Psychology is an exciting and multifaceted field of study that can lead you to a great number of rewarding academic and career opportunities. This Psychology Seminar course is designed to help you explore these opportunities while also examining your skills and planning for your academic and career success. This week, you will use an Academic Journal entry to self-assess and reflect about your present knowledge of topics that will be covered in the course. You will also begin to get acquainted with your colleagues and Instructor through your participation in two discussions that involve the following: 1) an investigation of study tips for success in psychology courses, and 2) an examination of workforce readiness of students who are majoring in psychology.
To get started, view the following message from Dr. Eric Landrum, one of the authors of your Course Text,The Psychology Major: Career Options and Strategies for Success. Then, begin reviewing all the Learning Resources for Week 1. Next, post your first Discussion assignment by Day 2 and your second Discussion assignment by Day 3. The course culminates in a final Course Project, so be sure to review the Looking Ahead section, which provides information about putting together your Curriculum and Strategy for Success Planner.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Introduction to Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology[Streaming video]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.
Accessible player–Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze academic skills and strategies for success in psychology coursework
- Evaluate what the psychology major entails
- Assess transferrable skills in relation to careers in psychology
Please proceed to this Week’s Learning Resources.
Week 1 Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media players below.
Required Resources
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Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus. |
Readings
- Landrum, R. E., & Davis, S. F. (2014).The psychology major: Career options and strategies for success(5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
- Chapter 1, “Why College?”
- Chapter 2, “Why Psychology?”
- Chapter 11, “Doing Well in Psychology Classes: Study Tips”
- Landrum, R. E., Hettich, P. I., & Wilner, A. (2010). Alumni perceptions of workforce readiness.Teaching of Psychology,37(2), 97–106.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.Focus on page 104.
- Landrum, R. E. (2015d).Why psychology?[PowerPoint file]. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education.Review this PowerPoint file and focus on the educational goals of psychology, areas of psychology, and the lifelong learning skills that come from pursuing a B.S. in psychology.
- Document:Five vital steps in the job search process[PDF]
- Document:Curriculum and Strategy for Success Planner template[Word document]
- Document:Guide to academic journaling[PDF]
Media
View the following video messages from Dr. Patricia Costello, Program Director of the B.S. Psychology program at Walden University:
- Laureate Education (Producer). (2015a).Advice for new students[Streaming video]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015d).Professional development[Streaming video]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note:The Optional Resources
American Psychological Association. (2013). APA guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major: Version 2.0. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/about/psymajor-guidelines.pdf
Please proceed to this Week’s Discussion.
approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
| These are not the full assignment directions! Be sure to read the entire Discussion assignment directions for how to prepare for your initial post, what you are posting, and how to respond to your colleagues, found in each week’s discussion folder. |
Post by Day 3a response to the following:
Discuss an interesting finding from the article “Alumni Perceptions of Workforce Readiness.” Discuss what you found surprising. As of now, what are your post-degree plans?
Note: Be sure to support the responses within your initial Discussion assignment post, and in your colleague reply, with information obtained from the assigned Learning Resources, including a Reference list for sources used. For information regarding how your Discussion assignment will be evaluated, please review the grading rubric located in the Course Information area of the course.
Respond to your colleagues by Day 6.
Note: You are required to create a thread for your initial discussion post before you will be able to view other colleague’s postings in this forum.
Discussion 2: Workforce Readiness
This Discussion focuses on the skills employees need to be prepared for careers. Before you post to this Discussion, review and reflect on this week’s Learning Resources related to the job search process and the differences between skills and talents. In particular, review the “Five Vital Steps to the Job Search Process” document. Also, review the article “Alumni Perceptions of Workforce Readiness.”
With these thoughts in mind, post by Day 3a response to the following:
Discuss an interesting finding from the article “Alumni Perceptions of Workforce Readiness.” Discuss what you found surprising. As of now, what are your post-degree plans?
Note: Be sure to support the responses within your initial Discussion assignment post, and in your colleague reply, with information obtained from the assigned Learning Resources, including a Reference list for sources used. For information regarding how your Discussion assignment will be evaluated, please review the grading rubric located in the Course Information area of the course.
Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ initial Discussion assignment postings in one or more of the following ways:
- Ask a probing question and provide insight into how you would answer your question and why.
- Ask a probing question and provide the foundation, or rationale, for the question.
- Expand on your colleague’s posting by offering a new perspective or insight.
- Agree with a colleague and offer additional (new) supporting information for consideration.
- Disagree with a colleague by respectfully discussing and supporting a different perspective
