College Psychology Degree

I just signed up for a class this Spring term to help me move closer in obtaining my undergraduate degree in psychology from Granite State College. I enrolled in ENG 508: Media and Its Messages. I was so pumped when I got the syllabus because of the type of learning I was about to delve into. This is not one of your old school monotone instructors who ask you to read 100 pages and write a response every week. No! This is another course where I get to be in control of my learning, to put things that are happening in everyday life and turn them into great learning experiences!  As a mother of a two year old I do not get to watch much TV, let alone find out what is going on in the world around me. If it doesn’t come from Elmo or Barney, then I don’t have a clue! I think most working mothers can relate to me here! Between running around doing errands, cooking for my family, and changing diapers, I admit (ashamedly so) that I do not pay attention to current events in the news. I don’t even know what the weather is going to be like until I step outside! I know it sounds awful, but it’s the life most of us busy mothers live. In this class I am not only using modern media decipher what is happening around me in a “buyer beware” sort of attitude. But I am also teaching myself to slow down and really take a look at what is going on around me in the world. Many of these things that are happening on the news are going to greatly affect my life, like current politics. I think this class is going to help me in more ways that just academics. I am going to become a more well-rounded and well-read person because I will not only know how to look and decipher what is being tossed my way in the media and news outlets, but I will also know how to take the time to give myself that opportunity. I think that is definitely something a book and tests cannot teach you.

There are some really cool things that Granite State College provides there students with to help them succeed. One huge helper is my WebROCK portal. I log into that and I have access to so much more! I can change my name and adress if I move or get married, I can check my grades, and my financial aid. This year I even get to take control over my financial aid package through WebROCK. The coolest thing for me to be able to do in WebROCK is too keep tabs on my degree! I can see what courses I have taken, what courses need to be taken and all of my course options all laid out in front of me!  I don't have to call and ask someone else what they think I should do. After all, this is my degree! If I am smart enough to get through the classes then I think I am smart enough to choose them. Besides, I have a specific mind of where I want to go. I want to be a child psychologist someday, so for my electives I want to choose classes that would make sense for my studies. I know when I am through with my undergraduate psychology degree I am going to be 100% satisfied because I chose the classes I wanted based on what interested me. I have to say that my favorite feature on WebROCK is the "What if Analysis". Let's say I get bored with psychology and want a BS Health Care Management. All I have to do is click a few buttons and the screen will show me what courses would transfer into the new degree program and what courses I would have left to take! Is that not the coolest thing ever? No more wasting money bouncing from program to prgram. I can try it out for free to see if it "fits"!

I recently had the audacity to make claim that Granite State College was my baby, and that I would never do anything to hurt it. But in all honesty, Granite State College gave birth to me. To the strong, independent, and intelligent person I have become. Before attending to get my undergraduate degree in psychology I was very timid. I was shy and did not voice my opinions much because I had no confidence in myself and my abilities. I never thought in a million years I would be able to jungle the life that I have now: full time worker, full time student, and full time mother. Granite State College ignited the spark inside me that was always there, waiting for it to be proven worthy. The feelings I went through I can only describe as when someone is so exhausted and freezing cold water is splashed on their face. The excitement you get when you are confident enough to voice your opinions and know that you are worthy. To stand up and declare for all that it is my time! The best thing about it is that no one ever held my hand. I did not take baby steps throughout my journey here. I was able to take control of my own college career. I chose the classes that interested me and fit my degree of my choosing. I chose whether I took them online or face to face. Not only can I say “I did it!” when I hold my degree in my hand, but I can also say proudly, “I made it happen!”. This has to be the best college for a psychology major, and all other majors because you are in control of your destiny- you are given the power to make it happen!

