Course Description and Competencies

What to Expect

In this course, you will work through five units of material based on Introducing Psychology: Brain, Person, Group by Stephen M. Kosslyn and Robin S. Rosenberg (Flatworld). Each unit includes the following interactive activities:

β€’ Questions to Consider: Questions to help you focus on important content or themes.
β€’Lightning Rounds: Ungraded unit quizzes for a quick self-check.
β€’ Module Quizzes: Ungraded module quizzes to prepare for the final assessment.
β€’ Guided AI Practice: Prompts to create additional practice questions or to generate a guided discussion. 

As you work through each unit, be sure to take advantage of these opportunities to practice and reinforce what you are learning. 

Course Competencies

This course covers the following competencies:

  • The learner explains the foundations of psychology. 
  • The learner explains the biological perspectives of psychology. 
  • The learner explains the theories of learning and memory. 
  • The learner explains the concepts of personality development and social psychology. 
  • The learner identifies psychological disorders and treatment methods. 

Assessment

The assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies in this course. You may attempt the assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team.

1 Final Exam
3 Competency Units

Course Outline

ModuleUpon completion of this module, you will be able to:
Foundations of Psychology
  • Describe the purpose of psychological science. 
  • Explain the layers of psychology and how they interact. 
  • Identify core concepts of the major schools of thought in psychology and their key contributors. 
  • Identify types of work professional psychologists do today. 
  • Identify descriptive, correlational, and experimental research methods. 
  • Identify how scientific inquiry applies to psychology. 
  • Identify challenges in conducting fair and ethical psychological research.
Biological Perspectives
  • Identify the parts and processes of neurons and the role they play in the nervous system. 
  • Identify the structures and functions of the nervous system. 
  • Identify the major areas of the brain and the function of each area. 
  • Identify the structures and functions of the endocrine system. 
  • Define sensation using the senses. 
  • Define perception using examples. 
Theories of Memory
  • Describe classical conditioning. 
  • Describe operant conditioning. 
  • Identify major models of memory. 
  • Explain the processes of memory. 
Personality & Social Psychology
  • Identify key ideas in Freud's and Rogers's theories of personality. 
  • Identify factors and traits associated with personality. 
  • Identify biological, experiential, and sociocultural influences on personality.  
  • Identify the influence of learning on personality. 
  • Identify the influence of cognition on personality. 
  • Identify key concepts connected to attitudes and behaviors. 
  • Identify key concepts connected to cognition. 
  • Identify key elements of interpersonal relationships. 
  • Identify major research about conformity and obedience. 
  • Identify key characteristics of group dynamics and behaviors.
Disorders & Treatments
  • Identify various psychological disorders and their symptoms. 
  • Explain the interaction of the three levels of analysisβ€” brain, person, and groupβ€”in a given psychological disorder. 
  • Identify commonly used techniques for each major type of psychotherapy.  
  • Identify specific psychotherapies appropriate for treating disorders. 
  • Describe the use of medication in treating psychological disorders. 
  • Describe the use of electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation in treating psychological disorders.

Technology Requirements

We want you to have the tools to succeed! Since this course includes at least one proctored test, please be sure to have a working microphone, speakers, and an external webcam. Unfortunately, an internal webcam (built into many laptops) is not acceptable. (Note: The external webcam is required only for exams that have proctors. You do not need one for practice tests and other non-proctored assessments.) If you haven't already, be sure to download the Meazure Learning Guardian browser, which you will need for the proctoring system.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you haven't already, download this free software. You may encounter an interactive form that contains fields that you can select or fill in. Review how to fill in a PDF form.

You are allowed to use a hand-held calculator on every assessment. Be sure to follow these calculator requirements.

For other details about the technology you'll need, review the Computer System and Technology Requirements. If you have questions about your setup, contact support@academy.wgu.edu.

Key Contacts

Certificate Connect
Check out this online community to take advantage of course resources, including videos and tips from your educators. You can ask and answer questions, provide feedback on your progress, and interact with fellow students. You will find this platform in the Student Resources section of the course. Log on and do some exploring!

Technical Support
If you encounter technical issues, be sure to contact the Help Desk. Just submit a Support Request for assistance.

Program Support
Do you have questions about your account? Student Support has answers. They can help with billing, switching courses, and other requests. You can contact them at (888) 320-0540 or support@academy.wgu.edu.

Accommodations

WGU provides compliant and accessible learning experiences. If you require accommodation, please contact us at the start of the course. You can email disability@academy.wgu.edu.

We are committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities have equal access to WGU's services and materials. We strive to use best practices for accessibility. Our goal is to conform to existing U.S. laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Our learning management system (LMS) platform is Open edX. Open edX’s commitment to accessible content is published in their Website Accessibility Policy.