Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. This science helps us to better understand and explain ourselves and others.
Psychologists examine how we learn, solve problems, form our attitudes and express emotion. They study a variety of concepts including biological processes related to behavior, memory, language, motivation, emotion, personality and stress. They also investigate how to predict, modify and facilitate human behavior.
When you study psychology you learn about individuals from different backgrounds and ages. You learn about children, relationships, group behavior and problems people might encounter. Learning this information will enhance your relations as a friend, parent, spouse and coworker.
Faculty/staff listing
Frequently asked questions
- What does it mean when a psychology course requires prerequisite?
- A prerequisite is a requirement that must be satisfactorily completed before a student may enroll in another class or program. Students are responsible for completing any prerequisites listed for a course prior to enrolling in the course.
- Which Psychology class should I take?
- If you have never taken a psychology class before, you have choice between two courses: General Psychology and Applying Psychology. General Psychology provides a foundation for the higher level psychology courses. You will learn about the major theories and different branches of psychology in General Psychology. This course is transferable to other colleges and universities. Applying Psychology focuses on personal adjustment and covers some theory. This course is also transferable. The Psychology Department at MCTC offers a range of courses. Beyond the basic courses, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Lifespan Development, Social Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology are also offered. These courses require the prerequisite of at least one course in Psychology. It is encouraged that the prerequisite course be General Psychology.
- How much work? How many papers? How much reading is involved in the class?
- The General Psychology course is a 4 credit class. A student should expect to spend at least 8 hours per week studying and working on assignments. General Psychology is offered with a discussion section. The student attends the regularly scheduled lecture per week and one of the discussion sections coordinated with the lecture. When registering, the student enrolls in a General Psychology course and selects which of the three discussion sections to regularly attend. (This does not apply to the online General Psychology 1110-29 nor the evening 1110-90 courses.)
- How will Psychology help me in the field of study I am interested?
- Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mind. Insight to this study provides all students with useful information to understand better their world and surroundings.
- What is the class size?
- Most psychology courses have a capacity of 50 students. The General Psychology course may have a capacity of 80 students if 4 discussion sections are scheduled. Usually the General Psychology course has a capacity of 60 with three discussion sections. The General Psychology course offered in the evening for 3 hours and 50 minutes hours is a 4 credit course with the discussion section figured into the block of time. It’s capacity is 50. The online General Psychology course has a capacity of 50 students.
- How does this class apply to real life?
- All of the Psychology courses offered by MCTC provide the student with a base knowledge in human behavior. Understanding why individuals do what they do helps you to comprehend the possible ways to help others. Minimally, individuals have a deeper understanding of the complexity of human behavior. Parents, teachers, medical staff, managers, and more take much from a Psychology course to apply in real life personal and work situations.
- What is Psi Beta, and how do I join?
- Psi Beta is the national honor society in psychology for community and junior colleges. It is the first two-year college honor society approved for membership in the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), which regulates membership requirements. The purpose is to stimulate, encourage, and recognize students' scholarship and interest in psychology. If you would like to join, contact the advisor, Lynn Coffey, at 612-659-6451 for more information.
