tuesday & Thursday: 12pm – 12:30pm Friday: 9am -10:30 am, 11:30am – 12pm REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Psychology 2e Open Stax. Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, and Marilyn D. Lovett. Printed by XanEdu in Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Original Publication Year, 2020 978-1-975076-45-0 Hardcover Book ISBN-13 9 978-1-975076-44-3 B & W Paperback Book ISBN-13 978-1-951-693-23-7 Digital Version ISBN-13 ATTENDANCE POLICY Regular attendance and participation are expected. In-person attendance, participation in class activities, and completion of assigned work contribute to student success. Attendance is not graded separately; however, in-class participation activities are included as part of the Daily Grades/Quizzes category. Throughout the semester, unannounced participation activities will be conducted during class. These may include brief written reflections, small-group discussions, polls, or other in-class exercises. Participation points are awarded for meaningful engagement, not simply being present. Students who do not attend class regularly should not expect to earn full participation credit. For every hour in class, students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments outside of class. Punctuality and attendance expectations for in-person classes are as follows: Students are expected to arrive on time and remain for the full class period. Three (3) tardies will be recorded as one absence. Students who leave class early or leave during class are required to email the instructor the same day explaining the reason for leaving. Leaving without notification, or leaving for non-excusable reasons, may result in the student being marked absent for that class meeting. Attendance, punctuality, and participation may impact a student’s ability to earn full credit in the Daily Grades/Quizzes category. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified date as listed in the College Calendar on the Student Success web page. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Module 1 (Week 1) Introduction to Psychology Chapter 1 – Thursday 1/22 DB 1: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 1/22 Responses due Sunday 1/25 Module 1 (Week 2) Psychological Research Methods Chapter 2 – Monday 1/26 DB 2: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 1/28 Responses due Sunday 2/1 Module 1 Core Assessment – Due Sunday 2/1 Module 1 (Week 3) Biopsychology Chapter 3 – Monday 2/2 DB 3: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 2/4 Responses due Sunday 2/8 Module 1 Exam Module 2 (Week 4) Stress, Lifestyle and Health Chapter 14 – Monday 2/9 DB 4: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 2/11 Responses due Sunday 2/15 Module 2 (Week 5) Psychological Disorders Chapter 15 – Monday 2/16 DB 5: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 2/18 Responses due Sunday 2/22 Module 2 Core Assessment – Due Sunday 2/22 Module 2 (Week 6) Therapy and Treatment Chapter 16 – Monday 2/23 DB 6: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 2/25 Responses due Sunday 3/1 Module 2 Exam Module 3 (Week 7) Thinking and Intelligence Chapter 7 – Monday 3/2 DB 7: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 3/4 Responses due Sunday 3/8 Spring break – No Class Module 3 (Week 8) Memory Chapter 8 – Monday 3/16 DB 8: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 3/18 Responses due Sunday 3/22 Module 3 Article Quiz - Due Sunday 3/22 Module 3 (Week 9) Lifespan Development Chapter 9 – Monday 3/23 DB 9: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 3/25 Responses due Sunday 3/29 Module 3 Exam Module 4 (Week 10) Motivation and Emotion Chapter 10 – Monday 3/30 DB 10: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 4/1 Responses due Sunday 4/5 Module 4 (Week 11) Personality Chapter 11 – Monday 4/6 DB 11: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 4/8 Responses due Sunday 4/12 Module 4 Core Assessment - Due Sunday 4/12 Module 4 (Week 12) Social Psychology Chapter 12 – Monday 4/13 DB 12: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 4/15 Responses due Sunday 4/19 Module 4 Exam Module 5 (Week 13) States of Consciousness Chapter 4 – Monday 4/20 DB 13: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 4/22 Responses due Sunday 4/26 Module 5 (Week 14) Sensation & Perception Chapter 5 – Monday 4/27 DB 14: DB Post and Responses Initial post due Wednesday 4/29 Responses due Sunday 5/3 Module 5 Article Quiz - Due Wednesday 5/6 Module 5 (Week 15) Learning Chapter 6 – Monday 5/4 DB 15: DB Post and Responses Initial post and responses due Wednesday 5/6 Module 5 Exam COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: Exams 50% Assignments/Quizzes 30% Core Assessment 20% GRADE SCALE 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS For the latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc., review the Minimum Computer and Equipment Requirements on the LIT Online Experience page. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION 1. Respectful Participation, Classroom Conduct, and Recording Policy Respectful participation is required in both in-person and online learning environments. Students may encounter viewpoints that differ from their own. Respectful disagreement supports critical thinking, scholarly discussion, and learning; however, disrespectful, disruptive, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. In the classroom, students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that supports a productive learning environment. This includes arriving prepared, remaining attentive, minimizing distractions, and refraining from behavior that interferes with instruction or the learning experience of others. The following is not permitted in the classroom and may result in loss of participation credit, being asked to leave, and being marked absent for the day, or referral through institutional channels in accordance with college policy: Sleeping during class Excessive side conversations Repeated disruptions – including talking, playing music, being on your phone, tablet, laptop. Having food delivered to the classroom. Light snacks and covered beverages may be allowed at the instructor’s discretion; however, meals that disrupt the learning environment are not allowed. To protect the learning environment and the privacy of all participants, audio recording, video recording, and photography of class sessions are not permitted without the instructor’s prior approval. This includes, but is not limited to, taking recordings or photos of the lecture presentations, the instructor, or fellow classmates. This recording policy does not apply to students with approved accommodations through the college’s accessibility services, Special Populations. Students with approved accommodations should provide appropriate documentation and coordinate with the instructor as early as possible. 