In order to get one step closer to my undergraduate psychology degree I recently took the Intro to Ethics course online, and man, what an excellent course! I originally took it because I am a very passionate and opinionated person and thought I would do well in the course. Little did I know I was going to walk away from the class with an even broader span of understanding of humanity.  The things I learned throughout the course were not only interesting, but relatable to real life events. To see politics in a different light and to see why other people think the way they do. The instructor was super nice and very effective at teaching. He really took a different approach, and that is what I love most about Granite State College. They do not hire instructors who “preach” to you. That say read chapters so and so and take a test. They really get you to think, to associate your life with the materials. You become more of an educated person intellect and character becomes more three dimensional. I think the most eye opening resource you can look at is the Horace Miner’s “Body Ritual among the Nacirema Tribe” here- http://www.ohio.edu/people/thompsoc/Body.html. While you read the story, keep in the forethought of your mind all of the judgment’s you may be passing on this tribe’s people and their rituals. If you find this interesting, then you should really check out the intro to ethics course! And this course is not just limited to fullfilling requirements for just the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, but also in many other degree programs here as well, both online and in class! Take a look at the most recent course offerings and I promise you, you will not be disappointed!!

Have you ever wondered if a college education was a good idea? Have you debated with yourself about going back to school, spending all that money to find out things you already know? Have friends told you there is no purpose in going to college?

Well, think for a minute about what you want to be doing 5, 10 even 20 years from now. Do you want to be doing the same thing you are doing now? Are you up to date with the latest technology for your field? Well a college education can help you to change careers or get up to date with the technological advances in your field. Recently I spoke to someone who started college right out of high school but then stopped. He works in the landscaping field. He wishes he knew something about running a business so he could work for himself. I suggested college courses and he said no way was he going to sit around in a classroom. Then I suggested on line courses. You can take them when your schedule allows it. You can take the courses you need for your career, or you can put together a program of classes for a particular degree. He is considering the idea and maybe you should too!

Did you know that Granite State College offers many different kinds of degree programs? They have on line and face to face  courses to meet your needs. Maybe you want Special Education Teacher certification after being a paraprofessional for many years.  Maybe you are thinking of an undergraduate psychology degree, or a health care management program. Consider the options and consider that things are changing so fast in our society, that without training, it will be hard for anyone to be prepared for a career, even 5 years from now. Don't be left behind. Think about your reason for a college education.

The effects of alcohol on the brain are always interesting, challenging, and worth studying, as well as sometimes scary, sad and aggravating.  And my students at Granite State College love examining the subject. Alcohol strongly impacts the lives of many, and for everyone, studying about it adds to their learning about something that ultimately affects most in some way.  And maybe it will have an impact on them in the future, so it's good to have that knowledge in your back pocket!

In our Introduction to Psychology courses at Granite State College, we examine alcohol's effects on consciousness.  It's always interesting for my students to learn about the effects on the brain of alcohol and other potentially addictive substances.  And of course, not everyone becomes addicted.  Yet there are still some effects to examine.

My students learn about how those "filters" of consciousness get erased...for example, how alcohol relaxes anxiety-based responses - like what happens if you're kind of nervous about going to a party so you think it's helpful for you to have a couple of beers or glasses of wine to "relax"?  Is it a good idea to do that?  How does it work?  And what about how you may say and or do things you're less likely to do if alcohol weren't a part of the picture, and how the brain's neurotransmitters respond?  

Ah, "neurotransmitters" sounds like such a technical word doesn't it? But we learn the basics of how those little guys work in that great Introduction to Psychology course, and it's more interesting than terrifying!  My students - both adults who are returning to college and all students who are just hoping to increase their knowledge - are always fascinated by this topic.

Here's some information about how you can take this and other psychology courses at Granite State College  http://www.granite.edu/academics/degrees/bachelor/psychology.php

So here's a little about the study I described in the title of this article.  First a little background:  Alcohol is known to break down those little internal barriers...the ones that say, "Yikes!  I'd better not say or do  that!"  

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-racial-stereotyping-exposed-alcohol-related-images.html

So, if you were in my class, we'd discuss how alcohol was found to make people more likely to express any "racial bias" they'd been trying to cover up.  What does that say about what's really going on in peoples' brains?

 You can join us in an online class or for a regular classroom experience.  Let's see if we can figure this one out!

