Welcome to Physiological Psychology

This course is conducted on-campus for all lectures and exams. Some online supplemental materials and videos will be available via the Internet through the Angel course management system.

If you do not have computer access at home, accommodations will be made available whenever possible. I have many students each term without computer access, and it is easy for me to accommodate them. Just be sure to talk to me in class if you need assistance. I am also available to meet with any student, either online or at the West Valley campus, at any time during the term to answer questions or assist in studying. Please note: the final exam is NOT comprehensive for this, or any, of the instructor's courses.

In order to successfully complete this course, you should plan your schedule very carefully and try to stick to it. Look carefully at your work schedule, school schedule, and family obligations and allow plenty of time for each. Based upon District estimates, an on-campus course that meets two times a week will take a minimum of four hours of additional preparation per week. Physio Psych typically requires more than that --the material isn't "difficult" to grasp, but it is dense. You will want to give yourself extra time to encode the data into longterm memory.

You are expected to communicate with your instructor and other classmates about specific assignments. When taking a course, either on-campus or partially online, you must take the initiative to ask your instructor questions if you do not understand the material.


What Do I Do First?

To access the course syllabus for the current term,click here.

Required text (all terms):

Kalat, James W. (2016) Biological Psychology (12th Edition or later) ISBN: 9781305105409

Hull, Elaine M. Study Guide for Kalat's Biological Psychology (Recommended, not required)

**Students must have the required text by the second day of class. They are available at the WVC bookstore. If you choose to obtain books elsewhere, you must have them by the aforementioned timeframe.


Beginning the Course

1.This course uses an online course management system called Canvas. It requires that you have a log-in name and password. If you just registered, it may take a few days for the college to set up and process your information on our database before your log-in name is active.

2.On the first day of the semester, go to the Canvas log-in page and get started:

https://wvm.instructure.com/login/canvas

Click here to access the Canvas log-in page (remember you need to use the Firefox browser if you are using a Macintosh or either Firefox or Explorer on a Windows PC)

You will not be able to access the course before the official start date as listed in the schedule of classes.


Logging into Canvas

You will need a login name and password to access Canvas.

Your login user name consists of all seven digits of your student ID number.
Your student ID number is included with all of the paperwork you receive from the college. (It is not your social security number). So, if your name is Maria Smith, and your college ID number is 1234567, your log-in username would look like this:
1234567

If you can't find any paperwork with your student ID number on it, or you never received any paperwork in the first place, please contact:

The college Admissions and Records office at 408-741-2001

Your password is your eight digit birthdate.
Single digits must have a 0 in front of them.
So if you were born on May 9, 1977, your password would be 05091977


Note: You will not be able to access the course before the official start date as listed in the schedule of classes.


Troubleshooting

If you can't log in or need help with Canvas, please contact Max Gault at:
[email protected] or 408.741.2627


Enrolling in this Course

1. If you are not a continuing West Valley College Student, you must first apply for admission to the college and register for the course. You may access the college admissions web site by clicking the following link:

To apply for admission, click here

2. After you are registered as a West Valley College Student:

• Find the correct section number for this course in the printed schedule of classes or in the online schedule found at the college web site under the "Quick Links" menu on the home page.

• Use the college's WVCPortal system to enroll in the course.

3. If you feel you may need some additional student services, feel free to access the college's Student Services Online Resources web page. Here you will find links to a variety of college resources like counseling services, financial aid, the library, career programs, etc.

4. Click here to access the Online Counseling web page