PSYC 535 and 753 - Fall 2025

This fall, I will be teaching my seminar class (Poverty and Health) to a small group of upper-level undergraduate students in PSYC 535 and graduate students in PSYC 753. This seminar examines the psychology of poverty and socioeconomic status (SES) and the nature of their associations with health and illness.

Through lectures, student presentations, and a class project, students will acquire knowledge and practical skills for measuring poverty and SES and interpreting socioeconomic differences in health. Topics include: SES concepts and measures, relative deprivation, neuroendocrine and psychosocial pathways to ill health, early-life poverty, economic shock, economic inequality, and policy intervention. Students will be evaluated for their engagement and participation in class discussions, weekly reading responses (submitted on myCourses), an article critique and presentation to the class, and a grant proposal final project and presentation.

Note that the seminar is research-oriented and geared toward students with an interest in the effects of poverty and chronic stress on health. The class schedule and location will appear in Minerva once registration opens.