Teaching Major in Psychology Courses

Teaching Major in Psychology

The teaching major in psychology prepares you to teach psychology in high school and qualifies you for teacher licensing in Indiana. You will major in secondary education (36 to 66 hours) and social studies (psychology's requirements fall under the teaching major in social studies, see the Social Studies Teachers' Handbook for teaching major requirements as well as the Standards for Teachers of Social Studies that lists details about how individual courses assist in meeting Indiana Public School Board Teachers of Social Studies Standards).

Major Requirements

To focus on psychology, you may choose either a primary area (18 hours) or a supporting area (12 hours) in psychology. You must take at least one of the following courses: PSYSC 416, PSYSC 432, or PSYSC 468, and satisfactorily complete a Psychological Science Teacher Education Portfolio.

Courses and Options

Required courses (6 credit hours):

PSYSC 100 - General Psychology.

Introduction to various branches of psychology and the contributions of each to understanding the behavior of people as they interact with their environment.

PSYSC 493 - Teaching of Psychology 1.

Students work with a PSYSC 100 instructor to develop curriculum plans, tools for the assessment of learning, and evaluation plans for an introductory pyschology course. Prerequisite: 3 courses in the psychology area of the social studies teaching major; permission of the department chairperson. Open only to social studies teaching majors in the psychology area.

PSYSC 494 - Teaching of Psychology 2.

Students provide classroom instruction, conduct learning assessments, and conduct a study evaluating learning under the supervision of a PSYSC 100 instructor. Prerequisite: PSYSC 493; permission of the department chairperson. Open only to social studies teaching majors in the psychology area.

Take 3 credit hours from:

PSYSC 468 - Physiological Psychology.

An introduction to the physical basis of behavior, involving primarily the nervous system and its structure and function. Emphasizes the role of bodily systems in perception, learning, motivation, and conscious function. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

Take 3 credit hours from:

PSYSC 362 - Motivation and Emotion.

Basic theory and research relating to motivation and emotion and applications to various facets of human behavior. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 364 - Psychology of Learning.

Nature of learning processes, possible influences upon these processes and resultant behaviors, and applications of the psychology of learning. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 416 - Psychology of Cognition.

Survey of theories and research about human thought and memory. Topics include attention, memory, problem solving, and language. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100; junior or senior standing.

Take 3 credit hours from:

PSYSC 316 - Social Psychology.

Overview of conditions that affect a person in a social context: attitudes, impression formation, interpersonal relations, and group membership. Examines current theories and relevant research. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 317 - Personality.

Presents and compares a wide variety of classical and modern theories of personality and pertinent empirical research. Considers the components of a good theory of personality and the applications of various personality theories. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 324 - Psychology of Women.

Psychological study of women with emphasis on achievement motivation and dependency, attitudes toward women, sex-role identity, biological and social influences on women's behavior, self-concepts and psychological conflicts, and a study of research in sex differences. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 432 - Abnormal Psychology.

Systematic study of behavior pathology. Primary emphasis on the use of theoretical perspectives and empirical data to understand the description, etiology, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: PSYSC 100; junior or senior standing.