SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS
To complete the educational psychology minor, students are required to take a minimum of 20 credits. Of these credits, 12 must be taken at Metropolitan State and 12 credits must be upper division. More specific course requirements are below.
Educational Psychology Minor Requirements (20 credits)
This course introduces students to scientific and applied psychology, and suggests its application to everyday life. The course familiarizes students with concepts, principles, research methods and theories of psychology.
Full course description for General Psychology
This course introduces psychological perspective to teaching and learning in classroom contexts through an overview of theories, principles, issues, and related research in educational psychology. Through readings, lectures, discussions, videos, activities and assignments, we will explore thinking, learning and memory in both classroom and daily life situations. Topics include, but not limited to: child and adolescent development, research in educational psychology, cognitive process and motivation, information processing, assessment of student learning, classroom management, and instructional strategies in education.
Full course description for Educational Psychology
Choose at least one (additional choices can be used to meet requirements)
This course provides an understanding of the basic concepts and techniques involved in selecting, administering, scoring and interpreting psychological tests. Validity, reliability, standardization, norms and ethical issues are covered in the measurement of intellect, aptitude, achievement, interest and personality. Learning strategies include test demonstrations. Students take, score (where possible) and interpret several different tests.
Full course description for Psychological Testing
This course introduces students to the history of learning theories, and the development of current theories of learning such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning and observational learning. An emphasis is on the basic methods of inquiry, as well as on applications of learning theories to areas such as education, business and behavioral change. This course is well-suited to students interested in education, as well as psychology, and is often preparation for graduate study in psychology and education.
Full course description for Psychology of Learning: Contemporary Theories and Applications
What is the role of the future in educational psychology and educational thought and teaching? In this independent study, students study topics related to education in the twenty-first century; alternative learning environments, modes and strategies; the current status of lifelong-learning philosophy, theories and methods in the United States and abroad; and futurist technology and research methods. Students learn techniques for futuristic/creative thinking about relationships and systems, and develop skills to assist them in resolving cultural, linguistic and other barriers to effective education and learning.
Full course description for Education Futures
Students in this course examine the potential problems and ethical decision making in the applied behavior analysis field. Topics include the field's learning principles, history, ethical considerations, the behavioral model (identification of target behaviors, behavior measurement, intervention techniques and evaluation) and implementation strategies in a variety of contexts including clinical settings. Students also review recently published literature describing behavior analysis research.
Full course description for Practical Behavior Analysis and Modification
This course covers the theory and developmental processes of adolescence, including viewpoints of adolescence, self and adolescent identity, biological influences, thinking and intelligence, and development of moral values and adolescent pathologies. Students learn to identify and describe these variables as interactive in the developmental process.
Full course description for Adolescent Psychology
This course focuses on common behavior and emotional problems of children and youth, with less emphasis on adolescence. Topics include dependency, anxiety, control issues, motivation, aggression and social behavior. The course balances theory and practice related to behavioral disorders with the focus on practical solutions.
Full course description for Behavior Disorders in Children
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the social-learning approach and corresponding set of techniques for teaching and modifying individual behavior in group settings where the opportunity for individual attention is limited. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of individual differences among children, including ethnic and gender differences. It is designed for individuals who have an interest in and/or responsibility for working with children, ages two-12, in group settings such as school-age child care and schools.
Full course description for Working with Children in the Middle Years
This independent study provides an introduction to terminology, theories and research findings related to the development and education of gifted individuals. Topics include the origins, identification and characteristics of giftedness and the relationships of social beliefs, and child-rearing and educational practices leading to the development of talent.
Full course description for Psychology and Education of the Gifted
This class focuses on the potential for change and growth for exceptional individuals rather than the limitation imposed by handicapping conditions. It also examines the development of special education for individuals categorized as learning disabled, emotionally, physically or intellectually handicapped, disadvantaged or gifted.
Full course description for Special Education Overview
In this course students explore questions related to psychology's response to diversity and ethical principles, including: How has psychology dealt with issues of culture, race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and ableism? How has this influenced basic theories in psychology? How does this affect specific groups or individuals in areas of research, assessment and therapeutic practice? What are the ethical standards that guide, and the ethical dilemmas that currently face, the field of psychology? How do issues of diversity and ethical principles influence and intersect with each other? Further, this course is designed to develop and expand students' critical knowledge of the central role of race, racism, and anti-racism in multiple contexts of society and aspects of everyday life. Students are asked to think critically about the societal and individual effects inherent in the information covered in this course.
Full course description for Introduction to Diversity and Ethics in Psychology
In this course, students learn how family life affects individuals by examining the current theories and research on family systems. Learning strategies include role-playing demonstrations. Evaluation is based in part on individually-designed projects on the family of origin.
Recommended: An introductory sociology or psychology course.
Full course description for Family Systems
This course examines principles of teaching that can be derived from psychological theories and research, including behavioral, cognitive and social cognitive theories. Students plan and implement appropriate instructional practices based on knowledge of individual children, home culture, the urban community, curriculum goals and content.
Full course description for Principles of Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood
Forums are on topics of current importance in the field of psychology and are offered in collaboration with the Minnesota Psychological Association. Students are asked to write papers summarizing the content and discussing the relevance of principles and practices presented to their own activities or within a specified hypothetical context. Specific topics are listed in the Class Schedule or announced in the Catalyst. Note: At least 12 credits in psychology, human services, or social work prior to registration.
Full course description for Friday Forum Topics