Best Practices for Teaching Beginnings and Endings in the Psychology Major

Introductory and capstone experiences in the undergraduate psychology program are crucial ways to engage students in their major and psychology department, impart realistic expectations, and prepare them for life beyond college. Providing the right orientation and capstone courses in psychology education is increasingly a concern of instructors, department chairs, program directors, and deans, and both types of courses have become important sources for gathering pre- and post-coursework assessment data for degree learning outcomes.

G. William Hill, IV is Professor of Psychology and Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Kennesaw State University. Beins, McCarthy, and Hill are all past presidents of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.