I was horrified to read that an annual Easter egg hunt in Colorado Springs has been canceled this year.  Was it because the kiddies misbehaved?  Was there some egg-throwing that got out of hand?  Well, not exactly.  Apparently, it's the parents whose behavior was out of hand.  

"Too many parents determined to see their children get an egg jumped a rope marking the boundaries of the children-only hunt at Bancroft Park last year. The hunt was over in seconds, to the consternation of eggless tots and the rules-abiding parents.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/53794462-68/parents-hunt-egg-easter.html.csp

Recently, the news has been filled with stories of "helicopter parents" - those parents who hover above their children and are a tad, shall we say, "overinvolved" in their kids' lives.  Those are the parents who demand that teachers recognize how special their child is.  (Aren't all children special?)  They argue with teachers if their child doesn't get the high grade they'd hoped for and make such a habit of speaking for their children that their children may get tongue-tied when expected to speak for themselves.  

Actually, the children sometimes become so unable to do anything for themselves that Mommy or Daddy may end up doing the homework, the science project, and even write college papers! Happily,  I haven't seen that at Granite State College, but I know it happens.

What I do wish is that these clueless parents would take a course in Child Psychology.  (We have them at Granite State College - both in the classroom and online...that's my plug for our wonderful college.)  Often, at the end of that course, my students say they wish their parents had had a course like that, and they might have been raised differently!  Many of our students are adult learners and people who have returned to school for a college degree.  But we do have a philosophy that the ideal target audience is a "lifelong learner."  So that should include everyone!

It's easy to express dismay over how "different things are now."  One thing that does give some strength to that argument is that parents are having fewer children than ever before.  Might that make a difference in how involved parents are?  Parents may have more time to be involved in their childrens' lives.  But there's another factor to consider:  Both parents are likely to be working now, so that cuts down on how much time both parents have to devote to "helicoptering" their children's lives.

These are the interesting kinds of things you can learn in a course on Child Growth and Development or Human Development at Granite State College.

I know I have had those thoughts run through my head when I was thinking about going back to school. Thinking about what would earn me the most income, what would be more full-filling for my own personal growth are just a couple of the thoughts that ran through my head when I decided to go back to Granite State College.  There are so many choices to chose from. Special education teacher, or Study Health Care Management or even and Undergraduate Psychology Degree, all are good choices.

I have been thinking about the value of a dollar recently. I remember when I was younger I thought I was rich when I had $100 to my name. I was king of the world and I could buy anything I wanted. Well those days are completely gone (I just got my first cable bill and it was $200!?).

I may not be able to make $100 go as far as I use to, but I am happy with the money I have been putting into my Bachelor’s of Science degree from Granite State College. After a lot of research, I learned that Granite State College offers the least expensive Bachelor’s degree in the entire state of New Hampshire!

That coupled with the small class sizes and more individualized attention that I receive from staff and instructors (staff at the campuses know most of their students names!!!), I am very happy with my choice to return to school to pursue my adult college degree.

Did you know that most of the Instructors here teach as a second job? That means that they actually LOVE to do what they do here. Why else would you take on another job? Instructors here actually take the time to know you as an individual, not just another student in their class. I remember taking a Psychology class at one of the local community colleges and I was one of 35 people in the class. The instructor did not know who I was and did not know I was even a part of his class when I raised my hand.

Here, at Granite State College, I am Danielle Dodd, a student, a worker and a mother. My instructors take the time to ask me about my day, about my son, and to make sure that I understand the work. They take the time out of their busy schedules so that if I am having an issue understanding something, they can meet with me at a time that is convenient for ME, not just offer a time that is convenient for them. Not only that, but the instructors here have full time jobs in their field of study. We have management instructors who are entrepreneurs, Early Childhood Education instructors who have child care centers. We have other instructors who are lawyers and have their doctorates! We are learning from people who not only have the book smarts, but have firsthand knowledge of how the field that we want to enter works! Honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better adult college education.

It’s exactly like those credit card commercials that always play:

            School  books: $100.

            School  supplies: $40.

            The unique education and opportunities received: Priceless