Foundation course in Psychology

If you are a psychology student and want to start preparation for psychology entrances and looking for a course that can help you strengthen the basics of psychology. Your search finishes here. This foundation course in psychology gives you an understanding of introductory psychology and makes you understand more profound concepts necessary for entrances. This course is helpful for psychology aspirants and those who want to be mental health professionals or are simply keen on psychology and want to explore it. It can help you know what psychology is and how we apply it in different areas, including mental health.  
Having a command of introductory psychology before moving with the preparation of psychology entrance examinations like B.Sc. Clinical Psychology (Hons.), MA Clinical Psychology, M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, PsyD in Clinical Psychology, PDCP, NET JRF Psychology, GATE Psychology, CUET PG Psychology or GRE Psychology is essential because it will help one understand the useful principles and theories for entrance.
The Foundation Course in Psychology is the introductory course offering an overview of the subject, theories, and approaches to kickstart the journey in psychology and mental health. This course provides a strong foundation for anyone who wants to do further work in understanding human behaviour, feelings or thoughts within an academic or professional context. In this course, students will be introduced to the broad domains that form the basis of psychological science endeavours. This course also focuses on giving students a clear background on the facts about the subject and how various theories help us understand human behaviours and mental health-related issues.
At the end of this course, the students will be equipped with important information that will enable them to understand various aspects of psychology for various purposes.

Who can join?

• Students preparing for major Psychology Entrances like B.Sc. Clinical Psychology (Hons.), MA Clinical Psychology, M.Phil Clinical Psychology, UGC NET JRF Psychology, GATE Psychology, and GRE Psychology.
• Students pursuing their bachelor's or master's in psychology and want to strengthen their basics of psychology.
• Students aim to take jobs-oriented exams in Psychology, such as DSSSB, Assistant Professor, UPSC, TGT, and PGT.
• A candidate interested in learning psychological fundamentals and curious to learn more about behavioural & mental health.

Course Curriculum - Foundation Course in Psychology

The course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of basic psychological concepts. The syllabus is structured to learn theories with relatable, real-life applications to ensure students are engaged and learn effectively.

Course Duration:
10 Weeks (3 hours per week)

Course Syllabus:

Module 1 - Introduction to Psychology

• Definition, history, and major branches of psychology.
• Early thinkers to modern-day psychologists.
• Behaviour Patterns.
• Understanding of conscious and unconscious behaviour.

Module 2 - Emotion and Motivation

• What are emotions?
• Major theories of emotion (Cannon-Bard, James-Lange, Schachter-Singer).
• Basic needs and drives (Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs).
• Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation and its impact on achievement and satisfaction.

Module 3 – Sensation and Perception

• The difference between sensation (raw input from our senses) and perception (how we interpret that input).
• Basic sensory processes (vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell).
• Brain processes and organizes sensory information.
• How perception shapes our understanding of reality (illusion, depth perception, etc.).

Module 4 - Learning and Memory

• Theory of Classical Conditioning by (Pavlov), Operant Conditioning by (Skinner), and Social Learning Theory by (Bandura).
• Stages of memory: Encoding, storage, and retrieval.
• Memory distortions and forgetting.

Module 5 - Human Development / Lifespan Psychology

• Stages of Human Development
• Cognitive, emotional, and social changes.
• Developmental theories (Erikson's Psychosocial Development Theory and Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory).
• Impacts of genetics and environment on development.

Module 6 - Theories of Personality

• Introduction and characteristics of personality.
• Major personality theories by Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and Carl Jung's Theory.
• How personality shapes our actions, interactions, and decision-making.
• Exploring introversion, extroversion, and many things in between.

Module 7 - Social Psychology

• Understanding Social Psychology
• Conformity, obedience, and social roles.
• The power of persuasion: Social influence.
• Understanding biases and their impact on social interactions.
• Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination.

Module 8 - Mental Health & Psychological Disorders

• Defining mental health and psychological well-being.
• Common mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and Dissociation).
• Basic understanding of diagnosis and treatment approaches.

Module 9 - BioPsychology

• Introduction to the Nervous System
• Neurons: Structure and their major functions.
• Brains: Structure and their connection to major emotions.
• Associated brain areas with major neurological disorders.

Module 10 – Assignments & Case Studies

Limited Seats (Admission on a first-come basis)

Batch Starting from April 2025