General Purposes: This course has been designed with two major sets of purposes: 

I.  Students who successfully complete this class should learn about the field of psychology, including: 

1. A survey of elementary concepts, theories, and models;
2. Methods of research and scientific reasoning;
3. Findings concerning people's physiology, cognition, behavior, and emotions;
4. Influence of various everyday physical and social environments;
5. How individuals vary; and 
6. Some of the ways in which people are similar to and different from other species. 

II.  Assignments and activities in this class are designed to provide opportunities that encourage students towards the  goals of the University Core Curriculum and Social and Behavioral Science Distributional Requirements of Ball State University:

1. Encourage students to acquire lifelong learning attitudes and skills, such as, information and technology literacy;
2. Help students enhance their communication skills;
3. Aid students in clarifying values, including values concerning diversity and multiculturalism;
4. Provide opportunities for students to develop awareness of cultural heritage;
5. Improve students' problem solving and related higher order thinking skills, such as problem finding and reflection; and
6. Facilitate students' assessment of their uniqueness.