2. Late Work Policy All assignments are due by the posted deadline. Late work is not accepted except in cases of documented emergencies as outlined by institutional policy. Extensions are not guaranteed and must be requested before the deadline whenever possible. Technical issues, work schedules, travel, or forgetting a deadline do not qualify as emergencies. 3. Exams All exams for this course will be administered in person on designated exam days during the scheduled class period. Students are expected to be present on exam days and take the exam at the scheduled time. Exams must be taken during the assigned class period. Only the allotted class time will be provided to complete the exam. Students who arrive late on exam days will not receive additional time and may only use the remaining class time to complete the exam. Students who anticipate an absence on an exam day due to an approved or documented reason must contact the instructor in advance to discuss possible arrangements. Conflicts such as work schedules, travel plans, or appointments scheduled during class time do not constitute excused absences. If an unexpected emergency occurs on or immediately before an exam day, the student must email the instructor within 24 hours of the scheduled exam and provide appropriate documentation (e.g., a doctor’s note, police report, or verified receipt from a mechanic). Failure to communicate within this timeframe may result in a zero for the exam. Make-up or rescheduled exams are granted only for documented, excused reasons in accordance with institutional policy and are not guaranteed. Any approved make-up exam must be completed in person during the instructor’s office hours at a mutually agreed-upon time. 4. Extra Credit Limited extra credit opportunities may be offered at the instructor’s discretion. Extra credit is optional, announced in advance, and available to all students. Extra credit cannot be used to replace missed or failed assignments, quizzes, or exams. 5. Course Drops Students are responsible for managing their enrollment. Failure to log into Blackboard, submit assignments, or not attending class does not result in automatic withdrawal. Last day to drop without academic penalty: February 20, 2026 Last day to drop with academic penalty: April 13, 2026 6. Academic Integrity & Use of AI Tools All submitted work must reflect the student’s own understanding and original writing. Assignments may be reviewed using AI-detection and plagiarism tools (e.g., QuillBot, ZeroGPT). The instructor reserves the right to assign a zero or take further action if work is determined to be plagiarized or AI-generated without proper authorization. Use of AI tools to generate discussion posts or written assignments is not permitted unless explicitly stated in the assignment instructions. Reasons why AI-generated work is not permitted: Submitting AI-generated content constitutes academic dishonesty AI responses are often repetitive and easily identifiable Reliance on AI prevents meaningful learning and skill development 7. Submission Responsibility It is the student’s responsibility to verify that assignments are submitted correctly. If an incorrect file is submitted, students have 15 minutes after the deadline to email the correct submission. After this window, submissions will not be graded. If a technical issue occurs during submission, the instructor must be notified within one hour of the deadline, along with appropriate documentation. 8. Submission Method All assignments must be submitted through Blackboard. Assignments emailed to the instructor will not be accepted and will receive a zero unless prior written approval has been granted. 9. Blackboard Technical Issues Claims of Blackboard-related issues must be supported by a Help Desk ticket submitted at the time the issue occurred. Screenshots alone do not constitute sufficient documentation. 10. Collaboration Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all assignments are individual work. Collaboration on individual assignments, including sharing answers or discussion responses, is not permitted. 11. Grade Review Requests Students may request a review of a graded assignment within five (5) business days of the grade being posted. Please note that grades may be adjusted up or down after review. 12. Communication & Email Students must communicate with the instructor through Blackboard messaging only, in compliance with FERPA guidelines. Emails sent from personal or non-LIT accounts will not receive a response. All messages must include: A clear subject line The course and section number Allow 12–24 hours for responses on weekdays and up to 48 hours on weekends or holidays. 13. Discussion Posts Each graded discussion requires: One original substantive post (minimum 200 words) Two substantive response posts (minimum 100 words each) Posts must use correct grammar, punctuation, and complete sentences. Posts that do not meet minimum word counts will receive a zero. Discussion posts must contribute meaningfully to the conversation. Responses such as “Good post” or similar will receive no credit. Discussion forums are considered equivalent to in-person class discussions and are graded accordingly. No discussion posts will be accepted after the deadline. 14. Syllabus Changes The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus or course schedule as necessary to address unforeseen circumstances. Any changes will be communicated through Blackboard.