PSY301 Cultural Psychology
PSY301 Cultural Psychology
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Feb 02, 2026
Syllabus Quick Jump
Search and navigate to any syllabus instantly
Psychology
Selvira Draganović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to general theories and methods related to culture and diversity. It will emphasize empirical approaches to cross-cultural study and explain the importance of culture in human cognition, emotion and the behavior. Students will learn to appreciate the ways in which one’s behavior, thinking, emotion, language, health/ resilience, and development are cultural products.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Shiraev, E., & Levy, D. A. (2021). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications. (7th Ed.)Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Additional Literature
Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2016). Culture and Psychology (6th edition). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing.Teaching Methods
Class discussions with examples
Active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress
During semester students will be evaluated through their continuous work
Students will have midterm exam, quiz, final exam, group work and assignments
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course overview | |
| 2 | Understanding cc psychology/Critical thinking | chapter 1 and 2 |
| 3 | Methodology of cc research | chapter 3 |
| 4 | Cognition and culture | chapter 4 |
| 5 | Field work/Ethics | |
| 6 | Intelligence and culture | chapter 5 |
| 7 | Emotion and culture | chapter 6 |
| 8 | Midterm week | |
| 9 | Motivation, behavior and culture | chapter 7 |
| 10 | Life-span development and culture | |
| 11 | quiz | chapter 9 |
| 12 | Social cognition, perception and interaction | chapter 10 |
| 13 | Personality and the Self | chapter 11 |
| 14 | Eid | |
| 15 | Group presentations |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSY301.1 | Course | Wednesday 12:00 - 14:50 | B F1.9 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F2.22 | |
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F2.22 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Midterm
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Group presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
Assignment (field work incl.)
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Assignments
16 hours ⏳ (2 week × 8 h)
Online active tutorials
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Homestudy
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
In-term study
26 hours ⏳ (2 week × 13 h)
Final exam
30 hours ⏳ (2 week × 15 h)
Group project
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [PSY301] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Feb 02, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| PSY301 | Cultural Psychology | 2 | 1 | 6 | Wed 12:00-15:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | PSY103 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Selvira Draganović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-15:00 Wednesday: 12:00-15:00 |
|||||||
| sdraganovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to general theories and methods related to culture and diversity. It will emphasize empirical approaches to cross-cultural study and explain the importance of culture in human cognition, emotion and the behavior. Students will learn to appreciate the ways in which one’s behavior, thinking, emotion, language, health/ resilience, and development are cultural products. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Shiraev, E., & Levy, D. A. (2021). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications. (7th Ed.)Boston: Allyn & Bacon. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Class discussions with examples. Active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress. During semester students will be evaluated through their continuous work. Students will have midterm exam, quiz, final exam, group work and assignments. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Online | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course overview | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Understanding cc psychology/Critical thinking | chapter 1 and 2 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Methodology of cc research | chapter 3 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Cognition and culture | chapter 4 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Field work/Ethics | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Intelligence and culture | chapter 5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Emotion and culture | chapter 6 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm week | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Motivation, behavior and culture | chapter 7 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Life-span development and culture | |||||||||
| Week 11 | quiz | chapter 9 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Social cognition, perception and interaction | chapter 10 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Personality and the Self | chapter 11 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Eid | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Group presentations | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm | 1 | 20 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 15 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Group presentation | 1 | 20 | 4, 5 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignment (field work incl.) | 2 | 15 | 4, 5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture | 2 | 14 | 28 | Assignments | 8 | 2 | 16 | |||
| Online active tutorials | 1 | 15 | 15 | Homestudy | 1 | 15 | 15 | |||
| In-term study | 13 | 2 | 26 | Final exam | 15 | 2 | 30 | |||
| Group project | 10 | 2 | 20 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 24/02/2026 | |||||||||