Freshmen who have decided to become psychology majors must take the course that is known as Intro to Psychology or Psychology 101. This course introduces the ideas, theorists and disorders that will color a student’s perspective throughout the four years and beyond in which they are working in the field of psychology. This course is essential because it provides the background knowledge that is necessary to continue study in the field so they can make use of their free online college.
For some students the Intro to Psychology (or Psych 101) course can be burdensome as their knowledge of this arena may have already advanced past what’s covered in the introductory course. Some students may have come into the class having taken advanced placement courses this genre. Students who pass the AP Psychology test (which is administered by the College Board) with a grade of 3 or higher can receive credit for the course instead of having to take the class.
There are many reasons to be a psychology major. Most students are interested in how the mind works and why people make the decisions that they make. Students will get exposed to the many theories, personalities and disorders that color the psychological palette, however their exposure will be limited to a superficial one as the time constraints in the class do not allow for extended study of a singular subject.
Many students have great interest in the myriad of psychological disorders that can cripple people’s lives. Schizophrenia is the most prominent of these disorders. Most students have some previous knowledge of this disorder thanks to movies and television. This is the disorder where patients are hearing voices and often acting out violently due to the persistent nature of the disorder. Intro to Psychology explains the basics of the disorder, but not much else in depth.
Those will carry through to a major in this area also have great interest in the many figures that have impacted the science throughout the years. Some psychologists are more colorful in nature, while others are more staid. There are many researchers who are covered throughout the semester and students must have background knowledge about all of them to pass the course and to advance their studies. Students will be standing on the shoulders of giants in psychology during their student scholarship so it’s important that they know where they stand.
Many students know of people such as Freud; however one of the first psychologists students will meet is Jean Piaget. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development was the first of its kind to deal with how children learn how to act within a social context, as well as how children learn in a scholastic environment.
After learning how Piaget affected the perceptions of cognitive development, students are introduced to Erik Erikson. Erikson was not concerned with how children learned, but was concerned with how identity conflicts affect development throughout a lifetime. Students learn about the different identity conflicts and what the result of the winning trait is. In an introductory course students are exposed to Erikson, and if they’re interested in cognitive development they’ll encounter Erikson in other courses.
Intro to Psychology is an excellent beginning to a course of study that will be enriching and exciting for the prospective psychology student. Most students will be somewhat frustrated by the lack of depth of the course, but will understand when they enter the most specific and intensive courses that will fill out their major, letting them access the benefits of their psychology colleges online quicker.
