Psychology (PSYC) 432
Psychology and the Built Environment (Revision 4)

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Delivery Mode: Individualized study online
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Social Science
Prerequisite: PSYC 289, PSYC 290, and a senior-level psychology or social science course are recommended.
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
PSYC 432 has a Challenge for Credit option.
Overview
This course examines the transactions between people and their everyday physical environment. Topics include environmental perception and cognition, environmental stressors such as noise, spatial behaviour such as personal space and territoriality, the physical settings where we live, work, and learn, and designing for more fitting environments.
Outline
- Unit 1: Introduction
- Unit 2: Environmental Perception and Cognition
- Unit 3: Ambient Environment
- Unit 4: Personal Space and Territoriality
- Unit 5: Privacy and Crowding
- Unit 6: Our Residences
- Unit 7: Our Cities and Communities
- Unit 8: Our Schools
- Unit 9: Our Workplaces
- Unit 10: Designing More Fitting Environments
Evaluation
To receive credit for PSYC 432, you must achieve a composite course grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. If you receive less than 50 percent on your final exam, your final exam mark will become your course grade. The weighting of assignments is as follows:
Activity | Weighting |
---|---|
Written Exercise | 10% |
Two Quizzes | 15% |
Course Project | 40% |
Final Exam | 35% |
Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbook
Gifford, R. (2014). Environmental psychology: Principles and practice (5th ed.). Colville, WA: Optimal Books.
Online Materials
The course materials also include an online Course Information, a Study Guide, a Student Manual, and readings accessible in the Digital Reading Room.
Challenge for Credit Overview
The Challenge for Credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Challenge Evaluation
Please contact the course coordinator for the challenge process.
Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 4, November 8, 2016.
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